Olympics

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I am probably the only American who has no idea what is happening in the Olympics since I don't have the cable. It's really weird. I am so going to have to figure out how to fix that problem. It's also weird seeing as the last Olympics I was in the thick of everything.  Here's the first day from the last Olympics when I was there if you need a refresher. It's crazy because I can vividly think back to that time in my life. It was right after Adam and I started dating. Right when Kindra and I's friendship was just starting and I was unsure about so many things in my life. I can see God's faithfulness over the last 2 1/2 years. He has changed me. The last year has been especially difficult and I would never ever wish it upon my worst enemy or upon myself again but God has used it to show me so much about Himself, myself, Adam and our relationship, and life in general. There are things I wouldn't have learned if I hadn't been through the last year but I am so thankful that I have learned those things. I am so thankful for how God has changed me and opened my eyes to more of who He is, faithfulness, and to flaws in myself that I needed to work on.

I remember the energy of the Olympics and the excitement when we got there. I had a lot of cool experiences at the Olympics (and a lot of not so cool experiences haha) but I would not trade going back to the Olympics for the spot I am in now. Sure, I read some Facebook status of students from Asbury that are there now and have a twinge of jealously or want to tell them to shut it, you're at the Olympics so stop complaining haha but in all reality they are in for a real treat and learning experience that I have already had my time for and I can't really get mad at their complaints because I looked through my old posts and boy was I ever a complainer! Still working on that. I am excited for the next few months. I have a lot of fun things plan and things to look forward and I feel so at peace with where I am in life right now. I haven't had that for so long. Sure, I still have my days where I freak out or have an emotional day because I am far away from Adam, friends, and family but God led me to this place and I know he has a plan for my life. I have met truly wonderful people here. I absolutely love my coworkers and Marion isn't as bad as it once was.  (It's not a dream life here but I'm not so mad about my surroundings these days).

Happy Tuesday ;)

Kindra's wedding

My weekend didn't start off great because I kept making silly mistakes that left me feeling frazzled. While I was packing my car, I left my doors open and ran back inside to get the last of it. During that time it started to pour! I forgot about my doors being open and decided to wait till the rain let up for a second before I ran to the car.

This is what I found when I got there.

On my way down to the rehearsal/friend dinner, I thought about my attire for the next day and decided it wasn't up to par. So stopped at Target to get something new. I bought a dress really quickly and then forgot to buy a gift bag for the gift. So I had to run back in. Then I got lost a couple of times. I just felt silly but finally I got there and saw my friends and all was good ;)

I got to stay the night with Kindra and a couple of other girls. Since she only had one bridesmaid, she invited a few other friends to stay the night and get ready with her in the morning. She told we had to leave the house by 7 am.

Kelcie and I were impressed with ourselves ;)

We got some caffeine and sugar at starbucks and then headed to the venue.

Hanging out and getting ready. The morning started early but was pretty chill and not too stressful (well not for me anyways haha)

Kirsten did her hair so she was putting in her headpiece.

friends helping her get dressed ;)

The venue was an older house with a huge backyard. They got married in the backyard and had the reception closer to the house under a tent. Kindra's mom is a wedding planner. The wedding was beautiful. Kindra looked gorgeous and so retro. There could not have been a more perfect day weather-wise. The ceremony was mostly in the shade (except our seats haha) and it was 75 degrees and partly sunny. There was even a mild breeze. They had a morning wedding so while they got their pictures taken, we could get iced coffee, other juices, and/or pastries. Adam and I started a game of croquet with some other people. I had never played that game before but it was really fun ;) 

Then when Kindra and Taylor were ready, we all congregated under the tent for brunch. It was so refreshing and pleasant. Loved it!

happy couple.

The guest book was vintage postcards that you could write messages to the happy couple. Very cute. I rearranged the vintage letters to say my initials. Maybe that was wrong but I thought it was funny haha

Place cards clothes pinned on this door and frame.  

cute pastries

friends ;)

sign above the sweetheart table

their exit

He has started wearing suits more often. I will never complain or be mad about that fact.

After their wedding (which ended around 2 lol) Adam and I had the rest of the day to hang out. He had taken a bus from Chicago to Indy and didn't leave till 9 that night. We decided to go register at Target since we won't get a chance to do that in the next month or so and thought it might be a good idea. The Target website told me how many days are till our wedding and I'm a little annoyed. I was purposely avoiding all the countdown sites because I've already waited a year and I need the days to say the wedding is a lot closer than it is at the moment. I have my friend keeping a countdown for me and she is supposed to tell me when it gets down to a certain number lol and we're still a ways out from that haha

While registering, Adam was looking for a work backpack. This was my suggestion. Nothing says I'm a working adult that wants to be taken seriously like a penguin backpack, right? 

It was good to see my friends, Kindra finally get married and Adam even if it all happened so fast.  I hope everyone had a great weekend!

Kindra is getting married!

This girl is getting married tomorrow. 

I am so excited for her and Taylor. I can't believe the day is almost here. We both had to do long distance and had so many countdowns to get us through.  I am truly blessed to know Kindra. She has been such a good friend to me and it has been awesome to have her semi-close by. I'm also excited to see Adam, even if it's for less than 24 hours. Happy Weekend!

Santa Hat Brownies

Okay note to self:
Don't take pictures at night in your messy kitchen and
These are real cute.

I didn't have circle cookie cutter but next time I make these, I will make sure I do. I think they are way cuter how this lady made them. They were a real hit. So if you have any excuse to make them, do it. I don't know if I didn't use enough of the topping but I had a lot extra so I am going to try and freeze mine for the next time I make them, so just keep that in mind if you make them.

Happy one year engagement to me

Yep. It's been that long. A year ago, Adam asked me to marry him. A year ago, I was a nanny, waitress, and sometimes morning supervisor at the college gym. A year ago, I was still hanging out with my best friends from college and fiancé and lived in Kentucky. I can't believe how much has changed in the last year. New places, faces, viewpoints, struggles, joys, and things I'm looking forward. God is good. He has been so faithful to me this year especially when I was being a real brat. haha I can't believe how much I have learned this year. I am excited for the upcoming months especially but just years in general.

In other news, Happy Christmas in July! We had a Christmas card planning party in our office. It's
so weird to think about Christmas so early but so necessary for how many cards we have to plan for for the university. I'll share the recipe for the cute little santa hats later this week. They were so good ;) and fairly easy.

wish I would have remembered to take the toothpick out of the santa hat....

Photoshoot

I love my job and the people I work with ;)
It's coming upon the one year mark for a lot of our team members so we're coming into familiar territory since at least one person has done this part of the year before. I've almost been here for 8 months but it's cool to look back and see how far our team has come.

Since a lot our team members our new, we are still catching up with projects. So even though it's summer, we're still busy. Last Friday however, since we had been so productive last week, we got to work on a project for our own department. It was so refreshing to be the boss and get to decide where our project was going. Kelly and I came up with concepts and content and then had our photographer, Jer, do a photoshoot of us so we could use the pictures in the book. Here's some pictures from the shoot. Kelly is getting married in 29 days so she happened to have photo booth props at the office.

We were trying to put glasses on each other and I forgot she was so short hehe

We love the mustache ones.

I don't have a nose in this one... oops 

I'll have to show you guys how the guide book is coming next week and explain more about our project.
Happy Weekend!

Ice Cream Party

Happy Thursday!


Our boss told us we could go to Ivanhoes as our reward for last week. It was so fun and so good. Good team building, I say.

Me, Kelly, and Jennifer respectively eating with our choice of treats ;)

Jer made this photo from our recent photo shoot into a white board for us Tuesday so Kelly had some fun with it yesterday hehe I'll have to post more photos from our photoshoot on Friday.

Dress shopping

I got a dress! and had a wonderful weekend with my family. Here's some photos from the day but my dress is not on here because of the off chance that Adam would remember about my blog and check it.

 Getting the ol' measurements.

 So excited and goofy!

Entertaining themselves.

I come out with my first dress on, and they say," This is not about you," as they are taking their photo. It was hilarious.

I had seen this dress in a magazine 6 months ago and had thought that this was the ONE but in trying it on realized it made me feel like a little kid. It was a pretty gown and had elements that I really liked but in the end it wasn't for me. ( I really wanted to like it so I tried it on twice haha)

Dress #2 (we numbered the dresses to be able to keep track of them.) This was Katie's favorite. I liked it but I liked others better.

I really liked this one too. It was a vintage one with a cool back. But I thought maybe it felt too garden party vs wedding.

 I really liked this lace one with a bling belt. It was really fun. Katie and I had really different style all day. This was dress who knows what number so we had figured that out by now.

Katie: Do you really like this dress

Me: Yes, I really do.

Katie: I thought you would because I don't really like it.

we both were laughing so hard at that.

 I liked the detailing on this one but I always wear flowers so I wanted something else, ya know?

Katie was cold so she kept using the wraps they brought me to try on.

I picked a dress that just felt comfortable, bridal, elegant, and really pretty. I'm super excited. It was really fun and nice to share the morning with my mom and two of my sisters.

 Katie at our girls lunch. Then we stopped by an estate sale about to end on the way home.

Leighann debating whether or not to get the bed. She did the sniff test. She got it, box spring and frame included for $20!

Katie got an adorable lamp for $6.

Then we went home to hang out with everyone and have dinner.

Ryan started this so I joined in for the photo. He is so cute!

Uncle John carrying Ryan so he could sit next to his mom. He loved it.

Very fun to have good quality time with my family.

My mom brought me stuff from my room and i found some real gems.

In case you can't read this journal entry on Dream Vacations, part of that vacation was going to Indiana.  Very funny, God, because I now live in Indiana.

An old picture of John. He's so little.

I'm so happy I got to see my family and find a dress ;)

Hope y'all are having a great week!