DIY: For that fridge full of Save the Dates

Okay, so my teacher has my thesis and is reviewing it! Leaving me with free time until she gives it back to me to edit.

Free time.... wow.

So I figured I should probably run errands, or do laundry, or clean up the house, or even shower.

...then I realized what I needed to do was a craft. See I'm one crafty lady. (Now maybe you don't think my projects would show up in your house, or in anyone's house that you even know), but I love to make things. And I personally love to love the things I make.

So today, while attempting to organize the house I saw our new refrigerator. Brand new, gorgeous, just got it for Christmas refrigerator. But the thing is, you would never even see the fridge because of the loads and loads of blessing piled on top.

Save the dates, invitations, RSVP cards...

Now I love to see them, I love to get excited about the upcoming events and the marriages and showers... but in all the mess I end up forgetting to RSVP because I couldn't see the invitation under the other 6 Save the Dates from last week. Whew.

Problem Solved.

You'll need paper, stamps or markers, tape, and magnetic clips. (I found what was around the house).

Figure out what titles you'll need. We Needed:

Attending

So we can remember what's coming up and have the directions, time, location handy.

Send Gift

For the wedding or showers we cannot attend, but if the budget's decent we'd love to send gifts to.

RSVP on Time

For obvious reasons. Yes, from a former bride, please RSVP. (and to those I forgot to RSVP for... I'm sorry. I blame it on the fridge mess. Won't happen again)

Save the Date

For all the save the dates, until the invitations come. In that case the magnet ones get moved to the front of the fridge and others tossed.

Label it up. I used my handy stamp collection for a more 'professional' look.

Because I used white note cards they blended in with the white fridge, so I added a little "left over from our own wedding gifts" tissue paper.

Ta da. All done. Much better.

Get to it. Organize something in your life today, even if it's something small like the side of the fridge.

Oh Kyle Sandwiches.

So today Kyle and I woke up and I remembered that today was one of those days I would need to/ have to shower. You know... like normally if you woke up late you would skip the shower, but not today because your hair is so gross that it HAS TO be washed... anyone else have those?

Anyway so today when I realized that HAD TO shower and I would be running late for work I also remembered that I needed to still pack a lunch. When I saw Kyle enjoying his morning, I asked him ever so sweetly if he would make me a sandwich.

Now, laugh all you want. I have guy friend who laugh and laugh about getting married and asking their wives to make them sandwiches. But this, ladies, was a GREAT sandwich!

Can you see all the wonderfulness in there (even my metallic purple nail polish). I'll explain...whole Grain bread, cream cheese, lettuce, powerful red onions, ham, pepper, turkey, and olive oil! Oh my goodness, try it today.

Like Right now.

Like Get up from the computer and make this sandwich.

Before today, I had always stuck to the PB&J (which is my favorite) or tuna fish (which is also my favorite) or something like bananas and honey on french toast sandwich. And I thought I got creative, come to think of it, I make some really great sandwiches...but not like this...

Not today. Today, ladies, try this sandwich. Or ask your husband to make you a sandwich and see if he's got some crazy chef gene up his sleeve like that Mr. Hess.

More to come as I catch up on the days I was out sick with a case of "thesis proposal." And guess what?! I finally uploaded Christmas photos. So they'll be arriving soon!

Eat, Breathe, Sleep Thesis

I wish you would be interested in the one hundred million two hundred fifty four thousand seven hundred and eighty two pages I have printed and read in the past week.

But there is only so much that will entertain.

If you thought we dropped off the face of the earth, don't worry we're still here. Apparently in graduate school they call 'dropping off the face of the earth'  Thesis Proposal.

So there ya have it.

For those of you interested in something interesting today. We'll one of my most wonderful friends Elizabeth passed her RD exam today! Who knew! She is now an official Registered Dietitian "the Nutrition Experts"... (and she's the one in the middle, yep, sitting on top of the bulldog :)

Someday I'll get around to taking my exam... right after I stop eating, breathing, and sleeping all things thesis ;)

Today do something you enjoy very very much, because you never know when you'll get bogged down with a case of thesis and have to avoid those things a lot.

You really should read this, and no it's not written by me.

As I am busy writing my thesis. I need you to follow this link and read what a wonderfully wise woman wrote. Shauna Neiquist's word have been ever so surprisingly entangled into my life that I think I may just have to read her wonderful books.  Read this, because if I was ever incredibly good with words and had a typing voice that made your eyes go soft and made your lips want to read me aloud... this is what I would say.

Things I don't Do by Shauna Neiquist Click Here!

It is my goal to figure out the things the Lord wants me to do. Because "Do Everything Better" has been my motto in life, too. After realizing that growing up meant discovering who you are, and discovering how great you can be at everything, it's good to know that some things I don't have to be perfect at. I cannot describe to you how much I love what her good friend Denise said:

What’s hard, she said, is figuring out what you’re willing to give up in order to do the things you really care about.

If you thought you got away without reading the link, don't. Go read it. I think you'll be impressed, or even more, impressed upon.

So I got real excited...

So yesterday a woman I work with asked me the question that all of us ladies want to be asked. All of us, every one of us, in this tone, in this way... because as women, we work really hard to make life look easy. We wash and blow dry and spritz and curl our hair so it looks like we hopped out of the pool and spent the day on the beach. We shop and try on and match and change outfits 33 times so that we look put together, but casually put together, like 'oh, you think that looks great together, this ole' thing.'

Right? or maybe that's just me.

But today, ladies (and gents, see this is a little insight), today my co-worker saw me eating my yummy homemade chocolate chip cookies and asked "how do you love sweets so much, and look so great?"

WHAT?! She just said "look so great"!!!

Now, I have to post a disclaimer: I don't think I'm fat, I don't have self-esteem issues (until I get in the dressing room lighting at Target), and yet I don't think I'm some swimsuit model either, please! But oh how every girl wants to hear that, especially from another woman, especially as I stuff a cookie into my mouth like 'oh me?'

Just exciting. If you don't think so, maybe we have not met yet. But just something I wanted to share. Especially since we have not loaded our latest pictures to the computer yet because I have been soooo busy thesis-ing.

Lots more to say, just not enough time. Tune in next time, and find out whatever adventures Martin Luther King Jr. days takes us to.... and the more interesting parts of our lives after this hardcore thesis-ing weekend.

And today, go ahead...tell a woman she looks great (however if you don't know her and you're a man... that may be a little creepy).

Self Defense and 19 days left.

So today I've been thesis-ing. I will admit that yesterday I did not do much because I was making cake truffles (otherwise known as "cake balls") for my co-worker's birthday AND welcoming my husband home!

Now I'm not sure many of you knew my husband was out of town. See I read somewhere that you're not supposed to post things like that on the internet. You know 'they' say that if you update your facebook status people who you think are your friends may just not be.

Example:
Jarold Harper: is sooo excited about his new 79inch flat screen for Christmas!
Jarold Harper: is packing for the winter vacay!
Jarold Harper: is excited to be heading to the Bahamas! See you in January!

Jarold Harper: is mad someone stole his flat screen while he was gone! How did they know?

Duh!

So I figure now that my husband is back in town, I can tell you that he was gone. Plus I think they give that warning because they think maybe some woman may not be able to hold her own if her husband is away. But for those of you thinking about it... this woman can, in fact "hold her own" and has been recently trained in self-defense at work and is prepared to use both the defense and the offense.

You know, just in case you were thinking.

But for today. Quick report for 19 days left of thesis proposal-ing: I've been working on the thesis proposal. I spent many many hours doing online training so that I'm qualified to even apply for an IRB approval exemption. Tonight I'm working on what they call a Review of Literature.

So today I'll teach you a little about thesis-ing. A "review of literature" is when you search all the journals and all the databases about everything that's already out there on your topic. You search high and low, far and wide and then write it all into a 20 page-ish paper. To say, here's the problem in the world, here's the research that agrees with me, but here's why me doing this project is actually important. Please let me do it.

Enough about school work. Kyle took a video of a little Just Dance action tonight. Maybe I'll figure out how to post it.

Thesis-ing: T-minus 21

Dear those of you who are students, or who were ever students, or who have students,

I'm still a student. I'm trying to get my Masters and there's this big big mountain in my way called a THESIS. Yes, like most mountains it's exciting and would be quite an adventure. But... you have to start climbing. I started. Then I sat down to take a break and now my legs are tired.

My thesis proposal is due by February, like by the time February starts.

I have twenty days to finish my thesis proposal, and I need to get hardcore about it. So I need your help. For 20 days the blog may be all about what I like to call thesis-ing because I hope that's all I'm doing (other than staring into my husband's eyes, trying a new recipe I found on Pioneer Woman Cooks, starting up spring Bible study, and ...). See I get distracted.

So the blog's holding me accountable. Each day for 20 days I have to report progress on the thesis. Done. See it's in print now and so I have to.

Progress today: Setting up a 20 day plan. And then fleshing out the notes I made on Sunday.

What can you do for 20 days???

And don't worry, I'm sure I'll convince Kyle to post about something actually fun :)

Dear 2010... September to December. The End.

Dear 2010,
Yep, this is the last of our memories with you. It really has been great. Who knows when we'll have another year as crazy, dynamic, unbelievable and jam packed? Oh, that's right, God knows. 2010, you're so smart.

October

- Fabulous Halloween party at the Muses' House!
- The Hesses install the new bookshelf!
- Brittany makes lots of Pumpkin Bread... mmm.

November
- Kyle repairs the door and installs the dead bolt... So handy!

- Brittany finishes last nutrition class on her way to her Master's degree!
- Kyle and Brittany head to College Station to see some wonderful Family Camp friends!!!

- Our nephew Aiden calls to tell us the Keys are going to have a baby!

- Thanksgiving in Norman, and of course Black Friday Shopping!
- (also) the leaves finally change in our yard!

December

- We hosted our very first garage sale!! then head to the Big 12 Championship.

- Holiday Cookie Extravaganza begins.

- Last Wedding Thank You note is sent out!

- First Married Christmas, lots of gifts, lots of love.

- Kyle's sister Jennifer gets engaged to Zac!

Like a said, a year we'll never forget. God has truely truely blessed us this year. The times that we were most focused on what we wanted, the Lord had us wait so that when our prayers were fulfilled we had no choice but to give glory to him. The tent falling and what to do about the reception location, the honeymoon plans and driving all the way to Colorado, figuring out where a married couple would stay on camp in Colorado, a place to live in Texas, Brittany's job with the VA, Kyle's position as family camp manager...

The Lord provides for us in the good and bad, times of plenty and time of little and we learn to trust him more and more each day... or at least that is our prayer.

How was your 2010?

Coming soon...
1. The actual Christmas pictures to be soon downloaded from the camera, oops!
2. Maybe a blog by Kyle because I'll be busy thesis-ing.
3. Ooo, a good post I was thinking of just this morning :)

Dear 2010... July to September

Dear 2010,
Loved Colorado... but yes, we had to return from Colorado. But it was great because God gave is a place to live, gave me a job, and helped us transition into "real" married life! Those were some of the funniest memories!

July

- After waiting an entire year, Brittany finally peaks Uncompaghre! Rock scramble, lightning, hail and lots of prayers!
- Tubing down Lake Fork of the Gunnison... chilly!

- Thomas grants us 27 hours off to take a night away from camp!

- We explore Black Canyon - Second largest Canyon in the US!
- Minute to Win It Ute Trail Edition hits top of the charts for awesome entertainment!

August

- Brittany gets job offer from the VA!

- Regular Season of Camp Ends... say goodbye to our new Colorado Family!

- Texas Staff comes to Ute to run Military Family Camp.

- The Hesses move back to Texas. Lots of moving!

September

- The Hesses enroll in Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University.

- The Brixeys and the Pettigrews get hitched!

- Brittany Starts job at the VA and more grad school-ness.

- Unpacking the house continues!
- Thank you notes for wedding gifts continue... what can I say, we were gone all summer!

Return to see the rest and end of our 2010!

Dear 2010... April to June

Dear 2010,

Remember the wedding, and the crazy fast move to Colorado, oh and Colorado!!

April

- April Fools on Kyle: Brittany makes Kyle eat "mushrooms" that are actually potatoes!
- Jill takes Brit's Bridals!
- Louisiana Dietetic Association Conference comes to Lake Charles!

- Kyle makes a surprise visit to Shreveport for Brittany's golden birthday! With flowers!

- In a freak hail storm, lightning, wind-fest... the tent falls again. They call me. It's not going back up.

May
(this is a big one)

- Kyle turns 28!

- Hesses and Kingsleys meet for the first Time!

- Kyle and Brittany Tie the Knot at Sky Ranch! Weather is Beautiful!
- Wedding night we arrive at our cabin to find that ooops! there are people inside!

- Brittany completes her nutrition internship during the honeymoon!

- Kyle and Brittany pack up and head to Sky Ranch Ute Trail in Colorado!

- Staff Training and Camp Gets Rocking!

So I have wayyyyy more wedding pictures I want to show all of you... soon, soon.

June

- Camp, camp, and more camp!

- We meet the Larry and Delinda (aka Momma) Taylor! Can you say wonderful??

- Fall in love with the Ute Trail staff...check.

Stay tuned for the rest of our year...