I have the man & I have the shoes....

As some of you may know, I am getting married to the love of my life in September 2009. I don't have a dress yet, but I have the man & I have the shoes!

{I know, I know...better get on it! I do have the big stuff taken care of, so don't worry...I hope that I can report that I found The Dress next week, after I go shopping!}

This is the reason I don't buy on iTunes...

{Image from Google Images}

I bought this cd at a local record store, {Angelo's Cd's & More} and have been loving it ever since. I was able to simutanously accomplish two very important things...supporting a local business and supporting music without giving my dinero to iTunes (which has its place, I know, but still!). There is nothing, and I really mean nothing, like buying a new cd, unwrapping it and looking through the liner notes. I relish reading the lyrics and looking at the artwork that is inside. To me, that is one reason why I love music...it is such an artform, both for the eyes and the ears.

The Dave Matthews Band has been one of my favorite bands since I was 15 years old...my cousin Callie's then boy friend and now husband of 8 years introduced me to them and a lot of the music that I love. But I really do LOVE this band. Each album brings me back to a specific time in my life (another reason I love music) and as I get older, I appreciate their talent and their ability to stay innovative. Plus, Dave is still hot and writes some badass songs...

It's Okay

So, I am discovering that I think of a million things to blog about, or to take photos of things that I would post on here, but I rarely write any entries. Sometimes I feel bad that I don't write very often, but I am getting better about not getting down on myself for it. I told myself that I would write more often. period. But I have a difficult time with that in general. I have a very difficult time writing to people, writing in my journal, writing things down, writing to do lists, writing on calendars, in day planners, thank you notes, cards...hmmmm....the more I write this, the more I realize that I have difficulties in more areas than I thought! It makes me feel bad because people think that I am rude or unappreciative when I don't send out a thank you note when they really do need to know that I appreciated their kindness or thoughtfulness. And I'm stubborn. I want to do the Old School Way and hand write a lovely note, expressing my gratitude, not via email. So I put it off until a Monday night, which I have deemed my "Correspondence Night." Every Monday, I know that I am supposed to write thank you notes or a card to someone that I have been meaning to write to for months. No one has imposed this night on me, it is merely my attempt to stay on a personal schedule to help make life a little more organized and happy for my family. So, every Monday (and I mean every Monday), I think to myself, "tonight I am going to write some thank you notes." Easy right? Noooo, not for me. I don't have a list of who I am going to write to or who I need to write to, so without the planning, it is a psychological challenge. A challenge that I just can't seem to figure out. It is something that I enjoy doing, I like to write, I like writing with my pens and I love to buy cards and I really love good stationary. Most of all, I like writing the recipient's name & address on the envelope. I love to buy good stamps (something that I just recently started to enjoy after I bought these). So why is it so hard for me to sit down to do? That is the eternal question of someone with ADD. (I will have to post on that someday. That will be a series of posts someday. Seriously). Why is it so hard to do what I know that I have to do, want to do, know that I could do and be totally awesome at, do what is sometimes hard to do, do something relatively uncomplicated?

Gratitude

Thank you, Jesus. Thank you for your sacrifice.

I Better Not Get My A$$ Kicked!

Self-Discipline: You have been ignoring me.
Me: I know.

Self-Discipline: You have hurt my feelings.
Me: I know. I'm sorry!

Self-Discipline: It is really for your own good.
Me: You are absolutely right.

Self-Discipline: It will help make you the person that you want to be.
Me: (Sheepishly): I know...but why is it so hard?

Self-Discipline: Because it is the hard stuff that molds you.
Me: (softly): Ok...

Self-Discipline: When you do what is hard for you to do (because you have the self-discipline to do it anyway), remember that this will help mold you & it will teach you what you need to know in order to become the person that you are not yet, but know that you want to become. Ok?
Me: Ok. Thanks for the inspiration.

Self-Discipline: Now. Go do what you know you need to do or I'll kick your ass.
Me: OK...Damn!


So, there you go, another battle with Self-Discipline. It is crazy how it influences every aspect of my life...especially when I am ignoring it. I think about the impact of Self-Discipline on my life, on events in the past & thinking forward to the future, it really makes me aware of where I lacked it in the past and where I want to apply it in the future. What trips me up is the impact it has on a day-to-day basis on my life. It is almost invisible, unless you are paying attention. When you are paying attention, you see where you have a choice in that instant, to practice Self-Discipline when you are tempted to do what you are trying to stop doing (or start doing!), whatever it is that you want to change in your life.

311

Today marks the One Year Anniversary of my engagement to J. He picked out the ring by himself, with no input from me and I LOVE MY RING. It is a princess cut solitaire on a simple white gold band. Now, I have fingers that are a little...well, a good word for them is chubby. I needed a diamond that was in proportion to the chubbiness & that is what he gave to me. I took a great picture of my ring with my mom's camera and I will try & post it sometime soon. In the meantime, I would like to present....

10 Reasons Why I Love My Man (10 reasons of many):

1. He loves me and my daughter. Never puts himself first.
2. He is hilarious and has helped me not to take myself so seriously.
3. He listens to me. Like he really listens.
4. He is a wonderful source of encouragement. He is always telling me that that he believes in me and is encouraging of my talents.
5. He has an incredible work ethic. He consistently goes above & beyond at his job and gives his customers incredible customer service (even when they don't appreciate it or deserve it!)
6. He can build stuff and he is amazing with his hands.
7. When something needs to get done, he just does it. Especially when it involves building something or using tools.
8. When someone needs help with something, he jumps right in and he does it with joy in his heart.
9. Rarely complains about things, even when he has the right to complain.
10. He is HOT. The sexiest man I have ever known.
11. I know, this is number 11 on a list of 10, but it needs to be said. He is My Number One & My Only One. I never thought that I would meet a man like J, someone who is so loving and beautiful (inside & out). We have been blessed!

A Style Quiz for ya

Happy Monday!
I found this quiz via the How About Orange blog, from the Sproost website. It is a quiz to help you find your interior design style. You can take it here. You can choose Love it, Like it, Just Ok, Don't Like It, or Hate It (which in our house, the H-word is a word we don't use!). I love design and it came as no surprise that I am:

{Vintage Modern}

38% Vintage Modern: You know I love me some thrift stores & garage sales! Here is the description: "Flea Market, anyone? You know you are drawn to modern furniture and interiors, and yet you don't like a space that feels cold and sterile.And who could blame you? That's why Vintage Modern is so appealing to you. Though the backdrop of the room, the walls and windows, are many times white or monochromatic, the furniture and accessories have the color, shape and texture to bring the warmth into the space.
The great thing about Vintage Modern is ease of mixing different styles in the one space. You can have a new modular sofa mixed with a great pair of chairs that your grandmother purchased in the late 1950's. The new and old work appear as though they were destined for each other. Even if you don't have time for swap meets and garage sales, so many of the mid-century pieces were so great that they have been remade and mimicked year after year."

{Cottage Chic}

38% Cottage Chic: This one surprised me until I read the description: "Who says that cottages can't be modern and chic? Who says that they have to be floral and cheesy? Not you!
You love the carefree spirit that the cottage interior inspires, but you are also serious about your appreciation for modern art and hip treasures. You love old and new alike, and love to highlight them all to expose the uniqueness of each. What better way to show off these treasures than with a light background?"

{Contemporary}

24% Contemporary: Good thing my soon-to-be-husband works for a Scandinavian furniture company! However, I find it humorous and so remarkably me that I would score high on Vintage Modern, with things that I find at thrift stores and yet this is the description for contemporary: "So fresh and clean! Antiques? No thanks! Vintage collections and clutter of any type? Not for you! You like your space new and sleek. Each piece is chosen carefully as though it were a piece of art, and your love of minimalism is expressed throughout each room. Furniture has clean lines and geometric shapes are preferred.
You're not afraid of color — in fact, bold color options only highlight the minimal items you choose for your home. But the key is clean. To master the minimalist interior you not only have to be selective in the few furniture items you bring into the space, you must also find a way to hide all of the real-life items as well."

Not to mention the "you like your space new & sleek..." Sort of like my desk right?!?

Well, it just goes to show you that when you have a creative right brain, often times you don't play by any one set of rules...now, if I could just have a job that would encourage this. Some day *sigh* right?

One Week until the Big Day!

Well, the countdown has begun (well, I have been counting down for the last year!) and I offically have 7 days until I turn 30! I am really excited and sort of sad to be saying good bye to my 20's. What a crazy 10 years of my life! I started my 20's in Gunnison, Colorado at Western State College and I will finish them being engaged to the most loving, funny, handsome and wonderful man & the momma to the most beautiful, sweet, fiesty, hilarious, loving, artistic & amazing little 4 year old girl. The beginning was a wild ride and I have had my fair share of heartache and disapointment and regrets, but that it is what has taught me the most. Like Bishop Dennis Leonard at Heritage Christian Center always says (this is not a direct quote, but you get the idea): "God uses heat & pressure to create a diamond. He uses heat & pressure to change you, to mold you into the person that you need to be." The heat & pressure were painful to endure, but they have been worth it. I wouldn't be where I am, if I hadn't had Jesus to help guide me through those painful days. Thank you, Jesus!

Just some photos that I have taken...

{A Sunflower from a park down the street-Summer 2008}




{Tulips from Reese & My Mom-"Because you buy flowers for people who are sick, Momma"-I had been struck down with the flu...even after I had a flu shot!}

{Garden of The Gods-October 2008-Our 3 Year Anniversary!}

{Cheyenne Mountain Zoo-October 2008}

A Close-up of a Baby Tiger's Eye-Cheyenne Mountain Zoo}

{Lovely Old Town Arvada-February 2009}

These are just a few of the photos that I have taken with my camera that I purchased this summer from a wonderful locallly-owned camera shop. {If you ever need a new camera, please consider stopping in Englewood Camera, in Littleton, Colorado. They are so helpful and genuinely interested in making sure that you know what you are doing with your new purchase! They even give you a free class with your purchase! Plus, they are local, not a big box chain & their prices are at or lower than the "others." The guy that helped me stayed 15 minutes after they closed to explain everything to me!}

Anyway, it has opened up a whole new world to me...I love my camera! Oh, I have a Canon PowerShot S5 IS....

About that last post...

Did I say that I was going to practice Self-Discipline and post my 2009 Goals? Yes, I believe that I did...and then Life happens. I decided on Sunday afternoon while Reese had "quiet time" that I was going to forgo the ENORMOUS pile of unfolded laundry and get my desk/organization/letter writing center set up. I have a very old desk that once belonged to my grandmother. It is small & doesn't have much storage, but I love it anyway. I really want to refinish it, but that is another post for another day. I looked at the pile of laundry. I looked at the desk. I made the decision to put the laundry down & do something that I needed & wanted to do, but never make the time to do. I do this because all of the daily stuff takes priority.
This desk has been in my storage unit for the last 4.5 years and when I moved into the apartment, I couldn't wait to have a space where I could keep my stuff, have a system for my mail and bills and paper. I have a very difficult time with organizing that type of thing. I have tried, seemingly without much success, many different ways to teach myself how to tame The Dreaded Paper Tiger. Looking back, I may have thought that I had failed, but now I realize that I didn't fail at all. I learned what didn't work for me by trying something new out. I think that when you have a linear brain, paper & organization is second nature. When you are a visual thinker this seems like an insurmountable task, with inevitable failure. With that, a low level of self-confidence and crazy ADD brain, it seems impossible to conquer. So, add in (yes, pun intended!) some Self-Discipline and some fun & you can do what used to intimidate you!

***update*** here are some photos (Before & After)

Before:

{this is actually from July, when we moved in, but you get the idea!}

After!!

{Please notice the artwork that has been taped up on the desk and the wall under the bulletin board...this is Reese's addition to our apartment...she has taped up at least 30 different pictures all over the place...that is a post of its own!}