spread love.

I am so happy that we serve a risen savior. Easter service is always one of my favorites at our church, while we are blessed to worship God every Sunday, this particular Sunday always brings me great joy. How could we be so loved that an amazing God would sacrifice his only son for us? 

In a day and age where people are constantly throwing around bible verses to DEFEND their ways and to criticize others, use today to go on the OFFENSE of Christianity. Tell someone you love them, just the way they are, and that God loves them even more. Use this Easter season to "be the bible" for someone that might not read it. Find a way to give God the glory and remind people that he loves us all, despite our flaws (which we all have). 

Maxed Out.

I have a slight maxi dress addiction. They are so comfy (especially for traveling) and can be easily dressed up or down, and yes some are shaped like mu-mus but most have a nice shape with a cinched waist that highlight good areas while still camouflaging the bad ones. 

Here are some awesome maxis I've found lately!

JC Penney "B Smart Printed" Maxi - $20!

Dottie Couture's "Navy Cut Out" Maxi - $59

The Blue Door Boutique "Sweet & Sour" Maxi - 68

Red Dress Boutique "You Need Me" Maxi in Coral - $48

Kiki La Rue "Leah" Maxi - $52

Target "Mossimo Women's V Neck Maxi" - $29.99

Do you love maxi dresses?

SPD: Southwestern Black Bean (and Venison) Salad

I'm linking up with Katie @ Keep Calm & Carry On and Stephanie @ Beautiful Mess for "Saw it, Pinned it, Did it!"

This week's recipe, "Southwestern Black Bean Salad" is actually originally from one of the gorgeous hostesses, Mrs. Katie!

..however my husband is a MAJOR carnivore so I adjusted the recipe a little to add some meat using some ground deer meet (thanks to Josh's little brother's successful hunting season) and made it a little bigger so we could eat on it for lunch this week.

Katie' version

and mine

Let me go ahead and apologize in advance for how bad the pictures are, my camera battery charger is MIA, so I had to use my cell, forgive me!

1 (15.5 oz) can black beans rinsed and drained

1 (16 oz) bag of frozen corn, thawed

2 tomatoes, chopped (or 2 cans of Rotelle)

1 medium avocado, diced

1/2 cup red onion, chopped

2 limes, juice of

1/2 cup Olive Oil 

2 Tbs cilantro

salt and fresh pepper

1 envelope of Taco Seasoning mix 

1 cup Mexican Blend shredded cheese

*Venison (or just ground hamburger)

1. Combine beans, corn, tomato, onion, cilantro, salt and pepper. Mix with jime juice and EVOO. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 mins.

2. Brown your venison (or hamburger) then drain and season with the taco seasoning (just follow directions on packet). 

3. Add the meat, cheese and avocado to your "salad". 

Note: Because I make such a big batch, I add the avocado to my individual serving each time, since re-heated avocado isn't so good. 

4. Serve with Tostitos and some sour cream!

guess where I'm going?!!

You may remember that in the summer of 2011 I got to attend the National School Public Relations conference in San Antonio, Texas (see this post). I look forward to attending every year because the public relations world is constantly changing and the sessions are beyond informative. The conference always leaves me so excited about my work and bursting with ideas about how to re-vamp our marketing.

I sadly wasn't able to go last year due to budget cuts and it being in Chicago, Ill. so this year I made sure to add the travel and conference expense in my budget!

Guess where it's being held this year!?!

Here are some hints:

via

via

via

via

via

via

if you guessed San Diego you're absolutely right!

Anyone have any great restaurant and attraction suggestions for when I'm not in class?

second baby decisions.

Lately Josh and I have been getting asked that question. You know, the one everyone gets asked when their first kid starts walking and being independent... "when are y'all going to have another one?".

My first response is "my uterus is none of your business" "we're not sure yet, one day." But truthfully, Josh and I have been doing a lot of talking and praying about when/if we should have a second child.

Both of us were blessed with a younger sibling. Josh and Jordan are around 6 years apart, as are me and Deanna.

Jordan.

me and Deanna

We want Sawyer to have a playmate and best friend and we also think we are ready for a second child... almost.

Part of me says, "why not just go ahead and have one, they'll be around 3 or 4 years apart." 

But the other part of me, the negative, unsure one keeps arguing with the rational part of me. It's gone something like this (negative voice in italics and rational voice in bold).

1) The first pregnancy didn't go super well, do you really have it in you to go through it again?  Don't get me wrong, my pregnancy wasn't absolutely horrible and at no point was my child in immediate danger, but I had preeclampsia and went through a lot of horrible swelling, headaches and high blood pressure before I was almost bed-ridden, but then induced early at 37 weeks instead. BUT despite the horrible-ness of being on that Magnesium drip, having that cervical catheter and all that pitocin, I had a healthy baby AND It was a blessing he was early, because at 7 lbs. 14 oz. at 37 weeks, just imagine what a 40 week old Sawyer would have weighed.  (read Sawyer's birth story here)

via

2) You can't afford another baby, you can barely afford the one you have. BUT  We will never be able to afford babies, and we will find a way.

via

3) With your job, you won't have enough time for another one. BUT I can make time. Especially for another child.

via

So, we pray. We pray for God to guide us in the direction he wants us to go. We pray that this time around will be more healthy for both me and baby. And we stop making excuses and let God lead the way.

one of those Monday posts

It's a Monday.

A super Monday.

A woke up late, wearing a ponytail to work, ripped my tights, forgot to put on my wedding rings, have a million things to do at work today kind of Monday.

So here is what I have for you:

via

via

where did it go.

where has the time gone? it's a question I keep asking myself. I think about it when a birthday passes or I watch Sawyer transform from an infant into a toddler, but lately every time I look at a picture all I can do is calculate how long ago it was.

This picture is of 5 or 6 years old me with my first love, my Pooh Bear in the hammock at my Papa's house. 

Fast forward about 18 years and here I am with a different love, my future husband in 2008, posing for engagement pictures in that same hammock.

via Portraiture by Melanie

...and here is Pooh Bear today.

.
How did the time pass so quickly between those two pictures, and between those two pictures and now?

I am constantly wishing for more time in my day and more moments to do things that I don't ever get the chance to do anymore, and I realized that it isn't time I need, it's me TAKING the time to do things.

So this weekend? We have nothing planned. Josh, Sawyer & I are just going to spend the day together. If that means we need to grocery shop, then we're going together. If that means we all clean the house together, then we'll do that. Here's to the art of taking time together. 

Prom and Poor Decisions

Can we talk for a second about prom? 

I loved it. The sequins, getting my hair and makeup done, having a reason to get my nails done (even though I knew they'd be ruined the very next week during soccer practice) and the dancing (homegirl likes to shake it). 

But I look back at these pictures and I cringe. Don't let the post title fool you, I didn't do anything super regretful on Prom night like OD on Ecstasy or get a DUI, I committed a crime much worse...I wore gross dresses. 

I had the perfect opportunity to get an awesome, all expense paid dress just once a year, and I blew that chance on THESE things? sigh, so young, so dumb.

Let's discuss this.

Freshman Year 2002 at Greenfield, went with my friend Matt. 
Wore a pretty, pretty princess dress in "the perfect shade of ice blue", I legit remember saying that phrase. It had crinoline and I wore an extra crinoline slip underneath. Surprisingly enough, that dress got worn by two other girls to two other proms and a pageant.

Sophomore Year 2003 at Greenfield, went with my friend Kevin
My "race flag" dress (as my lovely father put it). EVERYone wore black & white that year, so I wanted to also (because dressing alike was cool I guess?) and this is what I landed on. #sad

Junior Year 2004 at SouthWest, went with then boyfriend Clay
This dress was horrible. The back was completely gone, it weighed a ton and those miniscule straps cut into my shoulders like a knife. It was a last minute choice when I couldn't find a single dress I liked.

Check the back (also, please don't even comment on my hair, twas a disaster)

Senior Year 2005 at SouthWest, went with then boyfriend, now husband, Josh.
This was my favorite dress EVER. While it was a little scandalous with it's big cutout in the middle, it was just so me then. It didn't have a ton of sequins, and it was long enough for me to wear real heels (and my date was tall enough for them, one of the reasons I married him haha). This dress also got borrowed by someone else to wear to a Marine Ball.

What were your prom dresses like?

Oh, How Pinteresting!

I am linking up with Michelle @ The Vintage Apple for "Oh, How Pinteresting"!

I currently have four pregnant friends, two of which were once my roommates, one of which is my cousin and another is my best friend since high school. Therefore, I have several baby showers to plan and gifts to buy. Which of course means I have been stalking Pinterest for ideas and cheap-ish ways to treat my preg-o friends. 

using cheap-o table cloths as door swag? I love.
via

awesome tutorial for DIY Applique! (a personalized baby gift is the best kind of baby gift)
via

love this alternative to the standard veggie & dip tray!
via

pink sugar wafers dipped in chocolate? yes please!
via

love the anchors & whales hanging from the light fixture!
via

I love this whole set-up, from the wrapped utensils to the flags in the muffins and tulips!

little whale cake!
via

love using lanterns in decor!
via

The Dirty Diaper Game
via

using plain tablecloths and writing directly on it versus food signs! oh and a waffle bar? genius.
via

little clothesline cake!
via