photo catch up

wow ... twenty thirteen is here in full force.   here is a recap of the past two month according to instagram and my iphone.

[these are from last year but oh well ... i wanted to share] dad and went to the colt's last regular season game and boy was it a good one! 

then ... i ran down to my favorite city ever, nashville, tn to have a good time and to see a good friend show off his musical talent. while there we hung out on broadway ... this is the guitar right outside of legend's corner,  and ate the best bbq around at hog heaven.  if you haven't been i suggest you try it.  it is in this little shack next to the parthenon and centennial park.  it really is so good ... every time i go to nashville i visit it atleast once.

while i was in nashvegas dad got to go to florida for pretty much the entire month and couldn't help but to gloat by sending pretty pictures of the beach while i was dealing with sub zero temps here at home.   

... now february.  i had my first real non-fail pinterest attempt and had a small birthday celebration.

that pretty much sums up my life these past two months.  eager to see what the next few bring on ;] 

around this home

it's beginning to look a lot like christmas.  decorations are out ... cookies are constantly in the oven ... warm scents are filling the air ... christmas is definitely around the corner.  and i can't wait!

 

the only ten i see

last week my dad, aunt and i had to make an unexpected trip to tennessee.  i do wish that we could have visited under better circumstances ... but i must admit, i was rather excited to be able to go down.  i absolutely adore tennessee. 

while we were there we got to check out a small town's
christmas parade.  it was so fun! and they sure put a lot of work into some of the floats ... we even got to see the grinch and santa!

  

we also went and checked out the cookeville train depot.  now ... i'm not hugely interested in trains what so ever, but ... this was pretty neat. since it was so late the actual museum was closed but we still got to check out the train set up and snap a few photos.  the whole area around the train depot was pretty neat too ... it all had this historical feel to it ... i kinda love those areas.

we didn't get to stay long at all but it was really good to get to spend time and see some of the family that we don't get that chance with very often.

one day i will live there ... but until then, short trips will have to do.

granny's chocolate gravy

there is nothing much better than chocolate gravy and biscuits on a cold ... maybe not so cold, rainy sunday morning.

i'm pretty sure this recipe has been in my family for a long time ... i even go as far as liking to think of it being handed down from generation to generation. a country recipe so good it has become a comfort food for my family ...  i do love me some chocolate gravy.



 ... and hopefully you will too!  all you need is:

4 tablespoons flour (all-purpose)
2 tablespoons coco (baking)
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups milk
a dash of salt

mix all of the dry and wet ingredients separately. go ahead and pour the dry ingredients into a pan on the stove top and slowly mix in the wet ingredients while stirring constantly.  while continuing to stir bring the mixture to a boil.  once it boils turn the heat off but continue to stir ... it will begin to thicken. [if mixture is too thick for you liking, you can add a little water] and enjoy!

so far ...

this is what i know to be true ... at this very moment in time.

family  has nothing to do with the blood running through our veins.

real friends are rare ... but once you find them they become more than just a friend, they become family.

no lie is ever worth the risk of what you may lose ... ever.

any thought or belief may change given the right experience ... nothing is forever.

happiness is a choice.  you have to wake up and make a conscience decision to make the best out of every situation.  to learn something from every mistake.  to look for the high in every low.  if you choose happiness you'll see happiness in the world around you.

coffee is always a good idea.

two things will always be sexy ... a man with a guitar and a southern gentleman.

i will never be a size zero ... or even a two ... hell, even an eight.  and that's okay.

sometimes ... you just need to be a little selfish.

you cannot rely on other people for you to have a good time ... be your own damn good time.

big sunglasses will always be fabulous.

the 'dirty a' will always be 'home'.

'benny & the jets' will always make me smile.

sometimes ... just sometimes ...you just gotta let go.

 ... and so far, my biggest mistakes have been my most life changing lessons.

twenty seven.

 

 

 

well ... after all the planning and anxiety over this silly party ... i must say it went off without a hitch.  everyone had a good time ... the food was good ... and the mustaches.  oh the mustaches ... i really do love them :]

two week catch up

today was the first time we here is centeral indiana got to see snow this season.  granted ... it only snowed for a few hours this morning and it is now so very sunny and there is absolutely no snow in sight.  the first big snow always makes my heart melt a little.  i feel like the world just stops ... everything is so quite.  i really like those few moments.  then once the snow turns to muck i am completely over it and ready for the 70 degree weather to come back.  but until then, i am anxiously awaiting the first big snow.

in other news ... thanksgiving is right around the corner and there has been a few exciting developments over in this corner of the world.  well ... some news is more exciting than other news ... and, you may not even think any of the news is exciting ... but it is what it is. :] 

first things first ... my dad has a girlfriend.  now, this wouldn't be a huge deal if the man hasn't been single for at least a decade.  for what seems like my entire life it has been my dad, sister and i. [yes, my mom was very much in the picture ... we just didn't live with her] so adding a fourth person to the mix has been a little bit of an adjustment.  but a good one.  we're happy :]

and secondly, i have gotten a second wind when it comes to finishing my home.  when i moved in i knew it was a 'fixer upper' but my god, has it been a long tough road and for a while i was completely burnt out and had no motivation to complete any of the unfinished projects. well, my friends that is no longer the case for now at least.  so expect some before and after updates :]

and lastly [is that even a word?] my twenty *cough**cough* birthday is fast approaching and i am throwing myself a party ... can't wait!

 ... well, that's all i've got for right now.  have a good one!

this past week

... has been taken over by crafting.  my very dear friend's daughter turns three this year and her birthday is right around the corner. i, of course, have taken it upon myself to make the decorations for her 'fairy princess ballerina' themed party. 

i am still a little new to the 'three-year-old party game' ... meaning, i haven't really been able to incorporate said theme into the decorations other than making everything pink, purple and sparkle. but really ... that's as far as i've gotten on my close-to-nothing budget. however, i really like what i've come up with so far. it has definitely been fun crafting up a storm and making everything myself ... and i am a little anxious to see it all put together on the actual party day!  which isn't for a few weeks still, so i still have time on my side and will hopefully be able to work in the actual theme the birthday girl has requested.  maybe with the food? hmmm ... we'll see!

 ... and while we are on the subject of party planning.  my birthday is fast approaching as well so i have had my party ideas running through the back of my mind as well.  super exciting!

so much party planning ... ava's, mine, a work party and of course thanksgiving!  ... maybe this is why i love fall so much. :]

little thanks

thank you, sunshine, for making an appearance today ... it is always good to see you.

thanks you, starbucks, for your delicious pumpkin spice fraps. no whip.

thank you, sharpie, for the sharpie pen.

thank  you, all mail carriers, for bringing me pretty clothes and good books when i am to lazy to go out and get them for myself.

thank you, snapfish, for making it so incredibly easy to print my pretty pictures.


thank you for checking this out ... hope you're having an awesome weekend.  until next time. :]

you know its autumn when

... its time to pull out the 'weinie sticks' and roast some hot dogs and marshmallows over the fire.

it could possibly be my favorite thing to do. ever.

didn't win sh*t

one night this week the company i work for held its annual sales rally ... it's really not as exciting as it sounds.  every year each branch [i work for a bank] that is attending the rally is asked to build a basket that represents their branch.  a few of my co-workers and i took it upon ourselves to take charge of the basket and decided to build it with a  'construction' theme since our branch is currently under going a full re-model.  in it we included a few gift certificates from some local restaurants, some beer from a local brewery that had construction themed names and labels and a few other odds and ends that we thought would go well with a construction theme.   i think it turned out pretty well, no? once the baskets were completed we had to turn them in so they the ones in charge of putting together the rally could set them up at the rally and have everyone bid on them.

there were a lot of baskets and a lot of them were filled with booze ... who knew bankers liked to drink so much?  well ... needless to say, i thought our basket was one of the better ones and i think the majority agreed because it looked as though ours had some of the most bids :]. but i must admit ... the majority of those bids most likely came from our own branch.  we all desperately wanted to bring that basket home! but sadly, none of us won it.  and i, as true to form, didn't win a darn thing.  you know how some people are just naturally lucky?  i, my friends, am not one of those people.  but all in all it was a good evening.  it was my first sales rally so i had nothing to compare it to but i am a little excited for next year's ... and already thinking up ideas for our basket! 

 ... until next time, friends, have a good time :]

life lately.

                                                               had a best friend date.

                                     
                                                     went to dinner with the ladies from work

                                                               a little dog shaming

                                                        my sweet sweet sister post

                                                                  a few foggy mornings

                                                      5 guys for lunch ... best. decision. ever.

                                                      kingsley being the cutest pup ever.

                                                        lazy saturdays with both pups.

rememered for.

 ... so this had to have been the hardest of the #5things.  "list 5 things you most hope to be remembered for." i must admit ... i've been thinking about this pretty much since starting this whole introduction thing and it is hard to put into words what you want people to remember about you.  but here is what i've come up with:

5. my laugh.  i'm not saying that i have the best, or most enjoyable laugh but i would like people to remember me for always having a good time.  i refuse to go through life miserable so i try to turn everything into a positive and remind myself that i can't stress over the things i can not change.  i always have fun. :]

4. having a kind heart.  ever hear the quote "be kind to everyone you meet for they too are fighting their own battles"? well, i think it is true and being mean to people is just ridiculous.

3. my attempt to constantly put good energy into the world.  i believe in karma ... you know, put good in get good back.  that is how i try to live everyday ... putting good thoughts, actions, and vibes into the atmosphere so i in return get good thoughts, actions, and vibes.

2. my work.  regardless of what i'm doing i always give it my best. 

and ...

1. the love i have for my friends and family.  i would do absolutely anything for them.  i know that they know that and that is the number one thing i want them to remember ... that i love them all unconditionally with my whole entire heart.

super power

almost done with the introduction posts.  next on the list is "if you could have any super power, what would it be and what would be the first thing you would do with it?"

this one was kinda hard ... any super power would be pretty awesome, no?  buuuutttt ... if i had to choose just one i think it would be flight.  how awesome would it be to just be able to pick up and take off ... just to fly around?  and i'm going to be completely selfish with this but the first thing i would do after obtaining said super power is to see the world. i would scoot on over to paris, london, ireland, italy, china, japan, indonesia, australia, jamaica, africa, both poles.  everywhere. i would go absolutely everywhere.  and wouldn't have to worry about catching a plane, traveling fees, or any of that hassle ... now that would be cool.

if you're reading this let me know what you're choice would be and what you would do first ...

hot apple cider and a good game of traffic

happy october!  this past weekend was james dean days, which probably one of the biggest classic car shows of the year.  it also happened to be a good friend's of mine baby shower so i wasn't able to actually make it to the park to see all the pretty cars but i was able to visit and spend some much needed  time with a few good friends and her family.

 

 it was definitely a good weekend!  ... and who doesn't love that pumpkin 'giving birth' to the baby pumpkin. i mean ... how funny! well ... if you happen to be reading this i sure do hope you had as good [if not better] of a weekend than i did!