Leslie's Going Away Party

We had Leslie's going away party Sunday night and it was a HUGE success!! We had to trick her to get her to where the party was but she eventually showed up. So many people came and I so appreciate it!!!

Leslie got too many great gifts! She got a Garmin, Starbucks gift cards, ITunes gift cards, a photo album, Roadhouse DVD, TXRH shirt signed by all the staff, luggage, and tons of other goodies! I'm a little jealous! HA!

Mom wanted to get a picture of all three men in her life. Dad, of course, Mike (her boss for 7 years) and Brian, her boyfriend!

To the right, to the right, to the right, to the right..................

Alex gave the best toast to Leslie. She sang "Wind Beneath my Wing" and everyone joined in. It was awesome, very entertaining.

And this is how we all felt as we said our goodbyes. I'm so incredibly happy for my sister. She has worked SO hard for this promotion and I know how wonderful she will be in this role. Selfishly, I'm horribly sad that I won't be working with her anymore and she'll be traveling all the time. But, like that saying goes, life goes on.

Leslie,

I can't wait to hear all about your new adventures and travel stories. Stay true to who you are, have fun, be kind, love life, make new friends, and enjoy all that you have worked so hard for. I love you more than you, or anyone else, will know and I'm so proud of the person you have become. I will miss you!!!!!

I love you sister!!!!

Ten Year Reunion

Here's a brief recap as to how to my ten year reunion went last night.

Started off with a girl's dinner (plus Dave) at good ole' Roadhouse where my parents, sister, and brother in law just happened to be enjoying dinner as well. Short dinner=early arrival at the reunion, which just happened to work out since we didn't have to pay the $5 entry fee. Score.

I can't really explain how I feel about the ten year reunion. It was great to see many people there, some conversations were awkward and quite uncomfortable. You try to be social and make conversations with people you haven't seen but to be frankly honest, what is the point to having reunions anymore?

Everyone is on facebook or has a blog or tweets (whatever that is) so it's almost as if you already pretty much know what's going on with everyone. Even people you never speak with so most of the conversations I had last night consisted of old high school memories or just really saying hello.

I'm glad I went, although I'm not sure how I feel about attending the 20 year. Simply for the fact we are so technologically bound together that I'm not sure there is a need. But, that's a looonnggg way away so who knows.

It was a weird mix of people and you could tell, many people didn't feel like small talk (even with me). I got the vibe and you know what, that's okay. That's the beauty of being out of high school, you don't have to spend time talking or socializing with people you simply do not have anything in common.

Now, waking up to attend my work meeting this morning at 8am was simply painful. I am proud to say, Dave lasted the majority of the night. After about two hours he asked if he leave. And I appreciate that; he came, he hung out, he left. Hope he remembers that when it's his turn. HA!

"Why Does My Husband".....Proverbs 31 Devotional

"I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made." Psalm 139:14 (NAS)

Have you ever found yourself puzzled about why your husband does or doesn't do certain things? Are you ever frustrated with his quirks and preferences?

Why does he have to have the proper tool for his project, when it seems to you he already has ten power tools that could surely serve the purpose? Or why does he not get the kids to bed on time, like you reminded him to do? Doesn't he know a schedule is important? Perhaps you've been on the other end of your husband's frustration when you want to socialize at the party as late as possible, but he's ready to leave after an hour.

While a couple's differences stem from many sources, one of the main sources of our differenc es is our unique personality types. Years ago when I stumbled across a book, Florence Littauer's Personality Plus for Couples, I felt like a light bulb turned on as it offered insight into my husband. This man who is very different from me.This book explains that every person tends to fall in one of four personality types: Sanguine, Choleric, Phlegmatic, or Melancholy.

Most people have a primary personality type and a secondary personality type, and each type comes with its positive and negative aspects.The Sanguine personality type, also called the Popular Personality, is outgoing, adventurous, attention-seeking, talkative and social. Possible weaknesses of a Sanguine are they avoid anything that's not fun, tend to run late, and often do not finish projects.

When you think of the second personality type, the Choleric or Powerful Personality, think of a take-charge leader. Cholerics love challenges, are self-motivated, driven and determined. Their st rong personalities can lend to weaknesses, such as being opinionated, stubborn or insensitive to other's feelings.

The third personality type, the Melancholy or Perfect Personality, tends to be introspective, creative, analytical and serious. Some of a melancholy's challenges are that they tend to be perfectionists, get their feelings hurt easily and can be critical of others.Lastly, there's the Phlegmatic, the Peaceful Personality. Phlegmatics are laid-back, stable, calm and pleasant. While their peace-seeking personalities are helpful, they can avoid conflict at all costs, be scared to take a risk and may procrastinate.

Just reading this list makes me giggle as I think of a recent "situation" with my husband. As we prepared dinner for a cookout with neighborhood friends, Scott, a Sanguine-Choleric, got frustrated when he couldn't find the just-right knife for chopping up vegetables. To me, a phlegmatic-melancholy, it didn't seem like a big deal – any old knife would suit me fine for cutting up food. Later in the night when my more introverted melancholy side was showing, I was thankful for the talkative sanguine qualities of my husband who is great at making guests feel welcome.

Understanding my husband's personality type helps me to embrace him for the unique way God designed him. When I see how God gave each of us strengths and weaknesses, I see how we complement one another and how we truly are better together than apart.

Dear Lord, there are times when I just don't understand my husband, why he does or doesn't do certain things. Help us both to embrace one another's unique personalities. Lord, we trust that You can cause our differences to work for good in our marriage and in our individual lives. Lord, I want to go beyond just tolerating my husband's differences; I want to embrace them. I want to trust that our differences will complement each other, making us better together than apart. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Dove are much harder than skeet

Yesterday we got to load up and head over to our friend's house for some good food and dove huntin! (Yes, it's huntin. You leave off the "G", it's just what you do. Don't ask). HA!

We went out to Jared and Addie's and, like always, we had a blast. Raidy was even up and so happy. He is now 5 months old! Such a good baby. And I got my baby fix in for a few hours. Kristen and I shared the baby holding duties.

Jared has no shame. He said he'd rather be comfortable than wear something that matched. He looks like a mix between a safari guide and a hunter. So funny.

I think Brenna will grow up to like hunting. She had no problem picking up the dove and gettin' dirty. Even I don't touch the dove! HA!

We had a great time. Unfortunately, I didn't shoot any dove. They are much tougher to shoot than skeet. But, it was a good day and I got to shoot my gun for the first time this year.

Now, that's a sentence I never I thought say!!

Friday Five

1. I would totally be participating in Kelly's Korner "Show Us Your Life Living Room" edition although, my house is a wreck so I'll bypass today. And I really should be cleaning right now (which I'll do shortly) but I thought I'd blog first. Priorities. Priorities.

2. My sister's last week at Roadhouse starts today and I'm sad. I'm extremely happy for her and the new adventure she will be taking but still, I'm sad. I've had such a great time working with her again and now she is leaving. Leaving me with a new manaager (blah), alone with all the young-ins there, and in a work environment that isn't exactly where I thought I'd be at this point. But, let's look at the bright side. She'll have one great going away party.

3. I'm reading a new book. Pinheads and Patriots, Where You Stand in the Age of Obama by Bill O'Reilly. It's quite interesting and regardless of your political views, O'Reilly is one of the more moderate speakers within the media. He is registered as a Independent and so far in the book, he has been fair to President Obama in pointing out the good and bad about this presidency. I'll keep you updated.

4. Thank you Heather for the blog shout out! Heather is my neighbor and her and Matt are super sweet people, devote followers of the Lord, and have one cute baby girl. Check her blog out here.

5. My nephew's birthday was yesterday and I couldn't be there to celebrate with him. But, no worries. He did get his gift, after a long practical joke Uncle Dave played him. That silly guy. Braiden turned 7 yesterday. So hard to believe when Dave and I first got together he was only 2!! Doesn't seem that long ago.

If Dave and I wait long enough, Braiden and Brenna will be able to babysit our kids. I knew there was a method to our madness. HA!

Wishful Wednesday

" I wish someone would let me outside......." HA!

Monday Madness

It's 1pm and today has already been super busy. I got a call at 7:21am from my husband telling me he forgot his medicine and could I "run" it up there. Yeah, right. Run it to his work that's almost an hour away. Ah, the things we do for our significant others.

We had a great weekend though. Friday night was spent at our town's homecoming game, which has become quite the yearly tradition. We never attend any other games except homecoming, totally random I know.

Saturday was long but so good. I started off my morning at Zumba, came home, made lunch and got ready to head off to the Dave Matthews Concert. This has become another yearly tradition we have grown to love. There's a group of us who always meet up for DMB and it's something Dave and I both look forward too, although this year we about died due to a heat stroke. It was way too hot to sit out there. The bright side was one of our friend's brought a TV so while we were sitting in the heat at least the guys could watch the college football games. Obsessed much? HA!

Now, it's time for me to get ready to go work. Story of my life, wait, it's the story of almost everyone's life.

Here's to a great day!

Friday Five

1. If I wouldn't have waited 3 weeks (or a little more, eek!) to go grocery shopping, I wouldn't have had to spend time this morning doing it and return back to Wal-Mart to exchange an espresso maker I bought (while I was there earlier). I'll admit, I'm horrible at going to the grocery store. I mean, extremely horrible. It's hard to be motivated though when your husband would rather eat out than in.

2. The Dave Matthews concert is tomorrow and I. can't. wait. I LOVE Dave Matthews. Evidently, he was the opening act for the first NFL game last night (which I missed) but the thought of going again this year is beyond exciting. He won't be touring next year so I'm glad I bought tickets and get to enjoy the excitement of tailgating and sitting outside on the lawn jammin' out to DMB. Ah.....

3. I need to clean, desperately.

4. You know when you visit your parents or grandparents and do laundry while you're there? Someone please inform me why their detergent smells so much better and for whatever you just can't get your clothes to smell that good when you come home, I've tried.

5. Tonight we are attending our town's high school homecoming game. We went last year and it was fun but I seem to remember it being much cooler than it is right now. I wish the weather in September would automatically turn to cold. One day I'll live somewhere that actually has seasons. But I am looking forward to going to watch some football and spending some time outside, even if it is 80 degrees. HA!

Where have we been?

Well, this guy celebrated a birthday!!!

We traveled to Georgia for a much needed vacation to do a lot of sleeping, relaxing, eating, and celebrating! It was a fun filled six days away.

We got to visit Dave's great grandparent's old home.

I got to meet Seidy, Buddy's new girlfriend (he doesn't know it yet). She's a cutie! Part Shih Tzu, part Poodle. I think I am going to get one ;)

Callaway Gardens is a place hidden deep in Pine Mountain, Georgia that has a ton of fun things to do. We walked a lot, saw some really old cars (that were part of the car show), and spent time outside for the day. I was fan, Dave not so much.

Can you imagine waking up every morning to this view? We went over to his cousin's house for a birthday dinner and they live on a beautiful little pond with Georgia pines everywhere. It's awesome. Their house is adorable! Leslie (his cousin's wife) does interior design. I got a few ideas from her, but it's our little secret!

And we spent most of our time with Memaw and Aunt Karen.

Memaw reminds me what it's like to be around my grandparents. The television didn't come on till four o'clock in the afternoon, we ate every meal at the kitchen table, and spent most of our time talking. We very much enjoyed our visit and look forward to next time. Although, I did miss my daily dose of 90210 and Fox News. It's always good to get away for awhile though.

And Dave's favorite. He has been wanting this lamp from Hobby Lobby for forever, literally. My mom is such a great shopper and has a great memory. He is very excited about it.

I can not believe Dave is 31!!

Dave, another year has passed and I'm so grateful we got to spend it together. Happy Birthday to the best husband, best friend, and best guy I know.

I love you more than anything in the world!!