Falling behind...

but I have a good excuse. Well, it's not good...it's lame...I always forget my password to Blogger...:)

I forget where I left off but I'll just back up a week'ish or so.

Amy and Harold have been in Hawaii on a little R&R and my girl Mackenzie had her first dance without Momma to help her get ready so Erin C. and I stepped in and got her all dolled up. We had a blast and she looked beautiful :)




Last Sat at work we had a Sidewalk Sale...the whole Olde Towne/Jackson Street District (not really sure what our official name is) put it on. We had a radio station come out and everything...woohoo, lol. It was actually really fun. We all had tables out in the courtyard with our "sale" items. Since Amy and Harold were in Hawaii until the day before and didn't know anything about it, we had to come up with what we wanted to present, so we got some acrylic cubes and wrote "Happy Valentines Day" in red and pink Lipstick on them and put out a bunch of bath and body sets and some of our half off HOBO Int. Handbags. By the way, if anyone who reads this needs some SUPER cute HOBO clutches, we still have a good stock and they're all half off (which means they're at cost). We also just got our Spring bags in...soooooo stinkin cute!!!) We also have Amy Head Long Sleeved Shirts that just came in the will be for sale soon that are soooo comfy. If youve ever worn "Nation" shirts, they're similar to that feel...like your hubby's shirts from highschool...washed 5,000 times...soooo soft :)

This past Thursday we, (along with everyone else in the group again) teamed up with Libby Story (super cute boutique next to us) to put on a Spring Fashion Show. We did makeup on all the models and they looked A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!! The set up was awesome in the store, and Amy encouraged me to do the "speech" about the Studio to give me practice for when I'm in Nashville. It was fun :) The show was great and the clothes were sooo cute. Across the street, is a restaurant, Ely's that held the "afterparty" so we all went over there which was fun to hang out with all of our "neighbors".




Valentines Day was special as usual. We NEVER go out to a fancy dinner to exchange fancy gifts...or would I ever want to. We always stay at home and have a quiet dinner together. This year nothing had been talked about but Jay said he had it under control. I worked all day and he actually came to the Studio to meet with Harold about Nashville so I got to see him a good bit but when I got home that evening I came into this....

He had layed out on the counter little memories and momentos from throughout the years of our relationship. The calendar from our very first year (where HE had kept track privately of our first date, our first kiss, etc), our wedding invitation, letters we had written eachother....He then told me he had a candlelit bubblebath ready for me while he prepared dinner. :)
So I took by bubblebath and put on a nice little black dress I'd been saving! (I always dress up for him on V-Day, even though no one else sees us!
For dinner he made me a spinach salad with walnuts and cranberries :) (I know its not a steak dinner but this is a treat for me!)
and DESSERT was my FAVORITE...."chocolate" soy icecream and strawberries.
Oh, and I got him a few surprises too but I won't be sharing those on here...lol. Oh, except one...I got him the Matthew West CD he's been wanting...haha. I love that boy!!


So I know this post was mostly about work but that's because Jay was out of town all month but HE'S HOME!!!!!!!! And we are leaving Saturday after work to go to Nashville to meet with some people for business :) We are so excited to be moving forward AND to actually be spending time together!!! I'll try to post more this week and keep you up to date.

I'm in a spirit of prayer this week. Tragedy has hit several people in our life so we are counting our blessings and humbled at the same time that life is precious and life is uncertain. I know we hear almost daily of new pregnancies and deliveries as well as losses of babies and loved ones, cancers, sicknesses, diseases. Although these things happen frequently, please don't become desensitized to the people who are going through these things. A precious lifelong friend reminded me of a verse in Romans about persevering through these times and if only the rest of the world could see it through her eyes, we would all learn something so valuable. So if you hear of someone this week who is going through a difficult time, don't dismiss it b/c it is so common, give them the attention they deserve, b/c in their world, it is ALL that matters right now. :(

xoxo

25 Random Things...

1. I have 3 kidneys but I technically don't have an "extra" one...two of them are just really small. So, don't hit me up for one. :)

2. I don't have a baby book b/c I'm the youngest, and it makes me more sad than anyone realizes. I secretly wish that my mom would put one together for me now...I wouldn't mind that it's 25 years late...

3. I always wanted to sing in the Christmas programs when I was little but I was too shy to try out. The closest I got was singing in a trio. I have no desire to sing now though and would never consider myself musical, so I'm not sure where that came from?

4. I have an ObSEsSiOn with vegan "icecream". I'd eat it everyday if I could. I do eat it every week. My fav. brand is Purely Decadent...it's sinful.

5. I am terrified of pickles. I'm not sure when or why it started but the thought of one touching my skin makes me SICK...and I'd rather smell sweaty armpits than the aroma of pickle juice any day...it seriously disgusts me. Ugh.

6. Every year I make a "resolution" to make a certain part of myself better (but not in the traditional, lose weight garbage) ...for instance, this year I am putting a lot more effort into my hair. It's actually making a difference in the way, knowing that I took the extra time and effort in getting ready. I've been using Aveda and Bumble and Bumble products and they smell soooo good. Jay also got me a chi curling iron for Christmas that I use when I leave my hair natural, to help the curl look a little more polished. I've also been keeping up with my hair trims and colors!!

7. We're big into being debt free. We didn't start out that way b/c we had soooo many medical bills and credit card bills but we did Financial Peace (the Dave Ramsey class) and paid off an insane amount of debt and it is the best feeling in the world to not owe anyone money. We also plan on opening the studio debt free.

8. If Jay had picked me up for our first date in a Hawaiin shirt, I wouldn't have gone. I'm glad he didn't :)

9. I think the most ANNOYING show on TV is "Teen Kids News". It comes on after the Early Show while I'm getting ready for work on Sat. and it makes me almost have seizures if I can't turn it off right away. You'll just have to watch for yourself.

10. I'm addicted to fashion blogs. My favorites are seaofshoes.com and thebudgetbabe.com

11. Fake southern accents on TV annoy me. I don't have much of one (Jay wishes I did..he thinks they're so cute) but I can spot a fake one a mile away and there are too many bad ones in Hollywood.

12. I've been to Colombia, South America twice and Mexico 3 times for Mission trips and I want to go on so many more. I would love to go work in an orphanage but I really don't know that I could come home without being completely broken hearted...as in seriously in a dark place because I couldn't take all the children home. :(

13. I was in a Food magazine once....yep. And a Figure Skating magazine with Tara Lipinski.

14. I love perfume but only a handful of them. It's because I associate them with particular moments that bring back sooooo many good memories (and some I can never smell again b/c of bad memories). Light Blue always puts a CHEESY (credits to you Melody Dowdy) smile on my face b/c it puts me right in mid-town NYC with Jay, Armani Code makes me laugh b/c of the experience I had in NY buying it so I don't wear it much anymore, Michael Kors makes me feel like a real grown up lady, and the perfume Jay bought me today will always remind me of what a lovely afternoon we spent together... it's true...

15. Jay and I love to ride around, look at big huge houses and put together all of the things we liked about each one for our own dream house that we will "one day" have...even though I would be just as content sleeping in the back of our Studio forever b/c we'd be living out our calling and dream :)

16. I'd like my "resolution" next year to be to learn how to spell certain words without having to Google them. These are easy words too...such as...Definetely...and yes, I just Googled that....sad...

17. Because I grocery shop and cook our meals, it's hard for me to spend the money to eat out often....I wish I could just go out and enjoy it but all I'm thinking is...this asparagus is $7...I would have 2 weeks worth for $7 at the market...it's annoying, but I can't help it.

18. I clip coupons every week, but I wish they had them for foods I eat, like vegetables. By the way, I just Googled vegetables...I had an extra d in it :(

19. I want to invent a better word for the relationship between your siblings child and yourself b/c being an "aunt" is soooo much more special than that word can describe. The definition would be n. 1) someone who's heart you took a huge part of the minute you were born and who would do anything in the world for you just to know that you are truly happy. 2) someone who makes you your favorite treats and has the best slumber parties and takes you on the best dates. 3) someone who loves you more than you can imagine and would give their life for you. (I've got 3...soon to be 5 nephews that I love sooo much)

20. I hate having my nails done. It's so boring to me. Pedicures are nice though.

21. Jay gives the BEST massages. If he ever lost his legs on one of his camping excursions, he's got his new career lined up for him...

22. The night we went to get Daisey (our 4 year old Maltese) was one of the happiest ever! She was like a little cotton ball with black eyes. I was so lonely in Florida without my family or any close friends my age that when I got her, she was my little friend and she went EVERYWHERE with me :) We love that little pup so much and hope to give her a little playmate someday....wow, sounds like I'm talking about a child...

23. I love to camp and do anything outdoors but I get soooo PAINFULLY cold that it puts a serious limit to when I can do it before it gets too hot for everyone else :( Its frustrating b/c I WANT to do it but it's just so miserable to be THAT cold.

24. My most favorite makeup sessions are with the old ladies. Everyone else gets nervous but I LOVE IT...I even like the mean ones because they always turn around by the end...and the rare occasion they're still grumpy, I still smile when they leave b/c I know that they were happy inside.

25. It makes me sooooooo happy and excited and anticipatory (didn't google) and giddy when I think about the honor of spending the rest of my life with Jay. I don't know how or why I was blessed with him but I'm sure not going to ever do anything to mess it up. He is a true rare gift and I will continue for the rest of our lives to try to be a God honoring wife for him. :)