Blogging on the move...an update on life

Ok so my fam got new phones.  After many years on Verizon, we switched over to Sprint.  Let me tell you, it was a great switch.  I get unlimited texting, minutes, and data for only $20/month.  AND I added on a hotspot for an extra $20 per month.  "What is a hotspot?" you ask. I don't really know how to describe it, but I can connect to the internet ANYWHERE using my phone.  So right now Hubs and I are somewhere in MI and my Mac is connected to the internet because of my hot spot.  It's pretty cool.  Really it is.  Ok so before I start sounding like a Sprint spokesperson, I should get on to other topics.

Hubs and I are heading up to MI for our the wedding finale of the season.  We were invited to 9 weddings this summer (including our own) and made it to 6 (including our own).  Hubs has been involved in 4 of the 6 weddings.  He's pretty popular.  Everyone loves him.  Needless to say, it's been a crazy summer.  As much as I will miss seeing our friends almost every weekend, I am ready for things to slow down a bit.

Anyway, as we drive through the mitten state, I am reminded how much I love it here.  I really hope and pray that someday God brings us back to this place.  I want to live in MI.  I want to be near our family and friends.  I want to raise kids here and teach somewhere in western MI.  I am trying to get excited about leaving for Missouri and moving across the country for the army.  It's just hard when my heart is in Michigan.  I've never lived farther than a few hours away from my family.  It's going to be a big adjustment to be so far away.  I know we have skype and phone calls; I just like the fact I will no longer be a short drive away.  Maybe someday we will be able to move back here....a girl can dream.

In other news, Hubs and I joined Omni 41 this week.  The membership was a steal because Hubs is in the military.  We've already enjoyed their track, weights, Zumba classes and free fitness assessment.  I am now relunctant to leave the state because I want to go to the gym every day.  It's such a fun place to work out.  Not gonna lie, I am sad I won't be able to go to Zumba on Friday and Saturday of this week.  Next week Hubs and I plan to go to spinning together.  Can't wait!  We're going to be a great shape for the honeymoon next month.

K I will share pictures from this wedding soon.  And I will post pictures of our new room next week.  It is essentially finished.  I just want to add finishing touches (pictures on the walls etc) before I post.  But let me tell you, it is beautiful.

Happy Labor Day weekend.

Love,
K

Simplicity Simplicity

Today I read Ashley's post on The Shine Project.  I was inspired.  As much as I hate to admit it, my life is cluttered and mediocre.  Because I want to do so many things, I end up doing too much and not doing my best at anything.  It's especially hard for me not to have a schedule anymore.  I am not in school at Calvin so I don't have a class schedule to plan my days around.  I don't have an internship or a job anymore so I can't plan my days around that schedule either.  This results in me thinking that I have more time than I originally thought I had.  I end up wasting my valuable time instead of using it wisely.  Then I end up feeling like my head is spinning because I have so many things I am trying to accomplish.  I often can't fall asleep because I am thinking about all the things that need to get done.  There are so many things I want to do but I don't have the time, energy or motivation to accomplish them all.  I look at my list and become overwhelmed and thus unmotivated.

I need to refocus on the things that are important--not the newest craft on Etsy, not the latest outfit on Land's End Canvas, not even the many wonderful blogs I ready daily.  I need to refocus on what's important in my life and give those things the time and energy they deserve.  As suggested on The Shine Project, I've decided to make a list of what's most important to me so I can start to simplify my cluttered life.  

Here's my list:  my attempt to make things simpler
My relationship with Jesus:  I haven't been that good at keeping up with my personal devotions lately
Hubs:  we need to work on spending quality time together
16 credits worth of online courses:  although I don't love these classes, they're important for me to really finish school and get my teacher's certificate
Craft/Blog/Decorate/Me time:  I don't make time to do things for myself.  I often feel guilty if I spend my time doing
My Family & my puppy:  I will not always have the privilege of living so close to (or in this case with) my family.  I need to take advantage of the time we have together.  Othello is the newest addition to our little family and I love him dearly.  I just want to love him and train him.  




What are the most important things in your life?  What do you need to get rid of?

Dreaming of Pizza and FroYo

Welp, these past two days have been interesting.  My parents have been on vacation for the past week, so my sister, Hubs and I have been trying to hold down the fort.  This has been easier said than done.  Aside from the house looking like ten tornados blew through it (Hubs and I really have nowhere to put our belongings and furniture), we've been on full time Grandma duty.  Yesterday she had scheduled a colonoscopy, so we woke up at 6 am to bring her to the hospital.  Thankfully, the doctors didn't find anything so that is a relief.  Unfortunately the prep for the test took a toll on Gram.  She felt terribly sick yesterday before the test and continued to feel nauseous ever since.  Finally today she called us and asked if we'd take her to the ER.

So that's where we are right now.  In the ER.  For 4 hours so far.  No one has visited us in over an hour.  ERs really are terrible places.  They're slow and inefficient.  It's pretty much empty tonight and it's still slow.  I try to avoid going to the ER at all costs.  It's one of those places that makes you grouchy immediately because it's slow...kinda like the DMV.  I hate going to the DMV, which is probably why I haven't changed my name on my driver's license yet.  I hope they speed things up around here.  Hubs and I didn't eat dinner.  We're hungry.  I think healthy eating is out the window for tonight.  Right now I am dreaming about Sanfrantello's deep dish pizza and some froyo for dessert.

Dear St. Margaret's ER, please hurry up so Grandma can feel better and we can get ourselves some dinner.  Thanks,

Kait


UPDATE on Grams:  We finally were able to leave around 10:30 tonight.  We didn't get our pizza and froyo but we did get McD's and a Wendy's vanilla frosty. They decided to keep Grams for observation because her sodium levels were so low.  Apparently that could be affecting the nausea and dizziness as well.  Grams has been feeling nauseous and dizzy since February and has had countless tests done and trips to the emergency room to figure out the problem.  Maybe now we're getting to the bottom of things.  Anyway, it's expected that she will be there for a couple days. My parents decided to come home early from their trip.  They will arrive tomorrow (only a day earlier), so Hubs and I will be getting back up, which is really nice and much appreciated.   K, I will keep you posted.  Prayers requested.

love.

K

Life List (for the next year or so)

There are so many things I say that I want to do and learn.  For some reason, I never get around to accomplishing anything because life gets in the way.  My hope is that by posting my hopes and dreams on my blog, it will keep me accountable to actually doing some of these things.

1.  Train a puppy (coming soon!) & Decide on a name His name is Othello.

2.  Read photography books and really learn how to use my camera...well...

3.  Finish my online classes so I can't officially be done with college  WOOHOO!!!!!!!

4.  Update my resume so I can find a teaching job for Fall of 2012
Resume updated 4/30/12..sadly no English job openings for this fall

5.  Reread all the Harry Potter books
      - Harry Potter and the Socerer's Stone
     - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
     - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 
     - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
     - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix 
    - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
    - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

6.  Own all of the seasons of Boy Meets World

7.  Go on our honeymoon
Can we go again?  

8.  Go to a Spartan Football game
I attended the best game of the fall 2011 season.  MSU beat Wisconsin in that seconds!

9.  Spend a weekend in Macinak Island (I've never been there)

10.  Get a subscription to the Real Simple magazine

11.  Learn how to sew a dress for myself

12.  Attend a zumba class
I've attended more than I can count

13.  Visit Jamie in Seattle

14.  Substitute teach when we're living in Missouri
I completed the application, received the training, but never actually had a subbing job.  It's ok.  I had tons of fun not working in MO.  I was able to go on adventures with my friends all the time.  

15.  Post on my blog a couple times a week

16.  Sew pillows for my parents' living room

17.  Read the Old Testament 

18.  Go to a concert

19.  Volunteer at SpringHill

20.  Scrapbook our wedding photos

21.  (At some point in my life I would like to....) Work at Starbucks  Been there, done that.  Don't need to work there.  I just need to drink the product. 

22.  Complete the Insanity two month program.  (I've done month one over and over and I've completed parts of month two; I've never actually completed the whole thing) STARTED MONDAY, AUGUST 15

23.  Learn how to make sushi

24.  Go camping with hubs

25.  Go to a Broadway show (in Chicago)

26.  Be a supportive, encouraging, loving wife to hubs.  He deserves the best.  Always striving to do better.  



Things to add:
27.  Paint our new room at our parents' house  (Ok maybe I just put this one on here so I can cross it off) Completed today! August 22
28.  Organize!
29.  Eat more vegetables


Additions 5/4/12
30.  Become a Zumba certified instructor
31.  Become a Mary Kay Red Jacket by September of 2012
32.  Complete the Brazil Butt Lift 1 month program and have a beautifully lift butt for swim suit season
33.  Go to the Wonderful Wizarding World of Harry Potter
34.  Be able to run a 5k

Things I love a lot

1.  Hubs

2.  Painting & redecorating (we spent all day in our new room trying to make it perfect)

3.  Watching Othello play with his new stuffed animal panda

4.  Aurelio's Pizza (the Homewood location of course)

5.  New blog posts

6.  The color white

7.  Insanity

8.  Panera Bread bagels & cream cheese

9. Say Yes to the Dress 

10.  Ikea (we're headed there tomorrow after church!)

Hair Cut Days are the Best Days!

Today was a great day.  I got my hair cut today.  I love hair cut days.  They are ALWAYS good days because my hair looks fantastic.  It doesn't even matter that I only got a trim and my bangs cut.  I just feel so much better because I have nice blunt ends and cute whispy bangs. Take a look:

So looong!

Thanks to my Mom-in-law for these
beautiful handmade earrings!
 She's so stinkin' talented!

Hubs and I have officially been living at my parents' house for 4 days.  It's been a busy past few days.  We got home on Monday night after a wonderful weekend in Cinncinati celebrating the marriage of two of our good friends.  Wednesday morning we got up early to drop my parents off at the airport so they could get away for a vacation.  They certainly deserve it!  Now it's just the kids at home with the dog.  We've been having fun.    Our days consist of working out (Hubs & I started Insanity!),taking care of Othello, writing Thank You cards, working on my online courses (16 credits...yikes!), organizing, unpacking, moving bedrooms around, and trying to find time to relax.  I feel that we've been very productive over the past four days.  I hope we can keep up the motivation and the good work.

Saturday we plan to start painting our new room.  I picked out a comforter for $18 from Target.  (I'm trying to upload a picture but it's not working.)  It's from Room Essentials.  It's white with light green and light grey climbing leaves.  I love navy and light green together so I bought navy sheets and a couple navy and green pillows.  We're going to paint the walls light grey and hang navy curtains.  I'm really excited to see this room when it is finished.  I will post pictures next week!

Moving Time

That's right.  We're moving.  On Friday.  I know, I know...we just settled into our place.  We have only been living here for 6 weeks together.  I'm just getting used to this town and we're leaving already.  It's time for us to leave our first home.  I have to say, I am pretty bummed about leaving Michigan.  I've grown to love living here more than anything.  All of my close friends are up here.  Many of Hubs' close friends live here or are from here.  I'm sad that we have to leave this state I've called home for the past four years.  I hope and pray God will lead us back to this state someday after we're finished with the military gig.

Alas, we must leave and move on to new things.  Before we can officially "be on our own," we're moving in with my parents for the next two months.  Now I know you are probably thinking, "WHAT?!!?"  It's not what we imagined we'd be doing after getting married either.  However, with Hubs being in the army, we have to be willing to do crazy things like move in with my parents 6 weeks after we got married.  My summer internship is complete, our lease is up, Hubs' job is over, and we're not allowed to move to Missouri (for Hubs' BOLC training) until the beginning of November.  That means we have two months of no employment (who hires for only two months anyway?) and nowhere to live (I told you our lease was up).  Thankfully I have generous parents who were willing to house us and feed us (and our puppy) for two months.

Honestly, I think it will be fun; I'm kinda excited.  I love my parents.  They're great.  They make me laugh...a lot.  My parents' house is plenty big for all of us and they both work during the day so I don't think it will be too bad.  Actually Hubs and I will be busy when we're living there.  We have plans to complete the 2-month Insanity program, work on my online classes, and repaint and redecorate our (new) room, the spare room, and my sister's room.  Hopefully we will complete all of those tasks by the time we leave for our much-anticipated honeymoon on the island of Antigua in October.

Stay tuned to hear about the shenanigans that take place at my parents' house.

-k

Random Thoughts

Random thought # 1:

Sometimes it's hard to be motivated.  I am sitting here in our apartment.  I have a billion things to do and the only things I can manage to "accomplish" are perusing blogs and daydreaming about how I want to decorate my house someday.  I am enrolled in 16 credit hours of classes this summer and I've barely completed any of the work.  I have boxes strewn about my apartment because we're moving (again) on Friday.  I should be working out and toning up, but instead I sit on the couch in the mornings and watch Boy Meets World reruns.

Random thought # 2:

I've really gotten into blogging.  I love waking up every morning and spending a few minutes catching up on the blogs I love.  I've decided I should share some of these with you.  If you're into decorating, cooking, crafting, handmade things, or every day life, I'm sure you will enjoy these:

www.littlemissmomma.com

www.thepleatedpoppy.com

www.fitbottomedgirls.com

www.dashingdish.com

myfoodfitnessfun.wordpress.com


Random thought # 3:

In other news, I started doing yoga yesterday.  A new friend recommended power yoga as a possible workout I might like.  Instead of jumping right in with the "power," I decided to try a few beginner yoga sessions so I could learn the moves and positions.  I was surprised at how much I liked it.  It was very relaxing and I really did feel refreshed after completing the morning workout.  I definitely want to stick with it and hopefully I will be more relaxed and flexible because of yoga.  I always love trying new workouts.  I get bored with doing the same thing over and over.  Let me know if there's a work out you love and think I should try!

love.

-k

One.

one.
Welp, Hubs and I have officially been married for one month and two days.  It's been great.  Really.  I strongly recommend getting married.  In the first month we've learned the importance of laughter, sleep, patience, cleanliness, and time.  We've had lots and lots of opportunities to laugh at ourselves and each other.  We've been super busy--gone every weekend since we've been married--and so we have discovered the importance of sleep and patience when we're exhausted.  Because we've been so busy, the apartment is rarely up to my standards of cleanliness and I've learned to be ok with that--for now.  Finally, because we've been so crazy-busy, we often feel like "ships passing in the night."  Just because we live with each other, does not mean we actually see or talk to each other meaningfully.  We have learned the importance of quality time.

Speaking of quality time, last night we planned to hang out--just the two of us.  We ordered a pizza, flipped on the tv (with the intention of watching Princess and the Frog) and promptly fell asleep on the couch for three hours.  We woke up at ten o'clock, let out the dog, and crashed in bed.  I guess we're worn out.  I never thought I'd say this, but I am actually looking forward to moving in with my parents. I know the time spent with them will be relaxing and less demanding.  Our days will be filled with laughter and rest.  I can't wait.

one.

That's right.  I have one week left of my youth ministry internship.  I can't believe the summer has gone by so quickly.  After this internship, I cannot decide if I am more excited about being involved in youth ministry or teaching.  I'm not sure if it really matters.  Right now, I see myself as a teacher--involved in youth ministry at my church.  I simply love working with teenagers.  As long as I can help and influence youth, I will be happy with whatever I am doing. 

one.

We've had Othello, our labradoodle puppy, for one week.  Although he is a lot of work, Hubs and I love him dearly.  He is a heartbreaker and cuddler.  He can be super playful and calm and sweet.  I often look at him while he's sleeping, and can't believe he's ours.  I didn't know I could love a puppy so much.


love.

-k