'Round Here

We are super excited for spring around here! My first winter in Alamosa a.k.a. THE COLDEST SPOT IN THE US! Taught me some valuable lessons one of them being

1.        I refuse to take any part of the summer months for granted & I also PROMISE to never complain about the heat this summer.

We have a very busy schedule coming up, that includes almost every weekend until June away from our little house here in the valley.

So I decided to get a head start on the “spring cleaning” only to have it covered with a new coat of dirt from the crazy wind we have been having. Secretly I think it still counts because I DID put in the effort to get it done!

April has flown by, & I will be the first to admit that I don’t actually mind!

The faster summer gets here the better!

So to play a little “catch-up”

 we spent Easter in Westcliffe with both of our families.

Jeb helped me dye hard-boiled eggs the week before and we spent the day shooting guns, eating yummy food & laughing.

It was such a great day to celebrate the Lord’s resurrection.

We also got to sneak in a little family time with my cousins. They had celebrated a special girl’s birthday Saturday morning and we got to see them before they headed back up to Greeley!

Trip has been to the Vet and decided he was not a fan. He had a body part or two removed, I was told that when Jeb went in to picked him up he ran past the vet-tech right over to Jeb peed, and then was ready to “hit the road Jack & we ain’t EVER comin back!”

I felt so bad for our little fella, but I am happy to report his is back to his normal crazy self!

                                         

Since it is warming up down here we have been leaving him in the pin next to our house while we are away at work! He seems to really like it & I think we will be investing in a plastic kiddie pool this summer for him to cool off in.

I can’t believe that this year I went home to beautify my youngest sister for her SENIOR PROM!

ANDDD

That the very same weekend, I helped my other sister celebrate her 21^st birthday!

I am so lucky and so blessed to call those two girls my best friends

I love that I am only a short drive away from them and can be around for special events.

Lately my heart has been aching, like every other American, and hoping that there is still some hope for humanity.

I know that we live in a broken world and what we all need is Jesus, so I will faithfully keep putting my trust in him.

And I will treasure what I have to be thankful for because I am truly lucky to live the life I live.

May, will bring numerous trips to Westcliffe and a few up to the northern part of Colorado for a special graduation tea, a play, 2 graduations and other fun events.

I am going to welcome all these special times with a whole new outlook and appreciation, because you honestly NEVER KNOW. But I refuse to be a hermit because of the evil that haunts this world.

I am going to live this life because God has chosen me to live it!

Girl Time

Friday night I drove down to Pueblo to spend the evening with my sister.

I have to say I don’t know how people make it without sisters; or siblings in general.

Being around one of my sisters just for a few hours lift my spirits to new highs.

I had a good conversation with one of my very best friends, Sydney, the other day about what being around positive females can do for your self-esteem & I have to say I’m feeling pretty good about our discovery.

Being a social butterfly comes easy for some people, and I have always admired the trait but haven’t ever been comfortable being “the life of the party.”  I am perfectly content sitting at a small table with a few close friends or some family.

Being down here in the southern corner of Colorado dates with a girlfriend are few and far between.

So when Jeb is gone at a show I use any excuse I can to drive somewhere to see one of them.

After talking with Sydney my beliefs that you don’t need just that ONE person are shining true.

It is part of my daily prayer that Jeb will always be the one I can’t wait to tell practically everything to, & he is I know my “person” like on Grey’s Anatomy.

BUT! He could seriously care less about a new nail polish color. Or that I found the answer to my make-up issue once again on Pinterest.

I am one of those girls who just needs a girl.

And after talking to Sydney I realized how important it is to make sure the females you surround yourself with are ones that want what is best for you, and push you to be better. They also need to know the difference between venting and nagging or a cry for help.

My sisters and closest friends have heard a lot from me lately.

I have been on a “clean eating” diet for 7 weeks now and haven’t managed to lose weight.

Until last Thursday I had applied everywhere in Alamosa and hadn’t heard a positive thing back! Nothing short of being told I wasn’t qualified to work at Maurice’s.

I will be the first to admit after Jeb shared his exciting news about a horse show in Vegas at the end of March; I was much more jealous and upset that I couldn’t go instead of being excited for him.

So a little home done pedicure and a chick flick were just what the doctor ordered.

Last year being engaged I was given lots of advice. Most was good, beneficial and still floats into my thoughts from time to time. But I seriously hated it when people would tell me how hard being married is and that I was ruining our relationship for an insurance status. But if I am honest sometimes those words float back to me as well.

I know I still have so much to learn and I hope I am never done learning. It’s like anything else I love; I should always want to strive to be better.  With hair I hope I never tire of trying new things, new ideas and learning new techniques. In my marriage I should always want to make things better, and strive to reach new heights.

This weekend has taught me that although Jeb is my first priority and my “person” I still need my girls. I still need to talk to a friend about my frustrations, have a glass of wine or a chocolate dipped, smothered in chocolate something & have us a good laugh. I still need a sister to vent about his manly habits and she can agree with an “EWW!” Light-hearted of course, Jeb is actually very good about putting the toilet seat back down! J

Anyways, I know I am not the first one to make this discovery, Sex & the City is one of my very favorite examples. At some point in one of the many episodes, one of the character’s men tells her to talk, see, and spend some time with, THE GIRLS.

As far as I know, guys need guy time, “man caves” Shoot from September to January they get to control the TV channel all weekend! (at least at my house & my parents house)

So I am not going to feel bad about wanting to simply tweeze my eyebrows next to my sister or spend $10.00 on 4nail polishes because we simply can’t decide which one looks best. Or going to get pedicures and our nails done for fun, spending time together can really make all the difference.

I thank Jesus every day for my sisters. They are truly my best friends.

I also thank Jesus for my friends that are like my sisters; the ones that I can go a week or two not talking to and pick up just like we never left off, although in my friendship with Sydney we hardly ever make it past a week.

Time with them is never wasted time. Even if it is just sitting together being totally focused on our own projects.

One of the best pluses though, is when all of us get together our guys included and we can still have a blast!

Bring It!

This word frenzy has taken me draft after draft,

Thought after thought

Day after day

And tear after tear.

I have been thinking about how I wanted to poetically put into words my feelings since my blog in October called “A Little Bit about MUAH”.

And I thought I had it all ready to go full of pokes and pins in all the right places that were sure no leave no question as to who they were directed to.

Until I left it in Word as a draft for about 2 days.

My feelings have been pretty hurt since that post. But not just because of the one bad report that came from it.

I for one was ready to see 2012 walk out the door of my life.

Although there are so many many wonderful things that happened to me this last year, I am beyond ready for a year that doesn’t include waiting, wanting, wishing, hoping & and feeling lost.

And far too many lessons learned to count.

For a brief minute I thought about re-considering my career dream.

After a few different hair appointments ending with less than desirable outcomes (from more than one person.) I thought I might not cut out for the job.

But then Jeb, being the great husband he is, talked me through a few emotional spells and I have decided on a few solutions.

I am hoping to take a step back from doing hair and find a job that will pay me hourly so we can work on gaining some ground on another one of our goals.

I will also attend more than one hair show during this time to work on perfecting my craft.

Instead of letting other women hurt my feelings, put me and my ability down, and make me question my personal goals and dreams, I am going to ignore, put to good use, and quiet their voices in my head.

This year is for me.

Yes, this year I am going to make a conscious effort to become healthier.

FOR ME.

Not because anyone else thinks I need to.

I’m doing it because I want to.

I can tell you right now I am not going to be very good at it at first, but I will work through it and be better and better.

But 2013 is also a year for me to work on not caring what other people (women) think or say behind my back.

This year there is going to be more laughter and less tears

More enjoying and less worrying

More positive and less negative,

And my most favorite,

More muscle and less fat!

Here’s to 2012 and all the wonderful things that happened.

2013, I’m going to kick your ass!