2nd Best Day of My Life

As many of you do know,
I have a very healthy love for a certain book series.
This book series is in no way satanic or demonic.
It is wonderfully scripted with entertaining characters that has become my friends.
This book series was read outloud in my family for years and had become a part of our life.
I am instantly connected with people who share this endearment with this series because I know exactly how they feel.

Harry Potter changed my life.
Seriously.

I love everything about it. EVERYTHING. I love the whole entire concept from book 1 to book 7. Each page was filled with such amazing stories that the page after that couldn't come fast enough. I felt like I was walking along Hagrid right with the other first years into Hogwarts that first day and walked (or flew, or disapparated, or powered, or transfigured, or rode) along with them throughout the next 6 books.
I love the relationships that were built between all the characters and I love how we got to know them each more personally as we grew older. Yes I am involving myself with them because I was the same age as the characters and grew up right along with them when the books came out! I love it. I know some people do not 'get it.' I know some people weren't allowed to read this series and I know people have a prejudice against the series. I honestly hurt for those people. I honestly do. You are really REALLY missing out.  You are missing out on all the quidditch matches flying right along with the Gryffindors. You are missing out with tasting the sweets from Hogsmeade. You are missing out on the feasts along the Great Hall, all those wonderful Potion Lessons, times when you can have explored the pensive, gone into the Forbidden Forrest, or fight a Death Eater! You are missing out on Neville Longbottum and Severus Snape for crying out loud! I tell you, it is such a magical series!

And Harry Potter World is such a magical place!

My sister, Chase, Jake, and I went last December and it was honestly the happiest (right behind my wedding day) time of my life.
In reality I walked the street of Hogsmeade and tasted the pumpkin juice and butter beer (not really beer btw). I ate at the Three Broomsticks, flew right along with Harry, Ron, and Heromoine around the castle, and joked along with others with Weasley Wizard Wheezes. We walked through the gates right when they opened and walked out while they were closing. There are tons of other attractions in the park but I wanted to soak up every moment of the Harry Potter experience as I could get.

The most precious time was when I recieved my wand.
Aubree and I stood in line for hours to go into Olivanders. We were so excited to have a wand choose the wizard. About an hour and a half after standing in line, one of the workers ( A slitheran...) told us that 1 out of each group was chosen. I looked in front of me and behind...there were tons of people around. I wanted to cry. I prayed earnestly that God would let me (sorry Aubree) be chosen to recieve a wand. We walked right in and marveled at the hundreds of boxes lining the walls. While we were in complete admiration, Mr. Olivander walked down the stairs and pointed right at Aubree and I. We were 12 years old all over again! We both had to say spells and work out the glitches with some wands until we finally found them
It was so completeley and utterly magical.
Freaking best day ever!
Not to mention the awesome rollercoaster ride in hogwarts around the castle that I may or may have not rode 3 different times.

If you ever get the chance to read the series, just do it. If you ever get the chance to go to Orlando Studios, just do it.
It will change your life.
For the better believe me!

Going Down Memory Lane Today

I was going through some photos on our Walmart account this afternoon to order me some prints for some picture frames I had and was just transported back to some amazing times I have had.
Mostly from my wedding in Arkansas.

That day went by so beautifully fast and I am so glad we have pictures that capture so much of went on that day.
While I was looking through the pics. I realized that there were some on there I had not really looked at before! Like these:

 Oh and our decorations were so very beautiful!

Love! Everything was handmade even that flower tree :)

I am just so so glad I got the time today to remember May 15th 2010. I felt so blessed by all of our family and friends that came out to support us that day and show us love. I felt so honored to have our youth minister marry us and to have Jakes grandpa say an opening prayer over us!

Just some amazing memories I wanted to share with you guys today!

Thankyou's

I just wanted to take a moment and brag on someone right now...

The funny thing is is that I do not even know his name!

This is a completely random story and a random page out of my life but it has been on my mind:

You see, ever since Jake has been gone I have been overconcerned about the condition of our yard. I know it is silly but I do not want to be the neighbor with the overgrown grass! There have already been 3 snakes in my yard and I am scared to death that if it gets too high that it will bite Copper. So I have asked my sweet father-in-law and my dad to take turns mowing the yard.
Before Jake left, he would mow every week but he would also mow our neighbors yard as well because we knew the owner lived out of town/nursing home situation and he thought it would be ok to just keep their yard up as well.
Last week while Sarah and I were on our way to go swim, my neighbor (who owns the little house no one lived in) was outside mowing my yard! I was so so happy and said thankyou!
Well when we got back home it looked so nice. The next day Copper and I were on our way to go for a walk when I saw him outside with his wife sprucing up the flower beds. I walked over and told him how thankful I was for him mowing my yard and that I was sorry that his yard had not been mowed for awhile because my husband was away with the military. He looked at me and said, "I do not want you to worry about your yard being mowed! I will mow it for you every week!!"
Well yesterday before mine and Cops evening walk I saw him outside mowing my yard again!! I mouthed a thankyou and when I returned he had even taked the trouble to mow my fenced in back yard. He had moved all of Copper toys and everything. I just felt like crying in happiness. I was so thankful.

Little things like a yard being mowed becomes big things when your husband is away for a long time. I am so thankful for this kind man for showing such a great kindness towards me and for helping Jake out as well. I also want to say thankyou ThankYou THANKYOU to my sweet father-in-law for helping me out in all the areas I need help with. He came over yesterday while I was at work just to play and wrestle with my sweet puppy! They know I hate leaving him alone all day! Jacque and my mom come over some days and takes him outside and just comes over to make sure he is doing ok. I am so blessed!


Thankyou daddy for weed-eating my yard and mowing as well!!! It was so very nice and I feel so overwhelmingly blessed to have the family that I do who loves me and helps me!

Commit to Fit

At work, we were presented with a challenge a few weeks ago.
It is called Commit to Fit. It is a work program where the people in your organization commit to a program for 8 weeks that should lead to healthier lifestyles and life changes.

Since being back home my healthy lifestyle plummeted. I mean bad! Having a mom that cooks southern food and desserts each and every day is not good for someone trying real hard to stay on track!
I needed motivation and this program started it!
I had started my running again with my sweet cousin several weeks ago doing the C25k program. I had ran my first 5k in October but the way the race was handled really put me off or running them...(excuses, excuses I know).
But now I want to have that drive again like I did last summer in Kailua. And we are doing awesome! I really believe we could run one right now if we wanted to.

Anywase, with CtF. Each week we are presented with a week of challenges. The hardest week was def. number 1. It was a challenge to drink 96oz of water each day! I was good at drinking just 1 bottle! Man oh man has it changed everything!
The next week we had to eat smaller meals 5-6 times a day worth 200-300 calories each. It was so so easy and I never had the hunger feeling.

Well since starting this Commit to Fit challege I just feel healthier and more confident! So confident in fact that I chopped my hair completley off!
I just feel really good again and I am so happy!

Goodbye once again my dear friend, Pioneer Woman :(

Oh My Goodness It Has Been Awhile...

Hello Everyone!

It has literally been 12 months since my last blog post.
Jake has requested that I start blogging again while he is away at training so I suppose I will give it a try!

Where to start??
I will begin with new jobs and a new family :)

Jake and I have almost been back home for a year. July 5th will mark our 1 year back home and boy what a year it has been. One of the highlights of this year is my precious huband enlisting in the Air National Guard.  HE LOVES IT. Probley one of the best decisions he could have made for our family. He is currently in San Antonio for a few months for his job schooling, hence why I am doing this again.
They treat him with respect there and they are very kind to our family. We are praying for a full-time position up at the 188th security forces when he returns. It would be so perfect for him. He is such a hard worker and so passionate about his work up there.

I on the other hand have worked a few jobs already while being back home. I worked at MDO at my church through the school year and fell in love with some beautiful children!
I have also signed on to be the wedding director at FBC and have helped with several weddings this past year. I LOVE IT!
I have also worked at UAFS for a semester as a guitar instructor with the Academy of the Arts program. Loved being involved with the school and loved teaching those willing to learn but unfortunatley that seemed to be 1 out 10 so....
I have also recently started working at UAFS in the SAO department and work each day.

Wow...that is a number of jobs not including working up at the Butcher Block 2 days a week before starting my new job at UAFS.




Also, we expanded our family this past December and welcomed home the most beautiful creature God could have ever created for us:

He is basically the most wonderful dog ever: His name is Copper.
He is perfect.
He is a little ornery.
He is 7 months old.
Weighs >60lbs
Likes to eat every plant in a 10 mile radius.
Completley and utterly beautiful.
Likes having his teeth brushed and hair combed.
LOVES Cornerstone Vet!!!
Likes to ride in the front of Jake's truck.
LOVES LOVES LOVES water.
Likes to eat little birds, flies, and frogs.
Loves to walk around the pasture with his daddy.
Loves sleeping beside me with the fan on full blast.
Enjoys his bathtime.
Enjoys our walks.
Loves seeing his friend, Chief, over at Lolly and Pop's house.
Loves jumping on people ( trying to fix that....)
Loves swimming in ponds, creeks, ditches, mud holes, and swimming pools.
Loves chewing on anything.
Loves his Iams and
Most importantly loves his momma ;)

Ok, I could go on and on about this sweet creature but I guess I will stop for now.

Another new family addition in our household is little Forrest!!!
He is my nephew! Sarah and Brent found out they were having a baby in Febuary. We went on a family cruise right afterwards. What a celebration!

 This is her the week after we found out!

This is her now...still as beautiful as ever.

She is due October 3rd. Which is so perfect :)

She is in her second trimester and is sick everyday.

I have decided this baby will probley look just like me and will be with me always because he's practically my child as well ;)

They just bought their first house and it is so perfect for them!

We are so excited to welcome little Forrest (isn't that a perfect name) into our family! I cannot wait to hold him every single day and love on him always.



So there you have it! A basic overview of 2 new areas in our life!
I hope to blog more often...am def. not promising anything but I will try!