Cards from Cardstore!

Cards are something I am weird about.  Most people give cards with their gifts, or send cards for a birthday or special occasion.  Not this girl.  I feel like cards are a waste of time.  You spend $3+ to sign your name on the inside, and have the recipient throw it away a few days later.  See? Waste of money!

 

I would much rather make the birthday person an awesome hand-drawn sign or a homemade card.  Something that is worth keeping!

 

The cards at Cardstore.com are totally worth keeping!

 

 

 

I ordered one for my sister's birthday and it turned out so cute!

 

 

I was able to add my own pictures and words to a pre-made template, so it was really quick and easy.  I even got to pick my fonts and font colors!

 

I thought a picture of the empty beer fridge was perfect for her 21st birthday. 

"Where did the beer go?"

 

The template had a pre-written message on the inside, but I got to add some of my own words too!

 

Oh and sister is spelled wrong on purpose. 

 

Not sure why, but that's just how we do things around here.  :-)

 

The best part about this card?

 

It has pictures so it's something that is worth keeping!  It could even be framed or put up on a bulletin board!

 

Oh and it was delivered right to my doorstep in 3-4 days...no printing necessary.

 

I would highly recommend ordering from Cardstore for your next special occasion card or even a "just because" card!  They are something worth keeping!

 

All opinions in this post are my own.

 

Caution: Epic Weekend Ahead

I am SO excited.  You know why? 

 

 I get to spend the whole weekend with this girl.

 

My very best friend Emily!

 

We never get to spend a whole weekend together!

 

I am traveling up to Indy here in a few hours and we are going to pool and shop and drink.   The three things we do best!

 

It could be dangerous.

 

Her friend Sarah will also be there and we will try to re-create this best friend picture from freshman year of college.

Aren't we presh?

 

This means I am leaving Kelly at home by himself.  Well not totally by himself, his brothers are coming for a visit this weekend, but Kelly has been trying to get me to stay home all week, reminding me of how I am leaving him.

 

Here's how our typical convos went this week.

 

Kelly:  We should go on a date soon!

Me:  Yeah let's do it!

Kelly:  Let's go on a Bar Louie date with unlimited drinks and tots.   (He knows that's my favorite place.)

Me:  Yeah!  When are we going to do this?

Kelly:  How about Saturday?

Me:  Umm I am going to be in Indy on Saturday remember? 

Kelly:  Oh yeah...guess that means you have to stay here!

 

So I put together a list of reasons why he should be happy while I am gone.

 

Here we go:

 

1.  He can park in the middle of the garage.

 

2.  The ice in the ice trays will not be crooked because I won't be there to refill them.

 

3.  He can continue to hog the covers like he does every night, only I won't be there to whine at him.

 

4.  He can play unlimited xbox, and he won't hear me complain a bit.

 

5.  He can have the "good" spot on the couch...AND the "good" blanket.

 

 

 

Should make for a pretty good weekend on his part if you ask me!

 

Happy Friday friends!

 

A $300 Oops

 

Two years ago on Valentine's day, Kelly gave me a pair of diamond earrings.  It's definitely my most favorite gift that he has gotten me.  I NEVER take them out. I'm afraid that if I do, I will lose them.  So they stay in my second piercings until the hole gets sore, then I move them to my first piercings for a couple days then switch them back.  I check my ears about 100 times a day to make sure my earrings are still there!

 

Kelly and I were driving to his haircut appointment on Saturday, when I checked my ears like I always do.  Only this time, much to my dismay, one of the earrings was gone!  Insert panic attack. 

I immediately called my mom since I was at their house most of the weekend, and had her looked on the floor around the house.  Nothing.

When I got home that day, I looked around at our house.  Nothing. 

I spent most of my time last weekend outside because of the holiday and all, so I chalked it up as a loss and knew I would never find it again.  (Don't worry there is no happy ending to this story.  I still don't have my earring.)

So yesterday I went to the jewelry store to see what my options were, praying that the insurance on them would cover something.  Nope it didn't.  My options were to keep the old one, and buy a new pair, trade my one earring in for two new ones and pay the difference, or send my one earring off and pay to have one made to match it.  I opted to trade in my old one for a new pair and pay the difference.  Ugh

Standing there at the jewelry counter looking at engagement rings waiting for the sales lady, I felt like I was going to get sick.  How did this happen??? I never take them out! 

So $300 later, I have two, new, shiny earrings in my ears so tight it hurts.

Things I am thankful for with this experience:

Kelly was in the car with me when I realized the earring was gone, so I didn't have to tell him I lost it. (He wasn't even mad!)

The sales lady was especially sympathetic and let me keep my old warranty so I wouldn't have to pay for another one.

I got to browse the engagement rings while I was waiting.  Hey a girl can dream right?

How do you keep from losing your precious jewelry?

Have you ever lost any?
 

A Weekend for the Books!

I've been absent since Wednesday, mostly because I was having so much fun, partly because I was too lazy to open up my computer. 

 

Not only was it the 4th of July, but this girl also turned 21.

 

Bur first we celebrated the 4th of July! 

We grilled brats and had a very "4th of July-y" meal. 
 

 

Grams came.  :-)

 

 

Then we headed out to fireworks at a local country club- so much better that fighting the crowds at the city fireworks!

 

 

 

When we got back we did a few fireworks of our own!

 

Friday my brother and his girlfriend, Whitney, as well as my sister's boyfriend came down from Indy for the weekend to celebrate Lauren's birthday.

We had a fish fry at my parent's with fish that my dad and brother caught on Father's Day weekend.  It was so yummy that I forgot to take pictures!

 

Saturday night Kelly and I had everyone over for grilled pizza before we went out to the bars!

 

Baked Potato Pizza

Barbeque Chicken Pizza

 

And I made a beautiful drunk-Barbie birthday cake....I am not a baker. 

 

Notice the crack down the middle.  It started to collapse, but I guess it turned out okay.  It was supposed to look like a hot mess so...

 

 

The crack started to grow as the night got longer.

 

There's the birthday girl.

 

Family pictures before we went out.

 

The girls.

 

She didn't actually turn 21 until midnight, so she went to a party at her friend's apartment above the bar we went to, and we waited down there for her.

 

After waiting for what seemed like forever (I'm not going to lie, I thought I was going to fall asleep right at that table)...it was finally midnight!

 

 

The next day, we made an attempt to actually celebrate her actual birthday, but someone was not feeling so great.

 

I made her a basket with all kinds of fun "21" stuff, including gift cards for drunk food like IHOP, Steak n' Shake, and Taco Bell.

 

Kelly and I stopped for sno-cones after we went to the pool.

 

Then we went to Acapulco's {best Mexican ever} for Lauren's first legal margarita...which she ordered, but did not drink.

 

The picture looked good though!

 

I also found this gem of a picture, circa de 2003. 

Virgin daiquiris on Spring Break.

 

 

No more of those for us!

 

Linking up with Sami!

 

 

 

What I'm Loving Wednesday and Oh How Pinteresting!

Happy Wednesday-that-is-more-like-a-Friday-than-a-Wednesday! I'm Jamie @ This Kind of Love and What I'm Loving Wednesday and Michelle @ The Vintage Apple and Oh How Pinteresting Wednesday on this day before Independence Day! 

 

Here is what I am loving this week:

 

I am loving that my little sister is turning 21 this weekend!  I can't wait to celebrate all weekend!

 

 

I am loving that my brother and his girlfriend are coming down for the above occasion!

 

 

I am loving that we get to celebrate America tomorrow!  The 4th of July is my favorite holiday, after Christmas and Thanksgiving of course,

 

 

I am loving all of my pins this week. 

Find them here.

 

Sweet and Spicy Grilled Chicken Wings

What a fab idea!

 

Love this kitchen!

And as always I am loving my life with a cherry on top!

 

Have a great day!

 

Weekend Recap

Happy Monday!  This week is going to be crazy busy even though the kiddos I watch on Mondays and Wednesdays are on vacation.  I told myself that since they were going to be gone, I was going to go to school every day except the 4th.  Hopefully I can stick to it!  I have a list of things to do in my classroom that is about a mile long.  I am starting to get nervous!

 

My sister's 21st birthday is also this upcoming Sunday, so we will be celebrating all week!  

 

I am venturing to say that I am more excited about this than she is...I feel like I have been waiting for this my whole life.  Or at least since I turned 21 four years ago.

 

P.s. I know sisters is spelled wrong, but for whatever reason, that's how we spell it when referring to one another.

 

This past weekend was a great one filled with a whole lot of nothing!

 

I spent Friday at the pool with my mom and some take-out sushi.

 

 

Friday night we stayed in and grilled yummy hamburgers and had macaroni and cheese per Kelly's request.

 

Saturday night Kelly's mom and brothers came into town, and we went to Old Chicago and pigged out.  I have a love/hate relationship with that place because every time I go there  I eat too much.  Everything is so delicious and healthy options are slim to none.

 

After dinner, we rolled ourselves home and decided to set up camp in the living room for some quality movie watching.

 

 

Seriously it was so comfy.  I fell asleep during Horton Hears A Who, but then I was well-rested for the Hangover 2 and stayed awake for the whole thing!  We had to keep eating freeze pops so we would stay awake.  I think the freeze pop total was 4. 

 

Sunday it was rainy so I went to yoga, and then we just laid around all day.

 

I watched UP and worked on my "I Can" statements for all my grade levels.  I have two levels done, and they took forever! Only 4 more to go!

 

 

Then I grilled some amazing salmon for our dinner.  It would have been picture perfect had I remembered to take a picture of it!

 

 

Here's to a great week!