Best Camp Ever

Hi Friends!! So sorry I left with no warning.  I spent this week at my favorite place on earth - church camp!! I always look forward to this week! It's great to get away with no cell phone service and just be... Enjoy the photo dump! 

How to Defunk

Our weekend could not have come at a better time.  I was in a funk last week. Work was okay, our week was okay, but everything was just okay.  Nothing felt great! Our weekend was such a blessing and was much needed. Too bad I have zero pictures.   Friday, I went and got my wisdom tooth stitches out. My appointment was at 8 and I was done by 7:55, so I decided to stop at Dunkin' on my way. Work on Friday was okay.  I got home, finished packing, and we set out on our retreat. We got there at 7ish and decompressed.  We sat around a fire until 10 or so and then went to bed.   Saturday morning was cold up in Adams.  We woke up and ate breakfast. We then hiked down to the lake for some fishing and canoeing.  I caught a whopping zero fish, but it was fun to just relax for a while.  We had a good, long day with lots of lounging and sunshine.  The rain held off until about 9:45 Saturday night which was a HUGE blessing.  We expected it all day and only had 30 minutes or so.    Sunday, we got up and had breakfast.  We then had a short devotional and packed up to go home.  We got home about 2:00; Jackson laid down and started snoring immediately.  He was so tired. I worked on some laundry, then laid down at about 4 and slept until 5:30.    Note to self: it's okay to rest and relax on your weekends - in fact, it's good for you.  

Fall Checklist

Happy first day of fall (one day late)!!! We were pretty productive with our checklist this summer! We got most of the stuff on the list done, weather permitting. Fall is my favorite season for many many reasons.  There is so much to do and see during fall! Here's our fall checklist! Go camping We have a beautiful tent still collecting dust. We didn't cross this off of our Summer list, unfortunately.  It's my goal to go camping at least once during the fall!   Decorate!! I am the festive type.  I enjoy leaf garland and pumpkins galore.  Thus, it is a goal to stock up on fall décor that can be used for years to come!   Go to a pumpkin patch When my sister and I were kids, we went to the pumpkin patch annually with school or daycare or whatever to pick out pumpkins! I want this to be a family tradition that we carry into the lives of our children.  and with those pumpkins....   Carve Pumpkins Is any fall complete without a pumpkin carving? That's like Easter without an egg dying kit!   Take fall pictures Because we have a tripod, this will be easy and we won't have to pay big bucks for a photographer!! Now all we have to do is buy plaid for pictures!! ;)   Make soup or chili every week I am a soup fan, but this summer was way too hot for soup... even with summer-ish veggies.  We kicked this one off last night with killer potato bacon soup!! Recipe to come, I promise! It was one I got for our tool and recipe shower last November.    Go to the zoo Jackson and I haven't been to the zoo since 2012.  It's been for-ev-er and we are overdue for a visit.  Plus, we'll have nice weather and pretty leaves!   Bonfires This one is inevitable. We are always at the Pickards' around the fire pit.   Friendsgiving I am declaring a mandatory Friendsgiving this year! We don't get a whole lot of time to spend with our best friends, so any chance we get to get together is perfect! Why not add food and games and a round of "I'm thankful for...."     What are your fall goals!?  

September Goals

I hope you all had a wonderful Labor Day Weekend! I hope there was some family time, dove hunting, and rest! Mine was complete with a girls' brunch at Goodness Gracious.  Anyone close to Nashville needs to try it. It's in Readyville, but 100% worth the drive!! 

  It's time to make goals for September; looking back on August, it feels like it was a week long! Did anyone else's August fly?!   Let's see how I did with our August Goals: 1. Read our Bible and pray together every day.
2. Start working out 3-4 days a week
3. Go through boxes we moved into the apartment and haven't looked at since
4. Handwrite our vows in our wedding book
5. Handwrite our vows and frame them next to our mirror in the bedroom.
6. Buy and start reading "If I Stay"
7. Pay off emergency credit card from car repairs so we can save for truck tires.
8. Spend more time with my nana.
9. Take Boomer to a dog park
10. Decide if we want to add a puppy nugget to our family.   3/10. That's a 30%, and an F in most school systems. We went through two boxes filled with Waffle House coffee mugs, flags from countries friends have visited, and hats with too much dust on them.  We threw out clothes we will never wear again. We did pay off all of the car repairs, but we used the card for a couple of important things that came up, so we aren't paid off 100%.  We have started saving for truck tires, though.  We decided that it would be wonderful to add a puppy to our family, but right now it's just not a good idea. Puppies need attention and time, which we don't necessarily have.   Better luck, September.  Here are September's goals: 1. Read our Bible and pray together every day 2. Start working out 3-4 days a week 3. Handwrite our vows in our wedding book 4. handwrite our vows to frame them next to our mirror in the bedroom 5. Spend more time with my nana. 6. Clear all boxes from the top of our closet and unnecessary bags from the linen closet.  7. Start decorating for Fall come the 22nd. 8. Drink less soda 9. Go camping once 10. schedule (bonus if I complete them!) bridal portraits. 11. Give away shoes I don't wear and pack up summer shoes

Summer 2014

My favorite thing about Summer is that I feel like I get more time.  I have more time to spend with Jackson, more time for family and friends, more time in general.  I love the fall, but I feel like it's dark when I go to work and dark when I come home, not leaving a whole lot of time for much of anything, really. 

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This summer is our first as a married couple... our own little family, if you will.  We have been so busy with weddings, camp, vacation bible school, car trouble, etc. that I feel like we have barely had time to breathe this summer, let alone focus on a bucket list! We have only been to the pool once, for goodness sake, and it's right where we live! It's saddening, really, because I know I'll be back to limited daylight before we know it.     Jerrica did a post which made me think about my lack of Summer list this year. So, Summer 2014, before you completely escape, here are the things we have to fulfill:   Do my bridal portraits Oops. In my defense, everything was dead and frozen in February when we got married, so I said I'd do them in the Spring. The Spring came and went, and we have just a couple more months to get this done before everything dies again.   Add a planter box to our deck I am itching for some color to make the deck pop, and I can't think of a better way than by planting flowers! Plus, I need to prove I'm good with plants if we're ever going to be able to have a dog and family. haha.   Spend a whole Saturday at the pool I mean, except for two hours Memorial Day, we have not been to the pool at all. It'd be okay if it weren't right in our parking lot. I mean, what!?   Put the phones down Jackson and I are really bad about watching a show and both being on our phones the entire time.  He has started playing a stupid game called Clash of Clans and is constantly on it.  It drives me crazy, but I realize I'm just as bad with texting, social media, etc.  While we're at it, how about we include tablets, computers, and the like.    Go camping We have a beautiful tent sitting in the closet that has been used once.  I'm itching to reconnect with nature, even if only for a day or so.    Spend smarter and say no We eat dinner out way too much for our little baby budget. We have our trip to Florida and Harry Potter to save for, cars to fix, birthdays and Christmas around the corner, etc. We also kinda spend money like we're rolling in it, but a lot of that comes from our inability to say no.  Sure we'll spend $50 on shotgun shells and clay targets that are all going to be trashed at the end of the day of shooting.  Sure we'll spend $30 on cigars for a guys night. Sure we'll drop $50 on pottery painting with friends.    Spend time outside We have an adorable and quiet apartment complex, and I love living there.  There is a trail that leads to the lake from our back yard.  We're couch potatoes, but I'm hoping we'll start to get up and go outside, be it for a walk after dinner, a jog in the afternoon, time at the pool, catch lightning bugs, etc.   Declutter We just got married, so naturally, we still have boxes and boxes that contain life before marriage.  One box contains eight IHOP coffee mugs... trophies from nights of laughter and pancakes. One box has other boxes inside - old cell phone boxes, the box his GPS came out of, etc. There's really no way to know what all is in there, really, until we get in there and make an effort to declutter.  All of my clutter is still at my parents' house, but it's a goal to get over there and clean my room out completely. We have all of this clutter not only taking up space, but it is weighing us down.   Read and pray more together We get so busy during the Summer that by the time we get in bed we're out like lights.  It is my hope that we will make reading and praying a habit to carry long past the Summer.      What are your summer goals!?

Friday!

Fridays have become the day to dread at work because I have to substitute for the secretary. Not only do I have untouched piles of work on my own desk that can't come to the front desk, but it's too quiet and the day drags.   But hey, I get Monday off, so here's to the (almost) weekend!   1. Monday, I went and spent the day with my parents and my sister, and this furball. I could spend all day playing with him, walking him, and snuggling with him. 

  2. I've been in the serious need for shirts lately.  I wear the same few shirts and dresses to work every week, and it's so boring.  I saved 40% off (use code JU40 on all first time orders) of my ThredUP order this week which saved me $40. Win! These are some of my absolute favorites!

(1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)   3. We are working on planning our 4th of July weekend, and we're torn between a staycation which would include seeing the fireworks in downtown Nashville and going camping or on another honey trip.  For the last few years we've done honey trips on that weekend, so I'm excited to finally be planning something.   4. Jersey Boys comes out today!!! Tickets to this movie ended up being my gift to Dad for Father's Day.  We're old souls in the Morgan family, and we really enjoy belting "Who Loves You" and "Walk Like A Man".  We're going to wait for the crowd to die down a tad so we can be in a smaller audience in case we accidentally start singing!

  5. I got this beautiful monogrammed bracelet! I've been looking everywhere for one that didn't cost an arm and a leg!! Thanks Jane.com

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On Growing Up...

Obviously I have been an adult now for four years... I've graduated high school and college. I have a full time job and insurance. I have gotten married and we have a home to call our own. We pay rent and bills.   But I haven't truly felt like a grown up until this week. I've always been able to finagle my vacation time to work around church camp week.  I have not missed a week of camp since my very first year at camp. Even when I was taking a June-mester, I made it work by going to McDonalds and jacking their wifi to do homework.     This year, I didn't get so lucky. Mind you, I wouldn't trade our honeymoon for anything, but I was fronted my vacation for that week off and couldn't work out another week this early in the year.   I may or may not have cried all the way on the two hour drive home. I miss my kids. I miss bunk beds. I miss my friends. I miss my husband who is there while I'm not. I miss the games and hours outside. I miss camp.   And in case you were curious, these are things you don't say to someone who is mourning the loss of their camp week..... "You have responsibility now and that doesn't include camp." "Seriously? grow up." "Well, that's just part of growing up." "Adults don't get camp week... you'll live." "Who takes a vacation week for camp?" "Stop whining."   ...all of which I received after being back at work for ten minutes on Tuesday.   Me and my grumpy tail are going to enjoy the rest of this ten hour day in my office with the door shut.

Friday!

1.

My work has decided that instead of 5 eight hour days a week, we're going to 4 ten days a week so everyone gets a day off every week! It's a trial period during June, but I'm really hoping it works out! I'm going to love not having to work Mondays!

2

We're headed to the happiest place on earth tomorrow... CHURCH CAMP! :) I don't get to stay all week this year, and I'm really devastated, but I get to go Saturday, Sunday, and I get to stay Monday!!

(church camp 2013)

3.

I'm still on an eBay selling roll. I've gotten rid of a hand-me-down knife block, my Nook that I no longer use, and a few pairs of shoes!! Ballin'!!

4.

OldNavy is having an awesome sale this week! We snagged Jackson 2 pairs of shorts and 2 pairs of pants for under $50!!

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5.

Remember the choreographed dance I mentioned as part of the wedding I was in a couple of weeks ago? It was posted via social media, and I had to share!! hahaha.

Spring Retreat Weekend

Allergies are kicking my tail again this year!  They're hitting early, though, which is making my life difficult.
Our weekend was spent at a camp with our church family. I'll just let the pictures do the talking. :)