Gerber Madness

Quick little blog about some things wedding!

Since my wedding is in April, I am going with a spring theme of bright colors (pink and yellow and maybe a few pops of orange). I like to have meaning behind stuff, so here's the meaning behind my colors:
Pink = my favorite color 
Yellow = my mom's favorite color. <3
Orange = represents Leukemia and that is a cause that is very close to my heart

My flower of choice is GERBER DAISIES! I adore them. The funny thing is, I'm not much of a flower-y person thanks to my allergies so I didn't know a daisy from the next flower. I knew basics, roses and carnations. Well, a friend of mine, who happens to be helping me coordinate my wedding, showed me an example of something with a gerber and was telling me how much she liked them because of their vibrant colors, and I was hooked. They are so BRIGHT AND HAPPY! I ended up buying some silks in Pink & Yellow shortly after for my bedroom. I also somehow ended up with a gerber shower curtain in the bathroom. I think they are perfect for my wedding. :) Here's a few random pictures of Gerber Daisy ideas.

I actually have some clear vases like this!

love the fruit!

with Lily grass. Kinda sophisticated!

LOVE this. So chic.

Looks really cool, not sure how to do it

Simple yet modern

   

So many ideas for the wedding. I can get lost for hours googling and playing around with ideas. :)

Now I'm off to bed to ice up and heat up my back and neck which have been giving me problems with horrid stiffness.

XOXO

Now, walk it out!

I walk.... a lot. But, not as much as I did last year.

At the start of 2009 a friend of mine and I made a pact that we'd walk to get into better cardio shape. Our plan was to walk and gradually start to jog. She lives on a beautiful lake that is about 3 miles long to walk, so walking that multiple times a week helped us rack up the miles. Last year I walked 518 miles. WOW! I just added up my walking so far this year and I was saddened to see that I only walked 289 so far. With only 3 full days left in 2010 I am afraid reaching or surpassing my numbers from last year is just not feasible. I guess I should have checked myself earlier in the year so I could have made myself walk more. Looking back at my log I had weeks last year in which I walked 20+ miles whereas this year my average for the week was 5-10. Not nearly as high. I know the summer months this year really hurt my numbers. I was sick literally the entire month of July and did not walk, hit the gym, or ANYTHING that month. It was also insanely hot all summer in Florida. I don't know how I walked that much last summer, if it was as hot. I would go walking at 8AM this year and be sweating by the time I was done at 9am. Ridiculous. Also, I went on more "hikes" in parks last year. I haven't really went on any yet this fall. Sadface!

But either way, for whatever reasons, I am disappointed in myself for not reaching a higher number of miles in 2010. But, what can I do? Just move on and know that 2011 will be better :) I have a new Ipod so now I will have an awesome music playlist to keep me motivated. I hope to actually start to jog (yes, though we planned it in '09, it has yet to happen). I have a bad back, and was worried about how jogging would effect it, and my chiropractor told me I shouldn't jog. BUT I see people on shows like the Biggest Loser that have bad backs as well, and still do amazing things. I want to do that too. So I am going to start slow, and see where it takes me.

XOXO

Bloggers Block

Sorry I've been MIA.

I have a serious case of bloggers block.

I have no creative blogging ideas at this moment.

And strangely enough, though I should have MORE free time as I've been on unpaid(yuck) vacation *aka work is slow due to holidays) since December 15th,  I seem to have LESS time due to various holiday events. How does that even WORK? I can't seem to figure it out, LOL.


BUT, I am trying to come up with some more creative posts, as well as work on an animal blog, since after all, that is where my passion lies.

I do have one quick inspiring story to share. This is from Saturday, the 18th. My church held an event for local woman and their children staying at a shelter. While I would have LOVED to attend this event as I want to inspire as many people as possible, I was unable to due to prior plans. I did however volunteer to sponsor a woman and child. I love to sponsor people during the holidays though I do admit I sometimes wonder if my gifts are going to a truly needy person as I want to ensure they do so that everyone gets something. Well, I received the info about my lady, she is 29 years old and has 3 children that are currently in foster care. I am not sure if the one little girl I sponsored was hers or not, but anyways, her wish list wasn't much, the main item on it was a flat iron. I bought her a cutesy flat iron from target, along with some other things here and there, smelly good anti bacterial stuff, gloves and a hat, a planner for her purse, etc. I wrapped them all up in one box and sent them to church with my room mate who was attending the event. My room mate told me later that when the lady I sponsored opened her gift she cried. How touching is that. I didn't get her much, but I got her enough that she truly felt blessed. I LOVE IT. My room mate said some women didn't even open their gifts because they wanted to save them to Christmas, as that is all they would get. It truly is a blessing to me to help people and I am glad I sponsored someone that was so appreciative. <3

Anyways, not much else. I'll leave you with a picture of me and my fiance from his company Christmas party that I had to rush to get ready for. Click here to read about that day. :)

I hope each and every one of you has had a blessed Christmas.

XOXO

Silent Night, SPCA style.

This commercial has been playing recently and tearing me up each time. It's so true though, if you are looking for a new pet to join your family, there are plenty waiting for you at your local shelters. Check them out. You will never meet an animal more grateful. <3





Here's a few other commercials Sarah McLachlan has done for her local ASPCA. She's getting the awareness out.






:)

XOXO

Recap of my week(end)

Sorry blog friends! I've been MIA for yet another week. Man, I guess I did so much better when I had the 30 days of truth going on in November.

Last week was quite busy! I'll leave ya with a recap (mostly via pictures).

* Wednesday - worked

* Thursday - errands, premarital counseling, Christmas shopping for a lady and child I adopted via my church and then one of my friends hosted her 2nd Annual Girls Night Christmas Party, Candyland theme.

Santa Hat Contest

Myself with the two hostesses

2nd Annual Girls Night Christmas Party

* Friday - Company Christmas luncheon & then Birthday dinner for my fiance and his brother who celebrate their birthdays one week apart.

a few coworkers inside BD's. Yum!

Then we posed outside by the big tree :)

Birthday dinner with the fiances family

I got him the "Bathroom LOL book" Can't go wrong there!

Got him a new wallet and matching reversible belt. <3

Saturday - Gloomy rainy (reminded me of what I imagine Seattle to be like) day. Woke up feeling kinda poopy. Itchy throat. Never a good sign. Amped up the Vita-C dosage. Worked on save the dates with my fiance and then got ready for a night out on the town with one of my best friends. I was her date to her company Christmas party. We had an AMAZING 5 course meal at Grille One Sixteen. Their warm peanut butter smore dessert was beyond delish. I can't even describe it in words. LOL.

They rearranged this area so we could all fit, but this is where we sat, under those lights.

Sunday - Another rainy cloudy and slightly chilly day. Throat was still bothering me but I had big plans for today. :) A football game with my man and then AEDP (Annual Elf Dinner Party) with some of my friends.

Bucs VS Lions 12-19-10

Half of the circle of us playing Apples to Apples

Us girls out by the fire, after the movie :)

Monday - retarded moment today. I am still on a hunt to find a good friend of mines long lost father, who left about two decades ago. A worker at my local post office referred me to a genealogist who helped her find missing family members, and he has been aiding in my search. Long story short, I mailed a Christmas card to the last known address that was found for my friends father. I didn't want my friend to know I was still searching, until hopefully one day, I could produce a meeting. WELLLLL, today, I had to go to the post office to ship some stuff and my friend was with me. I'm thinking "crap, I hope the lady doesn't ask me how the search is going" so I try to get rid of my friend nonchalantly. Last resort I figure I can send him to go check my PO Box as I NEVER receive anything there and I had JUST checked in Saturday, what were the odds that I'd hear something back from the letter I mailed his father? Yeah, you got it. Pretty good. He leaves to check my box, I tell the lady worker that the friend that's with me is the one I'm trying to find the dad for. We have an agreement not to speak of the search, and then friend comes back with a "return to sender" Christmas card addressed to his father. EPIC FAIL. So he knows I am still searching now. And I am kinda sad that the letter bounced back, but hey, I will keep my search up. In other news, I did my annual decorating of a mini tree and taking a present out to my momma's burial spot. <3

* side note during all of the busy-ness that was this last week, my cat Ashes is still being medicated twice daily and wobbling to the left slightly but does appear to be getting better.

:) XOXO

to the point tuesday

here is my day, bullet style

• woke up, played nurse to my kitty, Ashes, who is still recovering from an inner ear infection. This involves taking the towels and blankets out of his crate, and throwing them in the dryer to warm them up for him; letting him attempt to walk (he's still VERY wobbly and falling to the left) to the litter box, put some of his dry food in water, so that when he eats he is also drinking as well, and giving him his medicines which this morning consisted of a liquid antibiotic that I squirt down his throat, and a liquid steroid as well.
• bundled up (it was 26 degrees out! am I really in central Fla?) and ventured out to take Ashes to his one week check up, at my regular vet, NOT the emergency vet. Was told he appears to be recovering good, however, as I had noticed, he is sneezy and discharge from nose, he is catching the "kitty cold" which spreads like wildfire among cats SO now I have two additional medicines to give him, as well as ensure he is isolated from my two other cats.
• ran by and checked my post office box, as usual, no mail there. I mailed a letter out to whom I believe (after my search team found) may be a friend of mines long lost father. I am reallyreally hoping he writes me back.
• ran by JCP to pick up some towels that I purchased online about 2 weeks back. Got an amazing deal on them. It's a 6pc Chateau towel set that I would post a link to, BUT the sale was so amazing, they are beyond sold out, and it's no longer listed on the JCP website. Basically the set is regularly $50 but was on sale for $12.99 AND the coupon code givejoy that day took $10 off your order SO in the end you paid $3.20 for a $50 towel set. The website was so lagged that day that all I kept getting was ERRORS when I tried to order. None of mine technically went through, BUT I ended up getting charged for it, so somehow it DID go through and I picked up my (red) towel set today! Not the color I was hoping for, but hey, amazing sale, I can't complain!
• Ran by the Dollar Tree to grab some cheapy picture frames for a project I am working on for Christmas presents.
• Came home, did a 20 minute cardio workout via my television while I boiled some chicken for a casserole recipe I tried for the 1st time today.
• Headed in to work, got a few hours in
• Got to catch up via phone with an out of state friend of mine <3
• Am home now, but still have a few hours worth of work that I need to do from home.
• Ended the day the same as it started, played nurse to kitty. See above. Only now add two additional medicines.

XOXO :)

Dogs & Sweaters

I need reminded of where I live today. Sunny Florida? Not so much, it's veryvery similar to the Windy city, Chicago today. So windy and chilly in fact, that I've put some clothes on my doggies. I don't think they were thrilled, but hey, it kept them a little bit warmer.

I really need to get him a less feminine sweater

looking at the wind blowing

All 3 of em, staying warm

She thinks she is a princess

Well, maybe that's because I call her Princess Hilton.

Lounging around. Ah, the dogs life.

Stay warm! XOXO

Inspirational Quotes :)

I just got done watching last weeks episode of The Biggest Loser. I don't watch much TV, but that is one of my shows. :) I find the show so inspirational. I am in a constant struggle to live a more healthy lifestyle. I would like to lose 10lbs, not for looks, but to better my health. I KNOW that would help lower my cholesterol. While I go to the gym and workout fairly regularly, my problem is my passionate love affair with food. Ah, food. Most of my favorite foods are the ones that are not healthy for me. I need to retrain my taste buds to love the healthier options. Anyways, watching Biggest Loser tonight, I was yet again inspired. During this episode the 4 finalists were competing in a marathon. That's 26.2 MILES. WOW! The fact that these people, some that were 400lbs 3 months ago, can push their bodies to do that, AMAZES me. I have been wanting to start running now for about 2 years. Yes, I know that is  a long time. I reallyreally want to run a 5k one day (soon). I WALK 5k's ALL the time, so I got this. I know I can do it. I just will have to push my body really hard. I worry because I pretty bad back, and my chest gets tight when I run from my asthma, but it is my goal to start training for this soon. I have been hoping for an Ipod for Christmas. This could jump start my training. I plan to use the From Couch to 5k  website to help me figure this all out. My fiance started running in October, and he actually ran 9 miles straight about 6 weeks into his training. His running really does inspire me. :)

I figured I'd use this blog to leave some inspirational quotes I found today while googling:

• I am only one,
  But still I am one.
  I cannot do everything,
  But still I can do something;
  And because I cannot do everything
  I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.
         - Edward Everett Hale 

• Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action. - Benjamin Disraeli 

• If you don't like something, change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it. - Mary Engelbreit 

• The question should be, is it worth trying to do, not can it be done.  - Allard Lowenstein,

• Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right. - Henry Ford

• Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting. - Elizabeth Bibesco

• Your life is your message to the world. Make it inspiring. - Lorrin L. Lee
• Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever. - Lance Armstrong

• What other people label or might try to call failure, I have learned is just God’s way of pointing you in a new direction. - Oprah Winfrey
•  The five S’s of sports training are: Stamina, Speed, Strength, Skill and Spirit; but the greatest of these is Spirit.  - Ken Doherty
• Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy. - Leo Buscaglia

and my favorite quote:
You must be the change you wish to see in the world.  - Mahatma Gandhi 

XOXO

FBCH Christmas Party #2

Last night I had the pleasure of attending my 2nd annual Christmas party for the children at the Florida Baptist Children's home.

You see, the FBCH is a ministry that me and some of my friends are very involved with. A group of us go out to the FBCH once a month to hang out, socialize and just talk to these wonderful children and teenagers (school age 5-18). Every December we like to throw them a Christmas party in which we cook (instead of bringing our usual pizza). This years was so awesome. Last year we didn't ask for help from anyone, the girls of the group just cooked our little hearts out, and we ran out of food after we served everyone (so we didn't eat) but Thank God we were able to serve everyone but ourselves. This year, we asked for help, and boy did we get it. Through collections at the church, a yard sale, and a nice donation from Target, we were able to raise just over one thousand dollars which meant we could buy each child there a $20 gift card to Target (instead of the $5 ones we bought last year). HOW AMAZING! :) We also had about $100 left over and that allowed us to make each set of house parents a care package for their cottage. Here's a few pictures from yesterday. We had a lot of fun!

3 sets of 15 Gift Cards Each. 45 total kids :)

Baskets for each cottage

Serving the kiddies :)

A special cake we had made

Our set up. Lotsa food! Yay!

Goodie bags for kids that we put the GC's in

One of our Sr. High girls. She shared her touching testimony.

It truly is a blessing in my life when I am able to go see these kids. Because of my schedule, I don't get to go as often as some of my friends do, but when I do go, I am always amazed. Most of these kids have been through so much, much more than I could even imagine, yet they are still so strong and hopeful. Truly an inspiration. I think we learn from them, as much as they learn from us. All we can do is strive to be the best role models, the role models these children so much deserve.

XOXO

My Favorite Commercial! Kia Hamsters :)

I normally fast forward through all commercials BUT this one brings I smile to my face EVERY time. My favorite part is towards the end, when one of the hamsters in black is in the car, doing the little circular hand dance. Enjoy!

"You can get with this, or you can get with that!"

XOXO

He's a trooper!

I got to go visit with one of my (non biological) nephews today. I say non biological because I have no nieces or nephews by blood, but am dubbed Auntie by many of my friends kids, and i love it. 

This little boy that I went to visit today is very special. You see, at just three and a half years old, he is already an open heart surgery survivor. He was diagnosed shortly after birth with VSD (Ventricular Septal Defect). You can learn more about that here. He had to undergo open heart surgery in the fall of 2007, just a few days shy of him turning 5 months old. Of course, as you can imagine with any major surgery, his mommy and daddy were very scared. There were lots of prayers that went up. I drove the couple of hours out to the location of the hospital to make sure I could keep them company in the waiting room and do my best to help keep their minds off things while we waited. Three hours later, we were informed that everything was a sucess. Praise God that this sweet baby boy is still with us, growing like a weed every day and capturing the hearts of all who know him. <3

I went out to visit with him and his momma (whom I have a very special friendship with as we met many years ago online). Of course, with it being so close to Christmas, I went ahead and took his Christmas presents to give to him. I went a long with the theme his parents are doing for him this year. Instead of lots of toys for Christmas "Santa" is redoing his room in a Toy Story theme. SO cute and useful! I bought him some PJ's that came with one Buzz and one Woody pajama set. HE LOVED THEM! Here's a few pictures from today's visit :)

I'm so very thankful for the good ol' world wide web, and that by chance his momma and I met in a chat room, became pen pals, stayed in touch, and one day she moved to Sunny ol' Florida, and we began our forever friendship, in person as well. And now, years later, I get to share in the joy of her new family. I love them :)


XOXO