Lately....

I apologize for my unforeseen hiatus.  For the last week or so, I've actually been having to do work while at work. How awful is that. I know, insert eyeroll here.  But really, that's when I get a lot of my blog reading, writing, planning done, and I haven't been able to.   Here's what I've been up to since I was last here...  We celebrated my sweet Nana's birthday.... 

I've been addicted to Ancestry.com. I have traced my family back to Germany, Wales, and Ireland.  I have traced Jackson's family back to Germany and Wales! I have pictures, draft registration cards, birth and death records for great grandparents I've never met.  I have seen the two women for whom I am named.  It's addicting! 

Jackson's Mama's birthday is this coming weekend, and we found her the perfect gift! 

And I got a handy dandy doorstop because I needed to spend four more cents for free shipping!! 

We found a house, fell in love, but then decided we aren't really looking for a house. 

I celebrated national coffee day all morning, noon, and night. 

I got my Dean's List VoxBox

Other than that, I've been swamped at work. But hey, here's to having a job. 

Recipe: Potato Soup!

We had a tool and recipe shower last November where we were given family recipes, friends' recipes from their generations in the kitchen, and tools for our home. One of the recipes was a potato soup recipe, and I tried it this Fall in honor of ... well... fall. :) Ingredients: 3 pounds of baby red potatoes (for us it was like 15 potatoes) package of pre-cooked bacon bits 8 cups of milk 4 cups of chicken broth 1 cup whipping cream 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon seasoning salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 cup of butter 1 cup flour kitchen tools: 12 quart stockpot 2 quart saucepan collander knife cutting board ladle Instructions: 1. cut all of your potatoes into bite sized chunks. I did mine into quarters going the long way, and chopped vertically in half-inch slices. Really, there's no science to it. haha. Boil them in stockpot for ten minutes. Pour them into collander to drain all water.

2. In the now empty pot, pour milk, chicken broth, salt, seasoning salt, and pepper. Heat for 10 minutes, but don't let it boil. stir often.

  3. In the small saucepan, make sure you melt the butter completely. Slowly add the 1 cup of flour. This will create what is called a roux. Mine didn't happen. It turned into playdough. Here is a great tutorial in making a roux.  It should not look like this:

 

 4. While the milk mixture is heating, slowly add your roux to it.  This will make it thick. Let it simmer for 20 minutes or so.

5. Stir in potatoes, bacon, and the whipping cream.  Carefully add the potatoes; the splashing milk as a result of not carefully adding potatoes does hurt.

6. Enjoy! It's great with cheese on the top! Sorry I didn't get a picture of the finished product! It went too quickly! :)

What is your favorite soup recipe for fall?

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!?  

Summer Checklist

At the beginning of July, I wrote a post about goals I had for this summer. Our first summer as a married couple flew. We were so busy and our summer was full of sharing life with friends and family. Let's see how we did with the checklist.    Do my bridal portraits Hey! Our photographer is working on location scouting this week! I deserve to cross that off for the effort I put into it! Hopefully we will actually do them this fall! Add a planter box to our deck This one didn't really get crossed off, but I did change my mind. I bought two beautiful planters to put on our balcony to plant some fall flowers. Spend a whole Saturday at the pool This one didn't really get crossed off either. Being the pasty babies we are, whole days at the pool were a bad call anyway. We went for a whole bunch of evening swims, so it's kinda the same. Put the phones down We're still not 100% at the point where we can put phones down the second we get home and not touch them, but we're at 55%. Clash of Clans is no longer a source of clashing in our home. Thank goodness. Go camping It was way too daggum hot Spend smarter and say no We have started spending smarter. On every payday, we take what we have in the "play money" budget and put it into a "splurge" savings for things like hunting supplies and new boots. That way it doesn't hurt our daily spending or our savings. Spend time outside Again, I say, it was way too daggum hot. Declutter for every one box we clear out, I feel like five more appear Read and pray more together there is not an excuse to justify not crossing this one off the list, so we'll just hope to try better this fall.     How did your summer checklists come along!? Did you get everything accomplished that you wanted to? What are your goals for Fall?!  

Friday!

1. I used our $0.10 off to get gas this week and it was under $3 for the first time in forever.  This is a sight for sore eyes, but it was so so welcomed!! 

2. I had to take a work trip on Wednesday to Lawrenceburg, but hey, our boss bought us Dairy Queen on the way home! :)   3. I installed the iOS 8 update, and I have to say, I'm not really impressed.  It made my phone look prettier, but there's nothing really special or different about the way my phone works.  I do like that I can answer a text in an app without having to go to the messages, and the "recent" bubbles at the top when I double click.  But other than that, meh.   4. We have zero things planned this weekend minus a bridal tea on Sunday after church for which I have to make cake balls. Insert eyeroll here.  I'm looking forward to a weekend of relaxing and football.... and maybe picking up the Conjuring from the redbox because Jackson has never seen it!! Wife of the year, right here.   5. Thank you all for your sweet words and prayers for our family's possible new adventure with Jackson's possible new job.  Keep praying!! He talked to the boss of the department who said he was highly recommended by a guy he used to work with who now works there! I hope you all have a wonderful, restful weekend!!  

Linking up with Karli and Amy and Lauren

Falling for Fall

Fall is 4 days away, and fall weather is here!! I am clearing out my closet to make room for new fall purchases!! During the fall, my closet pretty much consists of boots, flats, cute tank tops, jeans, and blazers.  Some of my favorite outfits consist of a boatneck t-shirt, khaki dress pants, and my denim jacket.  I am usually in blues all fall because I think it's a perfect contrast against the leaves.   My makeup during the fall is a little darker. I use the Almay Bold Nudes for Blues eyeshadow, Almay One-Coat Thickening Mascara in Black Brown, and Almay Smart Shade makeup in Light/Medium. . My wishlist for this fall includes things like these peeptoe booties,  

these wedges

 

this dress (maybe in black?)

and some new tweed dress pants

 What are your fall "can't wait" items?!

Wedding Wednesday: Bloominous

After getting married in February, I know how easy it is to get carried away with a budget.  I spent hours looking for places we could make cuts so that we could spend the money elsewhere.  One place I was able to cut a lot of our money was our flowers! I went to every Joann's in Nashville and bought every light pink Peony, rose, and white garnish they had in stock to make seven bridesmaids' bouquets, my bouquet, mothers' and grandmothers' bouquets, and eleven boutonnieres.   My favorite part: I got to arrange them how I wanted and I saved a ton of money My least favorite part: they were artificial.    Could anyone tell? No. Could I tell? Yes.    Did you know there is a typical 300% markup on flowers when you use a florist? Did you also know that the flowers are often frozen and thawed when they come to you?   I stumbled upon an amazing company that I wish I had known about in February.  Insert Bloominous!

  This awesome company has a variety of flowers for every bride.  They send cut-to-order flowers to you along with everything you need to assemble them. The DIY kits also come with an arrangement guide in case you don't know anything about flower arrangement!!  

(via)

  My personal favorite is their Party Pop Collection! These would have fit our wedding beautifully!!

  By cutting out that middle man (without cutting out the florist experience), you save oodles and kaboodles!! You pay $5 for boutonnieres, and $40 for bridesmaids' bouquets!   Brides! Take the guesswork out of the floral side of your plans. Visit Bloominous and explore their options!! They're bound to have something that fits your wedding style and saves you money! Who wouldn't want a little change to spend on their honeymoon!?      

Confessions

I confess...   I went to the dentist this morning, and my teeth are bothering me more now than they were before. One of them has a rough edge, and my poor tongue is not leaving it alone. I'm 100% stressed because this whole world of insurance is new to me, and dental allowances were a huge wall in my path. I had no idea there was a limit to the dental work your insurance will allow per year. I have a $1500 allowance, which I'm told is great, and I used $650 of it last week alone. sigh.  #grownupwoes  

    Jackson has a really really really great job opportunity, and I was a brat about it because it would mean he would have to work the night shift for almost a year. Once I got past that initial foot stomping, pouting, pity partying, it is a great thing and will be great for our family!! Attention hog, party of one!   I spilled coffee all over my car today after leaving the dentist and didn't clean it up. I told Jackson it was a new air freshener...      Our balcony was pressure washed last week to remove spiders and the like.  Jackson and I were outside with a can of spider killer last night because holy mess, they were everywhere.  

   I'm doing these a day early because I have had tomorrow's post scheduled much longer and didn't want to be a double dipper.

Fires, Family, and Football, oh my!

Our weekend seemed like a five day weekend! We spent so much time resting, so much time with friends and family, and so much time watching football.   Friday, Jackson and I came home, ate dinner, grocery shopped, and came home to spend some balcony time because it is really starting to feel like fall here in Nashville. 

 

Saturday, I got up early thinking I would need to go help Dad wrangle cats to take to the Humane Society, but he decided against it, so we spent some time just laying in bed, resting and relaxing.  When we finally got up, I was all over the laundry, cleaning out things we didn't need/use anymore, and dishes. Oh, and watching the Vanderbilt game. It was good to finally just have some time to do things like that.  MTSU played WKU, and thankfully kicked butt.  Their spray paint on our horseshoe was enough to make me livid. Jackson's parents wanted to cook him a birthday dinner, so they made ribs, potatoes and beans, and we ate dinner with them.  We then had our first bonfire of the fall. We had a whole bunch in the spring, and a couple this summer, but it's finally fire weather.

 

Sunday, we got up and went to church, we had lifegroups, and I went to Jackson's Cousin's Babyshower.  It was so much fun! I love spending time with family!! We had a fire Sunday night, too, so my hair reeks of fire smell this morning.  It was so worth it, though.  We are living up this weather!

 

Friday!

I am more thankful for this Friday than I have been for a Friday in a little while.  Why? because I'm exhausted, this week has been the pitts, and I'm so ready for a weekend of family and football.   1. Our deck was pressure washed this week, and we are so ready to spend fall evenings out there!     2. I beat our President in fantasy football this week, and I'm not ashamed of my gloating one bit!     3.  My new boots came in the mail Thursday!! For $11.24, I'd say I got way more than I paid for!!   4.  The rain came through, and the fall weather is heeeeeereee!!

  5.  My sweet husband, who came and sat in the waiting room at the dentist on Tuesday for my comfort, has an incredible job opportunity on the horizon.  I am very hopeful.... after I stopped being a brat that is.  ;)  

Linking up with Karli and Amy and Lauren 

Where Were You?

  Where were you when the world stopped turning on that September day?   I was in fourth grade, ten years old, and had no comprehension of anything that happened.  I knew my teacher was crying, I knew school was dismissed early, I knew Mom cried on the way home, but I didn't understand why.  I had no idea why it was significant, or why it was different that these planes crashed into these buildings.  I remember thinking, "what famous person was on that plane to make it matter so much? Planes crash often, why does this matter?"    I remember it really sinking in in 2011, on the ten year anniversary of September 11, 2001. I was in college, twenty years old, and had found a sense of patriotism that burned red, white, and blue.  I had sent cousins to these countries to fight this war, and I believed in the mission 100%.  I understood why my teacher cried, why school was dismissed early, and why mom cried.  I understood why this was significant.  I remember crying as we watched the 10 year anniversary specials, the videos, and the interviews.  I was just as angry as I suspect I would have been had I been older in 2001. I was very angry on behalf of my military family and my country. Hearing Lee Greenwood sing "Proud to be an American" live made me hit my knees with tears of pride, and they still well up with tears every time I hear it on the radio.   

    I understand completely now, at twenty-two years old.  I have my stances on the war efforts, the moves that were made, and why we are where we are now; that's another story for another time.    I am proud to be an American.  I am proud to live in the United States of America, in good ole Music City, USA.  I stand by my country in good, bad, beautiful, and down right ugly.  I am thankful for the freedoms we are allotted, and am aware that they are not allowed to all people in our world.   God Bless the USA  

#notsorry

Before I got married, I had a wild imagination about the kind of housewife I was going to be.   My house was going to constantly be spotless. I was going to have labeled bins everywhere, and everything would have its place.  Laundry would be done one load per day, and everyday, we would go to bed with an empty washer and dryer.  Dishes would be run right after dinner, and Jackson would have them unloaded before he left for work.    This is what my laundry room looks like almost once a week, and you know what? I'm not sorry.   This is what our kitchen table looks like 100% of the time. Again, I'm not sorry.    (ignore the coke bottles... we're spray painting them for duck decoys) Does this make me any less of an awesome wife? Pre-marriage Chrissy would tell you yes.  Married Chrissy is here to say no, not one bit.  That was a difficult realization for me.   Accepting the disorder in my home has been something I've had to cope with.  It did not come easy.  Our first few weeks of marriage, I busted my tail and couldn't rest until it was all spotless.  Our apartment didn't look lived in, and I was spending valuable (what could have been) quality time in the laundry closet, scrubbing the bathroom, or making sure every sock hit the hamper.    Something someone said about their kids made me think about my husband.  "Are they going to remember that you spent all day doing their laundry, or are they going to remember the adventure you had?"  It resonated with me so loudly.  Jackson, sure, remembers the days I would stay home and clean all day long.  But he remembers it because I didn't take that time to spend with him.    If there's laundry on the floor come Monday morning, I can almost guarantee you we had an awesome weekend, and that's what matters.   

Weekend Update!

Our weekend was one that I was 100% invested in! I was able to take it all in, enjoy every second, and rest up completely.  I hope your weekend was much the same!   Friday afternoon, I went to Dad's, where we suffered the loss of one of the stray kittens.  We think he had pneumonia after one of the storms last week.  As awful as it was for me, I am glad he died in loving human hands.  I cried most of the night because of how traumatizing it was for me.  I don't care how old you are, you're never prepared for that kind of pain.    Friday night, I didn't feel like cooking at all, so we went to eat Mexican food and grocery shop.  We came home, watched some football, and turned in early.   Saturday was my sweet husband's birthday.  We got up at 10, ate cinnamon rolls for breakfast, and vegged out all day.  After opening some money-filled birthday cards, went to Academy Sports and bought Jackson his shotgun that we've been saving for!

  We came home, got all dressed up, and went to the cheesecake factory for his birthday dinner. Thank goodness for giftcards!! Jackson got the orange chicken, and I had the BBQ Ranch chicken salad.  So. much. food!!  

 

Sunday, we had birthday lunch with Jackson's parents and watched football all day. Oh, not to mention the visit to the urgent care clinic for what I thought was a spider bite.  Turns out, you can have allergic reactions to a mosquito?! #mylife

 

I hope you all had wonderful weekends!! I can't wait to read about them!!

 

Happy Birthday (to the ground)

Just Kidding. No lie, our chalkboard wall update was going to say "Titan Up, Anchor Down, Happy Birthday (to the ground)" just to make it rhyme, but instead I opted out of the Happy Birthday altogether.   Happy birthday to my main man, my best friend for half of my life, my encouragement and strength, my sweet, sweet husband.  I thought it'd be fun to venture through birthdays past.... Of course there are years missing because we were too busy having fun to take pictures, but for the majority of them, it's pretty standard...  

Insert the year we went to Chattanooga and got lost going to Rock City....

    I love knowing that we will always have these years of memories to come back to.    Jackson, Happy 23rd birthday! It seems just yesterday we were celebrating your 13th! I am so blessed to be your wife, and I love every second of it.  I am loving being able to watch you grow into the leader God intends you to be. With every passing year, I am reminded of how much our story means to me, to us, and to our future.  Having started building our foundation as twelve year olds, we had many years of practice before we got married; nothing could have prepared us for this wonderful journey that is marriage.  I love that with each day, I learn more and more about you; looking back on the years, I am learning just how much I have gotten to learn, and I look forward to how much there still is to learn.  I can't wait to celebrate this day with you, and I hope it's all you want it to be.  :) Love, Chris