Courageous

Two weekends ago Husband and I spent Saturday evening at our new church.  They were having a church-wide viewing of the movie Courageous, that would kick off several weeks of themed messages on Sunday mornings and bible studies / small groups.  If you haven't seen the movie you most definitely should!  Husband and I don't have children of our own yet, but it really made us think about the type of parents we want to be when we do decide to have children.

In other church news, we officially placed our membership at Northside Community Church a few Sundays ago.  They are currently meeting in a shopping center, but will be moving into an actual church building within the next few months.  We are excited to be a part of the transition! We will also be taking Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University.  I've heard a lot of good things about it, so I can't wait to get started!

Long Time, No Talk!

Wow!  It's been a really long time since I've written anything down, but I think it's time to get started again so that I can remember all the things that are happening in my life.


Since it's been a year since I've written I'll quickly recap what's been going on (in pictures!)--

 I graduated from UNC Chapel Hill in May.  Go Tarheels!

I got hired full time at Schneider Electric.  I was hired into a position that wasn't my favorite, but I was moved into the position that I interned for in October.  It's really challenging some days, but I like it!

 I got married to KOTR in June.

Husband and I bought our first home in Wake Forest, NC in November.

Husband and I have a lot lined up for 2012.  I really hope to blog constantly so that we'll be able to look back at the year and marvel at all we've done!!

Can't Get This Out of My Head!

Progress.

It seems like everyone is talking about their New Year's resolutions and all this talk has got me thinking about my own resolutions.  To be honest, I don't really make resolutions--by February I forget what I promised myself I would try to improve.

2011 is going to be about moving forward: I begin my last semester of college, I begin the search for a job, I graduate from college, I move out of my college apartment--leaving behind 3 of the best roommates I could have ever asked for, and most importantly I'm getting married!  And it's hard to believe that all those things are going to happen before July!

This year I've decided that rather than make a resolution, I'm going to choose something to focus on this year.

Progress.

I want to focus on progress in these areas:

• Prepping myself to be the best wife I can be.
• Money management. 
• My job search and ultimately my career.
• My health.
• My faith.

Right now I'm finding it really easy to get discouraged.  I'm a huge planner and right now it feels like I can't plan for much.  KOTR and I have no idea where we'll be living after our wedding and I have no idea if I'll get a job.  Those two things are proving to be extremely stressful.  I'm hoping that by focusing on progress I will be able to focus on the steps that I'm taking to get to where I ultimately want to be.  With a some hard work and faith I just need to trust that everything will work out!

2011 is going to bring so many new and exciting things.  I want to make sure that I focus on moving forward and bettering myself this year!

Holiday Treats: Sausage Balls

I had a wonderful Christmas, and I hope y'all did too.  Unfortunately my family and I didn't get to do too much because my middle sister and mom were pretty sick during the days leading up to Christmas.  Luckily they are on the mend now!

Every Christmas season I always get into a cooking mood.  Sausage balls are always a staple in our household during this time of year.  I usually make them the day before Christmas Eve, but since we were dealing with sickness I didn't get a chance to make them until Christmas Day.

I thought sausage balls were a pretty typical treat, but KOTR had never heard of them...so maybe it's a Southern thing.  Here's the super easy recipe:

Sausage Balls

3 cups Bisquick mix

1.5 pounds of sausage--I like to mix hot and regular sausage.  I also recommend using Neese's sausage for the best flavor!

1.5 pounds sharp cheddar cheese 

Mix all of the above ingredients together until they are totally incorporated. 

Roll into small round balls.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes or until you hear them start to sizzle.

Let them cool for about 5 minutes and enjoy! 

I totally forgot to take a picture of the finished product!

I hope everyone has been staying warm during the past few days!  It sure has been cold here in NC!

Plans For Christmas Break

I just got back in town after a long weekend in MD with KOTR.  I forgot my camera charger, so I didn't take any pics while I was there.  Major fail.  I had a wonderful time hanging out with KOTR and his cousins.  Now I'm just counting down the days until we see each other again! :-)

As y'all know from my lack of blogging this semester, I've been extremely busy.  Over Christmas break I don't have to do any work or schoolwork.  I have to start planning UNC Dance Marathon, but other than that I'm free!!  Since I've got so much time on my hands, I've compiled a "to-do" list to keep me occupied.

• Watch the last season of One Tree Hill.
• Work out at least 4 days a week.
• Skype with KOTR.
• Create policy manuals and volunteer schedules for UNC Dance Marathon.
• Plan a special outing for the next time KOTR comes to NC.
• Keep my blog updated!
• Begin invitation list for the wedding.
• Sleep in!!

We shall see how this goes!!

Christmas Wish List!

Hello - is there anybody out there?!?  I realize it's been a really long time since I've updated.  Working almost 40 hours a week, going to school full time, planning UNC Dance Marathon and a wedding haven't left me with much extra time for blogging.  That will definitely change next semester!  I'm taking some time off from my internship and I'm only taking one class next semester.  That's the wonderful life of a second semester senior!

Here's a few things I've been eying this holiday season:

 How cute is this?  I found it on Etsy. It would be perfect for keeping my ears warm without messing my hair up! 

Yeah, yeah.  I know these probably won't look that great in a size ten, but they look so comfy!  I know they would be wonderful for the marathon in February!  

I am in love with these Nine West booties.  Actually, I'm just loving all booties these days!

With all this nasty winter weather Chapel Hill has been getting I've decided I've got to have these LL Bean boots.  I'm realizing that I definitely don't have appropriate snow/ice gear!

Honestly if I had to choose my favorite things off my list it would be the headband and the LL Bean boots.  I realize they aren't the most trendy and they wouldn't really make a fashion statement, but I can't catch a break when it comes to walking outside in less-than-favorable conditions!  I walked around with wet feet all day today and it was no fun at all!

On another note, A Charlie Brown Christmas is on ABC right now.  I usually watch this movie with my sissys...can't wait to be home with them!  More importantly, I can't wait to see my fiancé tomorrow!!  I'll have updates from my trip to MD soon! 

weekend.

It's been a little crazy this week, my papa's birthday cookout is tomorrow, so I came home for the weekend. My mom, dad, and sisters aren't home, right now they're in Atlanta playing basketball.  So it turns out that it's really great I came home...

My mom's mom was having severe arm and chest pain yesterday morning.  My uncle had to take her to the hospital [she's still there] and there's no one to sit with my papa.  My aunt is going to be going by to check on him periodically, so I'm going to be able to help with that.

So please keep my family in your thoughts this weekend.

On a more positive note, I nailed down a DJ for the wedding!  I have a feeling he's going to be great!

toe tapping thursday.

this song really helped motivate me on the treadmill today:

toe tapping thursday.

haven't done this in a while!

Seriously?!?! Are You Kidding Me?!?!

Woah! Today has been one of those crazy days full of ups and downs.

I got to work early today for a meeting, only to find out I didn't actually need to be there.  I was pretty upset about it because I could have slept at least 45 minutes longer this morning.  I didn't have much to do this morning, so time went by so slowly!  However, when the afternoon rolled around I was a busy little bee!

At work I'm putting together a survey and spent the majority of my busy afternoon working on it.  I normally leave work right at 5:00, but I really wanted to get to a good stopping point with the survey, so I hung around the office a little later than I normally do.

I got in the car to drive home and the radio was still tuned to NPR from my morning commute and there was an interesting story being broadcast, so I decided to leave it on for a little while.  I am so thankful I did because the traffic report came on as I was driving down I-540, just a few miles before I was about to exit to I-40.  I-40 was totally shut down in Durham County due to a bomb threat near Southpoint Mall.

I immediately hit the detour button on my GPS, was rerouted, and was pleasantly surprised.  The detour was only going to tack on 8 extra minutes.  I could totally handle that.

Well the GPS was wrong, and I mean big time wrong.  Apparently everybody and their brother thought it would be a great idea to take the same detour I was taking.  It took me 2 freaking hours to get back to CH tonight.  I wanted to rip my hair out by the time I finally got home.

And y'all want to know the best part?  Later I found this on a local news station's website, "Acting Assistant Chief of Durham Police, Captain D.C. Allen, said the device was actually foam tubing with white tape and bungee cord around the top. Police think it may have come from a boat; possibly some sort of a buoy."

Are you kidding me?!?!?!?!

2011 Dance Marathon Overall Committee

Here's that post I promised that doesn't relate to weddings or work!

As y'all know from a previous post I'm on the 2011 Overall Committee for the UNC Dance Marathon.  Our mid-summer progress is due in a week, so it's been on my front burner for the past few days.

I thought now would be a great time to introduce y'all to 13 AMAZING ladies that are all going to do great things for the kids this year!

Sarah Beth: Overall Coordinator 

Olivia: Alumni Relations

Courtney: Business Management

Galen: Campus Fundraising

Cathy: Community Events

B. Rand: Corporate Marketing

Alice: Entertainment

Christine: Event Donations

Bethany: Fundraising Projects

Gracie: Hospital

Emma: Morale

Katie: Outreach

Becca B.: Publicity 

I can't even begin to express to y'all how excited I am to work with these girls over the course of the next 8 months!  I can't wait to form a special bond with each and every one of them.  On that same note...I can't wait to meet Christine--she's been abroad, so I hope to meet her soon!

Y'all better get used to me talking about the girls a lot!!

meetings.

At work I am able to interact with all types of people.

Quite possibly one of my most favorite engineers to work with is Machine Safety Dave.  Machine Safety Dave is a Product Manager with the best sense of humor.  I've been lucky to work closely with him because he's been convinced by others in the company to attempt to market Schneider Electric's machine safety products using social media.

Machine Safety Dave recommended Dilbert.  I told him that I'd read the comic strip before and thought I was mildly funny, but it definitely wasn't one of my favorites.  He told me to go back and read it again after working for such a large company, he claimed I would see it in a whole new light...and boy, he was right on the money!

Here's my favorite that I've read so far (especially since we reserve meeting rooms and attend meetings for the majority of the working day):
 

[if you can't see three columns you'll have to click the comic to enlarge it]

Maybe if y'all get lucky I'll think of something other than work and the wedding to blog about! :)

chug a lug.

Alright y'all, today I'm going to talk about something that pretty little Southern girls aren't supposed to talk about.

I've been trying to be a little more healthy this summer, so I've been trying to drink a lot of water.  By a lot, I really do mean A LOT.  I'll probably refill my bottle 4 to 5 times a day.  So naturally I have to [you know] quite a bit.

As y'all know, I work in an office full of cubicles. So, I just want to put out a public apology to the man that sits in the cubicle right outside the restroom.  I probably walk past/interrupt him 6 times a day.  I know he probably thinks I've got some serious issues.  Promise, I don't!

Maybe it's a sign that I should slow down with the water!?

I don't think I will though...I can really tell a difference in the way I feel!  So once again, man-in-the-cubicle-next-to-the-restroom, I'm sorry.

ready for the weekend.

Are y'all as ready for the weekend as I am?

Well I am practically jumping up and down because of all the fun things that I get to do this weekend!

Tomorrow KOTR is coming!  I'm so excited, this will be the first time I've seen him in 4 weeks!  Hopefully he'll be here right as I'm getting off work and then we'll be hopping in the car to head to my hometown for the night.

 Aren't I so lucky to be able to call such a pretty place home??

As y'all know from my previous posts, I've been doing a lot of wedding planning.  Last weekend the crew that went dress shopping and I toured this possible venue:

It was really nice and only about 15 minutes away from my house.  I thought I had made up my mind and I even had the event coordinator pencil KOTR and I in for June 11, 2011...but then I discovered this place:

OMG I think I'm in love.  It's a vineyard located in Ronda, NC about 40 minutes away from my house.  Y'all really should check out their website.  The photos on the site are breathtaking.  I can't get enough of them!  While I was at work yesterday I kept the website up all day and every time I got a free second I just sat and stared [and maybe daydreamed a little about my dream wedding!].

I am overjoyed that KOTR gets to tag along to tour the vineyard tomorrow!! [Although if I had to guess I'd say he's not too thrilled.]

And to top it off we're having our engagement photos taken in Chapel Hill on Saturday evening!!!  I'm so happy that a family friend, Jenny [check out her blog!], as agreed to take them!  I know she is going to be great!

Have a good Friday y'all!

THE dress.

This past weekend I went home to go wedding dress shopping!

I decided to bring my mom, my grandma, my sisters, and my MOH.  My grandma treated us to breakfast at Cracker Barrel before my appointment, and it sure was good!

 3 of 6 bridesmaids (+ me, of course!) waiting for breakfast

the beautiful MOH and myself!

Before the weekend I had looked through a couple bridal magazines and what seemed like thousands of dresses online.  I had decided that I loved the designer Maggie Sottero, but I was trying not to get too attached because I'd heard that most of her dresses started at $1,000 and I just didn't want to spend that much.

I'd heard so many good things about this bridal boutique in Yadkinville and I would highly recommend it!

For what it lacks in the fancy-ness department, it made up for with the bargains!  They had a good selection of dresses.  The best part about it was the wonderful customer service.  I couldn't have asked to be helped by any nicer ladies.  They were great!!

I picked out 7 or 8 dresses, but after I tried on dress number 2, I knew it was THE ONE!!  I just couldn't wipe this cheesy grin off my face:

I had to do a whole bunch of editing to this....I don't want to give KOTR any ideas! ;)

I was so excited because the dress I chose was a Maggie Sottero dress and it didn't cost any where near $1,000!  I was the happiest girl in the world while I had my dress on!  I can't wait to finally wear it for KOTR and see the look on his face!

If KOTR tries to get any of y'all to tell him what it looks like, describe this one to him:

 That will really have him sweating bullets! HA!

work, work, work, all day long.

I've been so preoccupied listening to the wedding bells in my future that I haven't updated y'all on my job for the summer!

For those of you that know me, you know I was VERY stressed about not having a job.  I put in tons and tons of applications, and I am happy to say that I FINALLY GOT AN INTERVIEW with this company:

 

I left the interview feeling a little less than confident, but I hoped for the best nonetheless.  They said I would hear something within about a week and a half, and I'll just be real honest, I was a nervous wreck.  I was so worried that I wasn't going to have a job for the summer!

On Friday, May 14 [yes I know I'm a little late updating the blog, don't rub it in too much] KOTR and I were getting ready for our good friends J and K's wedding when I got a phone call.  I GOT THE JOB!  Wooo Hooo!  I can't even begin to describe how excited I was!  And to top it off, we headed to one of the best weddings I've been to in a while!

J and K's carriage ride right after the ceremony....aren't they so cute!?!

Sidenote: J is going to be KOTR's best man!  I am so thankful to have such wonderful friends like J and K.  They have been so welcoming and friendly to me...they will never know how much I appreciate them!

Alright, back to the job...even though it's not nearly as much fun to talk about as weddings! :)

Today marks the start of my third week at work and I'm finally getting settled.  I'm finally getting used to working in a huge building with what seems like a gazillion people!  I feel sort of like I'm a character in the movie Office Space because I spend the majority of my day in a cubicle. 

I still need to spruce up my area, but they'll be shifting me around within the next couple of weeks, so I plan on taking in pictures and a Carolina pom-pom as soon as I get settled!

I'm working as part of their Marketing team, more specifically with their Program Management team.  At first I was worried because I didn't know anything about the products they make, but it's getting easier.  I've learned the basics..and for those of you that are wondering...Schneider makes a lot of things for and related to industry automation systems.

It's right up my alley.  The Program Managers basically delegates tasks to a "team" that is focused on one end goal, whether it be a promotional event or a product launch.  They also oversee parts of the project and do a lot of communicating between the members of the team.  They do other stuff too, but I figured y'all don't really care that much! ;)

Keep me in mind over the summer.  I'm praying that something good comes out of this summer job!

crazy morning.

Wow. This morning just hasn't gone as planned.

I was supposed to be at work this morning for my job at Campus Rec at 7:30. I wasn't happy about having to be awake that early, but I woke up at 6:30 ready to take on the day. I found out last night that the reason I had to be at work so early was Sylvia Hatchell's Woman's Basketball Camp. The campers weren't going to get to the gym until 8:00, so I decided I'd get to work around 7:45. In theory, that would give me plenty of time to unlock all the doors and turn on all the lights in the gyms.

Welllll.....

I barely got everything done before the campers arrived.

I couldn't get the master keys out of this stupid thing:

Ugh. What a damper that dumb thing put on my morning. [Can y'all tell I'm just a little bitter?!?]

I guess it wasn't all bad. It could have been worse. The guy running the camp was really nice and understanding. He even tried to get the box to open.

I called the Campus Police and luckily they were able to get everything done for me.

I was so irritated about that lock box, so I was determined I was going to get it open before my boss had to come in and do it for me. [Knowing my luck, he'd have come in and gotten it open right away.] I kept working and working [and maybe swearing] at it, and I finally got that darn thing opened.

...And all this happened before 9:00.

It's going to be a long shift, but I have this...



to look forward to this afternoon!!

Details...Finally!

Shew. The past 2 weeks have certainly been a whirlwind. I'll give y'all a quick overview of what has happened in my life!!

Mother's Day was a very special day for me for a couple of reasons.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to be with my mom for Mother's Day because it was Graduation Sunday at Carolina. I thought it was important that I stay for graduation because I have I have several friends that were graduating. Here's some pictures...

me and my beautiful friend, Mandalin, right before the graduation ceremony

myself, Mandalin, Katie, and Michele right after the graduation ceremony

I can't believe that I'll be wearing a Carolina blue gown a year from now! It's scary to think that I'm officially a senior in college now!

Now for the most exciting part...I GOT ENGAGED!

KOTR spent the previous weekend at a Bachelor Party for the wedding we attended last Friday. He came to my apartment after the Bachelor party and we planned to spend a few days in my hometown before we headed to the beach for the wedding. I knew he was going to be in CH around 5:30 so I wanted to have supper cooked by the time he got to my apartment. He came in as I was getting ready to mash the mashed potatoes. He stood in the kitchen said something like "I know we aren't supposed to be keeping secrets from each other, but there's something I need to tell you." I started freaking out because I thought something had happened at the Bachelor party. He got down on one knee and asked me to marry him! Of course I said yes! Once I had calmed down I was able to really look at the ring....

I'll say he did a real good job! :)

The big day is scheduled for June 11, 2011!!!

I'M GETTING MARRIED!

details will come soon..PROMISE!