1st Year

Everyone who tells you the first year of marriage is hard, but you will get through it, was totally right! Steve and I are approaching our 1st wedding anniversary next week. I feel like the last year has flown by! This last year has been busy, crazy, exciting, and I have loved almost every moment of it. We started off improving my first house, selling our house, moving in with my sister, building a new house, moving to a new house, hosting Superbowl and Easter, and now we are finally ready to celebrate our year with a vacation.

April 30th, 2011

When Steve and I got married, I thought we knew quite bit about each other. We had had a lot of pretty deep conversations, read a couple of pre-marriage books, took a couple classes, and experience each other on a every day basis for quite a while. However, about 2 months into our marriage, I learned, there was a lot we DIDN'T know about each other. We had learned "the facts" about each other, but not "the emotions" behind all those facts. Even though we had had our fair share of "tiffs" over the last year, we have grown stronger every time. Steve and I can't stay mad at each other very long (which I think is a good thing) so we tend to just talk it out until we are both satisfied. I stick to the fact that couples who fight are healthy couples :)

I found an article about Shocking Secret of the First Year of Marriage that proved to be very true in our first year. I especially like #9 THE SHOCK: Being a wife won't mean you'll instantly have skills worthy of an Iron Chef. I have defeinitely not made anything worth of Iron Chef yet, but I will keep trying!

I feel so blessed to have Steve as my husband! He has proven to be a very supportive and caring man who I know will provide for and protect our family. We can't wait to get away for a week to celebrate our 1 year accomplishment! We will be going on a cruise to the Western Caribbean. More details to come when we get back!

Surprises and Blessing

I LOVE SURPRISES!! But only when I don't know about them lol. If I know there is something going on, but no one will tell me, then I get nosey, but when it comes out of no where and you get all those butterflies in your stomach when the surprise is finally revealed, it's one of the best feeling in the world! It is such a great feeling to know that someone or multiple someones put thought and effort into making your day. To show you, just how much they really care about you. Just for a second to make you feel like the most special person in the world! Like I said I love surprises.

Valentine's Day 2012-Steve surprised me with a night out at Jean Farris Winery!
Somewhere I had been to really wanting to try!

Our heart shaped V-Day Cake, I surprised to Steve.

More than I love surprises, I love making surprises happen. It is soo important to make the people in your life know how much they mean to you! It doesn't have to be anything extreme, just little things to let people know you care. Recently, I have been thinking a lot about doing the extra little things for people, even people I  am not that close too. Right now in my life, I feel so blessed to have the things I need, the things I want, and people around me who love and support me. Not that my life is perfect, but I don't have much to complain about. Many times I think people have it all together when really their life in falling apart inside. The more I realize how "good" I have it right now, makes me realize how much more I could do for others. Just being an ear to listen, an extra prayer being said, or more if they need it. I don't want to take for granted the "blessings" God has giving me, instead I want to share them! I don't want to look back and regret not helping someone or not doing more for someone when I could have. I love the song  "The Motions" by Matthew West. Its one of those songs you listen to when you need a little pick up or a smile or a recharge of the batteries. Its a perfect description of what I want to live up to in my life. Too many times in life I lose sight of what's most important and I need to be brought back to how I should be living.

This blog veered in a direction I wasn't expecting than when I started it. I was going to talk about different surprises that I have enjoyed in life. Instead, I am becoming more inspired to make more surprises happen for other people. People who deserve it! People who need it! Its amazing how God lays things on your heart and they just come out! I love how even who you are thinking about yourself, He will stop you mid-sentence and having you focusing on others. I am not sure exactly what He wants me to do yet to make a "surprise" happen, but I am positive He will reveal it to me in time.

I hope that this post will inspire you to get back to what's most important your life. Maybe its time for you to "Surprise" someone who may need some of the blessing you have going on in your life right now. If you need more inspiration...listen to that Matthew West song above, its amazing!!

Easter Sunday

I was so excited for Easter Sunday this year. I have had to work the past 2 years on Easter, so this year I wanted to make the most of it. I love holidays with my family! We hang out all day, eat great food, play games, laugh at the kids, its just so much fun. Plus this was the first holiday, Steve and I got to host in our new house. We started the day with going to church. Steve's parents were able to come with us, which I was sooo excited about it. They hadn't been to our church before, and I wanted them to know why we loved it so much! Our church is a little bit modern, so you never know how its going to go when you take new people. But they liked it!! Having them there at church with us meant so much to Steve and me. After church everyone gathered back at our house to eat!

I love hosting and planning parties. I wish I could have been a party planner in my second life. I made several table decorations, easter baskets for my neice and nephew, plus I turned the silverware into carrots.

Dining Room Table- Egg Tree turned out so cute

Kitchen Table-These little eggs on a stick came from the Dollar store

Easter Baskets and outfits

Carrot Silverware

After eating the boys decided to take advanage of the nice weather and go play a round at the golf course. We didn't plan on having an Easter Egg Hunt, but Nash wasn't able to go to one eariler in the weekend, due to allergies, so Sheila and I sent out to hide the eggs in my yard.

And I can't forget about my Bunny Cupcakes. These things turned out so cute. You make white cupcakes and frost with white icing. Immediately after icing a cupcake dip it in a bowl with coconut. These makes the bunny fur. The recipe called for colored cocnut, however I can't find liquid food color anywhere in my city. So my bunnies had white fur. To make the ears I used gum sticks and rounded the edges. The inside of the ears is a gum stick cut in half and rounded. Attach with a little bit of icing. The eyes and nose are made with icing tubes. Lastly cut colored mini marshmellows in half and attach with icing to make the feet. These were really easy and so cute.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter Sunday!!

 

Pinterest

I LOVE PINTEREST!!

Since discovering pinterest, I have become slightly obsessed! And Yes, I downloaded the iPhone app so that I can have pinterest all the time. I know its a problem! However, I have created such awesome projects from ideas off pinterest.

My first creations were sheet music Christmas trees. I love these things. I inherited my grandparent's piano when they moved, so I knew these would look so cute on there during the holidays. It was a pretty easy project to start with. You start with a Styrofoam cone. Cut sheet music in 1.5" strips. (I used scrap book paper that looked like sheet music). Then cut 1" fringes, curl, and glue the strip to the cone. Start at the bottom and continue up until the cone is complete.

Sheet Music Tree

My next project were Diaper Motorcycles - Sweetaprils Blog. This idea started because so many of my co-workers were pregnant with their second baby. Therefore, they didn't need the typical stuff they needed practical things. What better way to give practical than turning all the goodies into little motorcycles.

You need: 36 size 1 diapers, 2 receiving blankets, 1 stuffed animal, 1 connect ring or teething ring, 1 bottle or aspirator, 1 pair of socks, a wash cloth, a matching ribbon, and stick pins. Its a little detailed after that, so here is the link is above what what to do from here. After making 2 of these, I had a friend having twins. I wanted to be more creative than just making two motorcycles, so I made one with a side-car. This one was a little tricky, but turned out really cute!

Motorcycle with Sidecar
I don't have a link for this one because I made it up, so if you want directions just message me.

I definitely recreated this outfit for thanksgiving last year! I already had a navy sweater dress and boots, so all I needed were the tights. I don't have any pics, but it turned out soo cute.

http://pinterest.com/pin/269934571385128954/

My most recent projects have all been for my Easter dinner. (I will share those in the Easter post).

But here is a peak.

Egg Tree

There are so many projects that I am still waiting to do! Whoever invited this website, has tripled the sales at all craft stores and grocery stores. This trend isn't going anywhere, so embrace the Pinterest and ENJOY!



Gun Range

I am the first to say that gun shooting to me is a little scary. Besides my dad's hunting guns hanging on the basement walls when I was a kid, I have very little experience in guns. I was beyond naive about how they worked, how to load, and especial how to shoot. My sister and I bought our husband a Living Social coupon for a day at the gun range. It included, a lane, one gun rental, 50 rounds, glasses, and ear muffs for two. Neither Ryan or I had ever shot a gun, so we were a little nervous when the day came to face our fear.

Our adventure started with the boys trying to help us pick out a gun to shoot. Steve decided we should shoot 9mm because it has the least kick. Unfortantely it also has little aim lol (I will get to that). Once we had guns, the boys also had to teach us how to load them. Then it was time for shooting. I was so nervous to take my first shot. What if it hurts, what if hit something I'm not suppose to, what if I heate it. But, it wasn't that bad. Once I shot a couple, it got easier to relax and try and aim. Lets just say, I am going to need some more practice if I plan on being good at this at all. However, I did have some good shots.

Learning

First shot

Steve and I's target

After the regular target shooting, Ryan and David rented a metal shooting lane. This was a lot more fun. These lanes had a game where the targets popped up randomly and you had to shot them down. Plus there were only 3 lanes in this room, so it was much quieter than the big open range. Overall I say it was good family bonding experience. Who knows if I will do it again, but at least I am not scare of them anymore and I faced my  fear!

Successful Day

NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!!!

UK Basketball is huge in Lexington! And not only is it huge in Lexington, it is HUGE in my family. My dad played UK Basketball in 1974-75. He was a freshman walk on, who had a great three point shot! The only problem was that college basketball didn't recognize the three point shot until 1980. So he ended up marrying my mom instead of continuing to play ball...which I am pretty glad he did.

My Dad

A little history on the Three Point Shot...

"The three-point rule was first tested at the collegiate level in a 1945 National Collegiate Athletic Association game between Columbia and Fordham. However, professional basketball was the first to adopt the rule on a permanent basis. The short-lived American Basketball League did so in 1961, and the Eastern Professional Basketball League followed in its 1963–64 season. The three-point shot later became popularized by the original American Basketball Association after its introduction in the 1967–68 season. During the 1970s, the ABA used the three-point shot, along with the slam dunk, as a marketing tool to compete with the National Basketball Association (NBA). In the 1979–80 season, the NBA adopted the three-point shot.

The NCAA's Southern Conference became the first collegiate conference to use the three-point rule, adopting a 22-foot (6.7 m) line in 1980. The first collegiate team to score a three-pointer was Western Carolina University. Over the following five years, NCAA conferences differed in their use of the rule and the distance they required for a three-point shot. The NCAA adopted the 19-foot, 9-inch line nationally in 1986. In 2007, the NCAA lengthened the men's three point distance to 20 feet 9 inches, with the rule coming into effect at the beginning of the 2008–09 season.
During the 1994–95, 1995–96, and 1996–97 seasons, the NBA attempted to address decreased scoring by shortening the distance of the line from 23 feet, 9 inches (22 feet at the corners) to a uniform 22 feet (6.7 m) around the basket. From the 1997–98 season, the NBA reverted the line to its original distance of 23 feet, 9 inches (22 feet at the corners).

In 2008, FIBA announced that the distance would be increased by 50 cm to 6.75 m (22 ft 2 in), with the change being phased in, beginning in October 2010." Wikipedia


Back to the story....Needless to say, I grew up loving, breathing, and cheering for UK Basketball!!

Me, age 7?

My family at the UK game

Since Calipari came to UK, everyone has been desperately hoping, he would bring us home a National Champion Title. And after 3 short years....he did it!! And with such a great group of guys. I have enjoyed watching these guys play all year long. Miller, Davis, Kidd-Gilchrist, Lamb, Jones, Teague, and Wiltjer are all amazing players and deserve this win! They have fought hard and finally its time to hang another banner in Rupp Arena. Hopefully our strike will continue and we won't have to wait another 14 years for title #9. Congrats CATS!!

New banner hanging up in Rupp

Steve and I meeting Calipari at his call-in show before the Tournament

Kentucky Vs. Louisville Mayhem

I am taking a break from "Catching Up" to join reality in the 2nd biggest game of the year. Kentucky basketball just played our biggest rival in the Final Four of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. Steve and I had thought about going out somewhere to watch the game and join in the fun to cheer on the CATS! However, by 9am Two Keys (Sports bar on campus) has a line to get into the door and was on a 1 in 1out system by 2pm. Other places closed their doors and weren't letting anyone else in. When it comes to UK Basketball, this town isn't playing around. So instead we went to a good friends house and celebrated all together in the comfort of a home!!

Steve and I's shirts from last night

 As we all excepted, Lexington went crazy!! People around town have been hyping this game up the whole week and talk trashing each other's team. Two people even got into a fight while getting medical attention, because of what...a basketball game people say??? NO NO NO This is not JUST a basketball game. This is for pride of the state, bragging rights, continuation of rivalry, once in for all stating who is the better team. You see...Kentucky and Louisville always play in the beginning of the season (whether its basketball or football). Throughout the year, the players develop, the teams get better. There is also talk on who would be the winner if the teams played at the end of the year. Well here you go, it happened! And luckily the CATS came out on top!! Both teams played decent last night. Neither team played as best as they could, but given the circumstances, all players were respectful and played good clean basketball. I couldn't be more proud to be a Wildcats fan today and apart of the Big Blue Nation!

Davis

Wiltjer

My favorite..Miller

I think we have to give a lot of credit to Calipari and Pitino for bring these boys into these game with a good head on their shoulders. Sure both teams wanted to win bad, and they could have brought that rivalry to the court, but they didn't, they just played basketball. Anthony Davis, stated after the game, This was never about the Final Four, it was never about Louisville, this was just another game to get to the championship!! I am not sure if everyone is remembering we still have one more game to play before we can bring home a Championship win that this school has been desperately needing for years!

Needless to say, here in Lexington, some people did not act as mature. I think there were reports of 39 fires, mostly couches, and one car. There were also jumbo trons set up downtown for people to gather in the streets and watch the game. It was definitely a party and hopefully no one got hurt. There is a part of me that is proud to say we will cheer on the CATS no matter what and that we are the BEST FANS IN THE NATION! Crazy or not!

State Street

Limestone

 I saw this the other day and thought it was so perfect!

Don't forget to cheer on the CATS on Monday night at 9pm in the Championship game against Kansas!