90? Over it!

If we reach 90 degrees outside (predicted high is 91), we hit 90 days at 90 degrees or higher. A new record that breaks the previous record set in the 1980's. Nothing about that is cool to me. Literally and figuratively.

Last week was a teaser for Fall. The high hardly got into the 70s most days, and the mornings and evenings were in the high 50s or low 60s. The epitome of perfect weather. The days were sunny with blue skies, but not hot. A nice breeze helped to keep the afternoon temperature just right.

Beautiful skies and colorful trees. Looking forward to seeing you both soon!

 This week, Mother Nature decided she needed to heat things up...ONE LAST TIME, I hope! I am so ready for Fall and everything that comes with it! Bring.It.On. My long sleeves, scarfs, hoodies, boots, etc. are ready for some action!



Big sweater. Tights. Boots.



The little sis and I - October in OHIO :) Ready to wear the North Face again!

 

Park with the nephews on a wonderful, cool day! Can't wait to do this again!







A Beautiful Day

Over the weekend we took our moms to see our wedding venue and meet with a local florist up in Cleveland, GA. I had been anxiously awaiting this day since it was planned weeks ago. Since the day Ryan and I saw Neverland Farms and fell in love (back in June), I couldn’t wait to show our moms, so this day has been much anticipated. We woke up to a gorgeous day, which I knew would be even more incredible in the North Georgia Mountains.

The one hour drive from Alpharetta to Neverland Farms is a beautiful one. However, if you’re prone to getting motion sickness, you don’t get to enjoy the scenery, and the drive becomes not so beautiful. Both of our moms were carsick halfway into the trip. We stopped along the way for them to take two minutes to get out and get some fresh air.

When we finally arrived and got out of the car by Dan’s Hall (where the reception will be held), both mom’s looked around to take it all in, and almost simultaneously said, “It looks even better than the pictures!” Phew- what a relief- they both loved it! Not that it would’ve mattered if they didn’t like it; our minds were made up (and the deposit is paid). J They both agreed that it was well worth the drive and the nauseous feeling they'd be stuck with all day.

As we walked the property to show them where the guys would hang out before the wedding, where guests are received and where we’ll say our I dos, tears were shed and smiles were fixated on all of our faces. It was a special time to share with just our moms.

After our tour and a brief meeting with Suzy (farm owner and wedding planner), we got back in the car to head toward Helen. We had a lunch date to make with Sherry of Gertie Mae’s Floral Studio. (Check her Facebook page out for pictures of her work!) Sherry and I had communicated via email and phone, but I couldn’t wait to meet her in person and talk flowers! Maybe it was the curly hair that is oh-so similar to mine, or her feisty personality, or just the fact that she is incredible at what she does, but I fell in love with her almost instantly. We talked way more than just flowers, enjoyed lunch, and ended the afternoon with a hug and a feeling of knowing each other for much longer than an hour. Fingers crossed that her pricing comes within our budget, so we can get her signed up for our big day next year!

Although it was a long day, I would call it a huge success. It was a reminder of how blessed we are to be able to plan this special day with both moms by our side.

Date- check! Venue- check!

We have a venue and a date! Back in May, I stumbled across pictures from some one's wedding. The scenery was breathtaking, everything I imagined a fairytale wedding would look like. Luckily, the photographer credited the location of the picture- Neverland Farms. Once I looked it up, I was in love. I found contact information through a Google search, and sent an email immediately. In no time, I heard back from the farm's owner, Suzy, and we were scheduling a visit to the site. On a Saturday in June, Ryan and I made the 1 hour venture north, into the beautiful mountains of Georgia, following directions Suzy gave us because any GPS will lead you astray. From the second the gravel drive lead us through the gates of the farm, we fell in love. Meeting Suzy, who is absolutely wonderful, sealed the deal for us. Neverland Farms would be our venue, and Suzy would help make all of our wedding dreams come true. We put it all in writing the following week, and the deal was sealed!

October 20, 2012. An evening ceremony and reception to follow at Neverland Farms in Cleveland, GA. It's still more than a year a way, but we are super excited! Let the countdown begin! Visit our wedding website for more details about our big day!

Without Further Ado

After almost 4 months, I have decided to venture back int the world of blogging! I would like to be able to say that my long break was due to laziness on my part, but that is not the case at all. I got so busy with work over the last few months that I've barely had time to think about our hectic life and everything going on. While I've only had time to go through the motions each day, or so it seems that way most of the time, I just couldn't justify time for blogging or even thinking about anything non-work related. I haven't even taken the time to keep up with my favorite blogs, so I've got a lot of catching up to do on that end, too! I've missed reading about what everyone else has going on, so I've got to make reading blogs and writing my own a priority again.

So much has happened in the last few months... I can't wait to share all of the excitement! I'll be posting like crazy to get caught up. So, without further ado, I'm back!

decisions, decisions...

So in the last 4 weeks or so, Ryan and I have made some big decisions. Decision #1- we’re waiting to buy a house, which is directly related to Decision #2- we set a date and we’re (finally) planning our wedding. I’ve already told you about the latter, but have had some questions about the house. Time to clear the air!

When we started looking for a house, we thought it was the right thing to do. The market is great, and we’re just blowing money renting each month. After spending some time searching for our perfect house, we failed to find anything we really, truly loved in our price range. We spent a lot of time talking and thinking about the decision, but ultimately decided it would be best for us to wait a while to buy a house. It’s probably the smartest thing to do, considering we’ll have more money and less debt in another year and a half or so, plus we’ll be making more money (if all goes well with work). Better debt-to-income ratio means we’ll be able to afford a nicer house in a price range that will have more options for us! PLUS when we really crunched the numbers, we discovered that there is no way we can buy a house and continue to save what we’re currently saving each month. That is critical because we are counting on our savings for a wedding. Well, there is no way we could buy a house now and still be able to afford to get married next fall. We’ve waited long enough to get married as it is, and we didn’t want to have to put it off even longer! It certainly was not an easy decision, but we feel like we made the right one. The dogs will have to live the apartment lifestyle with us for a while longer, but it’s not so bad. Besides, we’ve really settled into our apartment, anyway! I’m not quite ready to paint every wall back with primer and pack up all our stuff!

One Year Later.

Friday, April 30, 2010. This time last year Ryan and I were arriving in Statesboro for the Tim McGraw concert that was held at GSU. At the hotel getting ready, I had such short patience because I was rushed. Rushed because Ryan's mom called and asked if we could swing by Sweetheart Circle and take a few pictures (before our event) so she could have them for her frame. I didn't calculate that extra 15 minutes into the time I calculated to get ready and be at the event  by 6 PM, so I was not a happy camper. Little did I know that the extra 15 minutes required to go take a few pictures would lead to the biggest, happiest surprise of my life... our engagement!...

When Ryan's mom called to ask if we could run by Sweetheart Circle to take a few pictures, I agreed, but had no clue who would take the pictures. At the time, one of my best friends worked in one of the buildings on Sweetheart Circle, so I called and asked for the favor. Heather agreed, and met us there to be our photographer. She had no idea she was volunteering to photograph Ryan proposing!



The 2nd Picture
Still thought we were just taking pictures for his mom


After Heather took a couple of pics, Ryan asked her to take a "tall" shot. While she was adjusting the camera, he started moving... I thought he was just fixing his shirt and changing positions. When I turned to look at him, his hand came from his back pocket and I saw a ring box. I immediately screamed, "Ryan!," and turned around with my face in my hands... I was already crying and completely shocked!! When I turned back around, Ryan was down on one knee. He took my hand, told me how much he loved me, and said, "Will you marry me?" I, of course, said yes, and he slipped the ring on. I was sobbing, and I couldn't stop saying, "I can't believe this." 

The "tall" Picture
I turned around when I saw the ring box...



Then I turned back around...



Then I said yes...

 
When I finally turned to see Heather, she was crying, but still taking pictures. I am so glad that one of my best friends could be a part of it; I know she is, too. She took amazing pictures, caught every moment, and we are so thankful she was there!

Shocked! and saying, "I can't believe this!"

Right after I said yes, we enjoyed a night of Tim McGraw... perfect way to end the most amazing evening!



At the concert


We met and graduated together at Georgia Southern, so it was the perfect place to pop the question!

As I relive that story, it brings tears to my eyes. I never thought he would be able to surprise me... he completely shocked me!

It was the best day of my life...so far!

Happy Year Anniversary of our Engagement!!

Happy Planning!

Ryan and I have been putting it off for almost a year now, but we’re finally ready to start talking about a wedding! Our financial situation is different than most, and because we’ll be paying for every penny of our big day, we’ve been more hesitant about planning. Well, we think we’re at the point where we can start putting the time (and money) into our dream day.

We’ve always been set on an October wedding, so our goal is October 2012. We haven’t nailed down a particular date yet, but we hope to do so soon.  Eighteen months seems like it’s still so far away (especially since it’s already been a year), but it will be here before we know it. So, we’ll start a little early to make sure we have plenty of time to nail down every last detail.

So, we’ll soon be taking the time to visit several venues and hopefully begin to put the pieces together!

Let the planning begin! J (and yes, I'm sure I'll need loads of help!)

To Save or Vacation? That is the question.

Since January, Ryan and I have been little saving machines. Counting every dollar, pinching every penny. We’re both putting a set amount away per paycheck, as well as transferring anything extra over to savings that we don’t spend. Even though it is tough at times, we’ve done a really good job at sticking to it. When you have long term goals in mind, it makes it that much easier to save. We have a couple long term goals…pretty big ones. First, we plan to buy a house sometime (soon). Second, but almost as important, we have a wedding we’d like to start planning (and pay for). So, with those two things constantly on our minds (oh, and paying off debt), saving hasn’t been very hard…until now.

The arrival of clear, blue skies and beautiful, warm sunshine only means one thing for me. Vacation. It’s time to plan a vacation, specifically a beach vacation.

Dilemma. How do we justify a vacation when we’re trying to save? I feel like I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place on this one. Ryan is completely fine saying no to a vacation right now, but I’m not. I know we’re trying to save, and I understand the bigger picture- we want a house, a wedding, and to pay off debt- but I still feel like it’s okay to go on vacation. I think we need to go on at least one vacation a year. We need to get away from work, from the stress of everyday life, from everything…just the two of us. We work our butts off, and we deserve a week-long getaway.

With Ryan I know this is a fight I’m not going to win. According to him, our next vacation is 18 months away, which would be our honeymoon. And that’s assuming we definitely get married in October 2012. Looks like I have 18 months of misery ahead. 18 months of wishing I was on the beach, soaking up the sun. Misery.

I still beg to differ, but I’m pretty sure we’re just going to continue saving and forego a beach vacation this year. Sad. He might win this battle, but I can tell you this… When we do buy a house and (finally) get married, we will most definitely be going on one vacation every year, if not more. But definitely, AT LEAST one.

March 31

This blog was intended to be written on March 31, but due to Ryan and I getting into a car accident, my day didn’t go as planned. As the saying goes, better late than never! Truth be told, the story could be told on any given day. However, March 31 holds a special significance, which is why I was holding out for that specific date…

March 31 marked my dad’s birthday. Along with celebrating another great year of life, we were celebrating even more of a milestone. March 31 marked 3 years ago that my dad woke up, his body overtaken with paralysis.

It was one of the worst days of my life, if not the worst thus far. Here is the condensed story as told on my Facebook page the week it all unfolded: “My dad got into a motorcycle accident on Good Friday, but his injuries were not life threatening. He broke several ribs, his collar bone, and had a punctured lung. He had an epidural towards the top of his back for pain. There were complications with the epidural. He had what they are calling an epidural abscess that caused staph infection on his spine from C4/C5 all the way down to T10. He woke up Monday morning paralyzed from the infection. VERY hard to believe and take in. They did a Laminectomy operation and removed 14 inches of Lamina (vertebrae) from his back, which cleared the infection. He is in critical condition in Neuro ICU at Gwinnett Medical and will be transferred tomorrow morning (Thurs) to the Shepherd Center, which is the spinal hospital.  At this point, he is considered quadriplegic. They are not sure how much of his motor skills will be recovered. He has shown great improvement in his arms, but not so much in his legs. They are not sure if he will ever walk again, but I have lots of faith and hope that he will. He is on a ventilator, but they are pretty certain that he will breathe again on his own sometime in the next week or so.”

That was written three years ago. Today, I read this and remember the pain and the hurt to hear that my dad was paralyzed. I remember the fear of not knowing what was to come. The fear of not knowing what my dad’s life would be like, and how it would impact our family. The feeling of helplessness and hopelessness. Although there are so many painful memories associated with that passage, I can also read this and smile. I read this and think of how far he has come since March 31, 2008. I think of all the obstacles he has overcome to get where he is today, and I can’t help but smile, while my eyes are clouded with tears of joy.

Let me continue this story that I started to write three years ago…

My dad spent 68 days at Shepherd Center. During his time there, my dad worked very hard to recover some of his mobility. At one point during his stay at Shepherd, he was given the opportunity to try a “push” wheelchair; from that day forward, he’s never gone back to using a power chair. Since his release from Shepherd, he’s continued to get stronger and gain more mobility. Not quite two years into his recovery, he passed a driving test, and now drives a wheelchair accessible van using hand controls. The freedom to leave the house at his convenience has made all the difference in the world. Since driving, there aren’t many days that he hasn’t been out doing something. Every day that he is able, my dad goes to the park to push a couple miles, always setting goals and timing himself. If the weather prohibits him from exercising outdoors, he’ll go to Shepherd Center where he is a member of their gym, or go to a local mall to push indoors. He never lets anything hold him back. He’s adjusted to his life so well, and with the best attitude…it just blows me away. His positive attitude and Faith in God are the two things that have really pulled him through. During his stay at Shepherd, amidst the long days of therapy and hard work, my dad found time to be a huge inspiration to all the other patients. I was told on numerous occasions by family members of other patients that my dad had the best attitude, and that he was an inspiration. To this day, he continues to be an inspiration to everyone he encounters, touching their lives in a way that few others can. He volunteers as a mentor to a middle school aged boy who lacks a father figure in his life. He is the leader of his Brotherhood group at church. He volunteers at Shepherd Center on a weekly basis…the list goes on- he never really stops.

I think about where he is today, and reflect on the journey that’s brought him here. I don’t know any way to say it other than I am so proud of him. My whole life I’ve heard my dad tell me he’s proud of me. From school, to the soccer field, to my career, my dad has always let me know what my accomplishments mean to him. Do you have any idea what it’s like to be able to tell my dad how proud I am of him? It is the most incredible feeling in the world, one that I could never explain. I am proud to be his daughter. I am proud to have such an incredible man to look up to in my life I am proud to call him my father, and I am lucky that in my father, I have a hero.  

Happy Birthday, dad! Looking forward to another year of great accomplishments and strides toward your recovery. I love you.

Time..or Lack There Of

Just wanted to let all my blogging friends know that I have not given up on blogging (already), nor have I become a lazy terd. I just haven't had the time I'd like to sit down and write. The last couple weeks have been crazy for me, and so far, this week doesn't appear to be any different. I promise I will be back soon...there is a lot I want to share, so stay tuned and check back soon. This weekend I will definitely make the time if I don't find any before then! xxoo

FURminator

Ryan and I adopted Jack at the beginning of the January. We considered adopting for a while, but convinced ourselves that we wanted to wait. Low and behold, we met Jack unexpectedly on a routine trip to PetCo. He stole our hearts that Sunday afternoon, and we picked him up a week later.

Meet Jack!

Jack is a lab mix, who appears to be almost all black lab and…something else. Although we’re not sure what else he has in his genetic make-up, one thing is for sure… whatever it is, combined with lab, creates the world’s most shedding dog. I kid you not. You may think your dog sheds a lot…please, feel free to come over and check out our place anytime!

I was completely aware that labs do shed a lot. My whole extended family up in Ohio either owns a lab, or has owned (several) labs, so I know from experience. Besides, Brutus, our sweet terrier mix, sheds, too, so no big deal. We were used to our clothing, furniture, etc. being covered in Brutus hair, so a little Jack hair wouldn’t matter, or so we thought. Turns out a “little” Jack hair is more like a TON of Jack hair…and it goes a long way.

The last two months or so that we’ve had him, I’ve sort of come up with a motto that I tell myself each day. “Dog hair, don’t care!” Come to think of it, more specifically, I should say, “Jack hair, don’t care!” When I look around and see everything covered in Jack hair, I try to remind myself of what a sweet boy he is, what he adds to our little family and how much we love him (despite the hair). That saying pops up in my head every time. I love Jack, so I can’t care about the shedding...

Well, last week I noticed little chunks of his hair around our apartment. He was shedding EVEN MORE than usual, which I would have guessed was impossible. We paid the vet a little visit to ensure that he didn’t have any skin problems leading to the excessive shedding. Thankfully, everything was okay. The simple answer to the problem- he’s shedding his undercoat to prepare for warmer weather.

Fabulous.

The vet recommended a product called FURminator, which is pet shampoo and conditioner made to help reduce shedding. Ryan and I went to PetCo to purchase this wonderful product, and made big weekend plans to bathe Jack. At home. In our tub. BIG MISTAKE. Turns out the FURminator product actually works, and it works well! Below are some pictures of some of the hair that consumed our bathtub. Please note that the pictures only show a small portion of the Jack fur that came off during his bath. A large portion of it made it down the drain before clogging it.

A small portion of Jack hair that we were able to keep from going down the drain.

Gross, I know. If only you could have felt how heavy this bowl was.

After A LOT of cleaning, and half of a (large) bottle of Draino, our bathtub is operational again.

We learned to never, ever attempt to bathe Jack again. From now on he’ll be visiting our local Pet Boutique for his baths, whether it’s the season for him to shed his undercoat or not. We would much rather spend the money to have someone else go through the misery.

The Search Continues...

The last time I updated you about our house hunt, we were going to see a house (Dover Ave) a second time to see if we really wanted to put an offer in. After seeing it a second time, this time with family members in tow, we decided to make an offer. Our real estate agent informed us that an offer has just been put on the house, so we would be competing. We're always up for a little friendly competition, so we submitted our offer to the owner and gave them 48 hours to respond. They didn't need the whole 48 hours to let us know that they counter offered to the other offer they received... We're out, simply put.

At first I was almost relieved to hear that they went with the other offer. That may sound strange, but I was so nervous about it that I could hardly sleep for a couple of nights, and it was hard to focus at work. That house, and all the work it needed, consumed my thoughts. Plus, it was our first offer on our first home- that's enough to take my breath away for at least 30 seconds. I can't imagine how I would've responded had they accepted the offer!

After the feeling of relief set-in, I started to become a little disappointed. Mixed-emotions are pretty typical for me, as for just about every girl I know, so there's no surprise there. I was relieved that we didn't get it because the thought of the work to do and just buying a home was overwhelming, but then I was disappointed that we didn't get it because we really did love it. It would have been a great first home, despite all the work it needed. It would have been a great long-term home. Dare I say, it would have been a great family home...one day! None of that matters anymore because the Dover Ave house will not be ours. We're okay with that though. We know that it just means it wasn't met to be.

Spring is in the air, houses are going up for sale left and right, and our perfect house is somewhere out there! The search continues...

Mary Kay Andrews

As a child I loved to read. In elementary school I read all sorts of books, including every single Baby-Sitter Club book. At one point, I thought I was cool if I was reading really thick books, like Wuthering Heights, which I didn’t even understand. The point is I liked to read as a kid, whether it was a cheesy book from a series or a novel I couldn’t even comprehend. I thought I was cool because I was into reading.

When I was in 5^th grade, my teacher introduced me to a book called Number the Stars. It was about a young Jewish girl who didn’t look like the rest of her family. She had blonde hair, blue eyes and looked more like the accepted Aryan race. Her family decided to let her live with their neighbors so her life would be spared by the Nazis. She would easily pass as their child since she looked more like them, and nothing like her dark eyed, dark hair, Jewish parents. That book deeply intrigued me, so I went on to read The Diary of Anne Frank, I Have Lived a Thousand Years, and many, many other books related to the Holocaust and World War II. In fact, that is ALL I read about, unless I had to read something specific for school. There are few other books that I really enjoyed besides my Holocaust related books.

Sometime between the end of middle school and high school I lost just about all interest in books. For the most part, I didn’t have the time (or make the time) to read. Soccer and my social life pretty much consumed all my time. It was seldom that I found the time to pick up a book, but when I did, it was always, of course, a WWII or Holocaust related book. This non-reading period continued into college, again, because I didn’t really have the time to read. It wasn’t until I graduated from college that I developed a love for reading again…and all thanks to one author…

I was introduced to Mark Kay Andrews (her novels, at least) by my dear step-mother, Julia. We were in a hospital waiting room while my dad was having surgery, and I ran out of magazines to read. Julia, an avid reader, brought an extra book. She gave it to me and said, “I think you’ll enjoy this since you’ve spent a lot of time in Savannah. The novel is set in Savannah, and it’s just a fun, quirky book. It’s got all those things- mystery, suspense, love- that women love to read about.” I took it, reluctantly, thinking, I don’t typically read the books that ‘typical women’ read, but why not.

Savannah Blues was the title, and after reading one chapter I was hooked. I literally could not put the book down. Ryan came to the hospital when he got off of work. He saw me reading, and his first response was, “Really! Since when do you read?” I read the book in a few days’ time, only to go to Barnes and Noble and purchase the next book in the series, Savannah Breeze. Just as good, if not better, than Savannah Blues. The sequel to the first two, Blue Christmas, had to be special ordered because they usually only carry it around the Holidays. I was sad to finish the three because I wanted them to continue… I wasn’t ready to give up the characters. Mary Kay Andrews has four other books, thank goodness, but it didn’t take long for me to read all of those! Each one of them is equally pleasing- drawing me in to the point where I really don’t want to finish them because I don’t want them to end. It may sound silly, but I often continue to think about the characters once I’m done reading the book- wondering what if this happened?, what if that happened?, what if it ended like this?, etc.

I’ve shared my Mary Kay Andrews book with all the women I work with and some of my girlfriends. Everyone that reads them enjoys them just as much as I do. I recommend them to everyone! Please go buy her books. They are worth every penny and then some!

I recently went to her website just to check in and see if there is anything new. I checked out the “contact” section, and found that you can email her- the message really goes to her- and she’ll try to reply. I sent her a quick message about how much I love her novels and how I’ve shared them with so many people that equally enjoy them. SHE WROTE BACK to let me know how much she appreciated my kind words, and most importantly, to tell me she’s working on another book that will be out June 7^th!!  To say I was excited is an understatement- my calendar is marked! Oh, and it gets better… Her upcoming novel is a sequel to Blue Christmas, so my favorite characters will be back!

If you’re in need of a good book, please look up Mary Kay Andrews. I suggest starting with Savannah Blues, then Savannah Breeze, then Blue Christmas, but those are the only three you need to read in order. The other four are individual novels that are separate stories with different characters. It’s almost time to lay by the pool on the weekends…don’t go without one of her books!

House Hunt

I owe everyone an update on the house hunt, as promised. Our first venture out into the world of for sale signs was February 26. We didn't expect to find and fall in love with a house our first time out...or did we?

We had our eye on a particular old, charming ranch in one of our favorite areas. Its curb appeal and huge yard really caught our eye. Not to mention, it was walking distane to the park in which we take the dogs every weekend. The inside was updated nicely, and from pictures we really thought it might be THE house. It was on the top of our list to see the first time out, and I was so anxious about it. Walking around inside the house and trying to imagine ourselves there was a complettely different experience than I expected...it didn't feel right. It was sort of sad in a way because we had this built up expectation for that cute little house. To say it failed our expectations might be an understatement. In the end, we were relieved to scratch that one off the list and move on with the hunt. The three others we looked at that day aren't even worth mentioning.



This is the Wills Rd. house that we thought we would love. Although it's off the list, I thought I'd share it with you.

Our second time out was another flop. Just more houses to cross off the list. I didn't expect this process to be wasy, but I did expect we would like more than we do. I guess you could say we're picky, but buying a house is a BIG deal. We want what we want, and we won't settle for less. Yes, we realize there will be some compromises along the way, but we certainly won't make any huge sacrifices.

Last Sunday we went out on our third venture. We only went to see one house that Ryan and I have been eying for a couple weeks now. I felt the same anxious anticipation that I had when we went to see the Wills Rd. house. Everyone knows the saying "the third time is the charm." Would that hold true for us int his situation?... It just might!

We went to look at this big (to us), beautiful, charming, white Victorian looking house on Dover Ave. It's in a neighborhood and area that we LOVE. It's one of those older, well established neighborhoods. You know, the ones with houses that have huge yards, with kids that ride their bikes through the streets and play games in each others' front yards, and couples that walk their dog(s) together hand in hand and wave to everyone they pass. It's even more than we were looking for in our first home, but that's the best part... We could grow into the house, and potentially be there for a very long time!

There are several pros to the house, but we've also made a list of cons, which every house is going to have. We originally hoped to find a house that was a bit more "move-in ready" than Dover Ave is. However, the more we think about that fact, the more we like the idea of not buying a house that's already "perfect." Dover Ave needs some TLC, which would allow us to really make it our own. It's got a lot of character as is, but it's somewhat of a blank slate. Ryan and I like the idea of making it our own and growing into it. We're both pretty handy, and we enjoy weekend projects, so it may be fun for us to take on this project.

Our real estate agent is working to get more details on the house this week. He's working to find out how much negotiation room there is because they're asking too much, especially considering the amount of work that needs to be done. Based on his research, we'll decide if we want to make an offer! In the mean time, we're trying not to get too excited about it because we have to be prepared to walk away if they won't budge on their asking price. Some things just aren't meant to be, and we have to keep that in mind.

I'll end on a positive note... a picture of what COULD be our first home. It's certainly too early to tell, but it's a definite contender for now!

A Moment of Thanks

"Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation."
-- Brian Tracy

As I was getting gas this morning, I couldn't help but take a few moments to think about how lucky we are.

Ryan drives a big, lifted truck that gets horrible gas mileage...and he doesn't have a short commute. I have an SUV, which isn't great with gas, but my commute is only a few miles to and from work. There are several times I've stopped to think, or said aloud to Ryan, "Do you realize how lucky we are? We are so blessed to be able to fill our tanks with gas when needed."

But seriously... With the recent rise in gas prices, it's even more appropriate to talk about. I got tears in my eyes thinking about it this morning. So many people can only afford to put a few dollars of gas in their car at a time, if that. I am so fortunate to be able to spend the more than $60 to fill up. Ryan's truck costs a small fortune to fill up these days, but we can do it without feeling the financial strain that so many people are feeling now more than ever.

These days I have so much to be thankful for, and I just wanted to take a moment to share it with you!

"Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough."
-- Oprah Winfrey

The Search is On!

Ryan and I often use the term “one day” to describe things we want in life. For example, “When we can finally afford to get married…one day!” Or, “One day, when we have kids…” Ryan’s favorite, “That’s what truck I want…one day maybe I can get it.”

Well, one of our “one days” has finally come around to present day. We are starting the search for our first house! Scratch the word house…we’re looking for a HOME!

We moved out of his parents’ house early last October, after staying there longer than we anticipated. No ill feelings. In fact, we could’ve stayed as long as we wanted, but it was just our time. We were thrilled to find an apartment that met all of our needs, including a double vanity in the master bath! We spent a whole week painting every room (and hallway) of the apartment because we couldn’t live in a sea of white walls. We purchased furniture, and have spent time decorating and adding our own touch. It’s a cozy little place that we enjoy, but it’s lacking one big thing… it’s an apartment, not a HOME, and we can’t call it our own.

After several weeks of talking through things (over and over again) and crunching the numbers, we’ve decided that we’re ready to take on this journey, and start a new chapter of our life…home ownership!  We’ve recently been preapproved to purchase a home, so with that letter in hand, we’re ready to start looking…and the overwhelming feeling of anxiety sets in…

I’ve been looking, searching, and scouring websites for houses that fall within our budget and comfort level. It’s not the easiest task considering we’re looking to remain in Alpharetta, one of the more expensive suburbs of Atlanta. In fact, it’s quite a chore. Location is the most important factor in our search (and a double vanity), so we’re not willing to sacrifice that. Time isn’t necessarily on our side either, considering our lease is up at the end of June. Four months. Time flies these days, and it certainly won’t slow down for Liz and Ryan to find their dream home. We’ve got our work cut out for us the next few months, but it’s a buyer’s market right now (plus we have an agent), so things will work out just like they’re supposed to.

If any of you want to keep an eye out for us, here is a list of our must haves:

·         Double vanity!

·         Big, level backyard for our kids (aka dogs)

·         3 BR, 2 BA (minimum)

·         Decent kitchen and bathrooms that don't need much work

·         Two car garage

There are a lot of other wants, but the wants are all negotiable. J

For now, the search is on!... I will certainly be keeping everyone posted on the progress!

Oh, and I know some people will read this and wonder when we're ever going to get married. The question arises, "If they're buying a house, does that mean they're putting off the wedding even longer?" My answer... ONE DAY, people! I'm sure that topic will be addressed in a future post.

Cardstock Photo Images

I'm known by most of my friends as the one you can count on to always have a camera. From middle school, to high school, and throughout college, I captured just about every moment possible in photographs. I still enjoy photography, but I have let myself get pretty lazy these days. I blame it on one thing, no two things... the invention of the digital camera and lack of time.

In middle school and high school I used a camera that was probably my parents. I don't recall having my own camera, so it had to be my parents Cannon that I took everywhere. I always carried a spare roll or two of film, just in case, and I snapped pictures everywhere I went. Disposable cameras became big at that time, so I'm sure I used those quite frequently, as well. Either way, I was taking pictures on rolls of FILM, which meant I had to have them developed in order to see the goods. My mom wouldn't let me do the one hour developing because it was too expensive, so I always had to drop it off and hope it would be ready in 3 or 4 days. To say I was anxious to pick them up is probably an understantement. I have boxes of pictures from middle school and high school, organized by date and event. I may not look at them now, but I think it will be pretty neat to look at them 10 or 20 years from now.

My first year of college, I remember scanning pictures into my computer in order to put them on my Facebook page. What a time consuming, pain in the rear! It didn't take long for me to break down and splurge on a digital camera... a whopping 4 megapixels back then! My photo world was forever changed after that purchase. All of a sudden, I could see copies of the pictures, delete them, retake them... there is less of a need to have them printed when you've already seen them. That was the beginning of forever looking at empty frames. Not really empty frames, but frames with cardstock images of friendly looking people- happy couples, perfect families, laughing girlfriends, etc.

In college, I did an okay job of taking the time to print pictures. I was able to fill some frames, make some scrap books, and give copies of pictures to friends and family. There are certain events that I slacked more than others on. More particularly, my study abroad trip to Poland in which I took almost 2,000 pictures in 4 weeks... I have printed a small handful of pictures from that trip, but nothing like I had planned (and bought frames for).

Now that I've graduated from college, and the "real world" has taken over my life, I find it even harder to take pictures, let alone print them! So many great photo opportunities have been overlooked due to the fact that I've just become lazy with it. I also partially blame my oh-so-cooperative fiance, who just loves taking pictures. Yes, I'm being sarcastic. In the beginning of our relationship, he seemed to love taking pictures, but I've discovered that was all an act. He was willing to do whatever it took to make me happy in the beginning. Now that I have a ring on my finger, pictures of the two of us are few and far between.

We moved into an apartment back in late September. I couldn't wait to start decorating and make it our own. We painted all the walls, bought fabulous furniture, and things really started to come together. When it came time to unpack the box labeled "Picture Frames," I suddenly felt overwhelmed. I unpacked the frames that already had pictures in them, and placed them throughout the apartment...that was the easy part. The overwhelming part? I have several empty frames. Very nice, ornate frames, all filled with black and white cardstock images. I placed all the "empty" frames around the apartment in the locations I think they look best. That was 5 months ago... they're all (still) placed nicely, (still) displaying images of people I don't know.

One day, sooner than later, I am hoping to have some of my digital pictures printed, so the cardstock photo images can be replaced with familiar faces that will ignite a memory when I look at them...

I am considering purchasing an old camera that will force me to get the film developed. I am also working on making more time in my life to both take and (print out) or develop pictures!

Follow the Leader

I never imagined myself setting aside the time to create and keep up with a blog. Considering that this is my first post (and could be my last), I guess I am mistaken to say "keep up with" since I have yet to do so. Regardless, the reason I have taken this on is because I have a few fabulous girlfriends who have amazing blogs, each of which has inspired me to step out, and follow their lead into the blogging world!

Please note that this whole blog of mine is still under construction, as I am trying to figure the whole template/format issue out. That is not, however, why my blog title starts with "Under Contruction." For those of you who know me, you know I am not your normal girl. Who is, right? I have a degree in Construction Management, and work for a commercial general contractor. I am currently an Estimator, but spent the first 18 months in the field. The picture is just for laughs because I know most of you seem to get a kick out of it.

Ryan, my wodnerful fiance, is also an Estimator. He works for a commercial paint subcontractor. My company, as a general contractor, hires Ryan's company, as a subcontractor, to do just about all of the painting on our jobs. We don't directly work together, but we do use each other (quite often) as resources when we have questions. It's kind of nice coming home and being able to talk about work, and really understand what one another is talking about! Since we both work in the Construction industry, it was only fitting to title my (our) blog accordingly.

We have a lot of exciting things going on in our life right now, so what better way to keep track of it all. Since our lives are constantly under construction, this blog will serve as the building blocks (memories, thoughts, feelings, reflections, etc.) toward our future together!

Caution: You're Entering a Construction Site. Hard Hats Required...at times anyway ;)