Adventures in Coffee Shopping

I am obsessed with my morning cup of coffee! Pretty much the only thing that gets me out of bed in the morning is knowing that I get to enjoy a delicious hot cup of coffee. I am addicted!

The first day we moved into our apartment I could not wait to be reunited with my beloved Keurig machine. However, we had some converter issues and ended up buying a Nespresso machine. Our impulse purchase of the Nespresso is another story in itself, but I am going to leave those details out as it is not entirely appropriate to be posted on the internet. Let's just say we were exhausted after setting up our apartment and getting an espresso machine was the LAST thing my husband wanted to do. Ask me the rest in person sometime because it's a good one ;). Anyway, I am obsessed with my Nespresso as it allows me to make my very own delicious latte from the comfort of my own home.

I have the Nespresso Citiz & Milk machine

Living in the middle of a city got a whole lot better when I learned there is a Nespresso boutique right down the street from our apartment. When it came time to purchase new espresso pods I was very excited to have the store so close and could not wait to venture over to pick out new flavors.

Let's pause for a second and get a little background information about Sweden. One of the things I have learned living here is that Sweden is very much a do-it-yourself country. There is typically a figure it out yourself mentality. In fact, store employees usually do not help you nor offer to do so. If you need to ask a question or need assistance they will help you, but generally you help yourself to everything.  Even in the grocery store you bag your own groceries and the cashier does not even hand you the receipt, you have to rip it out of the machine yourself if you want it. 


I first walked into Nespresso boutique and noticed all the espresso machines on one side and a huge wall of pods on the opposite side. Knowing you usually do things yourself I walked over to the wall and started browsing all the different coffee types. I grabbed a few different boxes when an employee said something to me in Swedish. I bashfully said "sorry I don't speak Swedish" and she repeated in English that I was not allowed over there as it was for employees only. I needed to get a number from the kiosk at the front of the store and wait to be called and they would gather the coffee for me. I was mortified!! I quickly apologized and started to put back the items I grabbed while the customer the employee was assisting laughed. I was so ready for the floor to open up and swallow me.

At this pointed I wasn't sure if I wanted to laugh at my stupidity or run crying out of the store. Instead, I got my number, waited to be called, and eventually left with coffee in hand. I waited for Chris to get home where I recounted the entire story to have him laughing at me.  He felt bad that I was embarrassed, but couldn't help laughing at my experience. Lesson learned for me that sometimes bad situations help you figure things out and this will happen many more times during my journey in Sweden.

I am happy to report that I have successfully purchased coffee there numerous times since without any embarrassment!

My favorite coffee drinking companion

Change Can Be Good

If you've read Champs & Pearls before then it was probably obvious that there's been a name change here! I had pretty much given up blogging until I moved to Sweden. I had numerous people asking about our life in Sweden and wanting to know more details and hear stories. I would tell my family the crazy and funny situations I was in and they constantly told me to write about these experiences. This lead me back to Champs & Pearls. However, I felt that the Champs & Pearls chapter of my life closed. This title was silly and frivolous and just didn't fit with my new adventure. Chris asked me about creating a new blog, but that wasn't something I was ready to delve into just yet. After some consideration, I decided a change and reinvention was necessary.

The title "Notes From The Matchbox" came about organically. I was having one of my "I hate everything about this situation and I am so unbelievably over it" fits moments and jokingly called our apartment a matchbox in reference to it's small size to Chris. He thought this was funny and continued to use this term in conversations since then. My clever, English major sister came up with "notes from the matchbox" title and it just fit! I thought this would be perfect for re-branding and giving this little blog a purpose. Don't worry, I still love champagne and pearls ;)!

For those of you loving, loyal readers who bookmarked my previous blog page you will need to re save this one as the website link has changed.

Moving forward I will continue to share updates on my getting back to Sweden status as well as some of the experiences I had previously. I hope you come back frequently to join in with me!

That Time I was Kicked Out of Sweden

Before we moved to Sweden I applied for a residency permit as I was told was necessary to live in the country with Chris. After applying I was notified it could take 12-16 months until my application was approved. We knew this was a long process, but were assured that it didn't matter and I could still live in Sweden with Chris while the process took place.

Around mid-November, Chris and I went to the migration office in Sweden to get an extension on my visit while my residency application is still in process. We found out at this appointment that I was unable to apply for an extension and actually needed to get out of the country asap if I wanted my residency application approved. Uhhhh What?! You can only begin to imagine what we felt at this point.

Chris reached out to his network of people who looked into the situation for us. They confirmed that I did need to leave the country and possibly sooner than we expected. The whole situation of back and forth with a variety of different people carried on for a few weeks. The more information we heard the worst the situation got for us. I won't bore you with the details, but basically I was told to leave Sweden ASAP and stay out of the country until my residency permit is approved. Apparently, my being in Sweden could negatively affect the outcome, so I needed to leave and not come back until accepted.

Before all of this occurred we booked a trip to the US for Christmas with my family. Luckily, I was approved to still fly out on this previously scheduled flight, but since it was past the 90 days I was allowed to be in Sweden I had to be escorted through the airport. This was sad and embarrassing, but you do what you have to do. My sweet (and pissed off) husband changed his ticket to fly with me during all of this and I couldn't be more thankful! Harvie also had to fly with us since Chris works long hours and cannot care for her the way she needs, so I needed her with me. Plus, lets be honest, I wanted my furchild with me!

Fast forward to today...Chris is back to work in Sweden and living in our apartment. Harvie and I are in the United States staying with my parents (who, by the way, moved to Texas, which is a whole other situation).  I flew down to Houston on Monday to meet with the Consulate of Sweden. This was another step in my residency permit process where they interviewed me and looked at my supporting documents in person. They then send everything back to Sweden and it stays in a file until someone gets around to my application. At this point I/We have done everything we can do.

Chris is continuously waiting to hear from his network of people. We have been extremely disappointed with Chris' new job moving us to Sweden and dropping the ball on the Ashley portion of this equation. Usually when a company moves a person abroad they apply for a work permit for said person and attach their dependents. Since Chris is already a Swedish citizen and able to work in Sweden they did not have to do this step. However, they completely forgot about me being in the country and what that entails. Plus they gave us incorrect information from the beginning about the whole process. We were under the impression that I was able to move there, apply for an extension as needed and continue on with life in Sweden. This is absolutely not correct and those involved should have known better. We NEVER would have moved to Sweden in the first place had we known that I was not able to stay there with Chris. We would have waited until we could both legally be in the country.

The entire situation is completely overwhelming and frustrating. We have so many mixed emotions and the past few months have been rough. Just being honest! We really have no idea what to do at this point aside from waiting for my residency permit to come through (assuming it even does get approved). It's entirely possible that we may move back to the United States in a few months or my residency permit may come in sooner and we can be reunited in Sweden. We have no idea right now. Stay tuned.

Regardless, Chris and I are SO grateful for one another. We never imagined this would be the journey that moving to Sweden would take us on, But, we are incredibly happy to have each other and are making the best of the situation. This mess has shown us how much we love each other and love our life together. Being unwillingly separated is hard and not something we ever wanted to go through. We are taking life day by day and look forward to the time when we can look back on this and laugh together.

Cheers to messy situations! 

Intuition

Something different about me is that I am a very intuitive person. I can feel and sense things that usually end up being true. Mostly, this applies to people, but sometimes to situations too. It is hard to explain or believe, but I have always been this way and my intuitions are usually spot on.

Chris and I celebrated last Christmas in Sweden with his family. My heart began softening toward Sweden during this trip. For some reason while we were there I just knew this would be a permanent place for us at some point soon. I can't explain it exactly, but there was just something different that I felt during this trip specifically...cue my intuition. I've visited Sweden previously, but never felt the same way as I did this time.  I wasn't sure of any of the details, but there was definitely the feeling.

This trip for Christmas was actually one of my hardest trips to Sweden. I felt very homesick and was dealing with some major anxiety. I don't discuss my anxiety much, but I even had my worst panic attack yet on our last night of this trip. I fully believe I was being prepared in my heart and life for what was to come even though I had no idea at the time. This feeling I had during our Christmas trip was no exception. I fully believe what I went through during our trip is what has made my transition here easier. There have still been a few WHAT ARE WE DOING moments during the whole process. However, I have been able to be the strong support that my husband needed. Chris tells me that I have become very wise the past few months and I am so glad that I have been mentally prepared to venture into this opportunity.

Cheers to good intuition! 

Swedish Adventures

My husband, Chris, is Swedish and was born and raised in Sweden. Since we began dating he's always talked about moving back to Sweden one day. I was part of the reason for him staying in the United States, but he had a longing in his heart to return to Sweden at some point. One aspect of marrying him was accepting this and knowing one day, somehow, we would live in Sweden.

In April, Chris was contacted out of the blue by someone who works intricately with IKEA. This man is a colleague of Chris' father (my father-in-love has worked for IKEA for 30 years) and knew Chris ran a hotel. IKEA has a hotel located in their world headquarters in Sweden and was looking for a new Managing Director. Both Chris and I were surprised by this opportunity and intrigued. We had not considered Sweden at this point in our lives for a variety of reasons, but mostly given the insane past few months we had been through. However, I encouraged Chris to explore the opportunity and the next thing you know we packed up our life, sold our town home, and moved to Sweden.

This all transpired over the next few months after the initial contact in April.We spent lots of time discussing our future, the job position, what it would mean to be in Sweden, etc. IKEA sent us to Sweden for a "look and see" trip the first week of July. Chris was able to meet colleagues, hear more about the job, and we were able to explore areas where we would potentially live. I spent a lot of time with my mother-in-love asking her over and over if she thought I would survive in Sweden. She graciously answered all of my questions and provided a ton of support having lived all over the world as an expat wife herself. Together, Chris (and I) accepted the Managing Director position and quickly started planning our move across the world.

We arrived to Sweden the first of September and our adventure began.

Cheers to Adventures in Sweden! 

Begin Again

Hello!
I am brushing off the dust on this old thing and not even sure where to begin. Life has a funny way of throwing the unexpected at you. I first created this blog to document married life as a newlywed. Our first year was certainly a big one followed by 2015 and then now we are here heading toward the end of 2016. My mind is completely blown away at what life has handed us since first saying "I do." This year has been the most shocking of my life with the events that have transpired before our eyes. Chris and I find ourselves staring in disbelief at everything that has occurred and can't believe this is our life. Both with the good and the bad.

I am a firm believer in ignorance is bliss and I am sure glad that we don't know what our futures hold.  If someone had told me what the past two years of my life would be like I wouldn't have believed them nor would I have wanted to face what was ahead. But here I am living life and enjoying every second because life is messy and precious all at the same time. One of my favorite inspirational women, Glennon Doyle Melton, refers to life using the term "brutiful" to combine brutal and beautiful and I wholeheartedly agree.

While there have been quite a few devastatingly heartbreaking moments these past two years there have also been some incredible opportunities including the huge journey we are on now living life in Sweden. This brings me to shaking off the cobwebs and seeing how this goes again.

Cheers to unknown futures! 

A year later...

I first began my blog over a year ago to document my life especially being a newlywed. Half way through I stopped blogging mostly due to time and not making blogging a priority. 

Well a year later we have definitely had quite the first year as a married couple. Don't get me wrong it has been a great year, but there have been some major life happenings. 

This past year I started a new job which has come with its own ups and downs. It's been an adjustment since it's a new environment and I'm now working full time. Job changes are hard especially for someone who does not like change. It took me a long time to adjust and in many ways I still am. 

My dad has had a variety of issues with his foot, which ended in amputation as was detailed in my last post. This has been huge for me personally and my family. It's caused Chris and I to be more flexible toward my family both physically and emotionally. In a new marriage it's common to figure out family dynamics, but a serious issue like this takes it to a whole new level. I'm fairly independent of my family, but I also have wanted to be available to them and as helpful as much as I can be. More on this topic later. 

My brother-in-law and sister-in-law had a baby last April. Of course, this is a happy and exciting change to our family. But nonetheless it's still a change. It's been an easy adjustment because he's so darn adorable and we all love to spend time with him, but it's still a new element to add a baby to the family. Our get togethers have changed a bit, but we love him so much and love watching him grow! 

Regardless, Chris and my's relationship has been stronger than ever. He's been a huge source of comfort and support to me. We've been together for a long time, so adding changes wasn't a big deal for us but it did make for an interesting year. Our first year of marriage was great relationship wise and us being a strong unit made everything happening around us bearable. I couldn't ask for a better life partner to take on new challenges! 

Cheers to the first year! 

Amputation

I hung up the phone tonight after speaking with my dad and burst into tears. This has happened many times over the past five months, but this time it was for a good reason. My dad sounded genuinely happy and an even better version of himself than I can remember. I cried tears of joy which was a nice change considering everything my family had been through. 

My dad fractured his ankle in July. My parents had a leak at their house and my dad was home with the plumber. He went down to the sidewalk in front of his house to turn off the water and slipped and fell. My mom came home from work to take him to urgent care where they gave him a walking boot and told him it should heal in a few weeks. 

A few weeks later his ankle was worst. Turns out the boot didn't help and he ended up breaking his ankle as all the bones in his foot had shifted. His bone literally looked like it was going to pop out of his skin. He had a series of various tests before surgery was planned to replace the bones. The bones shifting ruined an artery that would also need to be fixed. 

His first surgery was scheduled for September 22nd. After a week in the hospital he came home for further recovery. About two weeks later his surgeon had consulted his fellow colleagues and decided to redo the surgery a different way. He wanted to use an erector set with rods that would run outside of his foot to hold the bones in place to properly heal.

Three weeks after the first surgery, on October 13th, he underwent another surgery to have his bones replaced again and the erector set put in place. He came home from the hospital a few days later and we all waited for healing. We had to replace the bandages around his wounds and the rods twice a day. I was the one usually doing this and every day his wounds looked worst. He had two huge open wounds that were not closing up in addition to rods sticking out of his leg. It was scary and we all wondered what the healing process would entail. 

He was not healing which is partly due to his surgeries, but mostly due to being a type two diabetic. We all knew the outcome wasn't great, but we all supported one another and did our best to stay positive. I attended one follow up appointment where his surgeon mentioned amputating his foot and I completely lost it when I got home to Chris. I never considered the possibility of my dad having his foot amputated and did not take this idea well. My family shrugged off the notion and prayed for healing. 

After a series of different doctors appointments, more pain, and less healing my dad brought up amputating his foot to our family. We all cried and discussed the various options. The decision would ultimately be my dads, but he wanted all of our input and sought out council from a variety of people. 

Two weeks after the erector surgery, my dad scheduled an appointment to discuss amputation with his surgeon. Two days after that appointment he had an amputation surgery date of October 29th. Everything went well and my dad spent four days in the hospital and then was moved to the rehabilitation unit of the hospital. He was there for a long and emotionally and physically draining 12 days before being released for home. 

Being home was a huge adjustment for him as suddenly his whole life was different. We all agreed this was the best decision especially considering where he is now compared to the beginning. There were countless stories we heard which I attributed to be affirmations from God reassuring us all that this was the best decision. 

My entire family had days of tears and frustrations, days of humor, days of joy and everything in between. We all supported one another and seemed to balance the emotions. When one of us was weak the others were strong. None of us would have gotten through this without support of one another and peace and comfort from God. 

My dad spent time healing and adjusting at home since the first surgery. He went back to work the second week of January and is getting used to being back at work and doing his normal activities. He is in the process of getting a prosthetic leg, but for now my parents have made many adjustments to their home and he gets around in a wheelchair. 

The tears of joy flooded down my face tonight to finally hear my dad sound happy. My dad is not one to show emotion, so seeing him sad, frustrated, disappointed, and every other emotion possible given these circumstances was rough. Hearing him on the phone talking about work, board meetings, and getting used to his old routines completely broke me in the best way. Instead of crying over a tough situation I was now crying for everything we had been through. 

He's come so far and gone through a huge life changing event and I'm so proud of the way he's handled everything. It wasn't an easy decision or path to take, but he's done well and hasn't ever given up. He's only getting better and I am so thankful for where we all are today. 

Cheers to Dad! 

There's no place like home

The Husband and I just returned home after a two week vacation in Europe. We were mostly in Sweden spending time with family and relaxing. But we also went to Paris for three days. I love vacation! Who doesn't? It is always nice to be away from work, normal routines, have-to-dos, etc. and just relax and not think of anything.

However, I am a total homebody. I do not know when this began for me because I was never like this before. Sure, I enjoyed being home, but I was always the kid spending the night at her friend's house, enjoyed going new places, and I could not wait to go away to college. Heck, I even took off to Texas for school on a whim!

At some point in the past few years I became a homebody. I prefer to be at home most days. I do venture out and enjoy seeing and experiencing something new, but I always look forward to coming back home. Maybe it has something to do with security? Maybe it's because I love my house with my husband and furchild? I truly do not know, but in one sense I think it is okay. There is comfort in my home and I like spending my time here decorating, organizing, cleaning, cooking, reading, watching TV, and just sitting. They say "home is where the heart is" and maybe after all it is true.

So, cheers to your home! 

Life Happens!

As I have previously mentioned...I have a new job! I have been job searching since April and accepted a new job at the end of June. I am still in education, but working as an Executive Assistant at a private school.  This position is full-time, which is a change for me. I love it, but my life has taken some adjusting.

 

Blogging takes a lot of time and now having a full-time position I have not figured out how to work, enjoy life, and blog at the same time. I seriously am in awe of the amazing bloggers who work full-time and run a successful blog!

 

There have been good changes in my life lately, but it definitely takes time to get used to a new schedule and routine. As someone who does not like change, I think I’ve embraced everything fairly well.  I enjoy being busy, but when the weekends come around I am desperate for some alone time and relaxation. 

 

My family has been enjoying Friday nights at a local lagoon paddle boarding and watching Harvie run and play.  I absolutely love summer time and this summer we have been more active and taking advantage of all the possibilities around us. Right now we are preparing for a trip to Europe, which we are very excited about! There will be more on this later so stay tuned.

 

Cheers to summertime!

Engagements!

I have two close girlfriends who have recently gotten engaged. I am beyond excited for them and all that is ahead for these two women!  In my opinion, being engaged is one of the best times in your life. Both of my friends have found men who are their best friends and make them better people.  Each of these couples have dated for a while and I am looking forward to seeing them enjoy this time planning their weddings and beginning their marriages.

My engagement was a very happy and exciting time in my life. I had heard about how hard planning a wedding was, how nothing goes right, and how it can be very stressful. I did not want any of that for my life. I wanted to enjoy being engaged!! Besides, after dating for 7 years, I felt like I deserved to totally savor every minute of planning our wedding and dreaming of a future as man and wife.

It makes me sad to hear about horrible engagements where there is so much stress, negativity, and arguments between couples and families. It does not have to be this way! Stay organized, be true to yourself, consider your fiance, and remember that your wedding is only the beginning of your future. These days it's easy to focus on having the perfect wedding, but really it's a celebration and the true focus should be on your marriage ahead.

Chris and I spent a lot of time talking and dreaming about our future together in addition to wedding planning. It was easy to get caught up in the details, but we made sure to focus on the foundation of our relationship and talk about our future together too.

We were fortunate enough to have family and friends who poured love, well wishes, and happiness into our engagement and future.  I wish both of my dear friends only the best as they plan their dream day and start their happily ever after with their loved one! Congratulations!!

Monica-my adorable sorority little sis and best friend

Candice- my sweet southern gal from my Texas State days

Cheers to Monica and Candice on their engagements!! 

That one time I unexpectedly got a tattoo

Happy Monday!

I am normally NOT a Monday person. As in a do you think they would notice if I just didn't show up kind of way. But, tomorrow is my first Monday at a new job (more on that later) and I am kind of excited! Everything is new and unexpected and for once I am intrigued by this and looking forward to seeing how a new week unfolds.

On Saturday I got a tattoo! It was something I have wanted for a while, but just never did. I didn't wake up thinking "I'll get a tattoo today" instead it was completely random. Chris and I went for a motorcycle ride around town and stopped for coffee. Down the street from the coffee shop is a tattoo place where two of his friends get all of their work done. So, we popped in and before I knew it I was signing my life away and nervously handing my arm over to a stranger to permanently mark. Honestly, this was the perfect way to get my tattoo done because if it wasn't spontaneous I would probably try to talk myself out of it. I LOVE it and am so glad I finally did it!

No, it didn't hurt...it was more uncomfortable. It felt like a bee sting. My tattoo was tiny and took about 30 seconds, so it was completely bearable for me. However, I'm sure it depends on the location on your body and the time your tattoo takes. I cannot imagine sitting for hours, so that would probably be painful. My advice...DO IT if you're questioning getting inked!

Cheers to tattoos! 

Life Lately

It has been a while since you've heard from me. I have just been living life and enjoying it! I still love blogging and have not run out of ideas yet...there have just been some changes and general busyness in my life. There will be regular updates soon. But, for the meantime here is what I have been up to lately...

We went on our first family camping trip! My cousin said it best when she said "YOU went camping?" It's true...I went camping and survived. Chris was impressed. 

Harvie is still as adorable as ever. 

Marissa, Monica, and me celebrating Monica's graduation! This beautiful woman is now engaged!!

Chris and I celebrated Swedish Midsummer.

I love spending time with my husband! He's been a major support for me this month. 

Going Vegan (at least for a meal)

I mentioned in this post about how I've been getting myself out there more regarding blogging. I figured you may want to know more. Plus, I just want to brag a bit about a super delicious experience!

My friend, Kristin, who blogs over at With Milk and Sugar (stop right now to check out her blog, but then return!) invited me to a San Diego Blogger’s Meetup. She's attended events like this before and I jumped at the opportunity to become the next big blogger meet other bloggers.

We ventured down to Point Loma to a restaurant called Native Foods Cafe. They serve fresh, homemade vegan cuisine. I’m not going to lie, I was a bit skeptical at first. I have tried a few different vegan foods, but was concerned about what I would eat. I am a VERY picky eater…those of you who know me well are shaking your heads right now. It’s true. I would love to eat anything and everything, but that is just not me.

I was pleasantly surprised. Everything we ate was delicious!! In fact, I may go again to try new things. Who knows…maybe my next post will be all about my lifestyle change to becoming a vegan (yeah, I don’t believe that either).

Kristin and I decided to share a few things in order to try a variety. The couple in line behind us offered some great suggestions, so we trusted them and were not disappointed. You can see all of our deliciousness below. We had TONS of food. We took food home to our husbands and while I had every intention of sharing with Chris I ended up eating it all for lunch the next day (oops, sorry dear!). But even reheated a day later it was still tasty. 

Just in case I have not convinced you already, go try out Native Foods Cafe and explore your vegan side. You too won’t believe it’s not chicken! 

L: Iced peach tea (mine), R: Watermelon Fresca (Kristin) 

Native Chicken Wings

Nuevo Native Nachos

Chicken Run Ranch Burger

Carrot Cream Cheese Cupcake

Leftovers

Cheers to blogger meet-ups and delicious food! 

This post was sponsored by Native Foods Cafe. All opinions are completely my own. Thank you Native Foods. 

A Healthier Lifestyle

1. Cut out soda and other sugary drinks. 
• Focus on drinking more water. Plus, you won't have added calories with no nutritional benefits.
• Tip: If this seems impossible to cut completely, start by switching out one drink per day for water. 
2. Focus on listening to your stomach.
• It takes time for your stomach to signal to your brain that you are full. Work on eating slowly and focusing on how your stomach feels to notice when you're satisfied.  
3. Plate meals at the counter rather than placing serving dishes on the table.
• You will be less likely to overeat when you do not see food sitting on the table in front of you. This will give you the chance to listen to your body to stop when you're full if you have to get up to get more food. 
4. Add vegetables whenever possible. 
• Aim to include veggies with every meal.  
• Tip: Have a salad before your dinner or throw some vegetables into your sauce.
5. Park in the furthest spot. 
• Not only will you usually always find a parking spot wayyyy in the back, but it also adds a few extra steps in your day. Parking far away forces you to move a little more while also accomplishing your errands.  

My beloved Husband

I am a rather sarcastic person and have a dry sense of humor. Unless you know me well and have been around me to understand my personality, my humor can come off as mean. I'm working on this...maybe.

Anyway, my supportive husband reads every single blog post. I love him for this! He recently mentioned that others may think he's a bad guy based on some of the things I say. I NEVER want that to be what others think. He's beyond wonderful and yes, we do have our quirks and marriage woes, but we love each other dearly and work every day on our marriage. 

So, today I am giving him a little extra loving by sharing some of the things I love about him!

Photo by Greg Helton Photography

1. You tell me I'm beautiful constantly. 

2. You still open the car door for me 8 years later. 

3. You always consider me first when making decisions. 

4. You care for our fur child which warms my heart. 

5. You bring me coffee every morning. 

6. You listen to me. 

7. You're respectful of my choices, feelings, and opinions. 

8. You're a feminist. (not in the negative connotation, but in the actuality of believing in equality for everyone and not putting gender roles on me or yourself)

9. You hold me when I cry. 

10. You work hard to provide. 

11. You are driven. 

12. You're silly and playful.

13. You don't hide your feelings from me.

14. You always ask my opinion.

15. You make me dance with you in the kitchen.

16. You are my best friend!

Photo by Greg Helton Photography

Becoming the woman you were meant to be!

"You are becoming the woman you were meant to be."

My mom used to say this ALL.THE.TIME. She believed when you reached adulthood and started making decisions or changes it meant you were working toward becoming who you were always meant to be. I never really believed this or gave in to her wise words (sassy daughter, I know!).

However, these days I have been making some changes and bold moves in my life.  I feel as though I am actually becoming who I was always meant to be and wanted to be.  Instead of dreaming about the type of woman I want to be I am making it happen!

I am taking more risks. 

Discussing big life changes with my husband (not children). 

Defining my opinions and beliefs.

Started this blog. Attended a blogger Happy Hour and a blogger social event.

Taking a chance on friendships I have had differing opinions about.

Putting up with less nonsense.  

Standing up for myself. 

Discovering my voice.

For the first time in my entire life I finally am starting to feel like an adult!  I know, I have technically been an adult since turning eighteen, but I have never seen myself as one.  Just ask my husband...all throughout our dating relationship he was trying to convince me that I AM an adult.  This is a weird concept to me even though I have been making adult decisions and living an independent life for the past eight years.

I am finally at the point in my life where I feel accomplished, satisfied, and genuinely happy. This has been a process of growth and change, but I am learning to love every single thing about my life and change what I do not like.

Cheers to adulthood! 

Happy Birthday Harvie!

My adorable little puppy fur child tuns ONE today! I cannot believe how fast this year has gone and how much she has enriched our lives. It is impossible for me to imagine there was ever a time when I was hesitant and nervous about adding her to our family.  

Harvie, I love...

your scent

your breath on my arm

the way you climb up my body to lick my face

how you then lick my face nonstop

how you tilt your head when I talk to you

how you jump to get into my arms

how much your tail wags the closer I get to you

your huge brown eyes

your white belly

when your body turns to mush when you're exhausted

how much you love to cuddle

when you crawl under the covers in the middle of the night

your loud snores

your big sighs as though your life is tough

how excited you always are to see me

how you go crazy when I open the treat drawer

when you bring me your toy to play

and when i resist you put your toy on my hand

how much you shake your head during tug-of-war

when you paw at my hand to keep petting you
how you bury your toys under pillows

watching you grow! 

Happy First Birthday Harvie!

Blake Lively Is My Best Friend!

I absolutely adore Blake Lively. 

Via

In my opinion she is beautiful, classy, and embodies a real woman.  I have been in awe of her since the first time we saw her on Gossip Girl in the train station as Serena Van Der Woodsen. 

Via

I like to imagine that we would be best friends. We would shop together, text daily, and on weekends have dinner parties with our husbands.  She just so happens to be married to the most beautiful man (aside from my husband, of course) Ryan Reynolds. So, if he happens to be shirtless at our dinner parties I doubt anyone would complain. 

Via

While I know very little of her actual life I imagine it is fabulous! The woman is gorgeous, loves to cook, and is married to Ryan Reynolds. I don't think life can get much better than being Blake Lively.  

Perfection

Beautiful Couple!

Cheers to the fabulous life of Blake Lively!

San Diego County Fires

My hometown is on fire. Currently, there are 8 fires in the surrounding areas where I live. It seems so weird to me that life just goes on while homes, businesses, and fields burn down.  My heart breaks hearing about these stories and watching the news updates. I can't handle watching the news broadcast a home burning away. Home is where the heart is...this is someone's home, someone's heart. The memories, comfort, safety, and not to mention possessions are taken away by fire. Huge, hot, orange blazes just taking out someone's life. This may seem dramatic, but imagine for just a second that it is your house going up in flames. It's unbelievable! You feel so helpless, but there is nothing you can do.  Some people are able to grab a few things and evacuate whereas others are not so fortunate.

The brave firemen are working hard in the heat and police men are manning the streets for traffic and closures. Local businesses set up areas of refuge for families and their pets. But, how do you even decide what to take in the few moments you do have to gather items? I can't imagine leaving my house knowing it could all be gone by morning.

These homes are beautiful. Some are newly built custom homes. Someone recently reached their dream just to have it burned down to embers. Where do you even begin to go from here? How do you start over, rebuild, repurchase?

I feel incredibly fortunate that my home and my family member's homes are not in danger. Not yet anyway. But this is scary and shocking.

All photos taken from 10 news where you can see others and read about it

Cheers to praying for relief, safety, firefighters, and families!