"I know what things are good: friendship and work and conversation. These I shall have."
-Rupert Brooke


Thursday, April 18, 2013

oh, and this.




soooooooo hey.

it's been... a WHILE.

in my absence from this place A LOT has gone on in my life. amazing and heartbreaking. basically the only updates i care about these days are that Jeremy and I finally got married and are blissfully living in south austin.. for the moment. the other update is that my amazing dad has been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer.

with that being said i've decided this blog will be good for me. throw my thoughts into the universe and hopefully help me stay positive by releasing all of my thoughts. somehow, for me, life is better through writing.

hopefully this time this thing will stick.

much love.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

bob.



LOVE this album. A week or two ago Jeremy and I went to his CD release party for "A Perfect Day" and as usual, we had a BLAST. To all of you Austinites who have never seen Bob Schneider in concert- please add to your bucket list. He is a great artist, but he BY FAR puts on the best show. He gets you dancing, singing, swaying, and having an overall great time.

Skip buying lunch today, eat your a sandwich at your desk and listen to this instead. You can thank me later. :)

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Easter sweetness...

Just some things I have been obsessing about this Easter season...


I am not a huge fan of peeps, however anything covered in chocolate deserves a fair shot....

Pretty much the sole reason I go down the "Holiday" aisle this time of year.... AND only 190 calories in one of these small packages!!! WINNING! :)




This cake from i am baker is so gorgeous I don't know if I could even eat it..... hahaha- who am I kidding?

And last but not least I hope we all remember the reason for this season, our Lord and Savior. He suffered, died, and was buried for our sins and our salvation. Please remember to give thanks this week for the ULTIMATE sacrifice and celebrate the most glorious day of the year- HE IS RISEN!

Happy Easter Loves!

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

The boys of Summer...




Get ready kids... it's baseball season. I know I'm technically a little late, but I'm SO FLIPPIN PUMPED! I hope the Cardinals have a great season and I hope the Astros do too, just not as good as the red birds. ;)

For those of you who do not know me, you might ask- born and raised in Texas, even lived in Houston for five years, why the heck is this girl a Cardinals fan?! I shall explain. My entire family is from southern Illinois, (shout out to the Juicy Peanut!) about 30 minutes outside of St. Louis.

*for those of you like my boyfriend who apparently never studied a map, yes the state of Missouri is right next to the state of Illinois, St. Louis being ON the Mississippi River that divides the two states*

ANYWHO. So my parents grew up outside of St. Louis, both parents even worked/went to school in St. Louis. They have been raised with red bird blood (kinda like tiger blood, eh Charlie?) and they have passed that wonderful spirit ont0 their kiddos. Both of my grandmothers could beat anyone I know in Cardinal trivia. We joke, but no lie- my grandmother has a shrine to Willy McGee ('82-'90, '96-'99) in her spare bedroom. We have so many VHS tapes on the many World Series Championships (10 to be exact), a few on the Wizard (Ozzie Smith - if you did not know this Google him immediately!), and I'm sure there are some on the construction of the new Busch Stadium.

So. Do you get it now? I love my family and we love the Cardinals. 'Nuff said. :) Happy Spring y'all and GO CARDINALS!



Hahahahahaa. LOVE THIS. Welcome to St. Louis, Big Puma!

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

some peace, quiet, and lonliness...

So for those of you who don't know- Jeremy got a job a few weeks back and we were THRILLED. It sounded like the perfect job for him, however the catch- he would be traveling 5 days out of the week. BEH.

It started off with a bang, or should I say bump? We do not do long distance. We are even past the point that we lie and say we are kinda good at long distance. We suck at it- there, it's out there. So therefore the first week was filled will constant bickering, turned fighting, turned tears, turned apologizing. It was a long week. But it was almost like we flipped the "off" switch and we've been great ever since. Our weekends have been filled with hand-holding, smooching, and general cuteness. Honestly, if I were an outsider, I would puke. :)

So with him being gone every weekday, I've been forced to constantly find something to do. Clean apartment, do laundry, work late, walk the dog, bathe the dog, clean the baseboards... you get the idea. It is nice not having to worry about who's house were having dinner at, worry about spending my precious gas to make it 20 minutes north to his house, and I flat out don't have to always be 'on'. You know? It's nice... sometimes. But usually by Wednesday (i.e. TODAY) I miss him more than ever and just want Friday night to get here. :(

Lovin this.

Friday, February 25, 2011

{feelin groovy}

Have you ever had one of those months where you are ridiculously busy but then you look back and can't for the life of you remember what you did all month? That's what February has been for me. Other than the half marathon (which I will get back to in a sec!!) I can't think of any big things that happened this month but I was SO busy!

First off- the half MARATHON!?!?! Last weekend I completed my very first half. In better time than I thought I would as well- 2:44. I'm so proud of myself that I did it, that I started something three months ago and saw it through. I'm kinda bummed about my time, but hey- there's always next year! ;) Jeremy was AMAZINGLY supportive, constantly telling me how proud of me he was, and he even ran the last three (uphill) miles with me!

Second- my wisdom teeth out, SNOW IN TEXAS, and some Houston birthdays. The first weekend in February was a whirlwind. I had a five day weekend but two of those days were spent in a hospital getting my wisdom teeth yanked. When I woke up to be released though, Jeremy picked me up in a sea of white dust! It had snowed several inches in this crazy city!?! Then we trekked (literally) east-bound to Houston and Jeremy was a champ and drove in some pretty serious snow for us southerners. We made it there safe and sound and in time for some Gringo's (I figured the margarita would help soothe my teeth ;) ) and then Miss Rylee's birthday party. Sunday was spent celebrating Jeremy's mom's birthday then heading back. WHEW.

Overall its been a crazy month, and I can't believe it's almost March! Work is still nicely busy and I'm going to keep up with my running, but I can't wait til summer gets here and every weekend can be spent on the lake or camping. It's what I LIVE FOR.




Happy Friday loves. :)

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

be happy. be thankful. love life.

Saw this wonderful article that I would love to share from StumbleUpon. Please enjoy and take to heart.

"21 Habits of Happy People :

1. Appreciate Life

Be thankful that you woke up alive each morning. Develop a childlike sense of wonder towards life. Focus on the beauty of every living thing. Make the most of each day. Don’t take anything for granted. Don’t sweat the small stuff.

2. Choose Friends Wisely

Surround yourself with happy, positive people who share your values and goals. Friends that have the same ethics as you will encourage you to achieve your dreams. They help you to feel good about yourself. They are there to lend a helping hand when needed.

3. Be Considerate

Accept others for who they are as well as where they are in life. Respect them for who they are. Touch them with a kind and generous spirit. Help when you are able, without trying to change the other person. Try to brighten the day of everyone you come into contact with.

4. Learn Continuously

Keep up to date with the latest news regarding your career and hobbies. Try new and daring things that has sparked your interest – such as dancing, skiing, surfing or sky-diving.

5. Creative Problem Solving

Don’t wallow in self-pity. As soon as you face a challenge get busy finding a solution. Don’t let the set backs affect your mood, instead see each new obstacle you face as an opportunity to make a positive change. Learn to trust your gut instincts – it’s almost always right.

6. Do What They Love

Some statistics show that 80% of people dislike their jobs! No wonder there’s so many unhappy people running around. We spend a great deal of our life working. Choose a career that you enjoy – the extra money of a job you detest isn’t worth it. Make time to enjoy your hobbies and pursue special interests.

7. Enjoy Life

Take the time to see the beauty around you. There’s more to life than work. Take time to smell the roses, watch a sunset or sunrise with a loved one, take a walk along the seashore, hike in the woods etc. Learn to live in the present moment and cherish it. Don’t live in the past or the future.

8. Laugh

Don’t take yourself – or life to seriously. You can find humor in just about any situation. Laugh at yourself – no one’s perfect. When appropriate laugh and make light of the circumstances. (Naturally there are times that you should be serious as it would be improper to laugh.)

9. Forgive

Holding a grudge will hurt no one but you. Forgive others for your own peace of mind. When you make a mistake – own up to it – learn from it – and FORGIVE yourself.

10. Gratitude

Develop an attitude of gratitude. Count your blessings; All of them – even the things that seem trivial. Be grateful for your home, your work and most importantly your family and friends. Take the time to tell them that you are happy they are in your life.

11. Invest in Relationships

Always make sure your loved ones know you love them even in times of conflict. Nurture and grow your relationships with your family and friends by making the time to spend with them. Don’t break your promises to them. Be supportive.

12. Keep Their Word

Honesty is the best policy. Every action and decision you make should be based on honesty. Be honest with yourself and with your loved ones.

13. Meditate

Meditation gives your very active brain a rest. When it’s rested you will have more energy and function at a higher level. Types of meditation include yoga, hypnosis, relaxation tapes, affirmations, visualization or just sitting in complete silence. Find something you enjoy and make the time to practice daily.


14. Mind Their Own Business

Concentrate on creating your life the way you want it. Take care of you and your family. Don’t get overly concerned with what other people are doing or saying. Don’t get caught up with gossip or name calling. Don’t judge. Everyone has a right to live their own life the way they want to – including you.

15. Optimism

See the glass as half full. Find the positive side of any given situation. It’s there – even though it may be hard to find. Know that everything happens for a reason, even though you may never know what the reason is. Steer clear of negative thoughts. If a negative thought creeps in – replace it with a positive thought.

16. Love Unconditionally

Accept others for who they are. You don’t put limitations on your love. Even though you may not always like the actions of your loved ones – you continue to love them.

17. Persistence

Never give up. Face each new challenge with the attitude that it will bring you one step closer to your goal. You will never fail, as long as you never give up. Focus on what you want, learn the required skills, make a plan to succeed and take action. We are always happiest while pursuing something of value to us.

18. Be Proactive

Accept what can not be changed. Happy people don’t waste energy on circumstances beyond their control. Accept your limitations as a human being. Determine how you can take control by creating the outcome you desire – rather than waiting to respond.

19. Self Care

Take care of your mind, body and health. Get regular medical check ups. Eat healthy and work out. Get plenty of rest. Drink lots of water. Exercise your mind by continually energizing it with interesting and exciting challenges.

20. Self Confidence

Don’t try to be someone that you’re not. After all no one likes a phony. Determine who you are in the inside – your own personal likes and dislikes. Be confident in who you are. Do the best you can and don’t second guess yourself.

21. Take Responsibility

Happy people know and understand that they are 100% responsible for their life. They take responsibility for their moods, attitude, thoughts, feelings, actions and words. They are the first to admit when they’ve made a mistake.

Begin today by taking responsibility for your happiness. Work on developing these habits as you own. The more you incorporate the above habits into your daily lifestyle – the happier you will be.

Most of all: BE TRUE TO YOURSELF."



“Happiness is a habit – cultivate it.” ~ Elbert Hubbard

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

i'm forgiven, because You were forsaken

I am having a hard time with guilt this week. I don't know why, perhaps because of a sermon I just listened to on hell. I think fear I could end up there. I know if I am a believer, I trust the Lord as my one and only Savior, and I am forgiven. But for some reason I can't seem to forgive myself. I went through some really tough times in the past year. I did and thought some things that I feel God shouldn't forgive me for. I don't know when it is ok to let myself be forgiven. Jeremy told me one time that in God's eyes one sin is the same as any another. There is no escalating scale in proportion to how "bad" the sin. Why can't I let it go? I know I am loved and I know my sins were certainly not the most horrible things imaginable, but for some reason because it is the lowest I have been in a very long time, I feel I'm not worthy of His forgiveness.

Hopefully time will heal my pain and I will allow myself to be forgiven.

"This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, andthe blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." -1 John 1:1-9

Prayers for calming my heart and my mind on this topic would be much appreciated...

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

first weekend of freedom

The deadlines are over. The craziness has stopped. Victorious, I prevail.

This was my first weekend free to be me since probably mid-November. Both of my projects went out ON TIME and very well done. I am happy to say it was a GREAT weekend of celebrating my acceptance back into the real world. Friday night was spent with the boy for date night. We went to La Condessa, which much to my surprise... wasn't that great. :/ Alas, we went to townhouse for old fashioned cocktails. Then we met up with my sister and brother in law for some more drinks at Lavaca St. Great start to the weekend, followed by a fantastic haircut and then spending time with the fam on Saturday! And now, I am, officially, a Texan. Yeah, for the past 25 years I just THOUGHT it was official. Oh no. I was missing one very crucial event in my life as a Texan.


Chicken Shit BINGO. :)

Monday, January 10, 2011

Worst. Blogger. Ever.

My apologies for the lack of blogs lately. My life has been insane! The holidays took away what little free time I had, but it was so wonderful. Time spent with family and friends and best of all, Jeremy. We are back in it for good, and more in love than ever. It was wonderful spending the Holidays with his family and mine, and even a Bob Schneider concert to ring in the New Year. Other than spending time with loved ones, my life has been all about work and training for the half marathon in February. I did my first long run yesterday and I was pretty stoked! 7 miles in 1:24!! This week is three short runs then a long run of 9 MILES on Sunday! Please pray for my health and the ability to walk come next Monday! :)

Again, sorry I've been MIA, but I'm back!

Happy Monday loves!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

giving, THANKS {revisited}

i forgot one other little thing i'm thankful for....

Monday, November 22, 2010

giving, THANKS

it's that time of year when everyone starts to reflect on their life and say what they are thankful for and i for one have MANY thanks to give.

{i am thankful for...}

my LORD and my salvation
my amazing and strong parents who are dealing with hardships they have not had in a long time, and with such determination
my loving sister (and BIL) who is always by my side and there to talk whenever i need her
my wonderful brother (and SIL) who is an inspiration as a father and husband
my spunky niece and two nephews who make me want to have kids of my own someday
my inspiring grandmothers who are 82 and 92 and i can still have hour long conversations with them and i know they are always so proud of me and my choices
my best friend, Jeremy who has stuck with me for 7 years now and will always have my back
my new found home at the austin stone church and my new lovely friends where i can be myself and worship with some really amazing people
my job where i might be unhappy sometimes but i am lucky to have the work environment that i do and to still have a job in this tough economy
my friends from college and high school who are always there for me and i cherish having so many. i sometimes forget how many amazing people i have met over the past 10 years
my family friends, the mccarthy's who have gone through so much heartache and trial this year- i am thankful i have them in my life to remind me of how precious life is
my new friend Ang who has quickly become my go-to gal pal and i'm so happy to finally have a girlfriend again, i've missed it

i'm sure i am forgetting a lot of other important things, but these things are on my mind every day and i am forever grateful that each one of these people and these things are in my life. i am truly blessed.

Friday, November 12, 2010

RENT

Last night I went with Abby to go see the Zachary Scott production of RENT. My sister and I are what you call RENT-heads. Well Abby more so than myself. Let's just say that she wore her RENT shirt underneath her sweater for the show last night. What a dork. :) The show was fantastic! It is the type of theater that show was made for! We were right in the action- I could have slapped Maureen's butt when she flashes the crowd during La Vie Boheme! It was a great start to the weekend!

Happy Friday loves!

No day but today. :)

Monday, November 8, 2010

just when you think it's good...

Life gets GREAT. This weekend was one for the books. Friday night my new pal Angie and I headed over to the Long Center for a FANTASTIC concert from none other than Asleep at the Wheel and Mr. Willie Nelson himself. The night was full of beer out of sippy cups, "On the Road Again" and a late night trip to One Taco. Saturday was a late morning, saying bye to the boy, and then off to Barkitecture and the Gypsy Picnic | Trailer Food Festival. Our evening ended with birthday drinks for a new friend at a new bar called icenhouer's. PS- VERY cool bar. Sunday morning was an early one with a fantastic sermon from Halim, and then my last week with the girls in my Women of the Bible class. Amy, Patty and I scooted over to County Line on the Lake for some tasty BBQ and a beautiful view of swans and diving turtles to celebrate our new friendship after class. Just when I thought it couldn't get any better I finished off the weekend in Round Rock with the parents, my favorite sister, brother-in-law and godson.

Oh and did I mention I became an "aunt" again this weekend? Definitely the best part of the weekend was the arrival of little miss Kinsley Terese Chesser on Saturday evening. Can't wait to hold this little cutie. Congratulations to my best friends Amber and Phillip, the new parents! Happy Monday y'all!

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Halloween is upon us!

I will be the first one to say that Halloween isn't my favorite holiday. It's not even my second, or third. I like it, don't get me wrong, but... meh. We never got into anything besides the pumpkin carving at my house. I dont know how many years I went as a tennis player. (When I actually played tennis) So my outfit consisted of a shirt that said tennis on it somewhere, and a tennis skirt. Sometimes I would hold a racket, but more often than not it would be inconvenient. :) We never had Halloween parties at my house, I can't remember my parents dressing up to go trick-or-treating with us when we were little... you get the point. However, there is one great thing that Halloween brings (besides my aforementioned love for the pumpkin) and that is Halloween Specials on TV. The tradition in our family was to watch every single one while we were carving our pumpkins the week of Halloween. I'm talking Peanuts, Garfield, and my all-time favorite: Raggedy Ann & Andy. This was a less than popular one, but we LOVED it. We even made our pumpkin to look like the one from the special! Crying pumpkin seeds and all. Love it. If you haven't seen it...

Please enjoy.

Happy Halloween y'all!

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

everythingPUMPKIN

i'm a woman obsessed. obsessed with pumpkin. i'll have you know i make the BEST pumpkin creme brulee for my family every year. i also inhale pumpkin bread, pumpkin cheesecake, and pumpkin pie upon every holiday season. and then there is the number one reason i love austin, texas in the fall: pumpkin ice cream from amy's. get it with chocolate chips in it- i promise it will change your life. observe:

{before}

{after}

:)

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

fall feelin

It's that time. In Texas we don't really have "Fall" per say, but we do get cooler weather which only Texan's can call Fall. It's that brief time of year that you can sleep with the A/C off and the windows open and wear a t-shirt scarf. I love this time of year I think simply because it is so short. Pretty soon it will be full on "cold" and we'll have to cover up those cute clothes with a coat- I mean jacket. ;)

Every girl gets all jazzed about what her Halloween costume will be in early September, not me. I get my kicks from the carving. That's right pumpkin carving is MY THING. So here's my ode to the "costume ideas" for my pumpkin of course.


How cute are these?!? Happy Fall Festivus!

Monday, September 20, 2010

{weekend} happiness

I am a really lucky gal. I am so blessed. I love days when I can stop worrying about silly things and just relax and love life. This weekend was yet another good one. Friday night and Saturday morning and afternoon spent with the fam. We had game night at Abby and Chad's and I got to love up on the kiddos- see below.

Saturday night I took Jeremy to the Citizen Cope concert and had a blast. We got there at 6:30 when the doors opened at 7 thinking he went on at 8.... well he didn't go on until 9, but luckily that gave us time to make new friends with Angie, Roberto, and Alan! No joke- became instant buds. (Angie and I have already texted and emailed since Saturday) So then the concert started and we all had a blast rockin' out to Salvation, Let the Drummer Kick, and last but not least- Sideways. It was only tainted by the big "L" on the record books in Houston. Not only did we lose our star quarterback Case, we lost our backup quarterback! What the heck?!? So much for this season being a BCS bustin' season...

Sunday was a more chilled day. Jeremy and I had a really great talk about what we want. Out of our lives, out of each other, etc. Just one of those good, heartfelt, meaningful conversations with your best friend. Then church last night was great. It's so nice to hear a sermon that doesn't make you reflect on your sins. Don't take this the wrong way, but it was just a happy to be alive in this wonderful world and know and love Jesus kind of sermon. Matt talked about the importance of the ecclesia, or church. The verse was especially meaningful after Jeremy and I's conversation because it was about the friendship between Jonathan and David, and how their souls were knitted together. That they love each other more than they love themselves. It was truly inspiring and what I think was a sign of the friendship that Jeremy and I need to focus on before anything else can happen between us.

Sorry to sound like such a goody goody, but it's true- God has blessed me so much and I need to make sure to thank Him everyday for the ultimate sacrifice for me, so undeserving. Happy Monday loves!

my little soccer star

isn't he the cutest?



"Now it came about when he had finished speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as himself."
~1 Samuel 18:1