It doesn't take much to get me laughing. This video had me laughing at loud in my cubicle. I don't know what that says about this video, but it is simply hilarious. You must watch. This poor girl just completely goes along with it.
So, while I am compiling all the exciting adventures to share with you from the last month, I leave you with my star entertainment today.
Yes. This is a post/video about David Beckham. I never knew he was so very funny! I am kind of in love. I'm just going to go ahead and blame it on his skin like baby peaches. Its just so hard being pretty.
I found this on Pinterest, and I feel like it a pretty good representation of my last month.
I took a tiny break...well, maybe a little more than tiny. I just had to live life a little. You know, taking time to smell the roses, figure some stuff out.
So, what have I been doing the last month? I've been checking things off my list, of course. More to come on that later. I've been spending quality time with friends. I've been working. A lot. And, I've been procrastinating...a lot. Sorry, about that last one.
It was a great month, but I'm back now. I decided I won't be writing quite as often, but I will keep you all updated on the going ons of my life.
I just read this article on Apartment Therapy, and I kind of love it. It is definitely helpful with my entry level salary. It is such a great reminder that a room/house is never going to be complete and will always be evolving...well at least that's how I see it. I am always, always changing something in my house. Even just rearranging something little makes me happy.
(Yes, this is my living room. And, yes, it has already undergone a transformation since this picture was taken)
1. Buy your big pieces of furniture secondhand: This is not just about saving money, it's also about how your style will change as you learn what you like and don't like. Don't spend a lot on a piece by justifying that it's a piece you've always wanted and an investment in your future. The likelihood is that your style will go through three or four metamorphoses before it settles into something that's you.
2. Reconsider before you reject: When you move into your first place, people will often be so excited for you that they'll want to gift you with some of their old stuff (or they may just be trying to get rid of it!). Before you turn up your nose at it or toss it, make a list of inexpensive changes you might make to it. You might reupholster an old couch or paint its frame a shocking pink, remove a skirt or add a pillow or six. Not only will this save you money, it will hone your ability to look at a piece in a flea market or antique shop and see its potential.
3. Inspiration boards are not always good for decorating your first space: I know that goes against everything we're always talking about but I've found that trying to recreate someone else's room in your first space, a space that will go through a lot of transitions, ends up costing you a lot in time and money.
4. Embrace the serendipity: Your first home will not be perfect. There will be odd chairs around your table, a couch that's a lot fussier than your ideal -- and that is exactly how it should be. You're learning what you like to live with, not just what you like in a picture.
5. Paint is your best friend: You can paint a wall or a piece of furniture, dip the legs of your mismatched chairs in paint to unify them or paint a block of color behind your bed to act as a faux headboard.
6. Accent walls are your decor secret: You don't have to paint the whole room. One wall is plenty and as much as most people have patience for. It's also easy to change it up if you get bored or don't like the color.
7. Friday is move your furniture around day: Okay, maybe not every Friday but at least once every few weeks try a new arrangement. Sometimes the most unexpected arrangements work the best. This is great fun to do with friends!
8. Let your home annoy you: It's tempting, after a day of looking at decor mags and blogs, to want to fix everything in your apartment, especially when it comes to storage issues. But instead of trying to solve it immediately (which usually involves buying a lot of storage containers), live with the problem for a while. Often you'll happen upon a better solution that will end up being cheaper and simpler. Which brings me to the biggest lesson.
9. Live with as little as you can. It's tempting, when you first live alone to want to get all that stuff you've been eyeing for ages. Yes, you may be a home decor nut but, instead of buying every pillow and flowerpot you see, take a picture of it, pin it to your Pinterest board or post it on your blog. Just wait a few years or a few months and your home will have accumulated plenty and you'll spend weekends trying to cull it. Embrace the minimal while you can.
Mashed Potatoes, Fresh Green Beans, and Pork Tenderloin. Yum!
I took the recipe from The Pioneer Woman, and it was so simple. All it takes is a couple of ingredients.
1 pork tenderloin
Some Greek Seasoning, Salt & Pepper
1 tablespoon White Vinegar
1 cup Plum Jam
1 cup Water
How easy are those ingredients? I had everything but the pork in my kitchen.
Just press as much of the seasonings as you would like into the tenderloin and throw it in the oven at 350. It is really that easy. Let it bake for about 20-25 minutes...or until it isn't pink when you cut into it. Then let it rest for about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, grab a small saucepan and add the vinegar, jam and water. Bring it to a simmer then pour it over the pork. And, Voila! You are done! Easy, right!?
Zondervan sends me daily bible verses at work. They are the best start to my mornings. This morning the sent me this verse. It is such a comforting truth. When the world becomes simply confusing and chaotic, this verse remains true.
I did it. I did it. I did it. I have no idea what my time was, my bike wouldn't change gears and rattled the entire 10 miles, my calves cramped, but I finished. And, I finished well. After training and having several moments of sheer panic, I completed my race. I can cross number 3 off my list. It feels good. Real good.
5:30 AM: I am ready to go. Can't you tell?
Here are some of the pictures that one of my friends got on her iPhone (Thank you so much, Lydia!)...
7:25ish: The boys start first (Way to go Josh and Drew!). To tell you what a novice I am, I was completely expecting for all of us to jump in and start. I was not expecting to tread water for 5 minutes beforehand. There is a lot of muck in pond water. I'm pretty sure I kicked a fish. It was real fun.
7:40ish: I swam and as quickly as possible switched to biking. Note to self, make sure your shoes are untied before the race starts. I was literally yelling at my shoes as I tried to put them on and start biking. The girl who came running up after me must have thought I was completely nuts.
8:45ish: I finished. Yay! I had a ton of energy at the end, too. I have absolutely no idea how I managed to do it. I think I was in a daze the whole 3 mile run. Hopefully, they will find my time soon so I can know how I can have a time to beat next time.
"Why don't they have my time?" you ask? I just had to go and loose my ankle chip right before the race. I had it somewhere safe, but thought I was going to forget to go get the strap so I moved it and of course, lost it. After realizing this, I proceeded to completely lose it. After searching everywhere I went and pleaded for a new chip. Thankfully they gave me a new one. Not so luckily however, they did not get my time recorded. The funny part is, as I finished the swim I saw the chip just sitting by my helmet. It was right under my bike's nose. Lovely.
We got medals for completing our first Triathlon!! A medal makes every race even better.
Thanks Pam, Catherine, Josh and Drew for completing this with me!!! It was so much fun to train with you all and enjoy the finish line with ya! And, Thank you soo soo much Lauren, Zach, Marcia, Topher & Lydia for coming out to watch! Y'all were such a great encouragement!!
Now on to my next mission:
36. Complete a 10k. Turkey Trot 2011, Here I come!
It has been too long! So Glad to have you back. We have missed you here in Houston. I must admit, I didn't think you would be coming back anytime soon. Feel free to stay for a little while. I will thoroughly enjoy laying in bed listening to you pour outside my door all day.
All my love,
Kelly
P.S. I compiled a couple of songs that reminded me of you.
A couple weeks ago, I got some bread from my favorite restaurant in College Station. Unfortunately, I did not have time to eat it before it went stale. Womp. Womp. No problemo. I can just make me some delicious bread pudding. Yum! Wonderful idea! Right?
So what do I do? I get onto the ever kind Pinterest and type in "Bread Pudding." Please note, I don't think I had even tasted Bread Pudding before this endeavor. Have I told you how much I LOVE Pinterest? Within seconds I had found a fantastic recipe...one that would be absolutely perfect for sweet fall time.
Fast forward to a week later and I am ready to make this bread pudding. Unfortunately, my bread got tired of waiting. I told friends I was making it for that night. There was no way I could use the bread. So, what do I do? I scour my local Kroger and find an old loaf of bread. Then I turn to the apples. Here is the thing. I am allergic to fresh apples, so I just don't buy 'em. I must have looked like a complete foreigner in the fruit section. In the end, it all came together. And I loved it. Delicious!
2 cups diced apples, you want to use an apple that is good for baking
3 cups milk
4 eggs
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Mix together apples and bread. In separate large bowl whisk together milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon, then add bread and apples. Mix together well. Pour into an 11×7 or about that pan. Place that an into a 9×13 pan and fill the outer pan (9×13 pan) with about 1 inch of water. Your size of pan does not matter so much, as long as the pan with the bread mixture can fit into a pan with water into it. You are creating a water bath, which is important in giving this bread pudding its texture. Bake at 350 for 55-60 minutes.
For it is by Grace you have been saved, through Faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works so that no one can boast.
38. Attend 10 Concerts. One down, nine more to go.
Saturday night, after a grueling run, I hit House of Blues for The Script Concert! They did a great job of playing all their sing alongs. Hot Chelle Rae opened for them. Do you know who they are? Because I definitely did not. They are not too shabby...they wish to be Katy Perry. What can go wrong with that dream?
Saturday morning I joined 3,800 Houstonians in racing for the cure for breast cancer. I have done my fair share of 5k runs, but this was by far the most crowded. It is crazy to think that this many people are affected in some way by breast cancer. Almost everyone knows someone who has suffered from this form of cancer.
It was almost too crowded to get a good run in...almost. People were still starting as I was finishing, and I was starting as people were finishing. It was a crazy circle! Competitive Runners and Noncompetitive Runners already were walking 5 feet into the run causing me to almost trip over a couple people, and literally (accidentally) running into a couple people as I was trying to run around them (Sorry if I hit ya!). Pure Mayhem. I was surprised I didn't see Mr. Mayhem himself from the Allstate commercials. The good news though: Even though I had to do my fair share of zig zagging, I finished under 30 minutes! Whoop!
28.44, I will take it! And, I wasn't even winded. That my friends, is a great feeling.
57. Finish a 5k in under 30 minutes.
Completed. Thank you very much.
Now, here is to hoping my triathlon goes as well. 14 days til race day! Eeek!!
This weekend I cleaned my room. There is something so comforting about a clean room. It is quite the rarity for my room to be clean, but when it is, it is blissful. And, it can stay clean for about a day. Gotta love that one day.
My room has changed a bit since this picture. And, it is still evolving. I will have an updated picture soon....well, once it is clean again.
I am in love with this quote. I can totally relate. And, I have to admit, I am going through this process. I can't quite say I, or anyone, will be able to overcome the gap. But, I am loving the fight.
They are super fun and cute. I kind of love them. The add some flair to the normal run of the mill stripe (I am still a huge fan of classic stripes).
So, I decided to create some of my own. They couldn't be that hard, right? A couple hours, maybe. It is just a simple stripe. Well, I was wrong. Two days later: I am one happy stripe lovin' girl.
Remember this picture:
They make those giant openings worlds different!
Aren't they great!? I am pretty happy with them.
Here is how I did it:
Step one: created a template. I took two pieces of construction paper and taped them together and sketched it on my canvas.
Step two: after each drawn line, I followed with painters tape. This takes absolutely FOREVER if you don't have 90 degree angles, just forewarning. It requires cutting each and every piece of tape to the angle of your stripe.
Step three: I carefully added the paint. This required a couple of coats.
Step four: After the paint completely dries, I pulled up the tape. Eeek. The paint seeped beneath the tape (does anyone have a solution to this???). So I took a small flat paint brush and hand painted the edges.
And what do you know? I killed two birds with one stone.
30. Paint 15 canvases. I know I painted two, but they are counting as one since it is one project.
99. Make 20 things I see in Pinterest/Blogs. I definitely took this idea from the top picture.
Jenny from Little Green Notebook is so clever with her resources. She has created an absolutely gorgeous home with a realistic budget. I cannot begin to describe how helpful that is. When it comes to decorating and designing a room, you don't need to spend a million dollars for it to look classy and purposeful.
Rachel and Lily are really unique, which I feel is pretty hard in the blogging/pinterest world. This might seem like an oxymoron since most of their pictures come from other sites that inspire them, but there is just something so simple and refreshing about the composition of their posts. I love them.
Erin brings a sense of clean lines and freshness to her posts. She mixes her love for interior design with her love for fashion. Overall, I have a hard core crush on her style. She is able to comb through the vast internet jungle and pull together some stellar design pieces to show her followers.
Jordan is originally from San Francisco, but recently moved to the romantic Paris. Her photography and ideas are just what I need after a draining day. I want to be her friend.
There are much, much more, but I am out of time. Hope you enjoy!
One of my most random memories from my senior year of college was my craving for pie. For pretty much the whole year, all I wanted was pie. Any kind. I love pie. It is one of the very best desserts out there. And, yes, this is coming from a person who eats sweets for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. In college, I don't know who started it, but my roommates (other friends? I can't remember) and I would just randomly yell, "PIE." Why? I have no idea. That was just the kind of house we lived in. Why not yell, "Pie!" in the middle of someone's conversation? We were very easily entertained...clearly.
I haven't strayed much from my cravings for pie since college. Recently, it has been Peanut Butter Pie in particular. So I have deemed this recipe the Reese's Peanut Butter Pie. I got the idea from looking at a couple of different recipes mixed with watching the way my mom used to make chocolate pies growing up.
Step 1: Beat the Peanut Butter and the Cream Cheese.
Step 2: Add in the powdered sugar and milk and continue beating.
Step 3: Mix in the pudding mix and fold in 4 oz. Cool Whip.
Step 4: Pour it into the Pie Crust and cover with the remaining Cool Whip.
Step 5: Mash up the Peanut Butter Cups and top the pie. Go ahead and freeze it for about 30 minutes.
Step 6: Take out of the freezer and thoroughly Enjoy this amazingly creamy pie that took you a total of 40 minutes including freeze time to make.
This pie is perfect for the last minute get together, or the "Oh, No! I forgot to make something for tomorrow's event!" situations. I hope you like it!
Can you remember what you were doing this morning? This question has been asked a lot recently. For me, it was my first dose of American Tragedy. It was my first time to see America come together in a powerful way. It was my first time to have my faith truly tested.
Rewind to Friday, September 7, 2001. I am in eighth grade. After complaining to my mom for a week or two about a small lump that had popped up on my left arm, I finally made it to the doctor. Immediately, the doctor sends me to a specialist who immediately schedules me for surgery September 11, 2001 at 11:00a.m.
I distinctly remember that morning. I was terrified. I barely slept the night before. I had no idea what was the matter with my arm. My step dad and I had planned our schedule. We would drop my little brother off at school and then run by my intermediate school to pick up the school work. As we were dropping off my brother, someone came on the radio announcing that the World Trade Center had been hit by a plane. We assumed that it was an accident and went about our schedule. By the time we got home, the world was in complete chaos.
As I was lying in the pre-op room, with needles in my arm, I watched the footage in wonder and confusion. The second tower had just been hit. This was clearly no accident. Every television in the outpatient center was on watching the coverage, trying to grasp what on earth was happening. Who would want to harm America? Was the world going to have completely changed by the time I got out of surgery?
My surgery took much longer than expected. The doctor had tears in his eyes as he let my parents know they had performed a live biopsy which returned positive for sarcoma. I had cancer. The world was crumbling down around us, and I just had a cancerous tumor removed from my left bicep. A cancer that could kill me within the year.
The next four days I prepared for the worst. My parents had my godmother, who was a school counselor, sit me down and explain the situation. I quickly began to research what I was about to encounter, all the while sticking close to the television to watch America come together in a time of crisis. My parents contacted everyone in my church, family and friends around the country. Everyone was praying for me. I couldn't have been more blessed.
I don't remember crying. I do remember being hopeful. My faith was truly tested during this time. I had the option to fall into a state of hopeless despair or to completely trust that the Lord was in control. The frozen biopsy came back four days later. The tumor was benign (All praise be to Jesus). It had been caused by Cat Scratch Fever. The Lord had truly performed a miracle in the midst of sheer terror and vulnerability.
This miracle changed my life. Plain and Simple. As the world was uncertain, I couldn't help but realize that God had a bigger plan in mind. Through tragedy, He brought people closer to Him. The lost were found, the weak became strong. People across the United States were vigorously praying for me all the while praying for the victims of this tragic act. I could not help but praise His name. Jeremiah 29:11 became real to me. The Lord has a purpose for me, for our nation. We are here for a reason.
Now, whenever I am discouraged and downtrodden, I look at the scar on my left arm and remember all the Lord has done for me. He is good. He is powerful. Without Him, I wouldn't be here. So, I leave you with Psalm 146. What Joy, What Peace we have in the Lord's name.
This past week on my staycation, I made a slight dent in my List of 100 things. More like a scratch in the grand scheme of things. I still have a ways to go. Luckily, I have a ways to go....about two years.
Now, this week I intended to get a lot more done, but I figured I would just go with the flow and not make any plans (this is completely out of character for me, I make a new plan every. single. day.). I attempted a list at the very beginning, but promptly threw it away. Staycations are not about the lists of a million and one things to do. They are about finding life's simple joys without the hustle and bustle of a schedule.
Things I accomplished (or came close to accomplishing):
#53. Reorganize our shelves upstairs. These still need a lot of work. A lot of it. But I am okay with them for now. Give me a couple of weeks/months and they will change again.
Which leads to #99. Create 20 Things I have seen/loved on Pinterest. One down, nineteen more to go.
#41. Learned to play football. This was very entertaining for everyone in attendance. I can't say that I have completely learned this, but I have made a little progress.
#74. Comment on Great Customer Service. I will most definitely be doing this again.
Mary at REI was so incredibly helpful. She saw me aimlessly wandering throughout the store, completely out of my element and provided excellent customer service. She kept my price range in mind, and took into consideration that I was shopping for the triathlon. I couldn't have been more happy with my experience there.
#4. Refurbish a chair. I am so close to being done I can almost taste it! The final reveal is coming soon!
Tonight marks the end of my glorious Staycation...not to be confused with a vacation. Tomorrow is back to the grinder. Womp. Womp. More excitingly known as the beginning of my second year at my company.
(name that movie!)
This past week was just what the doctor ordered (well, not really, but whatevs). Working everyday can be Exhausting with a capital E. It can be exhausting without even realizing it is exhausting. Whenever the weekend comes all I want to do is unwind and do absolutely nothing. I would prefer not to think about all the projects I want to start/complete. So I did it. I took off a full 4 days. I read, I caught up on TV, I cleaned places that haven't been cleaned in months, I painted, I sewed, I sanded, I sweat, I learned, I prayed...you get the point. It was a successful week. I can't wait to share everything with you!
The best part of this Staycation: I am actually rested enough to want to go back to work. I'm not stressed from coming home and having to unpack and mentally prepare myself for the upcoming week. No, I have been preparing for it all week! It just feels like one kind of long weekend.
What better way to celebrate the 12th man's first win of the season than creating a room inspired by the maroon and white colors of Texas A&M? I found this wonderful website called Olioboard. I am a huge fan.
Top 3 reasons why I would love to have this room in my house:
1. The Brick Wall. I die. Give me a nice brick wall and I become weak at the knees. This treatment gives a room a sense of history and exposure. I am a huge fan.
2. This rug from Anthropologie. It has just enough Maroon and White to make it stand out, but not enough to overpower the overall color of the room. It contributes a sense of unity to the room, as well as some eye candy.
3. The mirrors. My overall theme of this room was pretty eclectic. I love how unique they are. They add not only art but function. Set against a brick wall they really make a statement.
I have been noticing something lately. Well, okay, maybe my whole life. The thing is, I love the color green. No matter what, it almost always wins. This has nothing to do with the fact that there is this fine color, you might have heard of it, called Kelly Green. I may or may not have thought this color was named after me growing up. And, I may or may not have tried to convince people that I had personal ownership of said color.
I especially love the color green when used just the right way in a room. Green decor makes me swoon.
