8 years ago...on Halloween....

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8 years ago today...I started dating Michael Myers, I mean Michael Mackey.

Scary right? (sticking with the whole Halloween thing, if you will)

bahaha. no, but seriously.

Who knew that 8 years later we'd be married, have 2 beautiful little girls, overcome a miscarriage, own a house, and much much more.

.....may your Halloween be filled with trick or treating and love....

Happy Halloween....

What Mom doesn't capture all the cuteness of halloween?
little ones dressed up, pumpkins everywhere, halloween preschool parties, I mean really...I couldn't resist....

lovin up on my Reese

so serious..yet so cute

Thumbalina Barbie (last years costume) decorating cookies at the Fall Fest

making pumpkin faces...

taking in all the Halloween Festival excitement...she'll understand...maybe next year...

A class full of cuties....Rylee in the front, the little pink fairy.

Reese, a ballerina at the pumpkin patch with our "baby and me" group...hasn't noticed the huge orange pumpkins right next to her...

then found the pumpkins...and I couldn't get her to stop licking them...ewww.

Happy Halloween...from the cuteness pumpkins I know.

Fill in the Blank Friday...

Linking up with Lauren

1. When I was a kid I wanted to be an actress. I sang, danced, acted. I wanted so desperately to be famous. My sister and I would act out movies........the entire movie. SO ridiculous. We would pretend we hosted a radio show having "guests" on our "show", if you will. We would make up dances and entertain our mom with them. Now that I think of it, maybe I was forcing my sister into acting too.

2. As an adult, my dream job would be a Hollywood Wardrobe Stylist. I'd have so much fun designing and styling the rich and famous...


3. When I was younger, I wanted to be just like (don't laugh) Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen. Bahahaha. Or "Baby" from Dirty Dancing, or "Ariel" from Footloose, or "Cher" from Clueless, or Mr. Rogers (he was just so sweet).


4. The childhood Halloween costume that I remember most was when I was a witch, and for some reason I was a witch often and my sister was a cat. Being a witch required a face fully painted green, a broom, a hat, a long black cape (that I tripped over when I walked as we trick-or-treated up town), and a big nasty wart glued on the side of my nose.

5. My favorite childhood toy was THIS GIRL (see below)!! A kid sister doll!! Seriously, she was awesome and the best gift I ever received.

6. The time I got into the biggest amount of trouble when I was a kid was when I.... well first, let me say that I'm sure it was related to my sister...beeecause when one of us got into trouble, both of us caught the wrath of....well you know where I'm going with this. If you have sibling, for some reason everything they do becomes your fault and vice versa. So, when you're a perfect child like me ......bahaha, no, for real, then it's hard to remember getting into mischief.

Oh and let me tell you the worst punishment EVERRRR that I, we, I would receive ...... writing sentences. uggggh, it makes me cringe just thinking of it. I blame carpel tunnel on my daddy today, haha, no. But seriously, I'd rather take a beating from...a giant log burning with flames than write the 1,235,487 sentences required when I was being bad. And the worst best part, I'd begin writing sentences over something stupid between my sister and I, yet end up laughing and writing sentences with her in the end, giggling over how idiotic writing sentences was.

Most tearful part.... watching my dad shred the 8,745 sheets of paper containing those 1,798,423 sentences. I mean I guess I expected him to keep them? After all, that was a lot of hard work and writing....

7. I get daily inspiration from my sweet babies, my man, other blogs, books, shopping stores, parks...

college or no college?

 The idea for this is that you take a day this week and make a post all about you.

hmm, its difficult to write a post all about myself without including something about my little beauties.

But I thought I'd share my thoughts on going to college...

When I was in High School and thought I knew everything, I had decided I wasn't going to college. Now, mind you, I had no reason in mind, just that, ehhh No College for me.
Now, I loved school, I was good at it, never missed a day, teacher's pet, even like Physical Education class, the whole shebang. But, no one had ever told me about college. All I knew was that it was a bunch of paperwork to fill out and cost a pretty penny.
My senior year, others discussed their college whereabouts...applying to State (NC State), heading to the coast (ECU), or trucking it to Boone (ASU)....
For some reason, I was content with working my 3 jobs (disgusting, I know) throughout my senior year and never saw things differently...just thought.."this is the way things would be"
Until, one day....
I had an amazing Trigonometry teacher in high school, Mr. Vestal.
He was so smart.
I looked up to him.
One day in class, he asked where we (myself and classmates) were all heading off to college...
at my turn, I said "oh, no where".
From that day forward, he talked to me everyday about the endless possibilities, dreams and choices I could have. He said "college just isn't a choice Christi".
We talked about college life, dorm rooms, majors, writing papers, parties, classes, professors....everything about college.
He answered my questions. He filled my mind with information.
He is my hero for this.

I visited colleges, I was convinced that I must go, otherwise I'd totally be missing out!
When I graduated high school, he gave me a compass that said "follow your dreams". How perfect, right?

Well, I did follow my dreams.
I went to college, I was student government president, I met tons of people, I met the love of my life, I learned more information that I had ever dreamed of, I worked with professors on projects, I read book after book, I camped out in the library overnights (umm, many overnights), I crammed for exams, I studied, I worked in groups, I walked to class, I skipped class....I. Went. To. College!
First I graduated with an Associates Degree, then went on for more.
Then I graduated with a Bachelors Degree, then went on for more.
And now, I've got a Masters Degree in Counseling.

I couldn't imagine where or what I'd be doing now without going to college....



cherishing...

Guess who rolled over this week? My little Reese-y cup is growing up!! She rolled from her back to belly all by herself this past week and my heart melted. It's so sweet to witness these milestones....and make such a big deal of them.

5 months old already! Whew, time is sure flying!

I'm cherishing every giggle, every cuddle, every kiss, every hand hold and every conversation with these 2 precious gems.
I'm cherishing every "push me again" on the swings, all the "mommy just one more book", every prayer before we eat, and every "kiss, kiss, I love you"s

I love them with my heart and soul.

Happy Sunday..

What are you cherishing?

101 in 1001 & 100 Words in Photos

I added 2 new pages to my blog....

1. 101 in 1001 (check out day zero to learn more)

About The Project
Welcome to Day Zero, the home of the 1001 Day Project. A unique challenge that inspires you to set and achieve your personal goals in life.

The Challenge:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on your part).

Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple challenges such as New Year's resolutions or a 'Bucket List'. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips, study semesters, or outdoor activities.


2. 100 words in Photos
I was inspired by Holly at Perfectly Imperfect to make a list of words and capture a picture to go with each word. When I take a picture, I'll post them on my blog and update this list as I go.

Liebster Blog Award

The sweet and lovely Holly over at Perfectly Imperfect so generously gave me a Liebster Blog Award!!
If you haven't checked her out, then you must because she's funny, outgoing, friendly and such a wonderful blogging friend!! And I'm particularly fond of her 101 in 1001 Blogger Swap!

Ok, so what does a Liebster Blog Award mean?


The Liebster Blog Award is given to up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. Liebster is a German word meaning dear, sweet, kind, nice, good, beloved, lovely, kindly, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome.

To keep this award going, pass the award along to 5 other new deserving bloggers who have less than 200 followers.

The rules for the Liebster Blog Award are:

1. Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you. THANK YOU AGAIN


2. Reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog [see below]

3. Copy and paste the award on your blog.

4. Have faith that your followers will spread the love, too!

Top 5 Picks:

There are so many awesome blogs I've started following recently and I want to highlight them all!! But in order to keep with the rules, I'll choose these 5:


1.

Stacey at Simply Me

2.

Kristi at The Preppy Girl Next Door

3.

Aimee at Come Alive

4.

Megan at Happy the Home

5.

Krissy Jane at The Short of It


Loving these new blogs! Hope you do too!
Happy Blogging!

Fill In The Blank Fridays Fall Edition...

Fill In The Blank Friday...



Linking up with Lauren

1. Nothing says fall like: Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes!! duuuuh!! Blankets, Colorful leaves, smores, roasting marshmellows, hotdogs (I don't know why, but hotdogs make me think of fall), boots

2. My favorite autumn tradition is carving pumpkins, decorating the house for Halloween, trick or treating, eating pumpkin pies, and delicious smelling candles

3. My favorite fall treat is SMORES!! I had never ever tasted one until last week, and now....addicted. Duh, they have chocolate in them, shoulda known.

4. Fall makes me think of mountain trips, breezy park play days, eating delicious food (notice a trend?..I talk about food too often...)

5. Autumn free form word association, go! Halloween, turkey, trick or treating, scary movies, pumpkins, orange, brown, smores, chocolate (naturally), spiders, bats, costumes, scarves, breezy days, and rain

6. My go-to outfit in the fall is big bulky sweaters, comfy lounge pants, boots, fluffy socks in every color and style, scarves, gloves...I love it all...

7. My favorite fall holiday is Halloween!! I LOVE HALLOWEEN! All the fun that it brings. Childhood memories of dressing up as matching somethings with my lil sis (example: witch and cat)...trick or treating - eating the candy til you puke and now sharing all those special times with my husband and children.
Happy Fall Yal!

It's Ok Thursdays...

Linking up with A Complete Waste of Makeup to bring you...It's Ok Thursdays...

It's Ok to crave chocalate everyday.
I do, I'm what they call a chocoaholic, if you will. I seriously could eat it every day, all day. Like, if I were stranded on an island with a ship load full of hershey bars? I'd survive.

It's Ok to dress up for no reason.
Having kids makes you sometimes lose since of this. But, it makes me feel good to get dressed up. I feel like people look at you differently. But umm, don't get me wrong I totally head to the grocery store in sweats too..

It's Ok to change your outfit 843 times when getting ready.
I'm THE MOST INDECISIVE PERSON YOU WILL EVER KNOW. Enough said.

It's Ok to let your kid eat a little junk food here and there.
I hear lots of moms say "oh, I'd never let little junior eat pre-packaged food" ......Really?
Well you know what I let my kid have McDonalds fries the other day. Seriously folks, they are going to eat some bad things in their lives and they are going to live. My goodness, get real.

It's Ok to love rainy days.
It just means snuggling up, popcorn and movies all day with the little ones.

~Christi~

wordless wednesday...

Linking up with



These faces make me happy.....

Happy Wednesday!!

the f word...

{...FORGIVENESS...}

Almost all of us have been hurt by the actions or words of another, right?

And forgiving can sometimes be a hard thing to do when we've been hurt.

Forgiveness is a decision to let go of resentment and thoughts of revenge.
And by embracing forgiveness, you embrace peace, hope, gratitude and joy.

Sure we've all been there, a boyfriend breaks your heart, a friend betrays your trust, a child tells you a lie....and,... well,... the list could go on...

Forgiveness doesn't mean that you excuse the other person's responsibility for hurting you, and it doesn't minimize or justify the wrong. You can forgive the person without denying the act. Forgiveness brings peace to you that helps you go on with life.

Letting go of a grudge or bitterness makes room for compassion, kindness and peace. Forgiveness can allow for healthier relationships, greater self well-being, and less stress. Simply put, it just makes you feel better.

But why is it so easy to hold onto a grudge? Well, when you're hurt by someone you love and trust, it's easy to become angry, sad or confused. If you dwell on hurtful events or situations then grudges filled with resentment, vengeance and hostility may take root. Then you turn into the person that you know you aren't.

{Now I'm not saying that if you've been a victim of abuse, rape, or any other cruel things - that you should just forgive and move on. Ofcourse these things take time, counseling, and patience}

What makes you feel good?

Starbucks?
A new pair of jeans?
Fresh highlights?
Your favorite cd going on sale?
Flowers from your honey?
anything covered in sparkles?

Those things make you feel good right? So does forgiveness.
Forgiveness makes YOU feel better.

So, go on, forgive someone. Take a little weight off your shoulders.

Top Ten Tuesday!

Linking up with Top Ten Tuesdays to bring you the Top 10 things I need ....

1. I need an i-phone.
I need it because its cute. That's it. It's an adorable phone.
My mother in law recently purchased one. And I must say I'm so jealous.
But we are devising a plan to convince my husband that I need one...we'll butter him up with chocolate, chicken casserole and notre dame apparel. Done.

2. I need 8 hours of consistent sleep.

zzzzzzzz, you know how it is...

man oh man, it would feel amazing to sleep for 8 solid hours straight.
My dearest hubs goes to bed at 10pm sharp every night and awakens every morning at 6:30.
He's got such a good routine.
And not a sign of bags under his eyes. at. all. And for this, I am jealous.


3. I need a peppermint mocha from Starbucks every. single. day.
If only they made house deliveries....I'd be in total heaven. And be totally broke.

4. I need to freeze time because my children....are. growing. up. WAY TOO FAST!

5. I need to hug the owner of this store...



You ever been? To Charming Charlies? O, Em, Gee!!
It's eye candy for sure, for those of you obesessed with accessories, like moi. It will make your toes curl.

6. I need to call my family more.
Working in a hospital sure does make you thankful for what you have. And I'm very thankful for my family.
I miss them. I think of each of them daily.
The fun times with cousins like singing "Cotton Eyed Joe" (pure silliness) , spending the nights with Aunts because they'd let us eat junk food and stay up late, eating momma's spaghetti that I can still smell when I close my eyes, and the list could seriously go on.
{Goal: call a family member this week and tell them how much I miss them}


7. I need to purchase a pair of these for each of my children
 

Umm, seriously, who invented baby heels? love them.

side note: let's explore some odd inventions for a moment....

is it butter or chapstick?



oh, I'd so wear this. all winter long.


because you know you love to sing in the shower....


ok, enough of that.

8. I need to wear sunscreen more often.


9. I need to stop chewing my nails!
Can't they make a pill or something special to make you stop? I've chewed mine since I was 4!
And now my oldest daughter chews hers :(  I try and tell her what a disgusting, unhealthy, little bad habit it is but I Need to set by example, right?
It's not even a nervous habit, it's a "eww, my nails are getting long and I don't have the clippers around, let me handle this..." kind of habit.
But hey, don't judge.

10. I need to tell you.....that I'M ALMOST FINISHED CHRISTMAS SHOPPING!! (Wahhooooooo!!!)

no, no, I didn't say wrapped...just almost finished shopping.

xoxo,

Christi