I SAY

.... it's ok if dinner that night consists of Cherry limeades and hot dogs!

.... note to self: the self tanner you're using comes of in the chlorine!

.... Vacations & Honeymoons are the best idea ever!

.... writing a good ole fashioned  letter, is the best way of letting the people you love know you care. 

.... this 61 degrees is for the birds here in Minnesota! It's July people!

.... paying for things in cash in full is the best feeling ever! 

.... Even when it's tough and when money is tight; saving over the long haul is the best decision you can make. 

.... taking each day as it comes, is enough. 

Tag You're it Pt. Dos!

favorite artist/designer: Chanel 
I love to create using: my camera. 
what inspires me: jesus and the love of my husband. 
favorite medium besides my own: wordpress, wish it was a free site. 
most inspirational city: Madrid, Spain. 
ideal weekend off: a trip to the beach for lounging and relaxing w/ my Husband.
favorite color: pink 
favorite musician: (of all time): tough call... I'm going to have to go with Celine Dion
favorite movie: love reese witherspoon & sandra bullock... i pretty much love anything they have ever done. But, I'd say Miss Congenality is my ultimate fave! 
favorite song: of the moment.... "I Will Not Be Moved"- Natalie Grant. 

favorite song lyric: geesh..... that's a tough one. 

If I could have any other job it would be: I probably would want to plan fabulous events and get paid for it!

I wish: I had endless amounts of time and resources to travel places with Orion, get my Master's degree, take classes and be with my family. 

Okay peeps, here's who I'm tagging: Jessie, Kait, Mrs. B, Alicia Marie

Decor Don'ts!

Recently HGTV did an article on the Top 25 Decorating Don'ts! I love decorating and after reviewing this list I've discovered that I've broken a lot of these rules! YIKES! :) How about you? How many of these have you broken? See my commentary and review of the list below:

25. Toilet rugs

Oh my gosh!!! My very first apartment after college, I was living on my own and it was my first attempt as decorating "my own place" I bought matching RED rugs for my bathroom! I still have those rugs but no longer use them. Probably should get rid of them.

24. Too many photos

Guilty as charged! My husband reminds me of this often. I'm a photographer, what can I say?

23. Ignoring the foyer

We don't have one of these, so that's easy!

22. Undressed cables

21. Out-of-place themes

20. Outdated accessories

19. Lopsided furniture arrangements

18. Keeping something you hate

17. Too formal

16. Uncomfortable dining chairs

15. Lack of traffic pattern

14. Everything matches

Guilty again! Just about everything in our living room matches. Now, I am realizing that it's perfectly ok for things not to match. And getting more inspired by vintage pieces I want to add to our room.

13. Following fads

12. Furniture that doesn’t fit

11. Too many colors or patterns

10. Floating rugs

9. Improper lighting

8. Frames hung too high

I've done this a few times!

7. Tacky couch covers

My first apartment in college I covered and outdated flower power couch with a waffle patterned cover. I don't think it was tacky. It was a much improvement from the flowers!

6. Pushed-back furniture

Oh, I've done this too! :)

5. Ignoring windows

4. Fear of color

I think we've been guilty of this a few times or two! Have you seen our house?! :)

3. Knickknack overload

2. Too many pillows

1. Fake flowers

Oh goodness!!! So guilty! I love the look of flowers but they are to expensive to keep in your house all the time, right?!!! I have a arrangements that are fake as The Hills! But, I love them and don't really care if I break this rule! :)

*****

What do you think? Which ones of these have you broken on this list? As many as I have?!!!

Free Tip of the Week: RedBox

If you haven't rented from the Redbox, you're truly missing out! This little box has become our rental of choice for months. I love that it's fast, cheap, and easy! For just $1 a day you can rent a movie. For $1 you can get the latest releases, with no late fees ever...unless you forget to return it, you'll eventually own it. Here's the free tip of the week: go to www.redbox.com and sign up for their email newsletter and text alerts and get your first rental for FREE! Plus, every Monday have texts sent to your phone for FREE Monday night movies! How can you beat that? Happy renting & moving watching!

Blog Roll Monday; G Crew

G Crew is the blog of Cory and Emily! 

Isn't that cute? G Crew? Their last name begins with a "G" I

think it's an adorable, creative name for a blog!

As newlyweds it follows their adventures of newly married life. 

They are friends of mine, and I love keeping up with them

and all their travels and life happenings via their blog!

I think that's one of the things I love about blogs. I love keeping

up with people in my life that I don't see everyday. It's more personal

than Facebook or Twitter you actually get to see into their lives and feel 

like you're taking a journey with them. 

Enjoy! Happy Monday!

Tag You're It!

The rules of the game get posted at the beginning. Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

1) What was I doing 10 years ago?
June, 1999: I was in sophomore in high school just about to enter my junior year. Hanging out with friends, and had no clue the life before me or the adventure God would take me on.

2) What are 5 things on my to-do list for today?
Take Orion to the train/pick him up

Arrange someone to watch Bentley for the weekend

Clean, laundry and pack

Answer emails, website edits & photo edits

Figure out dinner

3) Snacks I enjoy:
Crackers, fruit, hummus

4) Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
Pay off all Orion and I's student loan debt

Pay off my mortgage

Take a trip w/ Orion around the work to all the places we want to visit.

Take a trip somewhere w/ all my best girlfriends and take them on a shopping spree.

5) Places I have lived:
California, Iowa, Arizona, Minnesota.... that's all I got. 

6) Jobs I have had:
File Clerk, Cookie girl @ a bake shop, receptionist, photographer & Admin Assistant.

7) Bloggers I am tagging who you will enjoy getting to know better:

Mrs. B from She's Starcrossed

Alicia from Virginia Living

Kait from My Crazy, unpredictable life

Cori from The McRae's

*99 Things*

Saw this on a blog, and felt compelled to participate. Things I've done in BOLD, and I've added a few of my own commentary for your enjoyment!

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band- the high school band w/ my sax!
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland 
8. Climbed a mountain 
9. Held a praying mantis - what?
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris- want to so badly!
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea.
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning- one of the worst experiences ever!
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight- if you haven't I'm concerned about you. 
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill- sad but true. shh...don't tell. 
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse 
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run- back in my softball days. 
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied 
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance- it's true!
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris- hello #12
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain- no, but ooohhh that's on my list.
53. Played in the mud 
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business 
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching -
63. Got flowers for no reason 
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma - and got sick and never have donated again. 
65. Gone sky diving- heck NO!
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check- YIKES!
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book - not yet!
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper - yes, a few times!
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
86. Visited the White House 
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox 
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous 
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby- maybe soon!
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone- Um, hello!!
99. Been stung by a bee