Destin Weekend//

I was trying so hard not to laugh because this seagull totally photo-bombed our picture! haha

Weekend Trip to Destin Florida!

Last weekend, we made a spontaneous trip to Destin, Florida with my husband's Mother and her Friend- best decision ever!!

Day 1:

I love Forever 21

My husband bought a Christmas Gift for me from Coach

Williams Sonoma

We didn't have a plan, so I checked with Trip Advisor on my iPhone and this place had over 1200 reviews!

They had a $4 happy hour special so I had two of these- so good!! 

Now I know why they had some many great reviews- the Large Captain's Platter is to die for- oh my gosh!! I am thinking about making a trip back just to visit Back Porch again!!

I'll be back tomorrow with Day 2!!

Life Lately//

Life has been crazy hectic- I haven't even had the time or the energy to blog. (We even skipped the invite to the Biggest Loser Grand Opening in Amelia Island to meet Jessie Pavelka- that was sooo hard to miss!!) Today, I am using my lunch break to blog- it's about the only free time that I have lately. The weekend was great- we were able to accomplish so much the last few weekends- I thought it would be fun to give an update on everything.

//Dining Room + chairs purchase- we now have a dining room table to have dinner!!
//Vanity table + chair purchase- I am no longer sitting on the floor doing hair & makeup- thank goodness!!
// Wine Rack chest purchase
//Ordered more tile- picked up this weekend
//Ordered more wood floors- they were delivered last week
// Yard-work- borrowed my Mom's riding mower & push mower (ours stopped working) & did a clean up a couple of weekends ago- it took us the entire weekend to get the yard looking decent + we loaded an entire truck-load of bricks & concrete to throw away. Maintaining 3 acres of land is no easy task!!
//Cleaned Garage out some- threw out some things
//Had a Bon-fire + Beer night - just the hubby & I -we burned all of the branches + sticks that we picked up from working in the yards

We still have some things left to do- the main things are to put down the remaining wood flooring, the shower rod + curtain and the hard-board siding. We still have small things left to do like interior/exterior trim and more closet shelving, but we will do those later once the big things are finished.

I have to say, I am so proud of my husband, he works a full-time job all day and he comes home every day and works on either the exterior siding or putting down flooring. It's not easy to come home to work again after you've already worked all day, not to mention also working the entire weekend with only a 30-minute break here and there. My husband amazes me all of the time- he is the best gift that God ever gave me- but I will save that for another day//

Once the house is done, we will be enjoying our weekends, going on vacation and enjoying ourselves! I personally am so excited to be finished- we have been working way too hard and not playing any and I'm starting to go a little stir-crazy. A vacation is definitely in the works for Thanksgiving week!!

What are you plans for Thanksgiving? Dinner with family? A vacation?

Fall Favorites//

Lots going on in my life, some new progress with the house and life in general. I will elaborate more about it over the weekend, but for today I just want to keep things simple and post some of my favorite Fall things!

Loving the dark lips for Fall//

Love this but needs to be faux fur//

Burberry Coat- I need this!

Have a lovely weekend!!

Going through the Motions & Not Really Living Life//

I always second guess myself when I want to come here and write about my true feelings- I just worry that I will come off as a constant complainer, but I never vent to anyone, except to my husband. I just don't have that trusting relationship with anyone enough to open up about things. The only thing that makes me publish these posts is that someone may possibly be going through the same thing and it's nice having someone else to relate to//

So here is what happened Friday afternoon- I ended up working a little later and dropping off some work mail on the way home, I was in the vehicle already stressed out about everything. I had told my husband that I was on the edge, that the tiniest thing would send me over the edge, I literally have been sitting on nerves. I have been having extreme anxiety again with work being so stressful lately and now the house construction is chaos to live in- my husband is doing his best with working full time too and we are trying to save money because we don't have the extra to spend, but it's extremely difficult trying to do all on your own.

Sometimes, I feel like people look to me to take their problems on, but I have my own things to worry about and when I take on my life and other's on my shoulders- I end up being overwhelmed and breaking down. I do not want to be superwoman, but most people don't really know how much that I really do on a daily basis- I never have any time for myself,  I am ready to have some fun and live life and not feel like I am working every second of my life. Lately, I feel like a hamster on a wheel, not going anywhere. I haven't had anytime to breathe, to take care of myself or to focus on my own goals and dreams. I've been staying awake with anxiety, feeling stuck and held back in life- I have so much that I want to do and the stress is starting to show in my weight gain, crying/depression, lack of sleep and being snappy (mostly to my poor husband).

So when we got home, seeing the construction chaos after a long day and working late at work- I was standing at the sink washing dishes and I just had a break down. I told my husband I had to get out of the house and take a walk. I walked and cried and talked to God about all of my problems and stress for about 30 minutes and afterwards I felt so much better. I went to my heavenly Father and he listened to me and I know that he is going to take care of things for me- I am his daughter and I know that he loves me//

You never know what someone is going through, so treat everyone kindly with compassion and fairness. We don't know what battles they may be fighting. I know the battles that I have had to face in life so I treat everyone with love and kindness every day, no matter how bad my day or week has been.

I do plan on being proactive and stop taking on so much at a time and take time to go away and relax. I have to take care of myself or I am no good to anyone. It's easier said than done, when you have an unfinished house and tons of things that need to be done, but I am hoping to take small steps like going out for a couple of hours just to get a breather away from the madness.

All I know is, that I poured my heart out to my heavenly Father and things will get better soon- that I know with all certainty! Write, Vent and Pray- that is my process--it's my therapy//

Do you ever feel like your life is flying by and you are just going through the motions and not really enjoying life?

Progress//

via 

Sorry I have been absent from blogging lately, but I have been extremely busy trying to get the garage cleaned out and organized. The more that I get rid of, the happier that I feel- I hate clutter & unnecessary stuff! An added bonus is that I have made almost $150 so far- definitely saving the extra money for decorating our new home.

I'm also really excited because my husband is putting down wood floors this week!! These are the first wood floors that he has ever put down and I have to say, they really look amazing! It looks like I may be shopping for a dining room table this weekend!! I'm so excited to have dinners at an actual table and not at a computer desk or in front of the TV. It's amazing how sometimes we don't realize how monumental the small things truly are in life until we no longer have them.

#sexyhusband

We still have a long way to go, with the house siding and the shower tile next on the to-finish list, but things are starting to come together. Our house is becoming a home and I am looking forward to the journey//

Hope you are all having a wonderful week!

Reunited with Roscoe//

For those who are new to my blog, Roscoe, our dog of 15 years, passed away this past April (I wrote about it here and here) and my husband and I were beyond devastated. I would have to say, it was one of the most depressing times of our lives. I literally didn't eat for an entire week and would just break down in tears constantly. I can honestly say that I have never been so sad and in such a dark place emotionally. It now has been almost 6 months since he has been gone and we still miss him so much. 

Most people don't know that my husband and I made a decision many years ago that if something were to ever happen to Roscoe that we would have him preserved so that we could always have him by our side. The morning that he passed away, we cleaned him up, clipped his nails and drove the 3 1/2 hours to the Bear Claw Taxidermy Studio in Covington, Georgia where one of the best Taxidermists is located.

We left Roscoe with them and I prayed that they would create Roscoe exactly how we remembered him. And I have to say, today when we drove to Covington this morning (after waking up at 3:30 a.m.) to pick him up- we were amazed when we stepped into the shop and saw him for the very first time. He had that look on his face that he had often- that look of him listening to my husband & I talking and being interested in our conversations. My husband who rarely sheds a tear, even choked up a little bit..it was so strange seeing him after almost 6 months had passed.

On our way home, with Roscoe in his favorite bed, we even stopped by Roscoe's favorite place to eat- Chick Fil A and got lunch. He rode with us like he had always done when he was alive- he loved going everywhere with us and he went on so many trips and adventures with us//

We are extremely happy with how Roscoe turned out- I was nervous that I would be overwhelmed with sadness again- when we pulled up in the drive, my heart dropped into my stomach. But my husband and I were both pleasantly surprised that we actually enjoy having him here with us, a tangible presence- the only way that I know to explain it, is a feeling of comfort having him here with us and being able to see him and pet him. Now we can look at his little face everyday and watch videos of him and that gives our hearts great happiness//