The Funk

Here is a little Friday stream of consciousness for you... Happy weekend! :)

It is funny. All that time spent in graduate school has given me a new perspective post-graduation. While I am SUPER grateful to be done with homework, late nights reading articles or textbooks, or group projects, I am finding that this time after graduating has been fun and relaxing, but different. While life and work and normal responsibilities still are moving at a fast pace, I am finding that all the things I thought about doing post-graduation, I am lacking the routine or discipline to actually do them. I had projects GALORE I wanted to do once being done with school. All those nights I was writing or meeting virtually with group members on projects, I had a list of "man, I wish I was doing [insert some form of fun that doesn't involve schoolwork here]". I even wished I had time to clean...like clean your whole house clean. Now that I have that time, I am having a difficult time making a routine. Scheduling my days to accomplish something outside of normal work hours. Once I get home, I just want to watch tv. I have never been a big tv watcher, but now, that's much of what I find myself doing. My books I have from the library even remain unread. What is going on?!  I need to get myself back on track and find a good rhythm. When you are forced to do hours of schoolwork, you just do it. It is hard, not fun, but it forces productivity. I can't handle not doing something productive. Just sitting is so foreign to me it makes me feel almost guilty for doing it. I guess, like in all things, I need to find a balance. I need to balance sitting watching tv time with doing projects or other household activities. I mean, I have been keeping up with routine cleaning, etc better than when I was in school, but the extra projects seem to be just waiting to be addressed and I keep putting it off. I am not a procrastinator, for the most part. Why am I suddenly doing this? I need to get out of this funk. This "wanting to be lazy" funk. I need to get on a schedule...you know I love a good list:) looks like it is to the drawing board on "being productive post-school".

I'll let you know how this all turns out... :)

A House, A Home

So the Third.Big.Thing.

Life has been madness lately. But a good madness. The crazy that makes you sleep so hard each night and then make up dreams with sirens and alarms in the morning because you are still so tired that you incorporated your alarm sound into your dreams. It has been nuts, but I wouldn't trade it for anything!

KGK and I just moved into our first house! We could not be more excited. Apartment living definitely has its perks, and we were happy to be in an apartment until the right house came along, and it did! We are thrilled.

So now, the packing, unpacking crazy cycle is in full swing. We have everything moved in and we are now trying to find everything. We went a few days already with just the basics. Food was scarce. We have been living off of hot dogs and left over pizza because we are still digging through our mounds of stuff and need to find our pots, pans, plates, etc. It is amazing how much stuff you can acquire in so much time and how much you actually use your stuff. So now we get to figure out where everything is going and where everything is hiding.

A few things I am especially excited about now that we are in a house:

*Having a garden.*

*Salvaging some of our older furniture, nicknacks, and other decor that have been in boxes and try giving them fresh paint, and giving 'em new life.*

*Making my own curtains*

*Finding a spot for everything and keep it clean and neat *

So these are just a few of my hopes for this new house of ours. I look forward to making this house of ours a home we can be in for a long, long time.

Stay tuned!

~AMK

Habits & Rabbits

Ok, so this post really has nothing to do with Rabbits. I just liked how it sounded. I am not a poet, but if I get a chance to rhyme a word or two, I feel like telling my high school self that it will turn out ok that you can’t master writing a haiku or other poetry types. (Confession: yes, I have been laughed at, by a teacher, with how poor my poem-writing-skills were, in front of the whole class). But that is neither here nor there…I’m beyond my need to write poetry. Doesn’t really suite me anyway, just not my thing. 

But ANYWAYS, back on track. Reeling it in.

Habits. I googled “define: habits” and this is what pops up:

Pretty straight forward and applicable. Minus the taking of drugs part. Just say no.

Anywho, I have gotten into a bad “regular tendency or practice” of not eating as healthy as I should, and not exercising regularly. I blame two things: I started dating KGK and I became happy, so why work out?; and I started grad school.

So now, I am more than 2 years beyond the start of KGK and I starting our fun-filled journey together and my grad work is behind me. I have gotten into quite the slump and extra humps (graphic, I know, how do you think I feel?!). So it is time to get myself back into better shape. I will never be within my ideal weight/BMI range for my height. Never have been. And even when I played sports with morning and evening practices and constantly on the go when I was younger, I was NEVER within those ranges. I was always like 20 pounds more than those. Not sure how they come up with that stuff, but I had two things going against me: big hips (even in middle school when those suckers started spreading), and big boobs (even at my lowest, these suckers are just big).

So now that I have gotten extremely personal and said things on the web that my mother would probably freak out over (sorry mom, but just being honest about the girls), I have decided to get myself into a workout routine and making healthier eating choices.

Now first, let me explain. I am not an expert. I will mess up. I love beer and wings, so those will still be in my food consumption every so often. However, I am making small choices to ensure I am feeding my body what it needs MOST of the time, and having those “fun” things only some of the time. My some and MOST have been flip flopped for the past couple years. So it is time to flip flop them back again. Get myself back on track and be a better and healthier me.

Ok, next. Working out. UGH. Say it with me…UGH. Well, time to get that kicked into high gear too. I am not planning to start going to the gym 5+ days a week. I will not spend more than an hour or so there at a time. Because let’s face it, if I place too big of a goal, I have more room to miss it and fail. So, I am starting small. I plan to go to the gym at least 3 times a week. If it doesn’t happen, I will try to do it the next week. Life happens. You can’t always be a machine and stay on schedule or keep to regimens as we hope we can. So I am allowing myself to be flexible, but not be lazy. I am going to force myself out of bed in the morning to go to the gym. I will be sure to go to classes or get a workout in even after long days at work. Enough forcing and it will be an easier push eventually. I will get in the habit of it again. I used to frequent the gym 4 times a week before grad/KGK happiness entered my life. Now, with more going on, I expect 3 times a week for myself. I want to be healthier and fitter so that I can be active for more years of my life. I don’t want to have a family and not be able to go outside and kick around a soccer ball or not go for hikes. I want my kids to see their momma as active and going on adventures. They need to see me making the time to take care of myself so that they will do those same things too. 

So now starts the hard part. Getting into the habit. Habit making is hard, habit breaking is easy and so much more fun. But once something is a everyday practice, it becomes easier. Making my coffee every morning is a habit. I enjoy it. Being healthy can be the same too. I just have to get over the initial work to get it brewing.

Received this gem from a friend today.

So my goals are to get some poundage off and be healthier. I will need all the help I can get, so any encouragement or words of advice/wisdom are greatly appreciatedJ

~AMK

The first big thing.

So how’s it going? How’s life? It is May, you know! That means summer is RIGHT around the corner. WAHOO! AND big things are happening in May. I am excited:)

The first big thing happened yesterday.  For most, this would not be so big. But for me, it was awesome. The rest of the big things will be shared later...how do you like that for suspense? :)

So yesterday, I went to the library and checked out a few books.  Yes, you heard me. I went to the library to check.out.books….not read journal articles, do research, or write a paper. But I looked at the fiction, autobiographies, mystery and other “fun” sections.  This was a momentous occasion! Finishing school means I can read again.  Didn't I read during my entire time in grad school, you ask? Well, yeah. But research isn’t as exciting as a good novel. So I am PUMPED. :)

photo from here

As I browsed the shelves, I found some books that I am excited to read. I looked for some that others had suggested, but I couldn't find them. So I decided to go through and see what was sitting there, waiting to be picked up and the cover read. I decided upon three books to last me the next week or so. 

Here's the breakdown:

photo from here. 

The first, was the third book in a trilogy by Allie Condie called Reached. I have been reading this trilogy since last summer. I read the first one just before the fall semester began, then read the second one over Christmas (before the stomach plague of Christmas 2012 hit), and I am now able to read this third one. To me, there are similar to the Hunger Games in that they are easy to read, they are so creative with a futuristic type society, like in the Hunger Games.  It is really a good read if you are looking for a couple books to get sucked into on a lazy Saturday.

 

photo from here. 

The second book I picked up was called  Into the Wild by  Jon-Krakauer. It is about a man that hitchhiked to Alaska and left everything he had behind to live in the wild. I have heard that this book is excellent, so I am pretty pumped to start this one. AND, they made this into a movie…so it looks like I have another movie to add to my list of “need to watch”.

photo from here

And the last book I got was Jodi Picoult’s book that she co-wrote with her daughter called Between the Lines. From how understood the description, a teenage girl has been reading a fairy tale story but the characters are actually real. It shows her interactions with the characters and their struggle living in a fairy tale when they don’t want to be living it. I am excited to start this one!

So I have some reading ahead of me and I couldn't be more excited! I’ll be sure to fill you in J

What have you been reading lately?
~AMK

Dear Future Self: WE did it!

Dear Future Self,

I want you to remember today. This moment. This last night. You have been working so hard to get this degree finished, and you are here. You have made it. You just have one presentation left, and you have your Master's degree...GO YOU!

Future Self, I want you to remember what this feels like. The excitement, the anticipation, the I-CAN'T-BELIEVE-I-MADE-IT feeling. It has been a hard couple years. There has been less sleep, more stress, lots of reading and writing, too much snacking (which in turn lead to gaining the grad school 15...yeah don't be fooled...it is not limited to college freshmen...UNFORTUNATELY!), and not enough exercising. But, it is worth it! You made it. You got through working full time, starting to date your now-husband, got married, had a mini-moon (our short honeymoon because of being in the middle of the semester), and many fun events having to be turned down because I had homework to do. No more turning down working out, or going out with friends, or watching a moving with the hubs. I get to be a normal adult! Well, let's be honest. Normal will never be a word that accurately describes me, but I can at least attempt to be normal:)

I can't believe I made it and I now need to do a round of thanks...picture it like at the grammy's or another award show, except I am sitting at home, in PJ's and the audience I currently have is my dog watching to see if I drop a morsel of a snack to him. But I really am grateful for all the support my friends and family have given me during this time. SO here it goes:

First.....KGK...well, you rock! You met me just a couple weeks before I started this graduate school journey and you have been with me through it all. You have only known me to be a grad student. I am excited to show you who I am without homework and other school stuff to do. I can't wait to have more time for us.  I am glad I can now pull my own weight when it comes to normal life stuff like cleaning and errands.  During this whole process, you would walk the dog, do errands or chores, or just sit there and tell me I could do it when I needed to hear it most. You are the most supportive person I have ever met, and I am so grateful for you. :)

And to my friends...thank you for not giving up on me with all my "I can't hang out" or cutting fun short because I had to do more homework. Thanks for still being my friend even though I was so busy and I didn't give you a lot of my time. Well now, I have more time! Let's celebrate! :) Beer? wings? let's make it happen.

And to my family, y'all have been awesome. Listening to my rants and raves, and ups and downs about my various classes, scheduling issues, and whatever else it was at the time. You listened. I talked. and talked. But you still listened. You had no idea what I was talking about, but you still listened. So thank you for that! :)

So future self, as life gets busy with other things, because we know it will, just remember this moment just before the finish. Remember how it feels to have 2+ years of late evenings, lots of papers and group projects, and all that hard work paying off. And remember that you didn't do it without the support of your family and friends. They made it happen as much as you did sitting doing those assignments....

So basically....

CONGRATS Y'ALL. We made it!

:)

I'm off to do my last presentation of grad school...here goes nothing EVERYTHING! :)

~AMK

Heartstrings

We humans are quite amazing. Very complex, yet very simple at the same time.  We are so uniquely woven into these intellectual beings that has reason, emotion, spirituality, humor...

I always find it interesting how we all can view situations, a conversation, or even a show on tv as so very different from the others point of view. I never understood how people could cry at a commercial or laugh at certain types of jokes. We are all so very unique in this way, and it is quite amazing, really. 

Well, for those of you that know me, or have been getting to know me through this blog, I am quirky and loud. I love to make people laugh and yes, many times it is at my own expense. :)  I am not a big crier. There are certain things (and certain times of the month, eh hem) that of course tug at my heartstrings more than others. I am not very sappy, but I do tear up at a good movie sometimes. But I am not one to just cry throughout my day over various things. I have known some that are like this, and I just don't understand. It doesn't mean I don't appreciate it, because I most certainly do, but my tear ducks just aren't connected in as many ways as others I guess. But there is one thing that always gets me...those stinkin' commercials about the puppy dogs that need homes, or the facebook posts about a dog that was left stranded and was found without food, water or shelter and needs a home. BREAK.MY.PUPPY-LOVIN.HEART.

So stop it. I mean, don't stop, but stop it. All those posts, those stories and commercials about these dogs that need a good home...don't stop because we definitely need to get the word out that these animals are being mistreated and they need help, but stop doing this to ME! KGK has to turn any commercial that has a sad puppy to another channel because I will FREAK the HECK OUT. We can't go into pet stores, and I have had to stop looking at the local rescue organizations for animals because I want to adopt every single one of them. I mean, come on, why on earth would anyone want to leave this poor little guy behind..?????

He is one of the best things in the world that has come into my life.

Love this little guy!


~AMK

The Riveting Mundane

Oh the mundane. Filled with all the daily commotion and routine. It is funny...when I try to think of things to write on this little blog, I feel like I need to come up with something so special and creative so I can remember all the great things in my life for years down the road. Well, honestly, for all of us, most days are just filled with normal day happenings.

So why write about it?

Well, our normal day things change over time. Right now, my days are filled with getting up, going to work, coming home, doing homework, making dinner (most nights), and spending time with KGK and Buddy. Sounds pretty boring, but really all is great. It is nice to be busy with these things. It is fulfilling to have a job I love, a dog I couldn't imagine my life without, and a husband who is the best gift ever bestowed upon me. I am very blessed, and I love my simple little life.

Do I wish I had more adventures?

Sure, but sometimes life doesn't guarantee that those adventures won't be harder than they are fun. So sometimes these days and weeks of mundane are not so bad sounding or so boring to read. But rather they are worth writing about, worth remembering, worth treasuring.

So why don't I write more?

Fear, I guess. And time.  Fear that what I write won't be catchy enough or exciting enough for my limited following. The lack of time to do fun or catchy things or the fact that I didn't cook a share-worthy meal in few days, ok a week, ok a couple weeks.

But what writings am I most drawn to?

The mundane. The ones that I can most relate to. The posts and articles that I can read, and then think, "man, that is so me right now."

Is it fun to read exciting stories about lives that seem so different than mine too?

Of course. Those are the stories that help expand who I am. Make me realize that other people's stories are mundane in their own ways, and we all just share little pieces of the internet to share how we view the world through our own eyes. May seem boring to us at the time, but to others, it may be riveting. You just have to work at it.

Have I felt bored with my life lately?

Not at all.  My life feels very exciting, actually. I guess I just think the mundane isn't worth writing about or I don't make the time to document for myself. I really should be better about that.


Do you ever feel your life is too mundane that it isn't worth sharing? Because you shouldn't. :)

~AMK

Dear Future Self: It is no longer a stream. It's a flood!

Dear Future Self:

Here is my stream flooding of consciousness, in an effort to give my brain a break at thinking. It is amazing how simply writing things down makes it feel like it is no longer swirling aimlessly in my brain but has a place, a definitive space in my life and gives me comfort to know I have recognized that thought and it is no longer clouding my brain and my thinking.

Working Out. My stinkin' knee lately has given me trouble for a couple weeks! boo.... I love going to the high aerobic type classes at the gym, but with a recent knee twist, it has set me back in my work out patterns. In hopes of getting back into the work our groove, I tried a class last week. Not a good idea. My knee was still giving me trouble apparently. So this week, I am being lazy filling my time with other things I needs to be doing, and not hitting up the gym. The knee is much better, but still needs to be rested a bit to ensure it is all better. Then, I am back at it!! :)

Eating Healthy. Trying...but so much easier to each unhealthy foods sometimes. Keep on keepin' on...

Homework. Where to begin. This semester is kicking my butt with group projects, my individual projects and trying to do a book review. My planner is my best friend lately, and I STILL feel like I am missing stuff. No laziness allowed this semester, that's for sure! While it is not allowed, it still happens. Enjoying those bits of lazy times and enjoying it while it lasts:) I just keep thinking of May and all the glory that comes with being DONE.

Life in general. Life is great! :) I feel like every moment is taken up with doing something, but let's face it, if I weren't busy with work, school and all the normal life stuff, I'd most definitely be looking to fill my time with something. I am a glutton for busyness...my mother will attest to this and me being a very active, into everything type of child. Thanks Mom for putting up with me:)

Weather blues. PICK A TEMPERATURE... preferably warm:)

Thanks for listening to the rants and ramblings of one head-spinning-with-busyness chick.

I feel better already! :)

Hope you are having a good Monday! :)

~AMK

I got your sh$# wired, Jack!

So we have been on a Duck Dynasty kick. HEY! The show is HILARIOUS. :)  Check it out if you haven't yet and watch at least 2 episodes...then you will be hooked. It is just unbelievably funny. I received an email and this one line made me think of Duck Dynasty because Uncle Si always says "HEY JACK!"  

I have no idea where the original credit goes for this email, but it was too good not to share with the masses...(be warned, there is profanity, but I think it helps add to the hilarity of it).

Enjoy, JACK!

~AMK

****************************

Timmy Writes a Letter to Santa

Timmy:  Dear Santa, How are you? How is Mrs. Claus? I hope everyone, from the reindeer to the elves, is fine. I have been a very good boy this year. I would like an X-Box 360 with Call of Duty IV and an iPhone 4 for Christmas. I hope you remember that come Christmas Day.
Merry Christmas,
Timmy Jones


Santa:  Dear Timmy, Thank you for your letter. Mrs. Claus, the reindeer and the elves are all fine and thank you for asking about them. Santa is a little worried all the time you spend playing video games and texting. Santa wouldn't want you to get fat. Since you have indeed been a good boy, I think I'll bring you something you can go outside and play with.
*Merry Christmas,*
Santa Claus


Timmy:  Mr. Claus, Seeing that I have fulfilled the "naughty vs. Nice" contract, set by you I might add, I feel confident that you can see your way clear to granting me what I have asked for. I certainly wouldn't want to turn this joyous season into one of litigation. Also, don't you think that a jibe at my weight coming from an overweight man who goes out once a year is a bit trite?
Respectfully,
Tim Jones


Santa:  Mr. Jones, While I have acknowledged you have met the "nice" criteria, need I remind you that your Christmas list is a request and in no way is it a guarantee of services provided. Should you wish to pursue legal action, well that is your right. Please know, however, that my attorney's have been on retainer ever since the Burgermeister Meisterburger incident and will be more than happy to take you on in open court. Additionally, the exercise I alluded to will not only improve your health, but also improve your social skills and potentially help clear up a complexion that looks like the bottom of the Burger King fry bin most days.
Very Truly Yours,
S. Claus


Timmy:  Now look here Fat Man, I told you what I want and I expect you to bring it. I was attempting to be polite about this but you brought my looks and my friends into this. Now you just be disrespecting me. I'm about to tweet my boys and we're gonna be waiting for your fat ass and I'm taking my game console, my game, my phone, and whatever else I want. WHAT EVER I WANT, MAN!
T-Bone


Santa:  Listen Pizza Face, Seriously??? You think a dude that breaks into every house in the world on one night and never gets caught sweats a skinny G-banger wannabe? "He sees you when you're sleeping; He knows when you're awake". Sound familiar, genius? You know what kind of resources I have at my disposal. I got your shit wired, Jack. I go all around the world and see ways to hurt people that if I described them right now, you'd throw up your Totino's pizza roll all over the carpet of your mom's basement. You're not getting what you asked for, but I'm still stopping by your crib to stomp a mud hole in your ass and then walk it dry. Chew on that, Petunia.
S Clizzy


Timmy:  Dear Santa, Bring me whatever you see fit. I'll appreciate anything.
Timmy


Santa:  Timmy, That's what I thought you little bastard.
Santa  

Outdoor Adventures

This past weekend, my friend Heidi and I took the dogs to the bark park. Heidi, who does not have any dogs of her own, is a stand-in doggy parent to several different friends' dogs. One of which is Buddy too. And every dog, when her name is spoken or they see her, they immediately FREAK OUT because they know a hike or a walk or a fun adventure is about to happen.

So this past weekend, we loaded up our friends' 2 beagles and Buddy, and we set out for some outdoor fun, before it gets too cold, and we have to wait to do this until springtime.

Photo courtesy of Heidi! A great shot!

There was a WHOLE lot of doggy handshakes (aka. butt sniffing)...

...and lots of happy tails and smiles...

...one of which decided to crash while in the car on the ride home...

Needless to say, the pups had a BLAST!

...those were some sleepy pups after their outdoor adventures!

Until the next adventure,

~AMK

Let's Give 'Em Somethin' to Blog About: Inspiration Destination

"Let's Give 'em Somethin' to Blog About" is an effort for me to share a blog posting that I have read somewhere or an article I have found interesting. I will give my thoughts that rambled on through my head as I read them or have been marinading since then. Some I may have just read within a few hours and others may be ones that have stuck with me through the weeks, months or even years, and I want to grasp something from it and remember. They are a way for me to look back and remember.

Today's Post: Our Wedding

Young House Love. What else can I say besides...LOVE! These two are fantastic (well, and Clara & Burger too!). John and Sherry are full-time bloggers with so much energy, quirkiness, and creativity that you can't help but soak up all they write. Amazing. Many of their projects and ideas have inspired me to think beyond what I actually see and create from that canvas to something so different you can't believe the transformation. They LOVE their ORB (I am a huge fan of it too, Sherry!), painting everything they can white or yellow (have I said before that I just love yellow?!), their ceramic animals, and crisp clean lines with bold burst of color and soft gray contrasts. I did not love gray or yellow or ORB or being crafty..at all... until I started reading their blog a few years ago (wow, has it already been that long?!). So it wouldn't surprise anyone then to say that their DIY wedding was a HUGE inspiration for me as KGK and I started thinking about our own wedding ideas. With that said, let's get into the pure simplicity and merry of their DIY backyard wedding. 

John and Sherry bought a house in Virginia and planned to have their wedding be as relaxed and friendly as their awesome personalities are. They had those cute vintage touches with the water and mint lemonade in the wine bottle, and string lights overhead to set the scene. Everyone looks so happy and soaking up the love of the day. They really focused on their guests and how much they appreciated them coming to their wedding and being a part of their lives.  There was also a photo booth where guests could commemorate the occasion with awkward yet funny pictures with friends and family, and enjoy the peaceful setting of a backyard cookout. How fun does that seem! 

So when KGK and I were planning our wedding, having it as relaxed and "us" was the focus. We wanted it to be as outdoorsy and inviting as we possibly could. Laughter, eating, catching up with family and friends you rarely see, and enjoying the time with people you see often was the main focus of our wedding. It was perfect. 

College friends!

Fall Centerpieces

Yeah, I love this guy ;)

So thanks, YHL, for the inspiration to keep it simple and you through the whole shebang. It made it so worth it. 

~AMK

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

Embracing All Things Fall-ness

KGK and I had a wonderful honeymoon. We went to the mountains and enjoyed some cooler temps and some small, mountain town loveliness. We had a beautiful view of the mountains and the river from our big bay windows and loved going through the small shops and local restaurants. I just love experiencing the smaller, quainter places. The ones that may barely make the map but are filled with awesomeness (yes, awesomeness).

In this small mountain town, they were fully decked out with all their autumn and Halloween goodness (or badness?). There were oranges, reds, yellows (oh, goodness, do I LOVE some yellows!), scarves, hot coffees, and boots. I love when I can bring out my boots! It was the perfect picture of fall all around us. Leaves were barely starting to change, but all the little shops had their decorations holding the fall-color-changing wonderfulness scene until they were ready (why is this post full of so many -nesses today? Guess it helps me set the scene:) ).

Well, all the -NESS was happening. AND to top it all off, they had a scarecrow contest throughout town. Every shop made a scarecrow, and they had a contest where you could vote for your favorite. There was one that WON ME OVER. It was love at first sight scare. It combined 3 of my favorite things...AUTUMN, OWLS, and KGK:) It was my unicorn moment @Enjoying the Small Things! It was fabulous.

The best scarecrow ever.

How are you embracing all things fall? Does it give you that feeling to use "ness" way too many times?

Happy Fall! :)

~AMK

Dear Future Self: DIY Wedding Thanks

Dear Future Self:

If there is one thing that I have learned about preparing for a wedding, and having it a DIY wedding, is that your family and friends deserve so much thanks for all their help.  Whether it be a shower they planned, a bachelorette outing, craft help or just being there to offer a listening ear, these are the things I want to cherish during this preparation time just before the BIG DAY.

So THANK YOU to everyone who is making this chapter of our lives so FANTASTIC!! Y’all rock!

~AMK

Happy Friday!

(Image from: http://bynd.com/blog/friday-digital-get-down-august-19/)

~AMK

Dear Future Self: The Home Stretch

Dear Future Self,

So we are on the home stretch of wedding planning, KGK and I! We are putting all the final touches to all things pre-wedding and pre-family arriving into town! :) We are so unbelievably excited!! :)

almost there!

So here's a few things that I want to remember when I look back on the last days/week before our wedding:

***

~I am nervous. Not about getting hitched, but about all the details. We are planners so that helps, but man! It still makes ya nervous. :)

~I have been doing really well with working out and plan to keep that up for the last little while before the wedding. I really enjoy water aerobics, cycling classes, core/abs classes and walking Buddy. I know he likes it when I decide to stay home and walk him instead of hitting the gym!

~I'm getting all my homework done and some from the week of and after the wedding. Staying on top of homework is one thing, but getting ahead...UGH! But I am doing it! Trying to stay positive! :)

~Have a few last minute things to buy, but other than that, all my accessories and dress stuff is taken care of for the most part. PHEW! That's always a big relief!

~Gettin' my tan on! Trying to have a little color so I'm not the stark white chick in the stark white dress;) So just getting a little rays to give me a good ole fashion glow.

~One of my good friends gets married just before us!! We are very excited to see them get married too! :)

~In honor of cooler temps and fall, I have a crock pot full of homemade chili waiting for us for dinner tonight. YUM!

***

So there you have it. Just a few things going on the last stretch before the BIG DAY!  Buddy, you are gonna officially have a Daddy! ;)

Buddy lovin' a car ride!

Until next time...

~AMK

Change of Seasons: Energized and Excited

Autumn. I love it. Cooler temps are welcomed around here! But, I don't like COLD. Make sure we clear that up. :) But cooler than 90 degrees is good. And for those that are pumpkin spice latte fans, you are in luck, as they are back! I am very much looking forward to this fall.

With the changing of seasons, I am always inspired and energized by the potential for something fresh and new. Any season really. I like change and try to embrace the energy that comes with the ideas, events, and happenings of another time of year. The shifts to different schedules and the expectation of the holidays around the corner get me all sorts of giddy. Autumn...here I come!

One thing this fall, I would like to be better about is taking pictures. For one, I just don't have time to take pictures on a nicer camera, upload, edit and then post. So I apologize for my lousy picture taking. I intend on improving this one day soon...promise:)  I use my phone for pictures which = boring and blah photos. I try, I do. I'm working on it and hope to make strides here soon with inspiration from the changing of colors coming up. I LOVE the way instagram edits photos simply and quickly, but they just don't show up as well on the ole blog. So one goal of mine is to be better in this time of changing colors and seasons to include some more quality photos. Here's hoping:)

Another wonderful change I am excited about is being able to include some recipes meant for cooler weather. Like homemade chili and muffins and casseroles. YUM. Having a bowl of chili on a 101 degree day just isn't as inviting as on a 60 degree day. So I very much am looking forward to these autumn days ahead.

Lastly, I cannot wait to start up camping again! My camping days seem to be fewer lately with wedding planning and schoolwork. I also want to try a backpacking trip once the wedding is over. Gotta start thinking of what, when and where:) KGK probably has some ideas:)

Hope you too are enjoying these glimpses into fall days! :)

Until next time...

~AMK

The Crazy List Update

So if you read my post about remembering this time of my life in lieu of a letter to my Future Self, then Future Self, I am happy to report that we have checked off a GREAT DEAL from our wedding to-do list and I am feeling SO MUCH BETTER :)

But let's back things up a little...

Last week, I was going crazy. Not literally, because let's face it, I am already there. ;) I was just overwhelmed by all that was going on. So, I sat down and made my good ole fashioned list of all that was in my brain, all jumbled around and in need of escape. So this list....I wrote down all that needed to be done and actually got quite a bit checked off! KGK and I worked like madman and madwoman to get a large chunk of our to-do done. And we did! Here's the low-down (another list, you say?! I love it. It is a sickness, really). :)

1. We finalized our food/menu and some of the logistics of how that would go.
2. We finalized our hotel stuff for our guests (made sure the right amount of rooms were still set aside).
3. We made both my bouquet and my maid of honor's bouquet.
4. We created our photographer and videographer checklists.
5. I started transposing the design of our programs onto its finalized draft with color.
6. KGK started the insides of the programs and what it would say and how it would be formatted.
7. We created our schedules for the entire weekend basically and made the Wedding Day schedule.
8. I purchased stuff for our friend who is making the cake.
9. Did I mention this is a DIY wedding? YHL..you would be so proud:)

We may have done a couple other things too, but they are slipping my mind. Not bad!

I am starting to feel a lot better about the next few weeks now. While I still have homework (oh, yeah I had homework to do this weekend too! haha), I feel like a huge weight is lifted because of how much we accomplished this weekend. Always feels so good when you can check stuff off your list.

Should KGK be worries with how much love I have for lists?? I like to think it is one of the reasons why he loves me:) I will live in ignorance:)

Enjoying some cooler temperature...does this mean I can get all fall decorations out now? I think orange is moving up into one of the favorite colors category.

Until next time...

~AMK