Lazy Saturday

This Picture pretty much sums up our Saturday...

...well except for the cleaning that I did in the living room and dining room and kitchen... and I organized all my recipes and typed them up on recipe cards... and I went and did laundry...and I went to church tonight...

This picture pretty much sums up Allie's Saturday!

Hope yours was wonderful and relaxing too!

In the Mood for Change

Do you ever just get in the mood to change things up? Today I did some much needed cleaning around my apartment. I have been going non-stop for the last few weeks and then have been gone on the weekends so my apartment has been a little neglected.

I spent most of my morning cleaning my kitchen and reorganizing all of my kitchen cabinets! While cleaning out one of the cabinets I found a few things that I needed to find a place to store and when I put them up on top of the cabinets I realized that there was space up there to put things and I suddenly had to have decorations for the top of my cabinets!

I am not very patient when it comes to things like this--when I have an idea like that I can't let it go until it's done. So I started with some things I had around my apartment and was able to find some vases that fit--but I still needed more.

So I headed to Walmart (which gets a little crazy on Saturday afternoons!) and searched for what I wanted. I ended up getting out there for under $20 in about 15 minutes just collecting things that I wanted and I actually am very pleased with how it turned out! Unfortunately there is a light in the middle of my kitchen ceiling, so it is hard to take pictures of the top of the cabinets--but I tried. So here are a few just to give you an idea:















It seems like a pretty insignificant change and something that no one else would probably even notice--but it just made me happy to have even a little change :)

Happy Saturday!

What's Life without Friends?

So I know my blog has been lacking posts right now... and there are a couple of reasons for that.

1. I have been working pretty much non-stop for the last 2 weeks and have been exhausted when I'm home!
2. Nothing exciting has really been going on.

And that still hasn't changed in my life--no big news nothing really happening other than the usual. But pretty much all of my friends have big news right now so I thought I'd brag on them a little bit. :)

I know I've already written about this, but my best friend from High School, Lara, is getting married. I've been talking with her a lot this week about all of their plans and have been getting more and more excited for her! We still have 11 months until her wedding--she's getting married March 13, 2010. But I am loving hearing about all the details... mainly because I know she and Seth are so good for each other. I have only met him a few times but I can already see how he brings out the best in her, but also challenges her which is exactly what she needs. Lara and I have come a long way since we became friends watching all the boys play hockey one day and started talking about anything and everything under the sun!

And Nicki? She recently found out that she has been officially accepted to her Master's Program for School Psychology (not that I had any doubt she would be!). Pretty much every undergrad class I went to in college, Nicki was with me--so I can't really imagine her going to classes without me (in fact, at one point Mathis said I should come along and go to school with her!). But I am so proud of her for taking this next step! Nicki has spent the last (almost) 2 years working as a Mental Health Case Manager for kids and teens and I have seen her grow so much through this job and I am so excited for her as she continues on to learn even more about how to help these at-risk kids! And while I will miss her when she leaves Texas--I am going to love having an excuse to visit my best friend in Virginia!!

And then there's sweet Erin. Oh what a crazy and hard season this has been for her. But God provides as He always does (even if takes longer than we want!) and next week she will be starting her new job and moving into her new apartment!! I have seen so much of her heart over the last 4 months while she's gone through this ridiculously frustrating process of finding a job and I have watched as God has brought her to a new place this week. I am so amazed by the way she has opened her hand completely to His will and taken a step to a place she never planned to go. What a beautiful example of a servant of Christ--I am so blessed to have her in my life and could not be more excited for all of the ways He has provided even in the past week! And added bonus--she's cutting our distance from each other in half when she moves! :)

Also just a quick note to say that one of my good friends at work, Stephanie, had her baby on Wednesday! Little miss Madison Marie arrived around 7:30 that evening after a very long day for her Momma! Stephanie has been such an encouragement to me during the time that we've worked together. She is always there for me to laugh with and get lunch with!!! I can't imagine anyone who will be as great a mom as Steph will be!

And as for me? I'm still here working and going to BSF and loving on my Allie-girl. And I definitely feel like I'm just where I'm supposed to be--my cloud hasn't moved yet! But I am beyond blessed to get to, in some way, be a part of all of these adventures with my sweet friends!

First Monday

For many years I have heard people talking about going to Canton for First Monday. I have always been intrigued by it but never been able to go. So when my sister-in-law, Aja, emailed me last Monday saying she was going with her mom, sister-in-law Carrie and Carrie's family and asked if I wanted to come along I jumped at the chance. (I'm pretty sure my exact email response was "YES PLEASE!").

I had been told that the first trip out there is overwhelming, so my plan for today was just to be along for the ride! It was a great day with the girls. We spent the morning looking at a bunch of cute stuff for Carrie's kids (Ronnie--and Ethan, my brother's precious nephew who spent the day with us!). Then after lunch Aja and I got more into the flea market area and all of the interesting things that people were selling (such as machetes, old tools, tables full of license plates, and vintage toys!).

I got through the day without spending much money. At one of the tents we went to they had a bunch of dips to taste and Aja and I fell in love, so I bought a few dip mixes. And a couple of mixes to make Cheesecake Cheeseballs! And right before we left for the day I found my favorite purchase:


For a long time I have been wanting to display the Fruit of the Spirit somewhere in my apartment but could never figure out the right way... so when I found this today I couldn't pass it up. I absolutely love it!!

Such a fun day with my sister and the girls!

Update...

So I know it's been a while since I last posted--so here's a recap of what's gone on since my "Spring Break"


*The weekend after Nicki came to town for Girls Weekend! We spent the weekend with sweet Erin--shopping, watching movies and eating at Sprinkles!! It was such a great weekend after a long week at work and I enjoyed getting to spend a weekend with my 2 best friends!

*After Nicki left I spent that Sunday resting. Mama Reed called me up to see if I wanted to meet up for dinner--so I thought why not? Here's why not: Wreck #3 in my car :( I got rear-ended getting onto the highway, was VERY sore last week, and am still waiting to get my car fixed (although I did get the check from the insurance company today so I will be taking it to get fixed this week!)

*Remember in my last post I talked about going out to eat and spending the evening with my friend Lara and her boyfriend Seth? What what would you know a week later he was her fiance! That's right, sweet Lara got engaged last week and they will be getting married next March! So exciting!

*Last weekend I spent all night Friday night at a lock-in with the youth group that I work with. Basically from 1 am until 6 am we played soccer, dodge ball, basketball, washers and Uno. Followed by a yummy breakfast at IHOP and a day full of napping at home!

*Also last weekend I made a $140 purchase because my beautiful red CHI would not turn on. The reset button was out and I could not push it in at all--I tried several outlets at my house and my mom's and it wouldn't work in any of them. So I went to ULTA on Sunday and got a new CHI and man is my life happy again!