Please pray for us

David and I are going down to South Florida this weekend for some house hunting. We are not really sure what God's will is for us as far as renting vs buying, east Fort Lauderdale vs west Fort Lauderdale. We've committed to praying for clarity for this decision as well as contentment for wherever God places us. SO if you think of us during your prayer time - send up a little shout out for us to our Heavenly Father :) Thanks!

This morning on my way home from work I stopped for a bagel at Publix.

I had to walk by the flower section in order to get to the bakery and these pretty little carnations caught my eye. 3 bouquets for ten bucks. "Ahh. Its pay day," I thought. So scooped three up and came home to make a few little arrangements to put around my house. I always forget how pretty fresh flowers look set up around the house. 

Sugar likes how carnations smell

Instant kitchen facelift

Is it just me, or do flowers on top of a cluttered  pile of magazines and books make the mess suddenly okay? (Oh and I love how photogenic Sugar is. Yea. Thats my dog) :)

I think every pay day should be flower day. 

OH! And last night David told me he decided to marry me because he wanted to spend his life with me, not because he wanted to throw a big party :). I love him. A lot!

When your sad/sick, make your table pretty

So. As promised. Here is a little more positive post. Yesterday was bad. But today, the sun is shining, I can now breath through my nose and life just looks better. Still no word on a reception site, but I'm praying. Hard. 

Yesterday, I was overwhelmed and decided I just needed to not worry about wedding stuff. So I went to Jo Ann's and got some fun fabric and made a reversible spring/summer table runner. I, in no way, claim to be an expert sewer like mama Malone or my sister who, BTW, has her own dress Etsy company, the Live Lovely Dress Shop. But I can sew a mean rectangle. Lucky for my table, a rectangle is all it took to make it beautiful :) Here is a little step-by-step for ya. 

So first, you'll want to cut your two fabrics to be the same desired width and length

Then place one on top of the other with the patterns facing in and pin around the edges of three sides

Take a break to eat some homemade pizza :) You deserve it. 

Then sew around three sides (two long and one short)

Cut the excess fabric off the sides. Flip the table runner right side out and sew up the open end (sorry, no picture because I forgot to take one : / ). 

 

Reset your table :)

And in a few months just flip it over for some summer lovin'. 

overloaded.

Allow me to be a bit pessimistic here for a little while. I feel like we are all entitled to having "bad days," right? So today is mine. I'm not depressed because I'm on cold medicine. Just grumpy and pre PMS-ing. Today is day 4 of being sick. I can't breath through my nose. My head feels like one of those 30 inch balloons. I have 87 days until my wedding and still no reception site. Whenever I tell someone my budget they look at me and talk to me as if I don't deserve to have a wedding for that much money. People who are getting married after me have more done than I do. And I'm tired. So tired of "playing it by ear" and waiting for it to "all work out." 

There. I'm done now. I'm going to go for a walk with Sugar in this beautiful weather and then I'm going to make a flowery pillow for my couch. Thank you for listening. A more positive post tomorrow. I promise. 

Because Im not busy enough...lets add yet another night shift list

Oh geeze. So here we are at work. And my fav bloggers have delivered once again. The list of inspiring DIY projects has exponentially grown here in the last 45 minutes. Forget that I have a wedding to plan - I need to make this doily table runner!!

http://ashleyannphotography.com/blog/2009/12/16/diy-doily-table-runner/

(Sorry that I can't add the picture here - TMH computer won't let me) :(

Oh! And I fully intend are transforming a closet in my future house into a hidden work space. The girls over at Frenchie and Flea had me salivating over this ADORABLE work space. Again. Sorry for the lack of a visual. Just do yourself a jinormous favor and check out the link b-low.

http://frenchieandflea.blogspot.com/2010/02/workspace-makeover-closet-into-office.html

David proposed to me on his birthday.

Is that allowed?? Am I supposed to get diamonds on his birthday?? Well I did. And I'm so excited to share the story!!

To begin, you need to know that I take Sugar to Southwood for a walk almost every day. Its one of the prettiest places, I think, in Tallahassee. David has often come with us. We have a lot of fun memories there.

We had a low key birthday for David this year (until about 5:30 pm). We went to church in the morning and then to a pizza place for lunch. Came back to my house and he opened some presents (Butterfingers from Sugar and clothes and a Raggedy Andy doll from me - he was thrilled about the latter gift).

Disclaimer: David is always trying to get rid of the Raggedy Ann doll that my Mom sewed for me when I was a baby that I still have. So I thought it was only necessary that he have his own Raggedy Andy doll.

We watched a movie and made plans to take Sugar for a walk a little later. We ended up falling asleep during the movie and David woke up in a slight panic because he saw that the sun was beginning to set. He woke me and said, "GO GET WALKING CLOTHES ON" (I was still church clothes). So I got dresses and we hurried out of my house and made our way over to Southwood.

There is one particular opening on the path were there are AMAZING views when the sun is going down. David knew that I loved seeing that part, so he casually suggested that we sit on one of the benches and watch.

We sat down and talked for a minute (about what, I can't remember anymore). Then David said, "Thanks for my birthday." Me: "You're welcome." David: Thanks for my gifts. Me: You're welcome. David: I actually have something for you. Me: You do??????? David: Yea, its in my pocket, I wrote it down. And as he was pulling the box out of his pocket he slipped off the bench and got down on one knee. "Will you marry me?" Me: (TEARS) YES!!!! really?? REALLY???

This is our bench. Just picture David and I in hats and gloves, 30 degrees, and a sunset.

SO. We sat there for a little longer but then decided to continue to walk a little more because Sugar was not okay with sitting next to the bench while we had a little moment.

We were walking and talking and just enjoying the moment and noticed Sugar looking very interested in a squirrel. Being in the good mood that we were we decided that it would be a good idea to let her chase the squirrel.

 VERY BAD IDEA.

We spent the next 45 minutes chasing Sugar, who thought this was the best game of her life!! We would run 25 yards and she would run 50. She would let us get within 10 feet of her then she would take off again. In my mind I was thinking, this is going to be the best and worst day of my life. The best because I got engaged. The worst because I lost my dog. 

Eventually, by the grace of God and nothing else, David was able to get close enough to dive at her. He just missed her, but it slowed her down enough that I was able to stomp on her leash (which was still on her) and then tackle her to the ground. Amen. Thank you Jesus!!

So. if you are wondering why we look sweaty and like we had just been to the gym in our first pictures as an engaged couple (below) that's why.

My bling : )

Family photo. We forgave her. How could you stay mad at that face? : )

Baby Cupcakes

Home for the Holidays is always the BEST. Our family is very close and we are not very often together since we live far apart, so getting together is always a guaranteed fun time. We weren't completely together since Mike and Nicola couldn't make it across the pond, but we are looking forward to their May visit!!

Moving on. We had a baby shower for Emily and her little bun in the oven. It was way fun with a heated game of baby pictionary, hunting for baby supplies all over the house, LOTS of pink clothes, and yummy food. I was mildly obsessed the with baby cupcakes we made for dessert. They were so adorable and made such a nice centerpiece for the food table.

Mom got the idea from a cupcake book that she got Emily for Christmas. I mean, just look at them. They were adorable. And it was only mildly disturbing to take off their heads and eat them : ).

Here's how we made them

Start off with the same amount of large and small cupcakes

Add food coloring to some icing. We used pink for the faces and green and yellow for the blankets.

Stir it up

Once the faces are iced, put the "eyes" on (chocolate jimmies). We found using tweezers was the best/easiest way to get jimmies on without messing up the icing.

Add some candy binkies and mini marshmellows that are cut in half around the top of the head (not pictured).

Stick a toothpick into the bottom of the face, have a good laugh about the fact that it looks like the baby is smoking, and then....

attach the head.

Set it up on party day

And receive the compliments : )