I've got the shopping bug

This whole "we need to save money" thing has really cut into my shopping adventures...

and it is time to change that!

Jared gave me "permission" to spend a little money this weekend on some new summer attire. Not that I really NEED permission, but you know its that whole marriage-respect-thing. :)

I am so excited that I don't even know where to begin. I really need some new capris and shorts for summer and maybe a few shirts/tank tops. I am pretty set on shoes, but a girl can never have to many, right? :) I also want some new summery body sprays and lotions for the summer and maybe a new purse. I know... its a lot. I will need to prioritize.

I plan to hit the good ole Old Navy, Maurices, Kohls, TJ Max, and Target first and then off to the mall if I don't find what I need at the "cheap" stores. I mean, come on... I am on a budget here, haha. I may decide to head over to Michigan City to the outlet mall too, who knows? They have Coach outlet there..... that makes me happy :)

Anyway, not much else going on except this week has been dreadful. Work has sucked, the weather has sucked and I have had cramps. BLAH! Today is the first day I didn't wake up cranky, so that helped.

Happy Thursday everyone!

It's going to be 80 degrees today!!!!!

I am so excited and I barely stand it!

Ah, I love spring and summer. You will very rarely hear me bitch and complain when it is hot in the summer. I love the warmth and the sun, there is just nothing like it. I don't like humidity, so you may hear me complain about that because my hair goes absolutely NUTS! :)

But, oh the warmth.... I can't wait.

Just a few things I love about spring and summer:
1. Staying up until 10 p.m. and the sun is still out and giving us a beautiful sunset (eastern time is awesome for the summer)
2. Coconut and Pineapple body sprays, lotions and tanning oils. I love that smell all year around, but for reason it feels wrong to use it when there is 2 feet of snow on the ground.
3. Flip flops... need I say more?
4. BBQs with friends
5. Blooming trees and flowers
6. Watermelon
7. Going to Lake Michigan
8. Millennium and Grant Parks in Chicago
9. Laying in the sun and taking dips in the pool to cool off
10. My birthday! :)

I could go on and on. What are your favorite things about spring and summer?

Sweet Tooth

and she's in trouble for it

Hicks brought home some homemade (at least he thought they were homemade) cinnamon rolls that his mom made when he was in KS. They were in a large Ziploc bag that he had placed on top of the counter in the kitchen. Now, let me just say, that Jada does not get on the counters when we are home. OOhhhh... noooo. She is sneaky. She waits until we are gone to explore the kitchen counters.

Well, She found the bag and Jared was the first one home to witness what she had done to the bag. She knocked it off the counter and tore into it. She had sticky icing all over her face and her neck.

She has done this before with something from the trash can and Jared had to put her under the shower to clean off. Well, this time was no different. I came home and she was sorta skittish and hiding and I didn't figure out why until I heard the story. :)

I think she has some extreme hatred towards Hicks because she KNOWS that he hates her. I told him if he would just act like he loves her maybe she wouldn't be so mean. I don't think he is buying it, haha

I love my baby kitty... but sometimes she likes to test my patience. Can't wait to have a child, haha.

Things I failed to mention on the last blog

Can't believe I forgot to talk about this...

A couple of things that annoy me about northern Indiana people (besides their accents):

1. When they hear you are from Kansas they say, "wow, really Dorothy? Isn't it really flat there? What is there to do there?" OH MY GOD! Ok, first of all my name is not Dorothy and second of all THE PLACE YOU LIVE IS FLAT TOO!! It is probably more flat in the South Bend/Mishawaka area than in southeast Kansas. So, get over it people. You aren't better, so get over it. When they find out that Wichita is about the size of the area we live, they acted shocked, like there can't possibly be any town in KANSAS that is big. They act like KC is small too, yeah right. It is sooo annoying and it will always drive me bonkers.

2. No one up here likes country music. Ok, I have met a few, but they aren't even from this area originally. Like I said... it must be the vicinity to Chicago, or the massive ghetto population we have here, I don't know. But, it is nearly impossible to find a good country music station up here. I have found one that I like, and most days I don't even like it very much.

Ok, I think I am done venting :)

Been a Hoosier for a year now

I can't believe it!

Well, an entire year has gone by since Jared and I loaded up everything we owned into a moving truck, said goodbye to our cozy little house in Girard and the SEK area we had called home for 8 years and headed north. It hardly seems possible that it has been this long because I still find myself telling people that I JUST moved here from Kansas. I guess because it still feels like I JUST moved here the other day.

I am adjusting well, but I still miss Kansas all the time. There is something to be said about the people of the heartland and southern hospitality. Up here, you really don't see it as much. A girl who is from southern Indiana once told me that northern Indiana and southern Indiana are like two different worlds... the people up here are different, maybe because of the vicinity to Chicago. I'm not saying everyone is rude and crude, but when you move from a town like Girard where everyone knows everyone and is super nice, to a city the size of Wichita with the attitude of Chicago... it is a lot different. I would think even if I moved to Kansas City or even Wichita I may experience a similar change.

With that said... there are a lot of things I like about living here. Being close to Chicago is pretty cool, and having Lake Michigan in our backyard is pretty neat too. We have met some great people up here though and made some good friends, which makes it a lot more fun.

I have learned a few things about myself in this last year of living up north:
1. I still hate snow, but after battling the worst winter northern Indiana has seen in YEARS, I can safely say that I survived and am pretty good at driving on that yucky stuff now.
2. I pick up accents REALLY EASILY! I really want my Oklahoma accent back , but it is long gone if I stay up here. It is hard to explain the accent unless you hear me, but it isn't Wisconsin with the long o's, it is more that the o's sound like a's and all the a's are kinda nasal. LOL! I hate it and I catch myself doing it all the time! ARGH!
3. Notre Dame is pretty cool, but when you live here you kinda get over it pretty quick.
4. Chicago is AWESOME!!!!
5. I don't take my job for granted anymore. It may suck, but since our area has the worst unemployment rate in the nation, I just suck it up and do my job and be thankful I have one.
6. I thoroughly enjoy a warm day and sunshine more than before.
7. I have met some of the best people in the area through Premier Designs Jewelry
8. Moving and enduring tough times strengthens and bonds a marriage. So many times Jared and I didn't think we were going to make it, that we made a mistake. It has helped us communicate better and put our faith in each other.
9. I can now ride/drive in a car for a long period of time :) I used to think I would never make long trips
10. Sometimes you have to take a chance in life, even if it is scary, to grow as a person. This experience was scary, and in a lot of ways it still is. But, I feel Jared and I have both grown and flourished through this.

So, here's to surviving a year as a Hoosier!!!!

Things that irritate me

Parents who let their children ride their bikes all around the city on the busiest roads!

Seriously!!!! Can you say... hit by a car? Cause I almost saw it happen today to 2 kids whipping in and out around cars without even paying attention. UGH!

Other things that irritate me.... well, there is probably not enough time to get into it. But thought I would toss that one your direction :)

Kansas bound

Not me... my hubby

Jared and Hicks left for Kansas this morning for the annual Jake's Fireworks shoot-off. I wanted desperately to join them, but I have very limited vacation/personal time at work and I know I want to travel a few places this summer. :( So, I am sad that I will not get to hang in P-burg this weekend, but that is ok. I have plenty to do here, that is for sure. What's on my list? Well, tonight I plan to have dinner and drinks with my friend Michelle. Saturday I plan to do some spring cleaning around the apartment, which will include cleaning Hicks' bathroom. Long story, but it involved a Texas Hold 'Em video game at the bar. Let's just say, I lost the bet. :)

After doing a day of cleaning, I may head up to the Elks Lodge for some karaoke, or may go hang with my girls Stace and Genna (that is, of course, assuming that the sickness plaguing their household is gone). And, Sunday... God intended it as a day of rest and that is what I intend to do.

In other randomness:
1. Jared told me last night that we don't kiss each other enough. It was so cute that he even thought about it, but he was right. So we are making more of a conscience effort to not only say we love each other, but to give hugs and kisses more often. :) I know.. corny... but this is our life and I love it!
2. We have lived in Indiana for nearly a year! Can you believe it, because I can't! A blog about this will come soon (possibly today... I feel like blogging today for some reason)
3. Our house is still for sale.... anyone wanna take Obama's house buyer plan and buy a beautiful home in Girard, KS?????
4. We were approved to consolidate a small amount of our debt, which is a relief to us. As I am sure many of you are experiencing, we had several credit card interest rates jump WAY up for no particular reason. How does one go from 7.9 fixed to 22.94 variable? It is insane to me! But, that is what the economy has given us and Jared and I are trying to tackle it one step at the time the best way we can.
5. I'm not real impressed with the new Flatts CD. I think every new one they come out with is not as good as the last. Maybe it will grow on me, but at first listen I am not real impressed. Sorry Rascals... I still love you though and I am listening to Me and My Gang right now :)
6. Anyone living in the Girard area needing a lawnmower let me know. We have one in the shed that Jared bought new before we moved, a self-propelled push mower. We also have a 91 Ford F150 for sale too. :) I think it needs a new alternator, but it is a good truck for the year.

Enough for now.... I may be back later for more :) Happy Friday everyone!

I just set up cell phone text blogging! Now i am convinced that i am addicted to the internet. :)

Remember that one blog

when I told everyone that I wasn't going to be chunky anymore.

Well, I failed. Miserably. I love food and I love to eat. It is a horrible, messy, greasy addiction that I have and I need professional help.

It is beginning to get slightly out of control and I must do something or else I will be 500 pounds before you know it. Ok, it's not 500 pounds worth of bad, but it is bad to me and not the way I wanna look.

Of course, Jared was able to drop like 20 pounds (exaggeration, but pretty darn close) in a week from just not eating as much. Must be nice!!! He tells me that I can lose weight that way too if I just cut back how much I am eating. Well, I see his point, but ME lose that much weight in week. YEAH RIGHT! What men don't understand is that women gain, pack on, and lose weight much differently than they do. Plus we have that hormone-changing little demon every month that sends our cravings into overload. I love you Jared, I just hate that you can think about losing weight and it just happens. :) UGH!

So, I am back on the weight loss bandwagon again with hopes of dropping some fat off my aging body. Like Rodney Carrington says "good thing I am married, cause I ain't got a chance in hell right now" :)

Any tips, recipes or words of encouragement are appreciated... especially since I am sitting here with a grumbling stomach right now. :(

I'm in a lovey mood

not sure if it was the fabulous wedding last weekend or what, but I am in a lovey dovey mood with my Jared.

Being married is wonderful, but it gets to a point where you start to get into a routine and life becomes so, normal, for lack of another word. Normal is not necessarily bad, it just isn't that spontaneous, romantic, butterflies in your stomach, love feeling you get when you are just beginning to date or when you are newlyweds. But, in a lot of ways, it is even better. Because I know, when I look at Jared that I am looking at my husband, the man I will spend my life with, have children with, grow old with, love and cherish forever. And that brings those spontaneous, romantic, butterflies in your stomach, love feelings right back!

Ok, enough mushyiness! :) Just sendin' a shout out to my man :) Love you darlin'

Great times with great friends

we are home from Myrtle Beach...

Oh we had such a great time down in South Carolina for Marla and Jeremy's wedding. We got in on Friday at about 5 o'clock after 16 hours of driving (we split it up over 2 days though). We then enjoyed a great dinner with everyone and had a great time at the piano bar. Saturday was the wedding and the weather was perfect, a little windy, but perfect. I have never seen Marla look so beautiful and she was absolutely glowing! I remember when I first met her she never thought she would ever get married and there she was... getting married to a wonderful guy. AS for Jeremy, he cleaned up real nice too, haha. The reception was at Hard Rock Cafe and we had a lot of fun dancing to the band and catching up with all our Burlington and Girard friends that we haven't seen in a long time. Hopefully we don't have to wait a really long time to see all of you again!

The day after the wedding we were supposed to head back home, but we decided to stay and extra day and enjoy ourselves. We swam in the pools, laid on the beach, and relaxed. It was well worth it.

Here are a few pictures. My digital camera broke while we were out there and I had to buy another one and it wasn't the best. Hopefully everyone will send pictures to me so I can have some good ones :)

From the lights of Vegas....

to the warm sandy beaches

Congrats Marla and Jeremy!!!! Can't wait to see you guys tomorrow!