Gnome Fever

If someone would have told me five years ago that I would own a garden gnome, I probably would have laughed. I have always thought they are a little bit silly and for older people. A friend of mine has been working on a gnome garden and blogging about it. It is absolutely adorable! She has some of the cutest gnomes I've ever seen, and it has really made me want to buy a gnome.

Switching gears- Last year Andrew (and I) worked really hard to landscape the house. We planted all sorts of plants- elephant ears, hostas, calladiums, and more. Out of all of those plants, only the hostas came back. That left the front of our house bare... with river rock and mulching. It looked a bit odd. Today we made some purchases to spruce the front area up again.

We purchased these cute yellow zinnias as a filler flower along with...

... these vibrant red and orange celosia.

The main attraction are...

... three bold red, orange, and yellow zinnia plants.

This area is so pretty, and the color combination really pops. I love the bright reds, yellows, and oranges. They are the perfect summertime colors. I am a happy camper.

But...

This sleeping guy makes me so happy. I think this little gnome is the cutest thing ever. He is nestled in amongst the plants and he looks like he is enjoying a nice summer nap. I really like him!

I am afraid that I may have gnome fever now. I would like a cute little collection to go with my sleeping gnome. Oh boy...

Also- I didn't listen and was in the sun too long. I was wearing my swimming suit top, and Andrew kept telling me to go inside to avoid tan lines for the wedding. I didn't listen. I now have lines. I'm hoping they fade by Saturday! Oops!

Going to the Chapel...

... and I'm gonna get MARRIED!!!!

Yes, that's right. Today it is legally acceptable to get married.

Andrew and I obtained our marriage license today!!!

We have 30 days from today to get married. With 10 days to go, I think we can manage that! : )

Ironically, we had a small tiff before we went in. So, we weren't the warm and fuzzy bride and groom-to-be that they may be acustomed to seeing.

Looking back on it; however, it seems very appropriate! And, we have something to laugh about!

Oh... the joys of planning a wedding and being a graduate student!!

I am sooooo ready to be married!!

Slightly Obsessed

... with Disney's latest masterpiece.

Princess in the Frog could quite possibly be my favorite Disney movie ever created. Yes, it could even trumph Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast. Those who follow me on facebook know that I watch this movie fairly often. Ok, too much. Once a week minimum.

I thought that I would not watch it this week. I was going to refrain. It is not healthy to watch it as much as I do. That is until I heard it.

The voice.

In church.

Of Mama Odie.

I sat in awe for a few moments before turning to Andrew and exclaiming "Mama Odie!" Yes, this woman's voice is identical to the lady who sings and encourages us to "dig a little deeper" and we may just find that what we want isn't always what we need. This blind lady has deeper insight than most. Her pet snake is the only snake I haven't shuddered at in my lifetime. That is saying something.

This movie is about friendship, hard work, and discovering what you need in life.

Princess Tiana spends her life working to open a restaurant that her dad always dreamed of but never achieved. Through the movie, she learns that although her dad never got his restaurant... he had exactly what he needed: love.

Prince Naveen. Our little charmer. He's spent his life being catered to on a silver platter. Until he's cut off. Prince Naveen also learns exactly what he needs in life.

Charlotte, or Lotte, is the Baron's daughter. Though she seems shallow, she is a wonderful friend to Tiana and realizes the importance of finding one's true love.

Once again, my obsession is unhealthy. But, this movie has such a wonderful message that today's society needs to hear and soak up... and implement. I love this movie because it lifts my spirits and pushes me to pursue what I need in life. It helps me realize that though I want a lot, there are a few important things that I need to truly be happy.

If you haven't watched this movie, do so. It's worth it.

Tidbits

Life.

Has.

Been.

INSANE.

I was called out yesterday on facebook about my lack of blogging. I have been completely and utterly terrible about blogging lately, but I also don't know whether I'm coming or going. You can ask anyone- I am out of it. Constantly.

But, I plan to give you a small peek into what's been going on this week in my life... minus the bad!

Gato has had lots of fun bird watching this week. He's pretty good at making me smile!

I adore donuts. Especially when they come from a local bakery. These make me VERY happy. Mmm!!

Andrew and my future father in law have begun building a nice storage shed. This is what it looked like at the end of Day 1. It's going to be nice to have extra space!

This is what it looked like at the end of Day 2. We had a lots of rain the next day, so the shed was put on hold for a bit. The plans for Monday are to get shingles and siding on! Then it will be completed! They're doing such a nice job!

I came home after a looooooong day at school and found this. Andrew had been working hard on the shed. Gato; however, didn't have a care in the world. Little rascal!!

My future sister-in-law and her husband got us a covered muffin pan, lots of muffin mixes, and baking cups for my shower. I put them to good use this weekend!! MmmMmm! I love muffins!

We received our first wedding package in the mail!! A family friend had this shipped to us. It was a nice treat to come home to last night!

We were very excited to see that they purchased our cutlery set!! Thank you Deshmukh family!! We cannot wait to use these awesome knives! Great gift!!!

Finally, Gato thought it would be fun to play hide and seek today.

We couldn't find him anywhere. He's not allowed in the bedroom, so we thought he might be hiding in there. We were preparing to get him in trouble.

We finally found him nestled behind the blanket basket and between the couch and end table. It was too cute!!

Plans for the rest of today:

Concert at Cowboy Church

Finish Laundry

Wedding Plans

Weekend Fun

This weekend was good. Odd, but good.

1. My brother-in-law is now Dr. Scott. He graduated from Mizzou's medical school on Saturday! I am so proud of him. He earned this title through 4 years of hard work and persistence. It paid off! Congratulations!

2. I got to spend a lot of much needed time with my love. I've missed him lately. Here he's pictured separating a package of seeds. Four different spices came in the same pack- and he separated them so we could put them in different containers! He's so wonderful! He can make me smile so easily!

3. After church, Andrew grilled this amazing meal. He grilled corn on the cob (first of the season!) and steak. I baked the new potatoes in olive oil, fresh rosemary, and salt and pepper. I then topped my steak with bleu cheese crumbles. Yum! It was the best steak I've ever had. The whole meal cost us less than $12. Sure beats eating out!

4. Andrew got a fun new gadget! I call this his music box... he tells me I'm silly. This was his wedding gift from me... He's been a songbird ever since! He was truly like a little kid at Christmas- and it was so fun to see him that excited!! I love having the house filled with music, and I love having a happy husband-to-be! Great purchase!! : )

5. I got a new phone this weekend! I was eligible for an upgrade, and this handy dandy machine was free! I am really enjoying my new phone... touch screen, full keypad, and a doodling program. What more could a girl want in a phone?! haha! It really is a fun phone. And, it meets my high standards... it's the perfect shade of red.

That's my weekend briefing. Fun, but too short. My summer vacation has now come to an end... all four days of it. Back to school tomorrow...

One last thought... Please continue to keep my family in your prayers. We are dealing with a situation now that does not need to be made public. Please pray for strength, guidance, understanding, love, patience, kindness, and more. I am so blessed to have so many people in my life who are willing to pray without prying for information!

Life is a Journey

Life...

... is a beautiful journey.

Embrace it.

In the wise words of my wonderful Momma:

"Always remember that happiness is found along the way, not at the end of the road. Make the most of every step of your journey through this life, and keep your path aimed straight toward God."

Surviving the Communication Disorders Department 101

The following is a basic survival guide for finals week (or any week) as a graduate student in the Communications Disorders Department...

First...

Bake a small batch of chocolate chip cookies.

Next...

Place a minimum of three cookies on a plate and pour a glass of ice cold milk.

Lastly...

Plug in The Wedding Date... Grab a blanket and pillow... and crash on the couch.

This should do the trick.

Sea of Green

The time has come.

I have been looking forward to this for three years now.

This weekend, we began moving Andrew's stuff into the house. It's a slow process, but the time has finally arrived!! We spent the weekend packing up his room in Rolla and moving some items to Cape.

I arrived in Rolla on Thursday evening to this lovely sight. Needless to say, we weren't quite sure where to begin! Ultimately, things were just randomly placed in boxes at our convenience. But, hey- it got the job done! We were ready to move him out on Saturday afternoon!

In order to move Andrew's full sized bed into our future bedroom, we had to disassemble the two daybeds. First, Andrew took apart the white one in Theodore's room... then the pink one in my room. Yes, it doubles as storage space- pardon the picture. Everything now has a special home! : )

Theodore was very worried about the removal of the bed in his room. He was actually very upset.

He finally found a safe place in the space between the full sized matress and the couch. He stayed here for a little while.

... That is until he saw we were moving MY bed into HIS room. He was sooo excited about this move. I just know that he thought we were going to have sleepovers every night. He purred and purred... and rubbed his head against Andrew's leg. He was adorable to watch! His excitement made me feel bad that I wasn't going to bunk with him every night. Ok, that's not the truth- but it was cute to watch!

Once the bed was assembled and the bedskirt was on, Theodore couldn't stand it any longer. He jumped up on the bed... with no mattress... and realized that the bed was full of holes! That didn't seem to phase him! He was just thrilled to have my bed in his room! So cute!

It was now time to set up our room!!!

I purchased this bedspread months ago, and I have been itching to use it ever since! I am extremely fond of this new bedroom set! It is still a work in progress, but I love it so far!!

Waking up in a sea of green truly makes me happy!! And, no worries- the bright white tag is now removed from the bedspread. It looks much better without it.

Now for a tacky plug for our registry...

I am really hopeful that we receive these curtains that we have placed on our registry! They are the perfect compliment to our bedspread, and it would look much better than the light pink and brown ones I have up now! These are now on the top of my list of items to receive- along with the ivory sheets and bronze curtain rod!! Like I said, it's a work in progress, but it's coming along nicely!!

Now... The countdown to when Andrew moves in!! YAY!!!

Today I Honor...

... a very incredible lady.

Someone who is selfless.

Someone who is there in an instant.

Someone who is strong.

Someone who is loving, kind, and gentle.

Someone who truly shows unconditional love.

Today I honor my mom.

My mom has been there for me through so many things. She's been through break-ups, held my hair when I was sick, zipped my wedding dress the first time I tried it on, and cried the first tears for many occassions.

My mom is extremely strong, yet gentle. She is one of the kindest people I know, and she has a heart of gold. She gives and gives and gives of herself and never asks for anything in return.

She raised me to be the best I can be. She has always believed in me, pushed me, and expected me to be the best that I can be. She never let me settle for anything less than my best, but she never had unrealistic expectations of me either.

She helped mold me into the person I am today. She helped me learn how to love, how to trust, how to care, and most of all, she taught me about God.

She is an incredible woman. I am so proud to call her my mom.

As I get ready to marry the man of my dreams, I reflect more and more about the life lessons this special lady has taught me over the years. I am so thankful that God blessed me with such an incredible mom!!

Today, my mom spent Mother's Day at the hospital with my Granny Miff. She was taken to the ER this morning, and without second thought, my mom went to the hospital to be with her.

Mom has spent this week creating beautiful bouquets for other women in honor of Mother's Day. She has worked so hard to make this day special for many women in the community.

Today was supposed to be HER day. A chance for her to rest. A chance for her to enjoy. Instead, she spent it at the hospital. She never complained, she just did what had to be done. I am glad I could be there with her for a part of it.

She takes everything with stride, and she gives of herself unconditionally. She isn't thanked enough for all that she does. But, without her, this family would not function as well as it does.

So, I would like to take this time to say THANK YOU, MOM.

Thank you for being who you are.

Thank you for raising me the way you did.

Thank you for loving unconditionally.

Thank you for giving so much of yourself without asking for anything in return.

Thank you for being an awesome role model.

Thank you for being an incredible, absolutely amazing, and totally wonderful Mom.

I LOVE YOU!!!

Craziest of all Crazy Days

On Wednesday, I shared with you about my ant escapade. I didn't; however, share with you about the rest of the fiasco. Wacky Wednesday is what I am calling May 5, 2010.

Let me recap:

After sleeping in and looking forward to a productive day, I was greeted with unwelcome visitors. Just the beginning.

These unwelcome boogers created 5 hours of cleaning... aside from the 5 assignments I had to complete.

While dealing with this mess, I checked my school email and found out that I had to write a last minute treatment plan for my young client... and meet with my supervisor THAT DAY. So, I began to frantically deal with the kitchen.

While in the process, this jerk crawled across my hand... and then resisted the ant killer, which forced me to kill him manually.

Then... I was off to school.

Afterwards, I decided a needed to spoil myself a little bit before I went back home to the mess. So, I decided that Andy's was just the place to go. Afterall, they had NEVER failed me before.

I ordered a Butterfinger concrete... and couldn't wait to bite into it! After five bits, I bit into something that didn't feel quite right. Yes, of course- why would it be perfect on a day like today? Part of the wrapper was mixed into my concrete. That didn't stop me from finishing it though.

After this, things calmed down for a bit until my friend arrived at my house to complete our many assignments. Shortly after her arrival, another silly mishap took place. My phone was on my lap, and Theodore wanted to be held. So, I pick him up, my phone fell, and we heard a thud (obviously). What we didn't know is where the phone fell to.

I was sitting on the corner of my couch, so I obviously checked in the cushions, between the couch and the side table, under the couch, everywhere. It was no where to be found. Little did I know, there is a tiny space between the cushions where the arm of the couch meet the back of the couch. In the year and a half that I've had this couch, I thought that everything was connected. Afterall, I had never lost anything before. Until now. So, we decided the only way to get the phone was to turn the couch over (me and my little friend, Jen).

Why turn it over you ask? Well, because unlike this couch, my couch has a liner along the bottom. So, anything that falls through, doesn't come out the bottom. So, in order to get my phone, I had to tear the liner off of the staples, reach my arm through to the middle of the couch where my phone shifted in transit, and scratch my arm up getting my phone.

Whew! Enough craziness for one day! Or so I thought.

When all was said and done, we decided we should celebrate Cinco de Mayo and order cheese dip to go. I put Theodore in his bachelor pad, and we were off!!

Upon arriving home, I did not let Theodore out because I was so excited about the cheese dip.

It was then that we heard the noise. The unmistakable sound of scurrying feet. I turned to Jen and asked her what that sound was. She responded with "Theodore." I assured her that he was in his room, and she then swore she saw him run by. I went to his room, opened the door, and sure enough, he was in his room.

So, what made that sound?

I went to investigate. It was then that I found the ant trap I had set below the dishwasher gone... and it just so happens there is a small hole between the dishwasher and cabinets. Hmmm... how convenient.

In this picture, if you look closely, you can see the little black ant trap in the lower lefthand corner of the dishwasher. It is now MIA.

We determined that the sound was coming from the large open space behind the sink... under the sink is storage space, but that ends with a half wall... which then opens up into nothingness.

What is back there? Well, that question generated 33 comments on facebook. A mouse? A baby bunny? A snake? ... That was my mom's input. She encouraged me to play a flute because it would make a snake dance. What a wacko!! ; )

I am convinced that I have at least one mouse. Whatever is back there, it's making me and Theodore crazy. Theodore tried to investigate, but had no luck. Since then, he's tried grabbing whatever is back there with his little paws, but he can't reach back far enough.

The jist of the story is... between ants, spiders, plastic in my ice cream, the quest for my phone, and an unidentifiable guest below my sink, I had a comically crazy Cinco de Mayo. At the end of the day, while on the phone with Andrew, I couldn't help but laugh hysterically at the events that took place.

So, what's next?

Operation "Find that Creature!"