Rachel In Reverie

classy and elegant or fresh and unique?

2011-05-04T16:44:00.000-07:00

Invitations, invitations. So many details to consider. Ecru vs white. Thermography vs leterpress. Traditional vs modern. Let's leave it to pictures. I've narrowed it down to two contenders for our wedding invitations. YOU tell me which you prefer. Both would have navy writing. Both are similarly priced. Both are pretty! Hence my need for suggestions...

This invite would be digitally printed (no raised or imprinted text). The paper would be stark white. It's simple, unique, and clean.

This invitation would be printed with a thermography process (raised lettering). It would also come with a white metallic paper-very pretty! It's the more classic, formal invitation.

Thoughts? Emily, I know you are probs reading this minutes after I posted so go ahead and comment---ha! :)

all things wedding.

2011-04-27T18:19:00.000-07:00

I just want to take a minute to brag on my wonderful bridesmaids. On Saturday, we chose their bridesmaid dress (LOVE it!) and the best part? We were shopping for 30 minutes. My love for efficiency is only rivaled by my love for these ladies! Check it out!

The dress is navy and I think it will really pop with the right flowers--currently considering the idea of DIY hydrangea bouquets. Suggestions or tips, anyone? Flowers are EXPENSIVE, so I'm trying to find ways to DIY some things. Either way, the flowers will be bright green and white. Maybe white hydrangeas with green hypericum berries. Who knows.

OH. And we booked our HONEYMOON! Excellence resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic here we come!

check, check, check.

2011-03-31T19:45:00.000-07:00

Well, I do have to say that we are moving right along in this wedding planning process! Save the Dates are ordered and on their way... I THINK I am ready to say "YES!" to the dress. You see, I am quite indecisive. And a bit of a perfectionist. This creates a difficult environment in which to make important aesthetic decisions, i.e. my wedding dress. However, with the help of my lovely bridesmaids and wonderful family, I think I have reached a final decision! But I'm not going to post it here! Too risky -- don't want the future hubs to see it! You will have to be patient. :) I'll give you a few hints. Think classic, soft white, ruching, sash with antique-y embellishments. I love it! Now, I really have to get on the ball with invitations and narrowing down the guest list--SO hard! Any suggestions for good places to order invitations? I've heard of people using ETSY vendors, but I'm not too familiar with the site. Would love some input, friends!

it's picture time!

2011-03-20T16:08:00.000-07:00

We picked up our engagement pictures today and I love them! Danny and Jessica from DW Photography did a great job--thanks again, guys! Here are a few of my favorites. If we are FB friends, you can see a lot more on my profile...

an overdue update!

2011-03-16T17:54:00.000-07:00

Official count: 6 months and 16 days until our wedding! It's finally starting to feel real. We took our engagement pictures on Sunday at Hermann Park in Houston (see photo below). It was a beautiful day! We don't have the pictures just yet, but I have a feeling they're going to be good. :)

I LOVE our photographer! DW Photography = amazing. Seriously, check them out. www.dwphotoz.com Danny is Erik's fraternity brother from HBU and we had a blast shooting on Sunday with him and his wife, Jessica. Good people.

As for other plans, I've been on a bit of a planning hiatus. I already have alot done, so I feel like I deserve it! Next up: ordering Save the Dates. I think I want to use MagnetStreet.com. Thoughts? Have a great week/ Spring Break to you lucky few!

i WILL be a DIY queen.

2011-02-23T17:35:00.000-08:00

So, I've seen all these really cute DIY wedding ideas lately. Here are a few...

Wedding chalkboard - I like this one!

I definitely want to use a chalkboard for the menu like this one and maybe in another way--a stationary program maybe?

These look exceptionally time consuming but could definitely add a little fun to the gift table. We'll see. This is my least favorite of these DIY ideas, but it still intrigues me and for $2 - $4 each, why not try and make a few?

We are definitely doing this. Silk flowers, cardboard or styrofoam, and ribbon. Piece of cake. I would use white hydrangeas and hang with an apple green ribbon--maybe on the doors to the reception area and smaller versions for the Mr. and Mrs. chairs! The possibilities are endless!

winners.

2011-02-08T14:47:00.000-08:00

Thank y'all for the great registry advice! And the winners are... {drum roll please}
...for some fun pieces, kitchenware, casual place settings {TBD}, servingware, etc.

...for kitchen appliances, china {TBD}, linens {TBD}, etc.

...for lots o' cooking fun! i.e. kitchen tools, servingware, handy dandy gadgets, etc.

...for important extras!

The logos above are linked to our actual registries if you're interested!

slown down sister.

2011-02-01T08:18:00.001-08:00

I tend to get in these phases where I get so excited about being productive that I literally can't stop. Maybe I fear that the streak of efficiency might end? Who knows. Anyway, here is my list of wedding to-do's that are finished:

venue: check. {Ashelynn Manor - love, love, love!}

photog: check. {Engagement pics scheduled for mid-March with a wonderfully talented friend of ours! Check him out: DW Photoz}
dj: check. {In-house DJ that was included in the venue rental- how convenient!}

cake: semi-check. {The cake is also included, I just need to choose which preferred vendor to go with and which design I like best.}

{I love this. Simple and pretty. CREDIT}

My extensive wedding research tells me that the next few things (among hundreds of other to-do's) on the agenda should be:

1. registry
2. THE dress
3. florist

This brings me to numero uno. Registries! I'm thinking I want to go with Target {practical}, Macy's {for the finer things}, and Pampered Chef { I love to cook!}. So, where did y'all register? Any thoughts on what has to be on the list and what you will never actually use? I can only imagine I would use a cherry pitter.....well, never. As I attempt to slow my ever-wandering, wedding planning mind, I would greatly appreciate your sage advice. Happy Tuesday everyone!

who knew paper could be so complicated?

2011-01-25T13:55:00.000-08:00

Ok, blogosphere. I have lots o' questions on stationery.

inspiration: I'm going for: classy. personal. simple. I can't decide if I want to do a more traditional invite or if I want to push the envelope a bit (sorry, couldn't resist) and try a more colorful and/or patterned look. I am a bit skeptical of a navy and white palette on an invitation for fear of mimicking a bah mitzvah, but I think with the right paper and pattern, it could work.

{CREDIT}

At the same time, a traditional ivory and champagne invitation is always classy (and probably the most cost efficient). Thoughts?

personal touch: I really want to create a monogram and order an embosser and/or rubber stamp for the wedding stationery. Does anyone know of an affordable place to order those? I just love these:

{CREDIT}

So, should I go for DIY invitations? If so, what's the best way to go about it? I would warmly welcome any and all suggestions on invitations/vendors/diy tips!

Ok now to put my game of 20 questions on hold, I tried ZUMBA for the first time last night! Intense. I was skeptical, but it kicked my tail for sure! It was a great workout and super fun. I was also thankful for the lack of mirrors around the room, so I could get totally into it without having to watch myself act a fool.

{CREDIT}

rachel vs. the venue search.

2011-01-18T14:43:00.000-08:00

I feel as though I have been to the depths of wedding venue research and have emerged victorious - we booked a wedding venue! We will be gracing the lovely grounds of Ashelynn Manor with our presence for our Fall wedding! The ceremony will be held in the beautiful "vintage" chapel and the reception will be held in the "Carriage House", a converted barn that now is adorned with beautiful chandeliers and dark stained concrete floors. I love it! We're going for a classy, rustic elegance, if you will. Ok, ok here are some pictures! (Checkout the website for more photos!)

{CREDIT}

I have to say I was shocked to find out how EARLY people book their venues! Some people before they are even engaged! I must have missed the memo. So, I am very happy to have found Ashelynn Manor and that it all worked out. Now on to all the other wedding decisions!

things i know about my wedding.

2011-01-17T18:26:00.001-08:00

1. I will be marrying Jack Erikson David.

2. We will not be playing the "chicken dance".

3. I think our colors will be blue (navy or cobalt) and apple green.

4. That's about it.

:)

extravaganza=not a total bust.

2011-01-11T08:48:00.001-08:00

Did the 50,000 brides and hundreds of vendors at the Houston Bridal Extravaganza make me want to jump out of a window. Possibly. Did my heart go out to those husbands to be who were moping behind the mad mobs of bridal parties? Absolutely. However, there were some perks and I am glad I went!

1. I spun the wheel at the Al's Formal Wear booth to get a discount on tuxes- $25 off each tux. Pretty exciting but THEN the sales attendant asked how we got engaged and after I told her (and showed her a picture!), she moved the wheel to the highest discount. $45 off each tux and every 5th tux for free! You're welcome, groomsmen.

2. I came across some new vendors I wouldn't have found otherwise, like this really awesome coffee/mocha/cappuccino bar that will set up a station at your wedding! They have everything from Snickers Mocha to Raspberry Hot Chocolate!

3. Inspiration from all the beautiful florists booths. I really love the round bouquets of white roses in the first picture!

Although, I wanted to sit in complete and utter silence for about an hour after my mom and I left, the extravaganza was worth the chaos and the headache. Now we are really trying to nail down the ceremony/reception venue. Any suggestions? We definitely want it to be in or around Houston. Any advice is very much appreciated!

the proposal!

2011-01-08T06:44:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's true! Erik and I are engaged! We are so very happy and can't wait to be married! The story? Well, here's how it happened...

Erik and I both LOVE Christmas time, so getting engaged on December 23rd was perfect! I had no idea he would propose that night (although I did keep my fingernails painted for the 2 weeks prior just in case he decided to pop the question!). We went to dinner at The Grove at Discovery Green in Downtown Houston. It was beautifully decorated and the food was delicious.

Then after a romantic meal, we walked over to the outdoor movie theater in the park to watch "It's A Wonderful Life" - one of our favorite movies! Watching a black and white Jimmy Stewart classic, outside, in a beautifully decorated park while cuddling up with blankets? Pretty smooth if I do say so myself.

After the show, we packed up our blankets and headed to the car when Erik asked if I wanted to go on a carriage ride around downtown. I, of course, said yes and off we went with Pumpkin Spice Lattes in hand (my fav!). At the end of the scenic carriage ride, we pulled back up to the park.

Erik was on my left and the park was on my right as he told me how much he loved me, that I was his best friend in the whole world, and that he wants to spend the rest of his life with me. Then he said, "What do you think about that sign?", I turned and looked toward the park and there was a HUGE sign made of Christmas lights that said "Will You Marry Me?" I swung back around towards him, crying, (never thought I would cry during the proposal!) and he asked, "Will you marry me?" I said YES! We hugged, greeted the group of onlookers in the park who were waiting for us to arrive and then took a few pictures (one girl had a flip video camera and as she was taping us said, "This is totally going on YouTube!"-- kinda weird). THEN a group of our friends--Jonathan, Emily, Austin, and Drew-- jumped out from behind the bushes to say congratulations! They had been waiting for us the whole time! Wow. Perfect. It sounds even more romantic when you type it all out! So happy and blessed. :)

Needless to say, I will be keeping the blogosphere posted as I delve into this crazy wedding planning process. Now, it's off to the Bridal Extravaganza to duke it out with some bridezillas! Have a great weekend! :)

lady a.

2010-11-19T14:55:00.001-08:00

E and I went to see Lady A a couple weeks ago. Ah-mazing!

Our seats were fantastic, but I forgot my camera! So, these terrible iPhone pics will have to suffice. I REALLY love this band. I ESPECIALLY loved the 45 year old guy sitting in front of us who was flying solo and singing louder than the band.

Unfortunately, it was too dark to capture this musical genius. Just know it was hilarious. The lady a few rows back didn't think so, though. She kept coming up and telling him to sit down during the slow songs. Then, she ran up to him again (despite the Pavilion Staff's warnings) to snap a few pictures. Ok, she was kind of a jerk. It did make for an interesting concert, though. I say, sing your heart out you tall, balding crooner. Shake those haters off.

decision points.

2010-11-09T13:33:00.000-08:00

I watched the special last night on NBC where Matt Lauer interviewed George W. Bush. Say what you will about his policy decisions, but I was truly impressed by the former President's candor and honesty. I especially respect him for refusing to criticize President Obama because he feels doing so would be: 1. Bad for the presidency for a former President to speak negatively about the current one and 2. President Obama has enough critics and "I'm not going to be one of them".

His upcoming memoir should be a really interesting read.

halloweenies!

2010-11-01T13:13:00.000-07:00

And the winning costume idea was... FLO, the Progressive Insurance lady!

Erik went as a Chilean miner, which was actually quite played out, but I think he looked great.

We had a great time at our friends Joe and Branden's place. Good people, good food, and halloweenies (pretty much regular smoked cocktail weenies) made for a fun night.
Oh, and I love these girls! How cute are they?!

Best costume of the night? I vote Joe. He was Ross from Friends in the episode where he wore leather pants! Hilarious. I'm courteously abstaining from including a picture, though. You're welcome Joe!

Ready for the other (even better) Fall days to come!

snooki: too obvious. lady gaga: ew, pass on the meat dress.

2010-10-14T12:56:00.000-07:00

I cannot figure out what to dress up as for Halloween! I don't even know if or when our friends are having a party, but I WILL think up an awesome costume and I WILL outdo my previous Halloween alter egos.

2008: Sarah Palin (party #1) & Pam Beasley (party #2)

Sorry I only have a picture of me as Palin!

2009: Octomom

Me and Tara at her Halloween party last year. Cheapest costume ever:

-wig: $6
-8 babies from Walmart: $10 AND I may or may not have returned them all the next day.
-getting to impersonate the crazy, baby machine that is octomom: priceless.

Everyone will dress up as our fav Jersey Shore guidette, Snooki, or Lady Gag...a, so I need a better idea. Hmmm.... Thoughts?

to make Emily happy.

2010-10-07T15:04:00.001-07:00

Although, I don't typically do these things, Emily asked me to and you never say no to her. :)

1. What is your favorite holiday and why?

That would HAVE to be Christmas! It IS the most magical time of the year, is it not? It's filled with good weather, family and friends, fellowship, joy even among strangers, celebration, countless baked goods, decorations, and sometimes even snow! Ok, so maybe that's a little Cindy Lou Who of me to be so optimistic, but hey! It's Christmas, so back off. :)

2. Describe the best date you've ever been on. (And yes, married people I mean the best date with your husband!)

During Christmas time (perhaps I'm a bit obsessed) the first year E and I started dating, he took me to Santa's Wonderland to look at Christmas lights. It was perfect weather, the lights were beautiful, and more importantly, that's when he told me he loved me for the first time!

{This is from that very night, right before he said those three little words! He looks a little nervous, huh?}

3. Which room in your house is your favorite?

I'm houseless (thankfully not homeless) but my favorite room in my apartment is the living room because that's where everyone hangs out! Love my friends!

4. How many kids do you want to have?

Eh, two to four. Depends on our financial situation.

5. What is your favorite quote?

"Mo money, mo problems." Notorious BIG

HA! I kid. Um probably Isaiah 41:13 "I am the Lord your God who holds your right hand and I tell you, do not be afraid. I will help you."

6. What is the first thing you do when you get home from work?

Put pajama pants on. Within the first 30 seconds of getting home. For sure.

7. Do you like cold weather or hot weather?

Cold.

8. Do you like your middle name?

Love it! It's Lillian and I'm named after my grandmother who was a wonderful lady.

I'm not tagging anyone, but I'd love to hear your answers to these questions!

coolest iPhone app ever.

2010-10-04T09:25:00.001-07:00

Ok, so we all know Antoine Dodson, the gallant young man who bravely fended off his sister's attacker in their Huntsville, Alabama apartment late one July evening. This guy is a trip! If you haven't watched the video clip of his interview with the local Alabama news station, then you need to check it out. Anyway, I got this FREE app on my phone that's basically a soundboard of the crazy things he said in his interview. You can create your own chopped-and-screwed Antoine Dodson mixes! Ha. Enjoy!

it's beginning to look a lot like... not quite Christmas, but perhaps Halloween?

2010-09-28T08:02:00.001-07:00

There's just something about this time of year when it starts to get cool outside. I feel like my mood gets lighter and I thoroughly enjoy each day more than the one before. I'm not quite sure what that says about me in the other 8 hot, muggy months of the year--maybe I should move up North... Anyway, this unexpected and pleasant departure from sweaty, bad-hair-day forecasts has me plotting my holiday season. So far on the list?

-Carving a pumpkin (design ideas still to come)
-Coming up with an awesome Halloween costume. Most recent costumes? Sarah Palin, Ocotmom, and Pam Beasley from the Office.
-Christmas caroling through random neighborhoods. Sure, it's not exactly cute anymore and perhaps a little creepy because I'm old now but why not spread the Christmas spirit? Any takers?
-LOTS of holiday baking
-Volunteering
-Honing my domestic goddess-ness by slaving away in the kitchen making Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners!

Can't wait!!! :)

monday funday.

2010-09-13T15:03:00.000-07:00

I am so excited for tonight because Erik and I are having a date night, woo hoo! Grabbing Chick Fil A for dinner {mainly because I craved it yesterday but like always when I have a CFA craving, it was Sunday and they are closed!}, then off to go see Despicable Me! I figure it has to be good. Steve Carell + a cartoon = my kind of movie! Then maybe getting some Swirll for dessert? Who knows. All I know is that Mondays are less than fun and date night sure does help. Have a great evening everyone!

shock and awe "preaching".

2010-09-10T09:17:00.000-07:00

Attention Terry Jones:

It's about time you called off this ludicrous "Burn A Koran Day" event. I couldn't think of a more efficient way for you to broadcast to the world how perfectly you fit the stereotype of a fire-and-brimstone-hate-mongering-unloving "Christian". I just hope people know we Christians aren't all like you. Do you really think this awful brain child of yours aligns with Jesus' teachings? Doubtful. If so, that's heartbreaking that you could so misunderstand the Bible. Last I checked, Jesus never called us to hate others. Do you have the right to do this unexplicable deed? Absolutely; the First Amendment can be a slippery slope. I pray that your reckless actions and self-aggrandizement across the national media outlets don't do irreparable damage to the hearts of those who don't believe in Jesus or to those who do. I also pray that you will gain some understanding of how out of line you are. No one is too far away from recognizing Truth and I pray you do.

Signed,

Concerned, disappointed, and somewhat embarassed.

want it wednesday, pumpkin spice, and john mayer.

2010-09-08T07:43:00.000-07:00

Happy Wednesday everyone! Despite the tropical storm torrential downpours here in Houston, we have finally made it to the mid-point of the week. Hallelujah. Why do 4-day weeks seem to go by much slower even though we got to enjoy a 3-day weekend? Hmmm... I digress. On the agenda today for Want It Wednesday....

Anthropologie's Tuxedo Duvet Cover! So, I'm redecorating my room. I'm leaning toward painting the walls gray. Either an anchor gray like this, or a light, more silver gray like this. Either way, I think this bedspread from Anthropologie is super cute and would tie in nicely. Don't you love it?! I'm a big fan of the ruffles. I'm also planning on adding some red-orange/coral throw pillows and accents around the room. If you find anything you think would be a good addition, please send it my way!

My. Life. Is. Complete. Pumpkin spice lattes are back! The return of this delicious, seasonal, {calorie-rich} delight always marks the beginning of the holiday season for me and I am pumped!

Erik and I went to the John Mayer concert on Sunday evening with Jonathan, Emily, Megan, and Paul. It was amaaaaazing. He's crazy talented.

Me and E at the show! Lovely Labor Day weekend, hope yours was great, too!

Santorini, here we come!.../came.

2010-08-25T09:22:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's been two months since our Greece trip {and that I am just now posting the final installment of pictures...} Ok, the pictures below are some highlights from the lovely island of Santorini.

One quick story and then I'll leave you to the picture gazing. Ok, so Erik, Allyn, Brandon, and I planned to leave on a Wednesday morning. Early. Like 6 am. Well, Allyn wasn't feeling well {She sure was 5 months preggers on a Grecian vacation. Trooper.} So, by the time Erik and I got moving and made sure Allyn was alright, we were quite behind schedule. In fact, when we got to the port finally they said they were sold out of tickets. The next time to leave: the next morning. So, as we tried to get tickets at another booth for the next day, Erik screams at me from across the port: "Rachel! Come heeerreeee!!" We got tickets! For Santorini! Same day! Only thing was the boat was leaving in 3 minutes on the other side of the port! So, we had our own little "Run, run rudolph moment {Home Alone anyone?} and made it JUST in time. I will never forget sprinting across the Port of Athens with our bags and flip flops. Oh, and Brandon and Allyn joined us the next day, no worries. :) Well, enjoy the pics and if we are FB friends, you can see a lot more on my profile!

The beautiful Perissa beach - our home for a few days!

Dear foreign friend, those are for girls. Lesson learned firsthand: Euro beach attire takes some getting used to.

Allyn and I in Fira! Look at that view!

Dinner watching the sunset in Oia...check out the blue roofs in the background!

Beautiful.

Doesn't he match Greece so well?

Perissa Beach after dinner....

Our boat at the port...
Ahhhh I could stay there foever.

changes, changes.

2010-08-05T09:38:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I know I have more Greece installments to come, but I figured I would give you a brief life update:

I finished my fellowship!

I finished two Fridays ago, which was bittersweet, but mostly sweet because I am MOVING ON! I started my new job last Monday! Quick turnaround, huh? Yeah, tell me about it. Anywho, have a great week and be on the lookout for more blogs about my Greece trip!

{Get it? Jeffersons? New job? Moving on...up?}

greece, take 2: the navel of the world.

2010-07-22T08:01:00.001-07:00

Our second full day in Athens, we drove up the coast to Delphi. A friend told me that we absolutely had to go there and he was totally right! As you can see, the views are breathtaking and the history is rich.

The legend goes, that in order to find the "center of the world", Zeus let two eagles go, one to the East and one to the West and wherever they met, would be the "center of the world". They met at Delphi. It's also called the "navel" of the world, which is why there's a weird navel statue there. It's pretty creepy because it's an outie.

Delphi is more famous for being the site of the most important oracle in the Greek world, Pythia. Remember that drugged up naked girl floating around the top of that mountain in the movie, 300? Also, an oracle. Scientists believe that Pythia spouted out these prophecies {hallucinations} due to a chasm in the rock which released methane, CO2, or some other loopy-gas. Anywho, let's get to the pictures!

{Brandon, Allyn (& baby!), me, and Erik! LOOK at that view.}

{This is B, A, and me with our cab driver--Michael. He picked us up from the airport the first day and we loved him! So, instead of going through a tour service to get to Delphi, we asked him to take us! His wife is British, so his English is really good and he was really funny.}

{The gang hiking up the mountain to get to the top!}

{Brandon really likes to take pictures in holes. It's weird, yes.}

{Erik told me to look like I was seriously studying the ancient ruins.}

{Can you tell that Erik had control of the camera?}

{I'm sure this picture had some sort of meaning, but all I know is Erik told us to do this. And we did. Something about music, the gods, and wisdom? Yep, that's my guess.}

{The Theatre at Delphi because according to Erik, I belong on the stage. Wait, does that mean he's calling me dramatic? :)}

{Beautiful.}

{Terrifying drop-off = great photo op.}

greece, take 1: athens.

2010-07-19T07:33:00.000-07:00

I figured that I would space out my blog posts about Greece because, frankly, nothing else in my life is quite as interesting at the moment and I figured posting 800 pictures at once would make for quite the lengthy post.

Installment 1? Well, Athens, of course.

{about to board the plane from houston-london-athens. we were actually on the plane with the parents of a good friend of mine! small world.}

{that's my man reading a.w. tozer, waiting at baggage claim. yes, that's all of our baggage. i may or may not have used space in his bag, too.}

{finally. the view from our apartment in ATHENS! we had a beautiful terrace that wrapped all the way around the apartment!}

{me and erik's room!}

{Brandon, Allyn, our new friend George, Erik and me at breakfast the first morning in Athens! George worked at/owned the place where we ate and was so nice. he even gave us a free bottle of ouzo--the traditional Greek drink. it was gross, but still he was so sweet! he also gave us his card and said to call if we needed anything!}

{me and e as we hiked to the top of the acropolis. we stopped and took pictures here, at the theatre of dionysus.}

{and the purpose for hiking up the acropolis, the Parthenon, temple to ancient Greek goddess--Athena.}

{beautiful.}

{the view of Athens from the top of the Acropolis is breathtaking.}

{unflattering angle, yes. but i have a thing for columns. this was in the ancient agora, or marketplace.}

{this, too.}

{me and allyn showing zeus who's boss. yes, that would be the temple of zeus behind us. most of the columns have fallen down but it was once FULL of columns like the ones behind us.}

{me and erik in front of hadrian's arch (emperor hadrian info here).}

{the city hall of Athens. see guys? i was at work. just the wrong city hall -- oops! oh, and i'm shaking my fist at the Greek government in protest alongside the Greeks. also, this is the worst possible place to be when the citizens are rioting against their government daily, so we scooted right on out of there asap.}

{erik at the original olympic stadium, used during the first olympic games in 1896.}

{erik and I finished the evening at a beach in Athens -- Ammos beach -- for sunset. also noteworthy: the metro went on strike, so we took a bus to get there. while at the beach, the buses went on strike, so we took a cab back to the apartment.}

{loved seeing everything in athens! next stop: delphi. stay tuned.}

feeling crafty.

2010-07-16T08:28:00.000-07:00

I know, I know. I STILL haven't posted Greece pics! It's coming. I promise. Let's chalk it up to "technical difficulties" {aka I can't find the connector cord for my camera-computer}. It will happen this weekend -- promise!

In the meantime, I found this beaut on craigslist this morning -- $25! My imagination is soaring with possibilities for this hutch/desk. I'm excited to see it after some sanding and refinishing!

Oh, the possibilities....

White wash with antique finish?
Crazy funky color?
Classic black or dark stain finish?

Either way, I really want to check out the collection of knobs and drawer pulls at Anthropologie -- so cute! Here are some of my favs:

What do you think? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

i'm baaacccckkkk!

2010-07-10T12:59:00.000-07:00

Hey friends! I have returned from Greece! It. Was. Amazing. Beautiful beaches, amazing landscapes, rich history, and more feta cheese than I've ever seen in one place. I plan on describing the trip in more detail through several different installments, but I know you must be dying to hear something, so here are a few highlights. Det's and photos to come soon!

-We spent most of our time on the beautiful island of Santorini; stayed in Perissa on the black sand beaches, rented a car and explored the whole island, including Oia and Fira.

-Erik and I nearly missed the boat to Santorini; we had 3 minutes to run across the Port of Piraeus to catch the speed ferry! It was our own little Home Alone experience. Run, run Rudolph.

-We spent a day in Delphi, which was thought to be the center, or navel, of the world at one point. They even have a bellybutton statue. Weird.

-In Athens, we caught the tail end of a protest; the Greeks were putting their signs away into a huge UHAUL in the city center. Also, the police officers in Greece are uber buff. Guess they have to be now to fight off angry Greeks. In fact, we saw one standing in front of the police station with an assault rifle. Everyone was really nice to us, though!

-Erik and I climbed a volcano! You're not supposed to take the rocks and I may or may not have shoved a couple in my shirt when we left. Oops! They are so cool -- red, white, and black. We also swam in the hot springs around the volcano. Stinky. It smelled like sulphur, but definitely a cool experience.

Stay tuned....

want it wednesday: new TOMS.

2010-06-23T07:12:00.000-07:00

Regrettably, it is almost time for me to retire my first and only beloved pair of TOMS. I am taking them to Greece for their final send off and expect that they will be pretty torn up upon my return. :)

So, I want these! Comfy, quirky, shoes that help children in need? Yes, please! Sign me up!

{www.tomsshoes.com}

wax on, wax off.

2010-06-21T07:38:00.000-07:00

When I was a little girl, washing the cars always meant daddy-daughter time. Dad would always spray me with the hose, I'd sit in the soap bucket, and we would just have a good old time! SO, naturally, dirty cars and ample time together led to some more family bonding time out in the driveway.

My dad really is so selfless. He washed mine and my brother's cars on Father's Day!

Dirrrttyyyyyy!

Ha! Caught him off guard.

Me and the brother.

Dad and daughter.

Casualty at the drive thru car wash.

Look at that concentration.

I love you Dad!

want it wednesday: digital slr bag.

2010-06-16T19:33:00.000-07:00

operation: camera bag.

I got a new Digital SLR for Christmas and want a super cute case so I can safely take it with me to GREECE. Countdown to date: 9 days!

My dad {bless his sweet, practical self} bought me a behemoth of a camera bag with the SLR itself, but it just isn't going to cut it for travel purposes. I've been perusing some discussion boards and found some interesting suggestions for homemade solutions: use a diaper bag {not that I have one of THOSE lying around}, backpack, or purse. I was thinking about purchasing an actual camera bag, though. Any suggestions?

I found this bag, called the Sloop and although finding cute cases is difficult, I really like it! I would love to hear your thoughts/suggestions!

UPDATE: office bathroom decor still atrocious.

2010-06-14T09:55:00.001-07:00

Just when you thought it couldn't get any better..

It just screams Happy Summer!, right? Between the seashells, the seemingly leftover Christmas poinsettia leaves, and the Easter lillies, this is my fav bathroom arrangement yet!

wisdom.

2010-06-09T06:20:00.000-07:00

I thought I would share this timely scripture I came across this morning:

"Let your patience show itself perfectly in what you do. Then you will be perfect and complete and will have everything you need. But if any of you needs wisdom, you should ask God for it. He is generous to everyone and will give you wisdom without criticizing you. But when you ask God, you must believe and not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like a wave in the sea, blown up with joy, not sadness. It will not help you to make their work hard." - James 1:4-6

bring it on.

2010-06-07T15:39:00.000-07:00

Let's chat for a second. First of all, looking for a job is not too fun. Fear of not living up to potential, wasting time in a position you could potentially loathe, and then what about the ever-present chance that you might work with a bunch of crazies? All legitimate concerns {especially for all my fellow over-analyzers out there} but there is one uber frustrating thing that I keep coming across.

qualifications: 3-5 years of experience.

For some of these positions, I get it. I can't take a job as the Director of something when I've never done anything in that specialty before. Sure. If I were naive enough to think that, then I agree that you really should not give me the job. However for some, if not most, of the positions I have been finding, I KNOW I can do the job with my 1-2 year of experience . I am confident in my abilities and more than that, HOW can anyone be expected to gain experience if they aren't given the chance because they don't magically already possess those years under their belt. Ugh.

So there. Bring it on, job search. Hit me with a "minimum 5 years experience" and I'll hit you back with why I feel I am qualified for the position notwithstanding my limited experience.

lemonade stands, blueberries, and SUMMER!

2010-06-04T12:05:00.000-07:00

Well hello my bloggy friends! Last weekend was seriously one of the best I've had in a while. I mean, what makes a good weekend? Well, here are some key factors in my view:

Family & Friends, check!

Enjoying the outdoors, check!

Lots of laughs, check!

Good food, check!

{I'm such a Monica right now}

and so on and so forth....

It begins with a cooking competition. Me vs. Jonathan. Both burgers were good. Emily says it was a tie, but it's just because she really knows I won. :) My winning recipe? Ground chuck, A little onion soup mix, chipotle seasoning, worcerstershire sauce, an egg, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper, lime juice. Delish. Jonathan whipped up those yummy sweet potato fries and I chose to garnish my burgers with avocado and grilled onions. {Don't worry. Your mouths SHOULD be watering right now.}

Then, after dinner we went and picked blueberries at this super cute farm, Moorhead's Blueberry Farm in Conroe, TX! The owner's best friend carried around a little bird on his shoulder. Weird? Sure. But that little bird was precious!

Here's Erik and the bird. HA!

Me and the bird...

J & E and the bird...

And the beautiful sunset! Great evening. If you're in the area, I highly recommend this place!

Then, on Sunday I went to Katy and helped my cousin and her kids set up their very first Lemonade stand! How cute are they?! Sophie (far left) and Carly (far right) are a little pair of business women, for sure! Sullivan (in the middle) was running the whole thing, though. Precious.

Weird/sad story. Sophie and Carly told me as soon as I arrived at the house that I had to come see "their birds". These little guys fell out of the tree next door and are like 4 days old! I've never seen baby birds so small! They look pretty gross actually...

Anywho, here's to this weekend. TGIF!

t swift, living the life, and wimpy teenage boys.

2010-05-29T11:07:00.000-07:00

Happy Memorial Day Weekend all!

I'm a little behind on my blogging, so I must update you all on my life! Mainly, the Taylor Swift concert. An abundance of glittery dresses, tweens, and cute pop/country tunes made for quite the entertaining evening. My fabulous friend, Bekah, took me to the concert for free! Even better, we had box seats. You wouldn't really be able to tell, though, from this iPhone pic {can't wait to get my hands on the new one with zoom} See that cute, little shiny speck? That's T Swift.

She was lovely! Not only was her voice great, but she was just as cute as a button rockin' around the Toyota Center with her plethora of glittery guitars. Although I did feel as if I would surely go deaf from all the tween screams, a fun time was had by all. Especially, this wimpy little teenage boy.

During a video, Taylor made her away to the opposite side of the stadium and walked all the way back to the stage through the audience, shaking hands, giving hugs, and even kisses on the cheek. Hence, the wimpy teenage boy who literally cried when she walked by. So, she gave him a kiss on the cheek. Cute. Maybe that will help the lessen the inevitable beating that poor little boy got the next day at school.

dwts.

2010-05-26T07:52:00.000-07:00

Ok. Sure, Nicole Scherzinger is beautiful, talented, and a phenomenal dancer. I would venture to say that this was true before Dancing with The Stars, though.

Personally, I think Erin and Maks got robbed. I mean, how fair is to go up against a Pussycat Doll and a Olympic, gold-medal winning Ice Skater?

I didn't really care enough to vote, BUT Erin, you totally had my vote theoretically. :)

oh, the irony.

2010-05-22T22:02:00.001-07:00

So, I am clearly the model daughter because I spent all morning/afternoon helping my mom clean out and organize our garage. And yes, it was quite the undertaking. Low and behold, what did I find underneath a big pile of old stuffed animals and yard tools?

HA! Gotta love her.

just for emily.

2010-05-18T17:30:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, Jonathan, Erik, and I attempted to do yoga. Erik lasted 30 seconds. Tops. HA!

Here are the remaining contenders {Sorry it's blurry--can't wait for the new iPhone with flash!}. Missed you this weekend, Em!

take that, Houston haters!

2010-05-17T17:52:00.000-07:00

NEWS FLASH:

Urban Gardening: Houston's growing much more than its pollution rate...

Today I got to spend some time at one of the city's community centers as a part of this program shadowing I'm doing for my fellowship. Super funzies. The Health Department has implemented "Community Gardens" just like this one in multi-service centers across the city with the intention of teaching residents about fresh, healthy produce and caring for their community, while getting to enjoy the fruits of their labor at the same time {pardon the pun}!

LOOK AT THAT CUCUMBER!

WHO KNEW SAGE WAS SO PRETTY?

THAT IS ONE SERIOUS GREEN BEAN!

STRAWBERRRIIIEESSSSSS

CUTE LITTLE EGGPLANTS!

Happy Monday, y'all!

8-8.

2010-05-10T15:38:00.000-07:00

So, Tara tagged me in this fun picture game.

Look in your eighth picture folder.
Choose the eighth picture.
Post it.
Explain.

This would be my main man, Erik, and I at the beautiful wedding of two friends, David and Chelsea! It was 2006. 4 years ago, wow! I was a sophomore in college and he was a junior. We look sooooo young! {{Mainly Erik :)}} This was literally like the week before we started dating. Who would have thought we'd be where we are today. This picture reminds me not only of how much I've been blessed, but mainly how good God is. His divine Will is surely greater than anything I could have thought up!

I really do love this picture! {{Except how I apparently thought it would be a good idea to showcase my forehead}} Hope you enjoyed this little stroll down memory lane!

Now, I'm tagging:
Tiffany
Brittney
Charlotte
Anna
Sarah Ann

Hope y'all had a happy monday!

ATX

2010-05-06T18:35:00.001-07:00

A recent trip to Austin inspired me to take a moment to just appreciate Texas. What a great place.

Fun Texas trivia:

Texas is the only state to have 6 flags fly over it. Those flags are Spain, France, Mexico, Republic of Texas, Confederate States, and the United States.
The King Ranch in Texas is bigger than Rhode Island.
Austin is considered the live musical capital of the world.
Texas boasts the largest of all the state capitol buildings, constructed of 15,000 carloads of pink granite.
The Capitol Building in Austin is taller than the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. {Everything is bigger in Texas}

As a part of my fellowship, we get to go to both our nation's capitol and our state capitol. DC was great, but I really enjoyed Austin. Look at the beautiful building!

We went into the Senate chambers, pretty neat.

Until we meet again ATX!

seriously, greece?

2010-05-05T16:17:00.000-07:00

Seeing as I will be coming to visit you all in about a month and a half, I would greatly appreciate it if you folks over there in the Ancient world would get it TOGETHER. I mean, really, guys. I've only been dreaming of strolling around the Acropolis and getting a tan on the beautiful beaches of Mykonos for about 10 years now {or whenever Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants came out}. Sheesh. Thanks for picking a very inconvenient time to fall apart at the seams.

So, I'm giving you 6 weeks to clear this mess up. Thanks and I promise to invest some serious euros into your economy when I get there. You're welcome. We both know you need it, so don't screw this up.

Let's have more of this...

And less of this...

Thanks a million.

parents vs technology.

2010-04-27T10:19:00.000-07:00

This post is inspired by my dad, who is slowly dipping his toe into the pool that is the 21st century. He emails, text messages, and that's pretty much it and that's just the way he likes it. Let's talk about his text messages for a second. Here are the last two texts I received from my dad:

"Hey homey how r u, Love Dad"

"Love u too honey, Dad, Have a wonderful Day"

Things I love about the way my dad texts:

1. The occasional, albeit accidental, swap of the word "homey" for "honey"

2. The way that he always lets me know who the text is from {although the message pops up from "Dad"}

3. He is just so sweet!

Now on to my dear mother. Does anyone else think it's weird that parents are all about Facebook these days? Yeah, yeah social media is the hottest advertising tool and the fastest growing population on Facebook is 50 something's. I know, I know. But, still. When I go home and find my mom playing Farmville, it weirds me out a little. Not to mention the conversation we had about why she was getting a FB in the first place...

"Mom, I don't know if I want to be your FB friend. You're just gonna call me every two seconds and ask me who the people are in my pictures."

"{Offended at the very thought of my not accepting her friend request} I am getting a FB to stay in touch with MY friends. It has nothing to do with you, Rachel. Don't be so conceited."

That lasted for all of two seconds. If I did one of those "find out your biggest fan" things, I'm fairly positive she would be #1. {Not that I don't love her for being my #1 fan in real life because she totally is--thanks mom!} Does she comment on my statuses all the time? Not as much anymore. However, on more than one occasion I have had to delete one of her comments for containing any of the following terms of endearment...

"Baby"

"Precious"

"Punkin"

::sigh::

Oh, parents. Gotta love 'em!

gay roaches.

2010-04-24T10:47:00.000-07:00

My grandma {aka Ganga} and I just had a very interesting conversation about roaches. Ew, the very word makes me cringe. Anywho, I feel like the following dialogue may give you a little insight into our very special relationship {Ganga and I, that is. Not me and the roaches. Freakin sick}. Here goes...

Me: Ganga, oh my goodness. I definitely saw a very tiny bug crawling across the foot of my bed yesterday. I looked closer. It was a roach. Ewwwwwwwwwwww. I went and told the apartment office this morning so they can exterminate ASAP.

Ganga: Oh, well you should get those combat things. You know, the little black things that make the roaches gay.

Me: What??? It makes the roaches gay?

Ganga: Well, it kills them, yes, but I read somewhere that if it doesn't kill them it makes them gay...like, so they couldn't reproduce.

Me: Well, that's interesting.

HA! She's hilarious. Have a very happy and summery saturday y'all!

a good Word.

2010-04-22T07:18:00.001-07:00

I have a lot to say about....craigslist.

2010-04-20T18:01:00.000-07:00

Today, I would like to share with you my love for craigslist, particularly the "free" section. I like to accredit my fascination with the "free" items to my increasingly frugal nature. {Zoom in on the accumulation of "Sweet 'N Low" packets I have at the bottom of my purse--oops!} Even though the line between junk and treasure is a fine one, surfing CL is definitely entertaining either way. I usually have good luck with the "furniture" section, too, but let's start with the "free" cra....ahem, items.

You really never know what you'll find in the free postings. It's usually more amusing than useful for me, but to each his own. Steals of the day? Well, I'm glad you asked...

- Some lovely peach in Alvin, Texas is offering an old box of "dust and cobweb-covered" needlepoint patterns. Seriously, that's how they described it. Score.

- Another CL friend in Alvin is giving away "chunks of concrete". However, seller kindly forewarns you that "This is chunks of concrete. Not crushed...you have to smash it yourself." Thanks, buddy.

- A couple is giving away their 11 month old chocolate toy poodle! Not a big fan of little dogs, myself, but what a deal for a little kid!

- Some mover and shaker is giving away "ticket stubs". Awesome. There's nothing I enjoy more than pretending like I went somewhere I didn't. Hmmm.....

- Someone in Southwest Houston is offering a "Free Cheerleading Clinic to Junior High Girls"....wait, WHAT!? That's disturbing. For reals. Maybe someone should look in to that. I'm emailing CL stat...

- A new mom in Atascocita is giving away her "Nursing PJ's". Freakin sick.

- And finally, the best find of all....a NINJA GAIDEN CUTOUT! Umm. Huh? Apparently, it's some Japanese video game series. Whatevs. It's free, folks!

Ok, as for the "furniture" section, it is the little jewel of a section where I usually find great deals! [I often type $50 as the max price in the search bar and go from there]. You see, I like to think of myself as an up and coming DIY'er. I'm crafty, creative, and resourceful [a.k.a. broke], so DIY projects really appeal to me!

Additionally, searching for said deals is uber entertaining when I am bored at work! The possibilities are endless! In fact, I bought a solid wood, full-sized bed frame for $30 earlier this year and my experience could not have been better! The woman was so sweet and with a little paint, it looks fantastic and brand new! Total project cost? $45. Brand new bed frame. Take that, Ikea. Check it out for yourself and let me know what kind of super deals you find!

recipe for a wonderful saturday morning =

2010-04-17T13:56:00.000-07:00

A fair amount of sleeping in
+Yummy breakfast {feta cheese omelette & blackberries}
+Delicious coffee from my Keurig
+Laying down again, but only half asleep, while watching Glee Season 1
+A good workout
+Cooking fire-roasted tortilla soup for the week while listening to my man Frank
+Making dinner plans with my love and some besties

I wish every day could be Saturday!!! Have a good one y'all!

sweet friends!

2010-04-17T09:15:00.000-07:00

Thanks, Tara!

great food+ great company+ great conversation.

2010-04-15T20:04:00.000-07:00

So, Erik and I have been meaning to try out the Kenny & Ziggy's New York Deli in the Galleria area. Being the Food Network nerd that I am, I knew this diner had been on Guy Fieri's show, Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, so it was a must! We went on Wednesday and I had the Reuben {so did Guy} --the corned beef was fantastic! Huge, way more than I could eat, and not very friendly to my going-to-greece-in-a-few-months-diet, but delicious, nonetheless!

After dinner, we went to Dunn Bros. Coffee on Wesleyan. It's cute, nicely decorated, and has quite the delicious beverage selection...

{I love that he indulges me when I make him take pictures for my blog}

More importantly though, Erik and I had a really good conversation about careers, future, etc. Here's some background. We are both Type A and planners to the extreme. He is an accountant and was talking about how he plans to pursue accounting/finance, where he might want to work, new facets of the financial sector he is interested in, etc. I really am so proud of him and very thankful that he plans. Good quality.

This also, however, reminded me how unsure I am as far as my career plan goes. I've always been the girl with the plan. And I am plan-less. I have tons of ideas, some great opportunities, and the ability to succeed with whatever I choose {not in a cocky way, just confident}, but that is the issue. I need to choose a path and while I know that God will provide that path in HIS timing, it is still really difficult to wait. Erik offered some great advice and I've been reflecting on the conversation today. I've decided that as I am proactive in pursuing opportunities that come my way, I will wait {not that I really have a choice!} on the Lord and trust in His perfect timing. Not simply because I don't have a choice, but mainly because I know that my God is powerful, sovereign, and good. And much more capable than I. Also, I am trying to focus on this verse:

"Because your love is better than life, I will praise you. I will praise you as long as I live. I will lift up my hands in prayer to your name. I will be content as if I had eaten the best foods." Psalm 63:3-5

ouch.

2010-04-14T13:28:00.000-07:00

I'm not really too much into celeb gossip, but when an article entitled "Playboy rejects Kate Gosselin" comes up on the home page of CNN.com, it must be important {horrifying}. I mean, the article's title is pretty self-explanatory, but can we talk about how sad Kate's situation has become?! Well, it's terrifying. Going from the cute little Holly Homemaker with, arguably, 8 of the most adorable children on the face of the planet to being rejected by a wrinkly, probably old man-smelling, 80-something year old perv. Ouch. He even said he didn't see why she was on Dancing with the Stars. Sheesh.

Much like avid fan, Chris Crocker, did for his beloved, Britney, perhaps it's time for someone to make a similar plea for Kate. LEAVE KATE ALONE! She obviously needs to get herself together.

25 things.

2010-04-12T15:52:00.000-07:00

{Me and my man!}

So, these lists might be a little hokey, but I think they're super fun! And don't be shy! Let me know some random facts about you, too!

1. One of my unrealistic goals is to marry a senator so that I can achieve two of my other goals: being really involved in politics, while still being a domestic goddess.

2. I really wish I would have listened to my mom and taken piano lessons. Whenever I have kids, I am going to make them take lessons, BUT I will do it, too! That way, I won't be a hypocrite.

3. I am certain that I would fit in perfectly as the seventh friend in the cast of FRIENDS.

4. I don't care if he has a horrible temper and allegedly assaulted his mother and sister, I LOVE Christian Bale.

5. I really love my middle name, Lillian, because I was named after my grandmother whose first name was Lillian.

6. My grandpa played in the NBA for the Chicago Bulls when they were called the Chicago Stags from 1946-49.

7. My former roommate and I once ate dry brownie mix...like, just the powder...and deluded ourselves into thinking that it is less fattening.

8. I think I missed my calling in life. I was meant to be on Broadway, specifically in Wicked. I saw it in NYC and it changed my life. It is AMAZING.

9. One day I will compete on Iron Chef. And win. Also, I am very competitive.

10. One summer when I was traveling with the HBU REC Team [kind of a drama/skit team/ministry] we went around scaring campers with creepy masks and one punched me....right in the nose. Priceless.

11. I dislike several foods solely because of their texture. Example: pears, oysters, & cottage cheese. I ALSO HATE mayonnaise. Like, SO much. Ew.

12. I went to Italy two summers ago and it made me want to learn another language, but ironically, not Italian. I want to learn French and polish up my Spanish.

13. I have a crazy awesome grandma, named "Ganga". Why "Ganga"? Well, I'm glad you asked. I was the first grandchild and when I tried to say, "grandma", "Ganga" is what came out. And it stuck. She really is awesome though--white water rafting, traveling, hiking, etc. I want to be like her when I get older.

14. I think Shelburne, Nova Scotia is one of the most beautiful places on earth, but I love to travel and am very open to finding new, beautiful places.

15. God is currently teaching me what it's like to truly trust Him.

16. Whenever I wear tights with a dress, it makes me want to dance around like a ballerina and usually, I do.

17. I am a spelling nazi.

18. As I get older, I appreciate my parents more and more. They really are my two best friends.

19. I once met Marvin Zindler at a Bah Mitzvah.

20. The last time my friends and I went camping, we went to a place that had log cabins. Because I firmly believe that it is not camping if you do not sleep in a tent, I set mine up.... inside the cabin.

21. I secretly want to divert my career path and go to culinary school/start a cooking school for kids!

22. I think a year's supply of coconut-flavored coffee creamer would be one of the best things ever.

23. I believe that I was born in the wrong decade. I would have loved to be a teenager/young adult in the 40's/50's.

24. My next travel destination is Greece!!! AHHH! My reasons for going are three-fold: it looked really beautiful in the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, I love Mediterranean food, and I really want to visit Athens for the historical and political value.

25. I love being efficient and productive, so it almost makes me cringe to think about how many other things I could have been doing besides making this list. :)

date night.

2010-04-09T20:08:00.001-07:00

As cliche as this may be, Erik and I went to go see Date Night...on...our...date night. :) Yeah, Yeah shut it. Anyway, it was fantastic! I mean, take the stars of my two favorite shows on TV [30 Rock and The Office], add in some Marky Mark [see below], suspense, an NYC car chase, and BAM! Pure comedic entertainment. Loved it. Also, it was a nice break from staying in my bed all week with strep throat. YUCK YUCK YUCK. Thank you, Z Pack. :)

{Oh, Marky Mark. You've come a long way. He really does always have his shirt off!}

antiques roadshow, here I come!

2010-04-06T09:56:00.000-07:00

You may remember that a couple months ago, I blogged about random career aspirations of mine. One of which was to be a traveling appraiser on the Antiques Roadshow! [I am seriously a huge nerd and I love watching this show.] Anywho, have I got a story for you! The following may [or may not] make me a huge success on AR....

Last Thanksgiving, at my grandma's house [we call her Ganga--I'll tell you why in another post] we all got to talking about my great grandpa, Ganga's dad who we called "Pa". Well, Pa fought in World War II and I believe was D-Day +2. He was awesome and received tons of medals, honors, and so on and so forth. Anyway, my mom and I started asking Ganga about the clock that she had in her room that was given to her by her father. [[see below]]

This isn't just any old clock. In combat [he was stationed in France], Pa found this on a German solider [after he killed him- yikes!]. So, he eventually brought it home with him and now it sits on Ganga's bookshelf in all of its fancy, historical ornateness. This is only the beginning of the story, though.

My dad, being the historical junkie that he is [I suppose that's where I get it from] went and got the clock from Ganga's room and brought it into the living room. As he removed the clock from the case, the case fell and hit the carpet. No biggie. It was fine. BUT we did discover something else. A medal fell out of the case and onto the carpet. No one knew about this little treasure, not even Pa.

My mom had done some research on her Grandpa, Pa, and the awards he had received. One of which was the French Croix de guerre, pretty much the equivalent of the U.S. Medal of Honor. [More information about the Croix de guerre here] My mom realized that this medal looked similar to Pa's, but was a little different. And then we flipped it over under the lamp and saw this....
Although the numbers are hard to read, you see it says "1914 - 1918". Wait, wait, wait. Pa fought in World War II. This is from WWI. The only logical conclusion is this:

The German that Pa killed and took this clock from had previously looted [and probably killed] a Frenchman who once owned both this clock [whose initials, apparently, were "YM"] ...and the medal, which he was awarded for his service in World War I. Crazy!

Not that we would ever sell this, but it's cool to think about how much this piece of history is worth!

my life in pictures.

2010-04-05T09:21:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday everyone! Today I thought we could get to know each other a little better. How, you ask? Well, through iPhone pictures, of course! Here are some random pics I have accrued over the last 6 months or so. Let me preface this by saying: 1. Yes, the quality could be better 2. And yes, I realize that a lot of them have to do with Christmas, but what can I say? It's my FAV time of year. Enjoy!

[[This would be my brother and dad taking full advantage of their annual post-Thanksgiving dinner snooze! I love how my dad just plopped right down on top of Ryan. Ha! Oh, what a pair.]]

[[ This is the scoreboard when my Alma Mater, Houston Baptist University (HBU!), played Duke in basketball this year. Everyone knew how the game would turn out. And it did. But for maybe 5 minutes, we were winning. So, I documented it of course! Go Huskies!]]

[[Here's a super cool picture from when Erik, Jonathan, Emily, and I went camping. It looks like it's in black and white, but it isn't! It's just me laying on a bench looking up at the trees.]]

[[This is Erik in front of the Christmas tree at his parent's house. His mom always decorates it so beautifully!]]

[[Some random guy at the Water Wall who set up his drums, played for like 5 minutes, then packed up and left. Good little show, though.]]

[[Yes, that would be my lovely boyfriend modeling my roomie's Ugg boots for me! Ha. He said, "It feels like you're standing in cotton balls." I also had to beg him to let me put this on here. :) ]]

[[Erik and I seeing Lady A at the rodeo!]]

[[My cousin's uber adorable kiddos!]]

[[Super cute gingerbread cookies, if I do say so myself.]]

[[I met this adorable little man at the House of Tiny Treasures during a community service project for my Fellowship. We decorated cookies and threw a Christmas party! Loads of fun!]]

[[Oh, Christmas tree. This is the mini-tree that I set up for Erik in his room while he was in Colorado on a ski trip. Yeah, yeah, I'm so sweet I know. ;) ]]

thank you.

2010-04-02T15:30:00.000-07:00

"So do not be ashamed to tell people about our Lord Jesus, and do not be ashamed of me, in prison for the Lord. But suffer with me for the Good News. God, who gives us the strength to do that, saved us and made us His holy people. That was not because of anything we did ourselves but because of God's purpose and grace. That grace was given to us through Christ Jesus before time began, but is now shown to us by the coming of our Savior Christ Jesus. He destroyed death, and through the Good News he showed us the way to have life that cannot be destroyed."

[[2 Timothy 1:8-10]]

be a man.

2010-04-01T07:04:00.001-07:00

I saw this article on CNN about Jesse James checking into a rehab facility and I was inspired to send a message. See letter below...

Dear Hollywood Celebs of the male persuasion,

It is not trendy nor cute nor acceptable for you to cheat on your wives. Additionally, "checking yourself into a rehab facility" is not a viable excuse or a way to make it all go away.

That being said, the message of this letter is not to discourage your being granted forgiveness or your pursuit of turning over a new leaf. That's terrific. Do that. Hopefully, you will be granted forgiveness by those you have wronged. My tidbit of information for you is simple. BE A MAN. Be strong enough to resist temptation and if something horrible happens [but please, please, please don't let it!], be honest enough to admit your faults. Preferrably, after the first mistake and not four (ahem, Jesse James) or many more (ahem, Tiger Woods).

{SOURCE: Getty Images}

Sandra, you're beautiful, strong, talented, and we love you.

Signed,

Women.

odd desire.

2010-03-31T09:02:00.001-07:00

I don't have a house. Our apartment has a nice refrigerator. Who covets kitchen appliances? Oh, and I'm 23. These are all reasons why it's so strange that I want this refrigerator. But I do. I do for all its spacious, steel-y, goodness. Yep, that's all. Have a wonderful wednesday!

someone call martha.

2010-03-30T14:07:00.000-07:00

I don't have much experience in the workplace, but I can tell you one thing I've noticed thus far. Bathroom decor is rarely chic. Of course, this is a product of the particular place in which you work, but really. The sweet ladies in my office are fabulous. This, however, is laughable.

Here's what happens. The lovely black pedestal/table (if you will), in addition to the golden mosaic vase, well, they never change. Throughout the seasons those two pieces are adorned with the respective holiday's decor. For Thanksgiving, it was small styrofoam pumpkins, Christmas brought the ladies room some delightfully tacky sprigs of metallic holly, and even St. Patrick's day resulted in the display being adorned in glittery green decorations.

This, my friends, is Easter. Enjoy.

dear weekend, I miss you.

2010-03-29T11:31:00.000-07:00

Maybe I should move to Europe. I mean, they are way more laid back than we are in the states. I believe France has a mandatory 35-hour work week and most have eight weeks of vacation? Sign. Me. Up.

All this to emphasize how much I enjoyed my weekend! Here's the highlight reel.

Lunch and arts festival with this precious little baby, Kaylin! Oh and her mom, Victoria, and Aunt Katie, of course! The arts festival was in Katy at La Centerra so we browsed, ate lunch, and got some delicious frozen yogurt at Tutti Frutti. (Kind of like a Swirll wanna be, but their coconut yogurt is fabulous!)

Then off to meet Erik, Jonathan, and Emily for a picnic! We brought sandwiches to the park in front of the Water Wall in the Galleria, threw around the football, and enjoyed the beautiful evening! Those three little people in the bottom right hand corner are Jonathan, Emily, and Erik by the way.

Gotta love that boy!

Anytime you are with Emily, you know that either Crave Cupcakes or Swirll frozen yogurt are on the agenda. Saturday, it was Crave. Brilliant decision. As was my choice to get the chocolate coconut cupcake. Literally, the best cupcake I've ever had.

Great weekend. Counting down until the next!

my first award!

2010-03-26T09:30:00.000-07:00

I would like to thank the academy, my super cute bloggy friends, my severe lack of excitement in the workplace, and of course, the little people.

Thanks Tara! What a peach.

Just got back from Washington D.C. and have some fantastic stories to share. Stay tuned.

In the Capitol.

2010-03-23T09:45:00.001-07:00

I'm in Washington DC right now as a part of my fellowship!

I thought I'd share a few photos.

Have a great week!

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

my most recent obsession.

2010-03-17T07:27:00.000-07:00

On Monday some friends, Cason and Melissa, invited Erik and I to go see Lady Antebellum. We had great seats and the Houston Rodeo is always a good time!

And, yes, Lady A is my new obsession. I mean, they have a fantastic harmony, they're attractive, and they've got that Nashville sound, with a little bit of rock and roll--perfect combo. Love them!

Some of my favorite tracks:

"American Honey"

"Slow Down Sister"

"Hello World"

"Perfect Day"

"I Run to You"

In fact, I may or may not have splurged and bought both of their albums on iTunes! :) Check them out!

parking lot lady.

2010-03-16T07:39:00.000-07:00

At my office, there is this lady--I like to call her "parking lot lady"-- and she is quite mysterious. Almost every time I am in the parking garage, I see her walking around. Up, down, and around the 5 levels of the garage. Whether it be 8 am (I saw her this morning, in fact!) or 2 pm or even closing time--she's almost always there! And is always wearing a scarf.

Maybe she found a genius way to get out of doing actual work? Maybe she's a champion mall walker? Maybe she's Forrest Gump's protege? Maybe she's in the CIA and she's stalking me? Who knows.

I sort of envy her. Maybe I'll find her and join her one of these days.

joy.

2010-03-15T06:56:00.000-07:00

I have decided that I am going to make an effort to be more joyful. Not in some cheesy way, but in a genuine, grateful-for-my-many-blessings, happy-to-be-alive, content-in-Christ sort of way.

I realized last night that I am being entirely too affected by situations around me. I've reached the point where one piece of my life that is not going as I had planned has spilled over into other (more important) areas. I find myself having to conscisously stop and remember how God has provided for me and that I have every reason in the world to be joyful, instead of constantly having His providence and grace in the forefront of my mind.

I need to readjust my focus and continuously realize my blessings and purpose for every season of my life.

Just a few inspiring verses on a joy that is eternal and is not based on your day at work, your paycheck, etc...

"Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me." Psalm 51:12

"Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days." Psalm 90:14

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

"Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints." Philemon 1:7

p.s. This weekend, Erik and I had a great time with Jonathan and Emily in San Antonio!!! Blog post with pics to come soon!

TGIF

2010-03-12T09:33:00.000-08:00

You know it's been a long/tiring/horrible/seemingly never-ending week when it's Friday and I've only blogged once!

Anywho, I am so looking forward to this weekend! Although it's not Spring Break for Erik and I, it is for Jonathan and Emily (I do NOT want to talk about how depressed I am that I no longer have this wonderful luxury...) and we decided to take a weekend trip to San Antonio!

On the itinerary, so far...

The Alamo, of course!

Some yummy Mexican food! I've heard the Iron Cactus is really good (there's one in Austin and this is a part of that chain...), but we haven't decided on that just yet.

I think it would be really fun to do a little boat ride on the Riverwalk...

We really want to go look at all the Spanish Missions in San Antonio. Elisabeth went a few weeks ago and got some great pictures! We hope to do the same, PLUS we just love to explore!

So excited. Can't wait!!!!

my morning

2010-03-09T07:50:00.001-08:00

This morning....

It's disgustingly foggy/humid outside. My hair...well, it's not working.
I stepped in a puddle on my way into work. Having the bottom of your pants wet is uber frustrating.
I made some yummy southwestern soup last night--bell peppers, corn, black beans, tomatoes, caramelized onions--so that I would have a good lunch today. As I shut the door to the refrigerator at work...the container broke. Soup spilled. Everywhere. UGH. So that was a fun way to start my morning at work.
I get an email from my mom saying that a letter came to the house and I owe $1,000 to my alma mater?! I graduated a year agoooo. I am sure it's a fluke, but I still wanna complain about it.

I'm not typically a complainer--well, I like to think I'm not. But, seriously?! And it's only 10 am...

YIKES! Here's to hoping the rest of the day gets better!

i feel ancient.

2010-03-05T06:25:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday, my mom and I went to go vote in the primary and the polling location just happened to be my old elementary school. Obviously, it seems much smaller now than it did when I was there, but it was just so fun to walk around and reminisce! So, I thought I would share some fun memories with all of you.

We mainly looked around outside on the playground because we didn't want to get taken down by the feisty old ladies acting as "Election Clerks" for conspicuously roaming around the inside of the school.

It is so strange to think that it has been 18 years since I started school! Yikes. I really do feel super old. Imagine how my mom ^ feels haha.

This may look like just a telephone pole. And it is. BUT, in first grade (I think), this is the exact spot where Lachele Garrison grabbed the freshly tarred telephone pole and had to wear trash bags on her hands for the rest of the school day. Ya know, you would think someone could have actually done something to help her get that tar off. Hmm.

This, my friends, is the spot in the back parking lot where our class president (in like--4th grade?) thought it was a great idea to climb under the 18-wheeler parked here. Why? Who knows, but he sure did get the title of "Class President" ripped away. Cruel, cruel world.

Oh, Cimarron Elementary. Good times, good times.

miguelito's.

2010-03-01T17:41:00.000-08:00

More so than usual, I felt like this weekend went by incredibly fast! Nonetheless, it was really good. The highlight was definitely going to Miguelito's. One thing that Erik and I love to do together is find cool hole-in-the-wall restaurants in Houston. Miguelito's is a perfect example! Ok, so maybe their website looks a little rough. And maybe it's located on the fine line between the Galleria and the ghetto. However, it really is a fantastic little dive. It's Venezuelan food in a quaint and seemingly authentic environment.

For example, this is the dining area. Pretty much the size of a small living room. Oh, and yes, that would be Erik chowing down on one of the delicious little corn cakes they bring out as an appetizer. :)

This is was what we both ordered. It's touted as the house special. It's called Pabellon Criollo and as you can see, it consisted of shredded beef (absolutely delicious!), white rice, black beans, and my fav--plantains!

Anyway, it is a great little place, so definitely go and check it out!

my breakfast.

2010-02-27T15:46:00.000-08:00

Toasted whole wheat pita: check.
All natural peanut butter: check.
Sliced bananas: check.
Grilled turkey bacon: check.
It was delicious and I thought I would share it. :)

Team Kyle

2010-02-25T07:36:00.000-08:00

Two years ago marked the beginning of a very long and difficult journey for some good friends of mine, the Sherrill family. Their son, Kyle was born incredibly premature, at 23 weeks. He weighed 1 lb and 3 oz. Attributable only to the grace and healing power of God, Kyle is a happy two year-old boy! See the video of their incredible story here.

This is sweet Kyle at 23 weeks... This is Kyle now! Isn't he SOOO precious?!

In addition to how inspiring and encouraging it is to tell their story, the reason I am blogging about Kyle is to encourage you all to participate in the March of Dimes walk in Houston on April 25. Kelly, Kyle's mom, just posted about it on her blog, if you'd like to read about her appreciation for the March of Dimes and how they helped during Kyle's stay in the NICU (Newborn Intensive Care Unit).
Erik and I are planning on joining the team and raising money for the March of Dimes, so if you're interested, click on the March of Dimes logo above to join Team Kyle through walking, donating, being sponsored, or any combination of the three.

Happy Thursday everyone!

glee.

2010-02-23T08:15:00.000-08:00

Allison and Sarah, my fantastic roomies, have been telling me for months that I really need to get into the TV show, "glee". Click on the pic below for the show's trailer.

Lucky for me, Allison bought it for Sarah as a birthday gift and now that she's done watching it, I get to enjoy it! It is really so great. I feared that it would be a little cheese-ball like High School Musical (which I've actually never seen--no offense HSM fans!--I just assumed it's pretty cheesy), but it is far from it! In addition to beautiful melodies and harmonies, the acting is great and the humor is quick and witty. I also love the cinematography because it has so many quick cuts and includes some pretty random clips, primarily surrounding the always hilarious, Jane Lynch. She has graced the screen in some of my most favorite TV shows/movies, such as Best in Show, Arrested Development, and, of course, Criminal Minds. In glee, she plays the arrogant, egotistical, and somewhat insane cheerleading coach. Perfect.

I am in disbelief that I am just now getting into this wonderful show! Being the musical theater junkie that I am, this is a perfect fit! Thankfully, they are taking online audition submissions. Phew! I thought for a second that I didn't have a life plan. ;)

Case of the Mondays

2010-02-22T12:21:00.000-08:00

Oh, weekend, how I miss thee. I can't wait until I find a job that I enjoy going to on a Monday morning! Aaaaaaanywho, I thought I would share a few random reflections on my weekend with you this lovely, yet seemingly never-ending, Monday afternoon.

Erik and I went to Studio Movie Grill on Friday night to see When in Rome. I am usually not a big chick-flick fan, but it was really cute! Kristen Bell is adorable and quite witty. Also, Studio Movie Grill is great! It's a classier version, in my opinion, of Alamo Drafthouse. Not to mention, the new development in Town and Country, called City Centre is chic, classy, and wonderful!

Saturday was relaxing; went to Jason's Deli for lunch, worked out a little bit, and then went to dinner with Erik, Emily, Jonathan, and Watson. After dinner, we went back to the Powell's house for dum dum dum......Scattergories!

Emily and I play the game as it should be: by following the rules. Jonathan and Erik, traditionally, like to bend the rules to make their answers count. An example of this ridiculousness? Well aside from the round where Erik put "cookie" for like 4 different answers, Jonathan started using adjectives like they were going out of style. Yes, I admit that once he started playing the adjective game, I may or may not have said "red belt" for an item you wear that starts with an R--but that's just because he started it! :) As you may be able to detect, we all get pretty competitive when we play Scattergories. For those of you unfamiliar with this game, get familiar here. It's awesome.

Then, today, I found a new cooking blog that I really like, Smitten Kitchen. I think I will be making the "thick, chewy granola bars" recipe in the very near future! Yum!

Well, here's looking forward to a chilly--and perhaps, even snow-filled week, in Houston!

I heart productivity.

2010-02-19T07:41:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I got to work early for a meeting--7 am--yuck. BUT, that also means that I get to leave a little early, too. Leaving a little after 4 compared to a little after 5 makes a world of difference as it pertains to the productivity of my evening. So, I get home, watch a CSI:NY that I had DVR'd, then throw on my workout clothes and go to the gym in our complex.

When I arrived, I was the only one there--love that. So, I got to turn the channel to whatever I wanted...FRIENDS, of course. Watching something that is entertaining as I am working out makes it all go by so much faster! In between commericals I was reading this great book that Elisabeth lent to me and I just picked back up again to finish--I'm about 75% done, E. :) Anyway, more about the book to come.

After my workout, went back to the apartment and began my decorating kick. I have had several things I've been meaning to hang, but just haven't gotten around to it.

1. The picture's too dark, but you get the jist. I arranged these frames over my bed and I love them! The mirror in the bottom right hand corner is from Hobby Lobby (Hob Lob, as I like to call it. Don't laugh.) and on sale, was only like $15!

2. I got these three black mirrors from Ikea for like $2 each and it really makes the wall look more full. We have pretty tall ceilings, which can be hard to decorate sometimes. Also, when we moved in, my closet had sliding doors, so I took them off and replaced them with curtains.

After I completed my little decorating stint, I enjoyed some dinner that Allison cooked for Sarah and I--pasta with pesto and turkey sausage--yummy!

After dinner, I watched my usual bedtime show, Scrubs, then read some more of that wonderful book, Same Kind of Different As Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore.

...and cried. It was a sad part! Anyway, it was a good and productive evening. Most importantly, TGIF!!!!!!!!

The Symphony

2010-02-17T18:57:00.000-08:00

So, last night was Educator's Night at the Houston Symphony and my mom (who is a teacher) got tickets for the family. Me, my mom, Ganga, my Uncle Bob, and his girlfriend, Joyce all went. My brother, Ryan, conveniently had class.

The show was at Jones Hall and besides the initial encounter with the usher whose see-through shirt displayed her bra, which said "Showstopper" all over it, it was quite a classy and lovely evening. The concert was amazing. It made me a little more inspired to learn how to play my keyboard. In fact, the featured pianist was 13. And was insanely talented. I'm intimidated.

One annoyance though? The man next to me. You could easily tell through his mannerisms and little comments, that he counts himself as a musical genius. So much so, that he felt it necessary to HUM along with the concert. And he didn't even do so with the beat. So, yea, that, I could have done without.

All in all though, great night. Houston really does have a great arts scene. In fact, did you know that we have the 2nd largest theater district in the country, after NYC? Pretty cool.

Valentine's Day Recap

2010-02-16T14:04:00.000-08:00

So, Erik came and picked me up for church Sunday morning with my gift and a vase of roses in tow! What a beautiful surprise! AND they smell wonderful. They have made my apartment very aromatic all week. :)

He also got me some new, yummy Keurig cups (which I requested) for my coffee maker and a really cute new traveler mug -- as I never leave for work without one! Great gifts.

Then we headed to HFBC. The church service was really great. Pastor Gregg continued the series from Genesis about Abraham, called "Process, not Perfection". He spoke about God's faithfulness and his sovereignty, specifically through the story of Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac. I appreciate that we didn't have a topical sermon on 1 Corinthians 13, which is always good --don't get me wrong--I just like his dedication to true and continuous Bible study.
After church, we went to Cafe Express and enjoyed the b-e-a-utiful day.

After lunch, we headed to see Valentine's Day, the movie. It was cute. SOO many celebs, it was crazy. I bet that was a fun premiere!

After the movie, we strolled around the Galleria and went to Borders, a favorite for the both of us and perused the History, Religion, and Travel sections. We also went to the Apple store and I drooled over all the future purchases I have on my list.

Then, we had reservations for Kona Grill and I had the most delicious pork loin ever! I, of course, took a picture of it, being the classy lady that I am. (It's surrounded by Bok Choy, but I promise it's in there somewhere!)

All in all, it was a great day! Good quality time with that wonderful man of mine. :)

Love is in the Air

2010-02-12T08:49:00.000-08:00

Example 1: How cute is this Starbucks cup?!

Example 2: Sweet!

Finally Fitting In

2010-02-11T12:11:00.000-08:00

So, in my fellowship placement, the only area in which my department could office me was in another program's section. It's right down the hallway from my supervisor (who doesn't work with this other program either), but definitely smack dab in the middle of a lot of people with whom I do not regularly interact. It's been an interesting transition, but with characters like Bob, it's been pretty good. Until lately... it's been great!

I am starting to become "one of the guys" here in this program that is focused on the well being of Senior Citizens. In fact, here is a list of reasons I know I am finally fitting in, despite the fact that I don't actually work with any of these people.

1. At Christmas time, some sweet lady left a Christmas poem and a candle on my desk.

2. An entertaining Cajun woman stopped by my cubicle to tell me that she made some dip to celebrate the Saints' SuperBowl win and that I am more than welcome to have some.

3. I am now included on the "funny forwards" email list among the program employees. Most recent forward? "Marriage is like a Slurpee".

4. Bob invited me to hear his church choir's concert this weekend.

5. When I returned from an offsite meeting today, I found a celebratory Mardi Gras cup on my desk. At first, I thought maybe someone just misplaced their beverage..but NO! It was liquid-free and they were on all the program employees' desks.

Needless to say, things are looking up here at the Health Department.

Me vs The Piano

2010-02-10T08:04:00.000-08:00

This is it. It's go time. I set up the stand for my new keyboard.

I have lots of learning to do, but I am up to the challenge. So far, I can play like three songs. Bring it on, Casio.

I AM CHANGE.

2010-02-09T09:34:00.000-08:00

I was perusing some of my go-to websites yesterday and came across some really amazing updates from an organization I love, called I Am Change.

A friend of mine, Matt, started the non-profit with the desire to organize everyday people for the purpose of making an extraordinary impact on the world. This organization is doing wonderful things for many people across the globe and I wanted to give a little advertising plug to all...9 of my followers. (Hey, you gotta start somewhere, right?!) To gauge Matt's heart for this organization and the purpose behind it, read what he has to say about I Am Change's mission:

“The potential that lies in the hearts and hands of us as everyday people, really can change the world if it were to become awakened. Yet, I believe that the majority of people in our country (US) simply don’t understand the brevity of needs outside our borders; and, those that do, simply feel paralyzed to combat them. So, we must begin strategically engaging these needs in ways that we can grasp personally and that make a legitimate difference globally.”

In response to the dire need for assistance in Haiti, I Am Change developed an immediate response strategy to help rebuild Haiti and hopefully, institute sustainability in the region that was not present before. "Our long-term focus is to mobilize well-repair and initiate a sustainable, micro-enterprise strategy surrounding Bio-Sand Filters". To find out more about their strategy to bring clean water, among other services to our brothers and sisters in Haiti, or to find out how you can be a part of I Am Change, click on the icon below.

Thanks, guys! Have a terrific Tuesday!

The Good, The Bad, and The Delicious

2010-02-08T06:50:00.000-08:00

The Good.

Geaux Saints! We had a really fun time last night at our friend's annual Super Bowl Party...Erik actually watched the Super Bowl with the guys and I spent more time catching up with my girls. Anyway, how cute are QB Drew Brees and his little baby?! I watched his interview with Robin Roberts this morning on Good Morning America and it made me even more happy that they won--what a nice guy!

The Bad.

I told you I would keep you posted on my herb garden. Well, I regret to inform you that my little garden is no more. Last week, when it was insanely windy outside, apparently mother nature reclaimed it. The herb garden had been sitting on a baker's rack outside on our balcony and eventually the wind blew it over....KERSPLAT! When I went outside to water the plants on Friday, instead of a blossoming array of fresh herbs, I saw broken clay pots and potting soil strewn across my balcony. Bummer. It had such promise.

The Delicious.

Emily, Jonathan, and I went to Le Peep yesterday after church. We are big fans of this place, mainly because of their delicious breakfast tacos, but now, also because of the most delicious Mexican Hot Chocolate ever! And yes, that is Em taking a picture of her hot chocolate for her blog, too! We really are too cool.

If Only

2010-02-05T07:04:00.000-08:00

After reaching the halfway mark in my Fellowship year, I really have been racking my brain as to what I should do next. Law school? MBA? MA in Poli Sci? Work for a few years? If so, doing what? AHHHH. Too many questions. In response to these uncertainties floating around in my head, I decided to make a list of all the things I wish someone would pay me to do. Maybe, I can extract an actual career from the list, or maybe I can just revel in my super fun fantasy world where the following interests/activtites are legitimate jobs.

Scouring Craigslist for good deals on furniture and refinishing the pieces.
Watching Criminal Minds and other favorites, like 24 and The Mentalist.
Writing.
Decorating my apartment.
Drinking coffee.
Meeting new people.
Being a student, when grades don't matter and I get paid instead of having to pay for it.
Traveling any and everywhere.
Playing board games, like Scrabble, Scattergories, and Catch Phrase.
Having political conversations and hearing other people's perspectives.
Blogging.
Singing in the shower.
Cooking and baking, but baking not as much.
Helping people in underserved, inner-city areas.
Just being outside.
Spending time with friends/family.
Going to see Broadway shows.
Singing in the car, acting as if I were in a Broadway show.

That's all for now. If any of you has a job idea for me, I would greatly appreciate it. Preferrably, it would involve all of these things, a reasonable salary, and at least 3 weeks paid vacation. Ok, thanks, bye.

Oh, the last 12 hours

2010-02-02T07:31:00.001-08:00

Sometimes, don't you feel like your life would make an interesting movie plot? Or at least just parts of it could qualify for a funny scene? Maybe, the altogether frustrating 10 minutes before you walk out the door to go to work is quite hilarious...in hindsight, of course. OR maybe you have a really funny encounter with a stranger.

Well, it all started last night when I was about to go to bed. I actually went home (to visit that precious baby, Kaylin, and her sweet parents!), so I stayed the night at my mom's house. Around 10:30, I decided to turn in. I opened the door to my room, enjoying how good it feels to be home, and THEN...I met my biggest fear. Dum dum dum...a COCKROACH! Sick. Sick. Sick. I screamed like a banshee, ran to my brother's room, woke him up, and begged him to come kill this horrendous arch nemesis of mine. Being the good brother that he is, he swiftly executed the little bugger. Anyway, even after Ryan heroically killed the roach, I was too creeped out to go back to sleep in my room. So, I slept in the guest room.

[This is a picture of me and my brother at Christmas time. The sun is in his eyes, but isn't he just so cute?!]

So, this morning, I had just gotten out of the shower and was getting dressed. I had already done my hair and just need a little lotion before I walked out the door. As I pushed down on the lotion pump, apparently it was clogged, and a stream of lotion went all over my hair. Perfect.

Then, I stopped at Starbucks on my way to work. The baristas engaged me in a conversation about popped collars. Do I like them? Is there ever an appropriate time to pull them off? And other questions of the like. Intriguing.

Ha. Well, I love my interesting life. Have a terrific Tuesday!

Kaylin Ann Russell

2010-02-01T06:52:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I awoke to my phone ringing at 7:30. Usually, I would be quite put off from a phone call this early on a Sunday morning, but it was definitely worth it. It was one of my best friends' mom telling me that her daughter, Victoria, was in labor!!!

[[Ok, let me back up a bit. Victoria and Kirby have been married for about a year and a half and were expecting their first born, a girl, to arrive mid-February. Although she came earlier than expected, she is a healthy and beautiful little girl!]]

Soooooo, I booked it to the hopsital...stopping on the way for a much-needed Starbucks run for their exhausted family...and yes, myself. When I arrived, I got to spend some good time with great friends and family and we reminisced about old times, reveling in how fast time flies and waiting for the baby to arrive! Thankfully, she wasn't in labor too terribly long -- and the doctor made it a point to come and tell us that Victoria is a "champion pusher". Ouch. Not looking forward to that. Anyway, the baby was born at 10:16 am, weighing in at 7 lbs and about 2.5 oz! Congratulations Vic and Kirby! Welcome to the world, Kaylin Ann Russell!

Good job, mom! ;)

Destination: Mediterranean

2010-01-29T12:22:00.000-08:00

I am so unbelievably excited to announce that in just a few short months, 148 days to be exact--oy!--I will be flying to the cradle of Western Civilization, Greece! Erik and I have friends who are coming to the end of their two-year teaching commitment at an international school in Germany--how cool is that?!--and they want to go to Greece before they return to the states, SO we are going to join! I could NOT be more excited...or ready!

Also, another bit of fantastic news: my fabulous boyfriend has racked up so many frequent flyer miles that he gets a FREE round-trip ticket anywhere in & out of Europe! So, we just have to split the cost of one ticket! I am a lucky, lucky girl.

Some must-see's for me on this trip?

Athens, of COURSE. It's so rich in history and with it being the birthplace of democracy, it certainly beckons the political science nerd in me!

Santorini...pretty self-explanatory.

Thessaloniki sound familiar? Thessalonica was a major trading hub in the Roman Republic.

Anyway, these are just a few of the stops I've put on my list thus far! Can't wait!!!!!!

The Test of the Green Thumb

2010-01-26T07:44:00.000-08:00

This weekend, while perusing the aisles of Bed, Bath, and Beyond, I decided to get a little herb kit. I love cooking with fresh herbs, but I never have them in the fridge OR when I buy them, they go bad before I use them. Aaaaanyway, I set it up last night and put them out on the balcony! It comes with:

Basil (yummy)
Parsley (a must have)
Chives (delish)
Thyme (love it)
Cilantro (ehhhh not a big fan)

Here's to hoping they grow!

Central Market

2010-01-25T06:50:00.000-08:00

Since my recent move to the Galleria/Uptown area, I have been quite the frequent visitor to Central Market. It is hands down my most favorite grocery store ever! Last night, Erik and I stopped by to pick up a few things that I needed for the week. Every time I go there, I find something or learn something new! Erik, who had never been before, was amazed at the crazy produce selection--complete with interesting citrus options, like Buddha's Hand...

I just picked up some sirloin pork chops from the butcher, some fresh fruits and veggies, and the basics--but for some reason it's just so much more fun to do at CM!

Then as you near the checkout counter, the beautiful arrays in the floral section are immediately to your right, making it very hard to pass by without a purchase. I was telling Erik that when I have a house, I want to always have fresh flowers on the table (unlikely, I'm sure, but why not dream?!). So, as I checked out, he surprised me at the door with a bouquet of white, Siberian Lilies! So sweet...

Story Time

2010-01-22T11:24:00.001-08:00

My friends and I entertain each other through email via "Story Time". During Story Time, each person sends the group a short narrative about something that interests them. Oftentimes, someone will write about the little known history or background of a common item or phrase. This week was my first submission...

In light of the recent victory in Massachusetts, I thought it only appropriate to dedicate my first Story Time submission to Junior U.S. Senator, Scott Brown. As you know, now that Scott Brown has been elected to replace the late Senator Kennedy, the 60 member super-majority that Democrats once held in the Senate is no more and consquently, the Republicans now have their filibuster powers back. Hopefully, this means the Health Care Bill will die or at least go through major changes so that we won't be spending trillions of dollars we don't have on a system that most Americans don't want. Anyway, back to story time. May I introduce you, my friends, to the filibuster...

Essentially, a filibuster is just the talking out of a bill. The term "filibuster" comes from the Spanish word, filibustero, which means "pirate" or "freebooter". This term was used in the mid 1850's to refer to American settlers who planned to overtake Central American countries and "boot" their governments out of power. The phrase is now used when someone is "pirating" or "hijacking" a debate.

The filibuster dates back to the time of Julius Caesar, when the Roman Senator, Cato the Younger, used it at least twice to keep Caesar's political objectives at bay in the Senate. Caesar, at the time, was both a warrior and a candidate for consulship, and was being awarded a prestigious "Triumph" award by the Senate for his miltary victories in Spain. However, the law set forth that recipients of the Triumph must wait outside the city gates until the ceremony is held to receive their award. This was problematic for Julius Caesar, as the Senate was to reconvene before the ceremony and all candidates for Conuslship were required by law to be present at Forum. While Caesar petitioned the Senate to stand "in absentia", Cato employed the filibuster so that the Senate would not hear Caesar's petition, therefore disqualifying him for Consulship. Having to decide between the Triumph award and the Consulship, we all know that he chose the latter. Sneaky little Cato...

Filibusters are used all over the world and have been growing in popularity in the states over the last few decades, especially since the 1960's when Southern Democrats attempted to filibuster the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Although the rules to defeat a filibuster have changed with time, currently, the opposing party needs 2/3 of the Senate, or 60 votes, to establish a vote of cloture, allowing debate on the bill to continue and stopping the filibuster. Also, Senators today rarely talk for hours and hours during the filibuster, rather, the threat of filibustering is now just as powerful...although, I sure did enjoy Mr. Smith's wordy filibuster in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.

Baby Shower!

2010-01-20T17:38:00.000-08:00

So, this weekend, Katie (future auntie!), my Mom, and I hosted a baby shower for our lovely mommy-to-be, Victoria (see above--what a cute preggers!)! We didn't want to do the traditional "baby pink" and instead, opted for a brighter pink. And black and white damask.

We had all of Victoria's faves: pigs in a blanket, chocolate covered strawberries drizzled with white chocolate (yes, we made them. be impressed.), fruit tray, quiche, etc.

As much as I despise baby shower games, there are some we just had to play, like measuring the preggo belly in toilet paper, as you can see above. I also came up with a fun baby shower game because I refused to do the one where you smell the mushed up candy bars in the diapers..ew! Instead, we played the "celebrity mom name game", where everyone gets a name tag placed on their back and they have to figure out who they are--but we put celebrity moms on all the name tags! Katie Holmes, Britney Spears, etc. It was fun!

The Book of Eli

2010-01-19T07:10:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, Erik and I met Jonathan and Emily for dinner and then a movie, The Book of Eli.

Despite the fact that I was desperately exhausted from staying up all night the night before putting together a baby shower [photos and post to come, soon!], I really enjoyed it!

First of all, Denzel Washington can do no wrong. Great casting choice, but more importantly, I really appreciated how the movie portrayed Christianity. More often than not, Christians are either pegged as corrupt, crazy, or incredibly passive and almost, naive. It was quite refreshing in this movie, to see the main character as a completely devoted and normal guy [normal minus the insane butt-kicking he offers to those who try to harm him], whose main goal is to protect the Word of God and follow what God is calling him to do.

It is really interesting that the central battle in the film is over control of the only Bible left in the world [after some massive war or something, you never really find out exactly what happened]. Denzel wants to protect the Bible because it is the most important thing in the world to him and he reads it daily. The "bad guy" wants to use the Bible because he knows its power and plans on using that power to manipulate people in a town that he is organizing.

Also, Eli [aka Denzel] never once blames God for the horrible state that the world is in [people kill for a drink of water and some even have turned cannibalistic!]. In fact, his view towards God is quite the opposite. He praises Him for His sovereignty and never once shows doubt in the plan God has for him.

Long, long story short: good movie, go see it!

What a great night!

2010-01-15T11:29:00.000-08:00

So, last night I went to the Country Playhouse, a local theater, to see a production of RENT--one of my all-time favorite musicals--with two of my best friends, their mom, and their stepsister. The company was amazing and the show was great--and it may or may not have reignited by secret desire to be in a musical! Anywho, RENT is always good, but the real story of the night was the place we went for dinner!

We met for dinner before the show at Pronto Cucinino, which was absolutely fantastic--and cheap! It definitely ranks in the top 3 Most Authentic Italian Restaurants in Houston, in my book. [After I got back from Italy, I vowed never to eat cheap Italian food in the states --Fazoli's, etc.--yuck!]

I got the Chicken Marsala with Green Beans, followed by a little espresso and homemade stracciatella gelato for dessert! So, yea, I splurged--it was worth it! Their service was wonderful, too. If you're in the Houston area, I highly recommend you check it out! There are 3 locations--Montrose, Town & Country, and Holcombe. Buon appetito!

Fire drill!

2010-01-14T12:43:00.000-08:00

So, I was just standing in the hall for over 30 minutes for a fire drill. Yes, in the hall. Apparently, that's the safest place, in the 8 story building where I work, to be during a fire. Thanks to Words with Friends, my Diet Coke, and my intriguing cubicle mates, it wasn't too bad. It was really fun to see Bob, who is the Fire Warden for our floor, walking around in his neon safety vest. Gosh, I love that guy.

One of my other cubicle mates just found out his wife is having a boy! He was showing off their ultrasound pictures during our fire fiasco--what a proud papa!

As we waited...and waited to get the "all clear" to go back to our desks, I quizzed "Bob" on his being a Fire Warden.

Me: "So, what's your title? Fire....captain?"
Bob: "Fire warden."
Me: "Oh, cool. So do you get a bonus for that?"
Bob: "No, but I do get to pay for the batteries for this! [Holds up the smallest walkie talkie I've ever seen]."
Me: "Sooooo you mean your walkie talkie doesn't work? Good thing this is a drill."
Bob: "Haha. Yeah."

I feel safe. :)

Good deals

2010-01-13T07:26:00.000-08:00

I love using gift cards -- it just feels like free money! What makes them even better is when you can find a killer deal.

I got this shirt from Ann Taylor, which I love. Guess how much? $14. Love it! Mine's actually in a dark bluish gray color, but I like the black, too.

This cami is super cute and only $29 from J Crew!

This cardigan is one of my favs from New York and Company for only $16!

Bob

2010-01-12T07:02:00.000-08:00

I have been at my job now for about 5 months. From day 1, there has been one constant source of entertainment for me -- let's just call him Bob. Bob is an interesting man -- very ecclectic, but very sweet; intelligent, yet a little absent-minded. He sits in a cubicle near mine and thanks to the awkwardness of cubicles, I can't help but hear everything that he says and vice versa. In fact, he once answered a question I voiced to someone on the phone and told me "Well, I often eavesdrop on your conversations". Surely he had some point in telling me this? Oh, Bob.

I do have to thank him, though, because I often need entertainment. My first week on the job was pretty slow. I had a huge employee handbook to read and the most exciting part of that week was when Bob blew his nose so loud that I spilled my coffee. His ecclectic nature likens him to Creed from the Office, minus the sketchiness.

One super sweet thing that he does, though, is call his wife in the morning and wake her up by saying "Good morning! This is the day that the Lord has made!" Cute. Thanks for the entertainment, Bob. You're the best.

I love being thrifty!

2010-01-08T07:36:00.000-08:00

The older I get and the more independent I become financially from my parents, the more I tend to get ecstatic when I do something thrifty! So, Ganga and I, my fantastic an wonderful grandmother for those of you who haven't met her, (I'll explain her quirky name later...) were doing some Christmas shopping, buying The Hangover for my mom...yes, my mother asked for this! We were at Target and saw a cute jewelry armoire. It was light brown and I casually mentioned that I would love it for Christmas, but in a dark color -- preferrably, black, to match my bed. I'm pretty bold with what I ask for for Christmas...I mean, isn't it more considerate to tell your family exactly what you want? Therefore they don't waste money on socks or something like that. Anyway, On Christmas morning, I opened the following armoire....

I really loved it, but I didn't know how the dark brown would go with my black bed and bookcase. So, I took it back to exchange it for the black one, but no dice! I called Targets all over the city and nobody had it. I did, however, speak to hands down the most incompetent sales person I have ever had the pleasure of encountering. She asked me literally 7 times--I counted--"So, wait, what's it called again?". Yes, hello frustration.

So, just as I was about to give up, I was perusing the bedding aisle at a Target by my work. I decided to look in the furniture section and at that point, I had also been looking to just get the dark brown armoire back because even those were all sold out!!! Much to my surprise, I found about three -- and here's the kicker....they were on sale for $90 as opposed to $130! Anyway, the dark brown armoire looks great in my room with the black bed frame and I now have a $40 credit at Target. Yay!

The level of satisfaction and excitement I felt as a result of my thriftiness leads me to believe that in the near future, I will be the lady at the checkout counter with an accordion file full of coupons.

Bundle up Houston!

2010-01-07T08:27:00.000-08:00

CRAZY. I love me some cold weather, but 18 degrees?! I don't know that I ever remember it being 18 degrees in Houston. Actually, I'll be in Aquilla, TX this weekend for 220 Winter Conference! Is it too much to ask for Texas drivers to pretend like they know how to drive in icy conditions, so that I can survive the 5 hour drive?

I am so excited about this weekend! I absolutely adore the people I will be serving with and more importantly, the worship and Bible study is so authentic. We have seen God do some amazing and surprising things at 220 Retreats throughout the years and my prayer for this weekend is that we all come with expectant hearts, ready to listen and obey. I'm also looking forward to some super fun and amazing fellowship!

Superheros, Space Cowboys, and Princesses

2010-01-06T08:03:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wanted to pursue a career that is so far out in left field from what you have studied and gained experience in, that it seems unfathomable? Well, I have. All the time. My boyfriend, Erik, says that his random career idea is to become a crop duster--I think because he used to fly planes and really loved it. However, seeing as he is an accountant, that's pretty unexpected. As for my uncalculated career ideas, there are several.

#1: Chef. I think being a chef would be great. This isn't too far fetched as I do love to cook and I am fairly talented in the kitchen, but it really would not utilize any of the skills I have gained academically thus far. Reason aside, how fun would culinary school be?! Challenging I'm sure, but I think I could do it. Maybe I could even host my own TV show on food network! (I may or may not occasionally talk to "the camera" while cooking in my own kitchen). I can't believe I just admitted that.

#2: Another random idea...owning and operating a wedding venue. Yes, the overhead would be incredibly expensive, but if you haven't noticed already, most of this post is not founded in reality. Say I had the money I needed to get some land, built a beautiful facility, and then turned a crazy awesome profit! (Several people I know dropped $30,000 for their weddings at all-inclusive venues!) If I did the all-inclusive gig with the catering I could also fulfill a bit of #1! ^

#3: Flight attendant. When I think about it too much, this does not sound at all appealing, but at a surface level, gettting to fly all over the world--I love to fly!--for free? Sign me up.

#4: Nurse. I have always wanted to be a nurse, but I don't think it makes much sense, seeing as I nearly lose my lunch whenever I see someone even on TV shows, like CSI, get sliced open. Yuck yuck yuck. Anyway, scrubs are comfy, I like to help people, and in my fantasy career world, this makes me qualified.

#5: Dog walker. Ok, so you get to exercise, play with dogs, and don't have the responsibility of taking care of them all the time. You're like the "cool Aunt or Uncle"...but to a dog. Does that make sense? It does in my head.

#6: Antiques Road Show Appraiser. I have an insane amount of respect for these folks. I would love to magically gain the historical knowledge that these appraisers have. Every day would be an adventure and you get to make some people VERY happy when they find out that their old ugly bowl is worth like 10,00 dollars!

Welcome to my blog! Good to know you.

2010-01-04T08:20:00.000-08:00

Well, hello! I'm not one for long introductions, so let's jump right in. I'm Rachel. I'm 23 and I just started my first "real world" job post-college. Yikes. My middle name is Lillian, my favorite color is blue, and I don't know what I want to be when I grow up. I absolutely love to cook and secretly want to compete on Iron Chef. I live with two of my fabulous friends, have a great boyfriend, and fantastic people in my life. I love Jesus, traveling, singing (only when no one can hear), my friends & family, politics, my iPhone, being creative, and laughing...among other things.

Oooook. Now that that's over with, I'm quite excited about this blog. I don't really know what or if there will be a theme to my thoughts...most likely not, but I hope you stick around to see!