Tim McGraw feat Faith Hill - I Need You (HQ) Official

More sap.  This version is amazing. 

Busy Busy Busy

Well folks..the past few weeks have been busy.  And that is an understatement.  From flight cancellations, delays, 60 hours of work in 4 days, plus some sea time..woooohoo.  Busy.

I have so much to post.  Soon!

Phillip Phillips - Home

I. Can't. Stop. Listening. 

Steve Holy - Good Morning Beautiful

Swoon.  Happy Valentine's Day!

Family

via google

Families have their moments.  I am from a large Irish family, and I wouldn't change it for the world.  Tons of aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings...family parties, etc.

I am proud of my family-each person has such incredible gifts.

I can't wait to get married this year, and start a family of my own!

The Notebook - Feels Like Home

The Notebook.  Great movie.  One of my Sailors gave me their personal copy one day, because they thought I "needed to watch a chick flick".  Ha.  I did watch it, and loved it. 

What is Love?

Love:  a feeling of strong or constant affection for a person

 

 

Love just isn't a feeling towards your boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife/mother/father/sister/brother...

It is so much more.

 

Love isn't something that always has to be said.  Love is a friend walking your dog when you are sick.  Love is helping an elderly lady cross the street with bags of groceries.  Love is making your fiances favorite dinner, even when you are just exhausted.  Love is what you feel when you get that hug from that special person you haven't seen in a long time.   God is love. 

 

Love is so many things.  This list could go on. 

 

There are many things you can do for someone to tell them that you love them, without saying it, you can just show it. 

 

 



How To: 5 Tips to Staying Organized

One must be extremely organized in my line of work.  From calendars, to other schedules, to balancing everything, you have to be organized. Sink or swim.

1.  Be organized at home.  In every area.  From cleaning under the kitchen sink so you don't end up with 15 bottles of soap because you "never" seem to have enough, to the bathroom sink before you end up with 7 boxes of bandaids.  This has clearly never happened to me. My organization helps me stay sane, helps me keep only what I need...and leads into number 2.

2.  40 bags in 40 days.  I do this every year.  It helps so much!  From cleaning out the closet, to getting rid of some books that someone else could read, I stay more organized getting the clutter out in my life.  I am looking forward to this project this year.  I have a storage unit full of stuff.  I moved from a 2 bedroom, gorgeous house, to a 1 bedroom apt.  Needless to say, a little purging never hurt anyone.  Plus, I have to combine forces with the fiancé in the next year.  Let's just hope I can convince him to do the 40 bags deal.  That club shirt from 1997 needs to go.  Now:)

3.  Have set spot for everything.  I have a desk in my apt, and there are specific things that just "stay" there.  From my address book, to my budget/bills, to grocery lists...they all just "stay" there.  They don't walk off.  But then again, my apt is so small, if it walked off I only have 800 square feet of bliss to find it again! 

4.  Be clean.  You can't be organized if your work space or house is dirty/messy.  I have a list of how to clean/what to clean each day.  It is similar to this one.  Obviously with my work schedule that is about impossible to accomplish.  Working 80+ hours a week doesn't leave much time for the nitty gritty.  Here comes the cleaning service!  I just started using one 1 time a month, to do deep cleaning.  That way, when I come home on a Friday, I am not overwhelmed with chores.  I can relax.  I can enjoy the weekend.  I found my most recent cleaning service in Jax on Angies List.  Very happy with them!

5.  Lists.  Have a to do list.  Try to get that list done, and carry over what you did not accomplish today, to the next day.  It doesn't have to be overwhelming.  I do this a lot at work.  I just need to be better about it at home! 

What is your favorite organizational tip?!?

Wedding Wednesday: Engagement Party Invites

I was struggling with the idea of "how" to ask people to attend our engagement party.  I wanted to do an evite, but didn't want it to look cheesy.  I found this on www.postmark.com.  I love the site.  It cost $12 to buy 50 invites.  Yes, I know, $12 to send an email.  But I found this to be a little more classy than just sending a plain old email to folks. 

Stay tuned to more planning and ideas!

What is your favorite evite/paper invite website?

Recipe: Fav Valentine's Day Baked Goods!

So I am a big fan of simple baked goods.  Not something you have to slave in the kitchen over for hours, just to have someone say "yum".  Nope.  The easier, the better.

My signature dessert is my German Chocolate Cake, but I also love a mean mocha cake. 

I found this one online, and can't wait to make it soon! 

Date Night: 5 Valentines Day Date Ideas

I am not that "big" on Valentine's day.  I feel that you should celebrate your love more than one time a year, but..I will go out of my way to do something special for the one I love!

So here are some great date ideas for you and that special person:

1. Dinner and the Opera/Show.  I know.  Sounds crazy!  I took my guy to a great steak house and to the Opera 3 years ago for Valentine's Day (we celebrated on the 15th, because we both had to work on the 14th).  One bonus, it was cheaper!  Less hype!  I got the opera tix on groupon, and it was $150 total, and dinner was about $150 at a great Chicago steakhouse.  Yes, $300.  But honestly, worth every penny.

2. Cook at home.  Make your guys favorite dinner.  If I came home and made him meatloaf, he would be ecstatic.  Cooking your guy their favorite meal is showing love all in itself.  Plus dessert.  Can't forget dessert.  I would go with gelato, or chocolate covered strawberries!  Yumm. 

3. Movie night.  Watch your favorite movie together.  Take out, movie, couch, blankets...candles.  Can't go wrong!

4. Have a "Ferris Buellers Day Off" in your city.  Make a day of it.  Go to your favorite sights, restaurants, coffee house, etc.  One of my favorite dates was at 11 am waiting in line at Hot Dougs in Chicago!

5. Wine and Cheese tasting at home.  Find some good vino at Binny's, Whole Foods, etc, and try new things.  Make sure you have a fall back, and buy stuff you know you already like.  No one likes crappy wine on their date night. 

I am fairly certain #3 has already won for this year's date night! 
I can't wait!

Landon Pigg - Falling In Love At A Coffee Shop

Love this.  So sweet.  So simple.  Ok.  I am sappy.  I know. 

Recipe: Baked Chicken, Risotto, and Roasted Califlower

I made this great dinner this past week, and it only took 40 minutes start to finish. 

From making the baked chicken using Kraft Fresh takes, to starting the Lundberg Risotto, and baking the cauliflower, I was busy the whole 40 minutes making a healthy, hearty meal!  I also had plenty of leftovers for other meals!

Finished Product.  Yum.