December Cara Box Reveal

Okay, it's that time for the Cara Box reveal over at Wifessionals!  This month's theme was "Holiday Sparkle".  So fun!  This month was a little different because you did not swap with the person who sent you your box.  You had one person send to you and a different girl to send a box to.  That way you get to know two amazing women!  I had the pleasure of sending my box to Nicole and this month the lovely Katy was my sender.  She sent me such a cute and thoughtful box.  I loved it!  Both of their blogs are adorable and you should go check them out.  Katy sent me such a thoughtful box and it truly brightened my holiday spirit.  Here are the cute goodies she sent. Thanks Katy!!

 

I Believe In...

I believe a good vacation can cure anything.

I believe redheads have more fun.

I believe in naps.

 

I believe that puppy and hubby cuddles are the best kind of cuddles.

I believe in family time.

I believe in taking time out for yourself.

I believe in loyalty.  The kind that won't leave you when you need it most.

I believe in human connection.

I believe in having fun.

 

I believe in forehead kisses and holding hands.

I believe in laughter.  The kind that makes you cry.

I believe in God's perfect timing.

I believe in singing like you're on a stage while driving.

I believe in taking your own pillow when you travel.

I believe ice cream is the best dessert.  Any flavor.

I believe in NC State sports.

I believe in forgiving but never forgetting.

I believe in big comfy shirts and running shorts.

I believe in always wearing earrings.

I believe in challenging yourself to step out of your comfort zone.

 

I believe that Jesus is Lord  and His way is the only way.

Friday's Letters

Dear Summer,  I am so sad to have to say goodbye to you, but alas the school year is upon us.  Hi Ho Hi Ho it's back to work I go.  Dear Furbabies, you are super cute and cuddly.  I think you sweeties were the best decisions we have made in our marriage.  Dear husband, I can't believe this week we celebrated our second anniversary.  It feels like just yesterday was our wedding day.  So much has changed over two years and I love you more and more through it all.  Dear Ice Cream, I really miss you now that I am on this hardcore diet.  Maybe we will have to have a rendezvous soon.  Dear students and your parents, please be nice to me and my educator friends this year.  We would greatly appreciate it in advance.  Dear Brandon (again), thank you for helping me hang pictures in my office today.  You know my head is crooked and your measuring skills are genius, so you were the perfect man for the job.  Dear Fall, I can now open you with open arms since I bought my new boots.  I can't wait to wear them!  Dear blog friends, I hope you all have a fabulous weekend!!  For those of you going back to school or who work in school or who have kids in school hope you have a wonderful school year!

How I Make That Money Honey Link Up

   

Today I am linking up with Lindsey over at The Bargain Blonde for the how I Make That Money Honey Link up.  This link up is all about what you do for the daily grind, your real life job.  I love getting to find out about the girl behind the blog and about everyone's actual "real lives".  So here you go.

Growing up in youth group at church I had the opportunity to travel on several summer mission trips to work with kids.  We traveled to places like Jacksonville, FL, Charleston, SC, West Palm Beach, and Memphis, TN.  I found a passion for working with underprivileged kids and knew that I wanted to help others when I grew up, specifically kids.  For me, it just clicked that this was my calling.  That paired with my passion for helping and encouraging others pointed me in the direction of some sort of counseling.  

I ended up graduating as valedictorian with a BA in Psychology and minors in Spanish and Sociology.  This catapulted me into my career path.  In order to be a counselor you have to have a Master's degree.  I ended up getting a fellowship to study School Counseling at UNC Charlotte, my hometown where Brandon just happened to get an Engineering job after we graduated.  It was meant to be. 

I finished my Master's in School Counseling in May of 2011 and began the job hunt.  I ended up getting a job as a middle school counselor.  I just finished my first year counseling and I absolutely love it.  I get to work with students on academic, personal, social, and emotional concerns.  I speak to kids about issues ranging from friendship to suicide and self-mutilation.  My job is never boring and I feel like I am making a difference on a daily basis.  

I never thought middle school was the age group for me, but I love them.  They are in their own special world with unique issues.  Plus, a perk to working in the school is that I get summers off, Praise Jesus!  After working with middle school issues for 10 months, I definitely needed a break.  I am looking forward to continuing to grow my counseling skills and make a difference in kids' lives. 

Liebster

I am so excited and grateful to share that I have been chosen to receive the Liebster Award.  My sweet friend Megan over at and today was a fairy tale chose to share this award with me.  I have found such a niche with blogging, especially being able to meet such beautiful women who I would never have the opportunity to meet otherwise.  Megan is one of the first bloggers that I connected with.  Her blog is so full of passion and her faith always shines through.  Plus, she lives in Florida near the beach which is pretty awesome and totally my lifelong dream :).  I love being able to share my life with you all, as small as it may be.  Being able to have this space and to receive daily encouragement is a complete blessing in my life.  So without further ado here is all the information you need to know about the Liebster award.  

1. choose five up and coming blogs to give the award to. blogs must have less than 200 followers.
2. show your thanks to the blogger who gave the award to you by linking back to their page.
3. post the award on your blog.
4. list the bloggers you gave the award to with links to their blogs, and leave a comment on their blogs to let them they received the award.
5. share five random facts about yourself.

Here are the five amazing women I would like to give this award to:
*Leslie over at The Dearmans-  Leslie is one of dear friends.  We met in college while studying in Peru.  Her sweet little family is precious to me and I love reading about her adventures through motherhood.  


*Allison at Nestful of Love-  Allison is always posting awesome recipe and cute craftiness. I also love that she married her high school sweetheart, just like me.


*Amy at Fit New Mama-  Amy is also an NC State girl with an adorable new baby boy.  Her fitness tips and post-pregnancy stories are so inspirational.  She makes me want to get in shape, seriously.

*Tamara at T Times 3- Tamara is a sweet southern girl sharing her life with her new hubby and furbabies.  I love reading about her adventures in Raleigh since that is where I lived for 4 years during college.  

*Breanne at My World Resting on Your Love-  I love reading Breanne's blog simply because her faith in the Lord is palpable.  She is a great inspiration in faith and I love that she and her husband have a heart for missions, so adorable. 


Now for my five facts about myself.  
1. I love ricotta cheese, yum!
2. I hate driving, especially parking.
3. I have extremely large feet.
4. I love reality tv, especially The Bachelor/Bachelorette
5. I hate scary movies and refuse to watch them, romantic comedies or bust!


Now that you know a little more about me, go check out the 5 blogs above and learn about them.  You won't be disappointed. 

Our Love Story

Let's be honest, I've been having some major writer's block lately.  What better way to cure it and still keep this little blog going than a link-up!!  Today I am linking up with Becky at From Mrs. to Mama for a super adorable link-up called What's Your Love Story.  So appropriate since it is almost Valentine's Day!!

1. How long have you and your significant other been together?

Brandon and I went to middle school together, but didn't start to actually know one another until high school.  We became friends our sophomore year and started dating our senior year, which means we have been a couple for 7 years.

Senior Prom

2. How did you meet? {What's your "love" story?}
Brandon and I actually went to middle school together, but we did not start becoming friends until high school.  We sat together in Spanish class and developed a friendship.  During our senior year our two groups of friends started to merge and things took off.  We started flirting and finally he asked me out while sitting in my parent's den.  We went to senior prom together and ended up enrolling in the same college.  Throughout college we continued to date and fell in love.  We knew we wanted to get married and were just waiting to graduate college and become financially stable.  Brandon landed a job as an Engineer  and I got a fellowship to get my Master's in School Counseling.  Brandon proposed to me on September 14, 2009.

 

3. If married, how long have you been married?

We got married August 14, 2010.  It will be a year and a half on Valentine's Day!

 

4. If you are married, where did you get married at? Big or small wedding? 
We got married in the church that I grew up in in our hometown.  It was an average size wedding, not too big, not too small.  It was perfect.  You can see details and a video HERE

 

5. Do you have any nick-names that you call one another? Do share!
I call Brandon "Brando" and he calls me "Wienerschnitzel"

6. Name 3 things you love most about your honey.

     1. I love his sense of humor.  He make me laugh even when I am in the worst of moods.

     2. I love how giving and caring he is.  He can make friends with anyone he meets.

     3. I love how patient he is.  This is one area that we are complete opposites in, but he           definitely balances my lack of patience.

7. Tell us how he proposed?

Brandon asked me to dinner, so we went to McAlister's to pick up some sandwiches. We then went to the nearby lake and ate. After eating, Brandon said he had some gifts for me. He pulled out a series of small boxes. Each one had a letter on top, which made no sense to me at the time. Inside every box was a slip of paper with a word or phrase of something we had done together over the years. With each box he gave me a small gift that was a reminder of that time.  The final box had an "A" on it and said "Prom" inside. He then asked me what my favorite part of prom was and after a few wrong answers I said "How you asked me", which was that he got down on one knee on Valentine's Day. He asked me to stand up and began proposing. I still didn't know what the letter on the boxes meant. We had a running joke that everything I want to do, include get engaged and married, Brandon always says "One Day". I respond "well that will be one great day!". He was proposing and said "You know how I always tell you one day we will get engaged? It's today!" I looked over and the boxes spelled out "It's Today". He asked me to marry him and I said YES!, of course. It was the perfect, sweetest proposal!

8. Is he a flowers and teddy bear kind of guy for v-day, or strawberries, champagne, and rose petals?
Valentine's Day is usually pretty low key for us.  We usually just do flowers and a nice dinner, so I guess he is a combination of the two.
 

9. Are you a sunset dinner on the beach kind of girl, or pop a movie in and relax on the couch?
Most of the time I am a couch kind of girl, but I do like the occasional romantic evening out.  Either sounds like fun to me!  

10. Tell us one thing you'd like to do with your significant one day. If you could do anything? Go anywhere?
We have a whole list of things we want to do, but traveling is definitely a dream of ours.  One thing we would love to do is go on a mission trip together.  Hopefully, next summer we will be able to plan one somewhere overseas like Haiti or somewhere in South America.  We love serving together and are growing every day in our faith.  

11. Tell us what you plan on doing on this Valentine's Day.
This Valentine's Day we are going to a nice dinner and relaxing.  Nothing too fancy shmancy.

12. Are you asking for anything this Valentine's day?
We typically don't do gifts on Valentine's Day, so I am not asking for anything.  I do know that he got me a small gift, so I guess I should probably get him something small too.  I usually just bake him some sort of treat.  You know food is the way to a man's heart ;)

13. Give us one piece of advice of keeping a relationship strong and full of love.

14.  Show us a picture of what love means to you.
Always hold on to each other.  All around you there may be other people or fast-paced action, but when it is just the two of you the world seems to stand still.  I love this picture because the people in the background are all active but we are embracing the moment. 

Tag, I'm It

I was tagged by Megan at and today was a fairytale.

the rules: 

1. you must post the rules

2. post eleven facts about yourself on the blog post

3. answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post,

 and then create eleven new questions to as the people you've tagged

4. tag eleven people and link them on your post

5. let them know you've tagged them

Eleven Facts About Me

1. I am a really picky eater, like I eat hardly zero vegetables (I know it's horrible)

2. When I get sleepy or hungry you better watch out because I become the devil.

3. I love corny jokes, they crack me up.

4. I have really big feet.  Size eleven baby!

5. I am a die-hard wolfpack fan and I despise the tarholes.

6. I hate wearing tennis shoes.  I only wear them if I am doing some sort of physical activity.

7. I hardly ever buy clothes at full-price.  I love a good bargain.

8. Brandon's nickname for me is wienerschnitzel.

9. I used to hate being a redhead, now I love it.

10. I really want to be on the Amazing Race.

11. I have a terrible sense of direction. 

Megan's Questions

1. how do you start your days?

I have to get up and get ready for work, so it's a quick shower, makeup, blowdry, clothes.  Then I take care of Piper. Take her on a walk, feed her, etc.  Then it's off to work.

2. whats your favorite movie of all time?

The Notebook, hands down.

3. name one thing you miss from the 90's.

The TV shows like every show on TGIF.

4. if you won the lottery, whats the first thing you'd do with the money?

Pay off all of our debt (student loan, car, house).

5. if you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I would love to live in Spain.

6. what do you want to be when you grow up?

I always wanted to be a counselor and I am so blessed that I get to do that work.

7. whats your biggest pet peeve?

When people chew their food loudly.  So irritating.

8. whats your favorite time of the year? and why

I love summer time because it's warm, no school, and I get to travel more often.

9. who's the first person you call when you need to vent?

Brandon or my mom.

10.  I think she forgot #10.

11. whats your favorite food?

steak and potatoes

My Questions

1. What is your favorite game to play?

2. What is something you do in your spare time just for yourself?

3. What is the most important trait to have in a marriage or relationship?

4. Where is your favorite vacation spot?

5. What is something you are proud of?

6. What is your favorite restaurant?

7. If you could visit one state/city in the USA what would it be?

8. What is the best present you ever received?

9. What is your favorite weekend acitivity?

10. What are you afraid of?

11. What is your favorite memory from 2011?

My tags

katy at all grown up

leslie at the dearmans

mckenzie at basil

bailey at lost and found

jena at recently roached

kristen at faith, fertility, and domesticity

kayleigh at a million little somethings

amy at fit new mama

tamara at t times three

kristina at my new wife life

jess at just rainbows and butterflies

Ring Bling Link Up

C Mae is doing a fun little link up party over at her adorable blog called Bling Bling Share Your Ring!  I know it may seem a little vain but it is fun to look at everyone else's beautiful engagement rings and wedding bands.  I am so proud of my hubby for what he picked out.  My only criteria was that it had to be sparkly.  We didn't go look at rings before hand and he picked out my rock all by himself, it's perfect.  Here are the specs:  It is a brilliant cut diamond on a cathedral white gold setting.  1.04 carats.   If you want to read our proposal story, go HERE.

    

21 Day Challenge

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This time of year, most of us tend to think...ok, starting January 1st, I'm going to lose ______ pounds, eat healthier, take time for _______, do this and that. There is nothing wrong in any of those things, especially in setting goals for yourself.  The only problem is, at least for me, I set these goals and have no one to encourage me, no accountability and they just end up by the wayside.  I'm sure this is not a problem for anyone else, right?  That's what I thought.  We all struggle to hold strong to our goals and resolutions that the new year always brings.  That's why I am partnering up with 2 beautiful women (who are also NC State grads, can't go wrong there :) to offer you the opportunity to join us in the 21 Day Challenge.  I, along with Leslie from The Dearmans and Amy from Fit New Mama, are linking up to pose the 21 day challenge to work on holistic goals, including spiritual and physical health.  This is an opportunity for us to join together as one community to encourage each other in 2012!  Doesn't that sound like a fun way to start off the new year. We can all do 21 days...that is only 3 weeks!

First and foremost, to start off our new year, we need to seek our Lord. This past fall, Leslie went through the book How to Pray in 28 Days by Kay Arther and it sparked the idea behind this whole thing. She began thinking of the importance for us to pray, pray specifically, pray correctly, and pray together as believers. I am also going to work on this through the new year.  Praying for each other and praying consistently are two things I definitely want to work on.  In order to do this we have formed a group through youversion.com that we would love for you all to join. It will include 21 days of scripture that focuses on prayer, whether through examples or by what Christ has to say about prayer. I can't think of a better way to bring in 2012 than by praying specifically for our walks with Christ, our family, our friends, our nation, and for others to know Him.

Secondly, lets get our bodies in check, physically and nutritionally. I'm not asking you to lose a pound or stop eating _______, but to serve the Lord in this aspect of your life. Whether you are a mom, sister, friend, wife or whatever, we all have a reason to live a healthy lifestyle. We will be using myfitnesspal.com. You can set your own goals whatever they may be and make it a priority to be healthy.  After all, we all know what a marriage does for our waistlines, just me, ok fine.  

Who knows maybe we will be one strong accountability community!!!

Ok...so you are in right???

All you need to do is leave a comment including your name and email address to show us that you are interested in joining us for this 3 week journey through spiritual and bodily health. Feel free to list this on your blog as well to get others involved and be sure to add our button to your post, found above. No matter where you are in life, let's bring in the New Year together!  After all it is only 21 days . We can encourage each other for 21 days right??  I will send you all an email on December 31st with links to join our groups. Woohoo!

*Partnering with Amy at Fit New Mama and Leslie at The Dearmans.*

Friday's Letters

Today I'm linking up again with Ashley for Friday's Letters.  She's great, you should go read her blog!

Dear TOMS, you smell so awful right now.  I think I am going to give you a bath before it reaches the point of utter embarrassment.  Dear Students, I am so blessed to be your counselor, but come on share the Christmas love.  All of your teachers got goodies, where's mine??  Dear Christmas Break, you are here, minus the training I have to go to on Monday and Tuesday, but you are here!!!  Thank God for two weeks off from pre-pubescent drama!  Dear Husband, please go get your hair cut.  The chrome dome is nice and all, but you are starting to look like a ragamuffin.  Dear Christmas foods, stop tempting me!  You know I have the willpower of a 2 year old.  I can't resist your pound cakes, cheesecakes, cookies, and mouthwatering desserts.  Dear Bloggy friends, happy weekend!!