Oh, How Pinteresting...Oct. 31

Thanks for stopping by today for another Link Up!

*****Unfortunately, due to a new format, previous pins will no longer appear*****

If you know me, you know that having a family is one of my dreams... but it's just not in the cards for DH and I until I get my career established.... I can still daydream, right?!? It's no secret that I have baby fever like crazy, but for now... I just have to enjoy the babies that everyone else is having...

But... that doesn't mean that my Pinterest can't be covered with pins that go to my "family" board..... So here are some of the latest.

Source: mommybunch.com via Krista on Pinterest

Source: pin2fun16.blogspot.com via Krista on Pinterest

Our blanket would be a basketball with Hoosiers on the back!

Source: etsy.com via Krista on Pinterest

Source: via Krista on Pinterest

Since our last name is Truelove, DH has always said that he would call our baby "little love"... Wouldn't this be a perfect decoration!?!?

Source: etsy.com via Krista on Pinterest

I hope bows are still around when we have a baby!!

Source: etsy.com via Krista on Pinterest

Only we'd have Boilermakers or Wildcats!

Source: etsy.com via Krista on Pinterest

Such a good idea. My husband is a movie fanatic, so he could have a movie night with pizza and popcorn and the ticket in is a box of diapers!

Source: greylikesbaby.com via Krista on Pinterest

I LOVE this idea!

Source: laurendahl.com via Krista on Pinterest

Source: apartment34.com via Krista on Pinterest

We have a pretty neat location to go back to! I would love to do this one.




Until Next Time...
Krista

Lovin' Sunday X 3

Hey Hey Hey! (Did you read that with your Fat Albert voice?? You should have! ha)   It's been a few weeks between Lovin' Sunday posts and I apologize for that. I explained that I took some time away from the computer, and then I got so busy celebrating a special birthday that I missed blogging last Sunday, so I'm just going to do a huge post for today!

These weeks I've been L.O.V.I.N.G:

1) That Karter Man turned four! It doesn't seem possible!

2) Anything Luke Bryan

A very good friend and I are hoping to go see him in February!  I'm all pumped and have been listening to all his music like crazy!

3) The Colors!
I snapped these pictures through the car windows a day or two before wind blew most of them down.

4) All the Christmas stuff:

horrible picture, but you get the point...
Wal-Mart

K-Mart

5)  Flying my pink proudly! Cameron took it down for a few days during the playoffs to put up the Cards flag, but mine is back out!

6) The worst part of our roof is done!

These are pictures of the decking that was rotted.
The top picture looks like it had been burned, but it was just that black from rot!



7) The 5K my sister and I ran on a brand new interstate that will be opening in our area soon. I roped her into it at the last minute : )

It was so cold, but running on that smooth road was amazing!

Until Next Time.

Krista

Holding On...

This post is more of a ramble than a vent, thought or question......

After only two years since our wedding and me 'moving out,' my parents are excited to see that I'm finally clean out my bedroom at their house. (haha) At this point, I'm not throwing away much, just transferring to boxes to bring to my house and sort through. The goal is to get the bedroom cleaned out, furniture re-arranged, walls painted and the room looking like a guest room instead of someone's bedroom. But as I transferred drawer after drawer and shelf after shelf of 'momentos' I just kept wondering why we keep them.... Momentos. What purpose do they serve??

If you know me in person (not just in blogger world), you know that I am a huge sentimentalist. I am an emotional person and get easily attached to things because of what it reminds me of. I have kept a bunch of my old toys (along with my brother and sister) because it reminds me the innocent childhood fun we had. I have tags from Christmas that a gift from Cameron or my grandma. I have a notebook (ok.... notebooks) from school where all my girlfriends wrote notes on that back. The list goes on and on of all the stuff I've kept and become attached to.

But why?? Why do we keep this stuff? I started thinking about all this stuff and what I could to still preserve it for me later without taking all the room, but that started another problem. As I pulled them from the place that they've sat for years, I found myself touching them to remember how they felt... or smelling them to bring back that memory. Taking pictures of these things wouldn't do them justice, at least not most of them. It just wouldn't be the same.

I read that hanging onto momentos should be broken into four categories:

Would you grab it if your house was on fire?
Does is serve a purpose or have function in your home?
Do you hope to use it someday?
Does it make you happy?

Well... almost all of my stuff fits into one of these four categories and that's where my problem lies.... This stuff does make me happy. It all reminds me of a happy occassion and a simpler time... the beach, playing at my grandparents' house, grade school, and so on. Some of it I plan to use someday for my children and even a few things are so special that I would want to take them if my home was on fire..... Some of this stuff, I just can't part with right now.

So I guess for now, the boxes will be stacked in my basement until a time when newer things or things that belong to our children trump these in my sentimental mind....


Until Next Time..
Krista

Oh, How Pinteresting... Oct. 24

Tell me I'm not the only one crushing on anything PUMPKIN (or punkin') this year!   Every recipe I find sounds amazing and I'm having a hard time deciding which one to make for Thanksgiving... (yes, I'm already planning that and I'm really having to tell myself that I CANNOT put any trees up yet! haha)

 My husband is crushin' on pumpkin so hard that we've already had pumpkin blizzards and he was (patiently) waiting for the Pumpkin Spice Milk to come out at Wally World and it finally made its appearance.

And of course I bought some for the husband....

He thinks we need to buy two at a time and freeze some so he has it after the holidays are over!

Here are my most recent pumpkin based pins!!! Enjoy!

Linkin' Up!   (apparently I really like exclamation points when I talk about pumpkin...)

*****Unfortunately, due to a new format, previous pins will no longer appear*****

Source: nancycreative.wordpress.com via Krista on Pinterest

Source: thehungrymouse.com via Krista on Pinterest

Source: sundaybaker.net via Krista on Pinterest

Source: hwescott.blogspot.com via Krista on Pinterest

Source: tastykitchen.com via Krista on Pinterest

Source: picky-palate.com via Krista on Pinterest

Source: lifessimplemeasures.blogspot.com via Krista on Pinterest

Source: une-deuxsenses.blogspot.com via Krista on Pinterest

So have any of you make any of these recipes??? What do you suggest?!?!?

Until Next Time!
Krista

Just a thought...

I am just curious.....why does society find it necessary to give 'career-themed' Christmas gifts???? Does a hair dresser really want a blow dryer ornament!?!??! No. Does a teacher want a teacher nutcracker?!?!? NO (And yes-- I saw one at Kohls!) Does a nurse want a nurse wall hanging?!?! NO. (I know, there are exceptions--- and some really do want these things, but most don't...) Useful things are understandble...pads of themed paper for note writing, for example.....but not decorations.We don't decorate based on our careers. I do not want apple baskets, apple paper weights, apple wall hanging, ruler boxes, crayon cups, school supply clocks or a vase wrapped in pencils....it's just goofy in my opinion. We are people too and love the 'normal' gifts just like anyone else does.

I'm not sure if Pinterest is helping with this or hurting it. I see such goofy teacher gift ideas on there and think, "That's just a waste. Not a teacher I know wants that." Maybe I'm rude by thinking this, but really.... Whatever your profession is, do you want your home decorated in it?? No? I didn't think so... and there's only so many places in a classroom to stick all the themed stuff.  I know, a gift is about the thought, but sometimes, don't you just want to say, "Whatever money you spent on this, I would have rather had the cash or that money spent on chocolate!" Ok, that would be really rude, but you get my point. Now don't get me wrong. Because I'm in education, most of the things I've noticed are teacher related...There are some really cute ideas on Pinterest for teachers that are useful--- cups full of pens or markers, candy jars with a giftcard inside, summer kits with a towel and magazine, personalized cups.... but why do people think that a gift for a teacher has to be themed? We like gifts and don't want it to necessarily be something for our classroom. We are people. We like a fun and thoughtful gift just like anyone else. We don't live at school and have plenty of glue sticks and pencils already in our rooms--- we don't need a cake made out of them. A basket full of school supplies is a gift for the room---not a gift thanking the teacher. If you want to do that cutesy basket, that's fine, but just donate it to the classroom.

So much of this stuff labeled as a 'teacher gift' is just not practical....thoughtful maybe, but not practical. Spending time wrapping little pink erasers to look like taffy... come on, are you serious?!? Besides the time you wasted, now an already stressed and tired teacher has to unwrap all of those...meaning that they will get set to the side and unwrapped in about a year when a volunteer parent needs something to do.

Maybe I'm totally out of line for thinking this, but I think most teachers would agree. You don't buy your hairstylist a box of foil and white towels do ya?? Do you buy your nurse some tongue depressers and bandaids? What about your mail man..do you buy a box of envelopes and stamps? Or how about your babysitter... do you get her a pack of hot dogs and a coloring book?? No. We don't buy other professionals a gift to help them do their job the next day....We buy them a gift because they're a person. We buy them a gift that's in their interest, not their career. Why does it make sense to some people to provide a teacher who spends countless hours busting her hump in her classroom, SOMETHING for her classroom??!?!


Ok... stepping down now.
Until Next Time..
Krista

PS: If you're one of the guilty ones who give "teacher gifts" and you want an idea for something else to give that hardworking teacher..... think of what you would give a friend--- purses, chocolate, gift cards, a pretty blanket, Tervis tumblers, a bag... a gift for the person, not the career.

Time.....

Hey all.... (yes, I actually said 'hey all'...not ya'll! haha) I've been a little distant from my blog for a few days. I've been putting the focus of my life on where it needs to be...

I had a difficult week in my professional world that was trying on my emotions and outlook, so I spent some time reflecting, thinking, crying and discussing.....and just spent some time on myself. All is well now! I feel like I'm back on track in this part of my life.

My grandma had a pace maker put in today. I don't do this often, but I am asking for prayer requests for a quick recovery and that none of the complications that they mentioned will happen. She is 87 and we want many more healthy years with her! The difference in her voice, strength and morale before and after surgery is amazing! I pray it continues!

Some recent events were very difficult for me and I just needed a break to sort things out and think. There won't be a Pinteresting Wednesday post tomorrow (I've been up since 5 and have to start my long day very early tomorrow as well so my bed is calling my name, and I'm just too beat to write one..... and I'm out of  'scheduled' blog posts.... there. you know my secret. i write a bunch at once and schedule them.... *blush*    If you're a blogger and don't do that, you totally should. It prevents days like tomorrow and weeks like this one...) Anyway... I hope to be back into the swing of writing soon.

Thanks for reading and for the prayers!

Until Next Time...
Krista

Just a Thought

Can I vent for just a minute?? yes? Ok, thanks.

Around here, some of our McDonald's drive thrus have two lanes... Do ya'll know what I'm talking about? Ok... It's not two lanes all the way around the building, it's one lane that becomes a Y to two menu boards and speakers and then comes back together for one lane of windows. Anyway..... The one that I frequent (happens to be very close to where I work and I'm a sweet tea addict) has it set up like this. It actually has paint on the ground where the two lanes start.... but do people follow these??? no. of course not. Cars are always cutting the line and driving to the other lane before it's their turn to decide "lane 1" or "lane 2".

Side note: You know we all play that little game of trying to stereotype based on what we can see about what kind of order they're going to have and which lane will be faster. It's like that airport scene with George Clooney in "Up in the Air." Soccer mom vans with a couple of car seats mean orders with happy meals (lots of options to specify during the order) and she probably won't have her money ready...that just equals-- time consuming.

Anyway... back to what I was saying... I was once waiting in a VERY long line... I was about the fifth car back from where the line Ys when a car that was two behind me (7th in line!) cut the line and went up to the other side of the y--- therefore blocking the parking lot for people trying to drive around the building. I hope you can picture what I'm saying. It irked my tater and honked me off! If we all did that, what kind of a mess would the parking lot be in all the time?!?!

Ok... Just a thought... Why do people see situations like this as a time for 'special treatment'??!?!? There are rules, guidelines and procedures for a reason!   ugh.... again, am I just old fashioned?!?! I was brought up with respect and good manners... cutting line is not my thing!

Until next time...
Krista

Oh, How Pinteresting-- Oct. 10

It's time once again for some linky love!

Fall is in full swing... Christmas goodies are filling the stores.....

That means wreaths are on their way to more and more front doors!

I keep something on my front door all year long.... a basket of flowers, a flag decoration, a wreath, a big wooden heart.... something is always on my wreath hook... but lately I've been pinning more and and more wreaths and I'm wanting to make some new ones!!


*****Unfortunately, due to a new format, previous pins will no longer appear*****

Source: ecrater.com via Krista on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Krista on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Krista on Pinterest

I'm in love with this one... it might have inspired on of my Christmas trees...yes, I said one of them...there will be multiple this year, but only one full size one.

Source: blog.mardigrasoutlet.com via Krista on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Krista on Pinterest

I'm crushing on peacock feathers this year...  It's going to be the theme for another one of my trees.

Source: etsy.com via Krista on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Krista on Pinterest

Source: thehighheeledhostess.com via Krista on Pinterest

Source: joann.com via Krista on Pinterest

Source: livingwithlindsay.com via Krista on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Krista on Pinterest

Source: teachcraftlove.blogspot.com via Krista on Pinterest

Source: swagbucks.com via Krista on Pinterest

Happy Pinning!
Krista

Our Story

So how did our "True Love Story" begin??

In the fall of 2005, Cameron was helping his mom decorate for a close friend's wedding. (His mom has created beautiful receptions for dozens of couples.) She had asked three of us girls from school to help her. At the reception hall, he and I talked, got to know one another (he had gone to school with my sister) and he says I flirted..... (I'm sure I did! haha)   Later in the night, I suggested that we meet up some time, but he informed me that he had a girlfriend and she probably wouldn't like that. He actually talked about setting me up with his roommate, but I had an interest in someone else at the time. At the reception, he pointed out his girlfriend...blah blah blah....I figured I'd never see him again.

Fast forward seven months almost to the day..... I checked my MySpace inbox and I had a message from him. We began emailing back and forth, which led to calls, which led to meeting and hanging out, which to led to meals/dates..... He was honest about a troubled past and what his plans were for the future....and I was honest about my choice of abstinence until marriage. We both understood what the near future was going to be like and began a very honest and open relationship. We had some difficult times in the first few years, especially with me moving to college, him having open heart surgery (heart condition), and interference from other people.... but we maintained respect, honesty, loyalty and love.

After 2 years of dating, he proposed to me in the perfect way--- just the two of us in the room where we first met.... that reception hall... Isn't that the sweetest thing?!?!? He said, "That's the second time I've watched you walk into this room... and the first time you changed my life." I'll never forget those words. They were perfect!

Two years later, we married on an unbelievably hot day in June in front of our family and friends. We pledged our love for each other and made promises we will forever keep.

We were the Trueloves. And so began our True Love story....

For the next 11 months, we lived in a tiny townhouse apartment with his roommate. (He was keeping the apartment once we bought a house, but we were having problems finding one so we could move out.) After 11 months of living like college kids, we were able to buy our beautiful home, unpack our wedding gifts and start our real life together.

We continue to build a marriage of honesty, loyalty, trust, respect and love. I love being married to him and couldn't imagine my life any other way.

Until Next Time..
Krista

Strong Marriage

So .... so far, I've not written much about my 'true love story'... My darling husband is not one to put information out for others and definitely not one to 'kiss and tell'      but.... I love our marriage, I love our story, I love us.... and I think it should be shared.

I fell in love.... in True Love...(That's our last name.) Ok, cheesy. But so totally cute, right???

Do we have the perfect marriage? No.

Do we fight? Just like everyone else.

But do we have a marriage built on the correct principles?  I think so : )

Marriage is difficult, but it shouldn't feel like a job.

I've shared before how much I like Sex and the City. Well, in the first movie, Samantha is talking about how long it's been since she's been happy with her boyfriend. They ask Charlotte how often she feels happy in her marriage with Harry and she says "Every day. Not all day, every day, but every day."

That's how it should be, isn't it?

You should marry someone that makes you happy....

Cam makes me happy every day. He sends sweet texts, leaves messages on the mirror, picks up a tea for me just because he knows that I want one, offers to make arrangements for dinner, kisses me before he leaves for work every morning even though I'm still in bed (I love this one!)... Does he do stuff that irks my tater?? Most definitely! (Don't all men?!?) But I'm happy. He makes me happy.

I know, we've only been married two years and don't have any kids yet...I know a lot can change, but I think we built our relationship on what was important from that start. We've been through a lot in six years... but we've survived all the hardships and came out stronger on top.

We have our struggles, mostly with money--- just because there isn't enough to go around! haha  And we've had to learn to adjust to each other's imperfections and faults.

What I love about our marriage is the amount of laughter we share...whether it's a movie that always makes us laugh, one of Cam's goofy stunts or Cam's laugh at my attempt to be funny.... we are always laughing around here. I love that.

What I love about our marriage is that we are each other's best friends. When something happens, we can't wait to tell the other one. We lean on each other when times are tough. We love sharing a new experience with each other.... We tell each other secrets.

What I love about our marriage is the amount of respect we have for each other and the honesty we keep between us, from the beginning of our relationship. Plain and Simple.

What I love about our marriage is the amount of time we take for ourselves... doing what we want to do with who we want to do it with... If he wants to go to the movies with his friend, we schedule it in and he goes. (but he always checks the date with me first! He's so good about that) If I want to go shopping with my mom, I go. We are not glued at the hip 24 hours a day. What we do works into the schedule of the other one, but our lives don't revolve around the other one's schedule. I think these marriages where they are attached at the hip are unhealthy. We all need space! 

I love that we make time to get out of the house. We never have money for a date, but sometimes we'll just go on a walk, a night walking around a historice local town and hotel, or a gator ride. We need time out of this house with each other.

I love that we meet the other one at the door when they get home. It's just a quick kiss and hello and then we give the other one space to relax and unwind.

I love that we talk...we dream, we discuss, we share. Cam's not as expressive as I am...

but he knows how to listen.

On Pinterest (how often DO I reference this amazing site?!?! If you're not on it--- join.) there have been pins floating around for tons of strong marriage tips... here are some of my favorite sites:

30 Day Challenge

100 Ways to Make Your Marriage Rock

50 Ways to Inspire your Husband

10 Things That Have Made a Difference 

(Check out the weekly Qs. I want to start this!)

What do you and your spouse do to make a strong marriage?? Share your tips and suggestions!

Until Next Time..

Krista