Ruby Red Slippers

Newsie-News

2012-01-24T20:49:00.002-05:00

I've got news!

Nope.

Not what you're thinking. ;)

I am completely D-O-N-E with my masters.

Done with school.

Done with papers.

Done with research.

And it feels so good.

And my sweet hubby came home a couple of weeks ago with a sweet congratulatory surprise.

A touch-screen Kindle.

Now.

Let me just explain something.

I am a teacher.

And I like tactile things.

Like, you know, books.

So. I was beyond excited about my sweet hub's generosity.

But I was a bit nervous about making the switch.

But. I vowed to try it out once I finished my last "book".

The Help.

Sidenote: I think I cried at least 17 times throughout the book. AND I committed the all-time cardinal sin and watched the movie before reading. But I have to say, although the book is obviously better, the movie is just superb.

I digress.

Then. I made the jump.

More like the leap.

And I.am.obsessed.

I don't know if I could ever go back.

Especially because hubs pre-downloaded a few books for me.

I love him.

And I love my new Kindle.

Even without pages.

Voila

2012-01-10T18:18:00.014-05:00

Excuses. Excuses.

Always.

This week's excuse is that I've been just plain exhausted. And lazy. And don't feel like using my brain whatsoever. So, I don't blog.

Boo.

But guess what?

I DID finish my masters.

I'm pretty sure that will free up at least 90% of my time. I think I can remember maybe 4 Saturdays and/or Sundays in the last 3 years where I was not writing a paper.

I mean, what does one do on the weekends?

So. Now that I have a little extra time, I figured I'd catch you up on a project that took place back in November.

Our sweet little first house has made me sweat/complain/swear more than anything I've ever taken part in, but we are finally starting to see some results.

Thousands more results to go...but focus on the positive, right?

So, here's le dining room. Still needs work. Obvi.

But I'm digging it.

Before: blah paint with scuff marks, red accent wall, 1960's wood, and boob light.

In progress: 2 coats of primer and 2 coats of reg paint,

Who needs painter's tape when you've done this for 8 months straight? Not I.

After: chipper paint, new chandelier, farm-y shelves (will be replacing the rug at some point with a more neutral color).

Just for funsies: Before and After.

Green Year-in-Review

2012-01-01T09:00:00.027-05:00

What.a.year.

I understand. I say it every single year.

But this year was by far the busiest yet!

So many BIG life changes. So many weddings.

I hope your year was as great as ours!! :)

So here it is.

The Annual Green Year-in-Review

January

*Gabe got a stellar new job.

So, we said goodbye to Rhode Island and moved back to Kansas.

February

*Officially said goodbye to my corporate ways. Pursued my dream and got a great gig student teaching.

March

*Became first time homeowners!

April

*Weddings. What else?

May

*Food poisoning fiasco.

*Still had fun in RI and at our sweet friends' wedding.

*Soon-to-be-wedding celebrations with the bachelorette.

June

*Bridesmaid time.

*FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARY with my cutie.

July

*Bachelorette party in FLORIDA.

*Very special visitors from RI. ;)

August

*I got a J-O-B. And a reeeally good one too. Thank you Lord!

*Had the honor of being a maid-of-honor in my bff's wedding.

*Babe's first marathon.

September

*Ran my first 5K.

*Went back to Rhodey to be in a SUPERBLY fun wedding with our besties.

October

*Reunited with pals I've known since kindergarten at a...you guessed it...wedding.

*Dallas wedding with past co-worker.

November

*K-State reunion.

*Cousin's wedding.

December

*Christmas. And a happy new year.

HAPPY 2012 all!!!

I refuse to think about reality

2011-12-30T17:42:00.020-05:00

Nope.

I will not think about the fact that my holiday break is coming to an abrupt end in just 4 days.

I had an insurmountable to-do list for my week off work.

So insurmountable in fact, I did not do one thing on my list.

Not one.

But it's been a joyous holiday, full of family, time with le hubs, relaxation, old friends, and lots of lounging.

All of which I desperately needed.

So, cheers to my holiday break that is almost over.

Happy Hollies

2011-12-20T21:01:00.008-05:00

Oh mi goodness.

Thanks so much for the sweet comments on my last post - which was exactly two weeks ago - gulp! You all are just too sweet, and I MISS you. And blogging in general. I'm hoping to get back in the habit... at least while I'm off of work for a week. ;)

I've been quite busy with the hippity holidays.

And trying to finish up my masters.

And DIYin' all over the house.

And makin' stuff for my kiddos. And co-workers.

Hot Cocoa Mix for my teammates and para. Mmm. Hershey's Candy Cane Kisses for extra minty flavor.

Bags-O-My-favorite-Christmas-Things for my munchkins: hot chocolate, pretzels and m&ms, a candy cane, and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (best book ever).

Speaking of making stuff, what did we ever do before Pinterest? I swear I had absolutely no creativity about 6 months ago.

This past weekend, I had a little get-together with some gals for a scarf swap. A couple of items on the menu were from my dear friend Pinny

Made some of these guys. Embarrassingly easy. And have already been asked for the "recipe" by two people.

And Meet Mr. Popular: Holiday Sangria. Hit of the party! (As you can see, this stuff was almost gone by the time I thought to take a pic). This stuff was quite unique, but very delish.

So much fun and LOVE my new scarf I got! Love, Love, Love chunky cable knits! And LOVE girl time.

Hope you're having some holly, jolly holiday fun too!!

I have the coolest friends

2011-12-07T22:37:00.011-05:00

My friends are way cool.

I mean, way cooler than me.

We're talking doctors, lawyers, professional photographers, engineers, writers, business owners, an opera singer, a band member, and even a writer of the back of books (you know the little blurbs that summarize a book).

I really love my friends. But the fact that they're so cool makes me love them even more. (And question why they're friends with me: an ex-corporate-recruiter-turned-fourth-grade-teacher).

So recently, we took advantage of the talents of one friend in particular because she has some pretty amazing photog skills.

We've been wanting to get professional pics taken because we haven't since our wedding...over 5 years ago.

So we decided to try the whole hire-a-friend route.

And I'm so happy we did.

They turned out awesome-spice. Words can't even describe. And huge bonus: It wasn't just a photography session, but a great MEMORY - we had so much fun!

Hiring a friend is totally the way to go. ;)

Thanks to the unbelievably talented Ali!

Happy Heart

2011-11-30T22:50:00.003-05:00

It's been a week since Thanksgiving.

And I still feel overwhelmingly thankful.

And full.

But my heart is just very happy right now.

I'm so content.

The long Thanksgiving break was exactly what I needed.

Our first year hosting was a big success!

Lots of updates to share, but for now, I'm just enjoying my Christmas tree.

And my sweet husband.

Who's ready for Christmas break?

I can't believe I get one of those again.

Woop. Woop.

Thanksgiving Feast

The usual monthly update

2011-11-22T20:16:00.013-05:00

Oh hello there.

We still friends?

Mmk. Good.

Figured I'd update the ol' lonesome blog.

Lots has happened since we last spoke.

Got fall pics taken with my cutie pie. This is only a sneak peek. ;)

My sweet cousin got married.

Visited my alma mater.

Had a reunion with my college besties.

Assigned a really cute turkey assignment to my kiddos: Persuasive essay on why NOT to eat their turkey for Thanksgiving.

Watched (almost) every single episode of Mad Men. Pure addiction.

And that brings us to date. Where I am furiously looking up recipes on Pinterest and allrecipes.com, digging out all my pots and bakeware, and heading to the grocery store to prepare for our very first time HOSTING Thanksgiving!

Gobble Gobble!

Have a safe, happy, filling, and RESTFUL Thanksgiving!!!

Thankful for my homies

2011-11-09T08:15:00.030-05:00

My dad will randomly remind me of a story from when I was little.

And we like to talk about it's sweet irony.

Apparently when I was 3 years old, I went up to my dad and told him that I really wanted friends. When he asked what I meant, I just told him that I wanted LOTS OF FRIENDS.

Yes. I was a little social butterfly even at 3.

Some things really don't change.

But we will always talk about this little story and how my prayers came true as I have been abundantly blessed with so many amazing friends.

I say all this because I have a group of friends from home who have made a tremendous impact on my life. And even though we are scattered all over the world, we always manage to find time every year to see one another. And it's like we've never skipped a beat. I've known most of them since we were five years old. FIVE! These relationships are some of my most special and are ones that I will always treasure.

A few weeks ago, one of us got married. It was one of the most lovely weddings I've ever been to: outdoors, at the home where she grew up, wildflowers, country chic decor, and beautiful colors. And she didn't let it bother her one bit that the skies decided to open up and POUR just before the ceremony began.

It was still beautiful. And of course good luck! ;)

But everything about the day was very intimate and special. I was so happy to be a part of it. And I was once again reminded how lucky I am to have those friends I wished for back when I was a young tot.

Rehearsal Dinner:

Big Day:

I've got spirit

2011-11-07T20:31:00.003-05:00

I've been known to be a bah humbug at times.

I mean, of course I want to be that cute hostess/wife/future mom who has an abundance of crafty holiday DIY projects all over the house.

And I'm an elementary teacher. So I desperately want to and always have every intention of getting into the holiday spirit for all holidays.

However, let's be honest. I usually huff and puff and grunt and growl while I'm dusting off the holiday decor, setting up for parties, and digging through my cookbooks to try to find holiday recipes that wow.

But I get really get grumpy when holidays jump the gun and stores start preparing us 3-4 months in advance. Like when it's August, and they already start playing Christmas music. Ugh.

I think things just sneak up on me. And I get a little overwhelmed. Because I'm a perfectionist. And everything has to be perfect. Obvi.

But this year, my friends, I am already in the Christmas spirit. And it's not even Thanksgiving! It could be because this is our first year with our own house to decorate.

Or it could be because I spent an hour and a half at Hobby Lobby with my mom this weekend because all Christmas decor was 50% off.

Or because we got professional pics taken for our Christmas cards, so holiday spirit is on my radar.

But for now I'm going to put on the brakes. At least until all this Halloween candy settles...

Nothing like a HUGE sale to put me in the SPIRIT!

Oh heyyy

2011-11-01T22:47:00.010-04:00

Happy Tuesday, almost Wednesday.

I'm in a fabulous mood.

It is 9:48 p.m., and although I'm just now getting home from a long day, I'm going to blog and hit the sheets.

No work!

I'm on this new kick.

It's called: "Leave work at work."

Ok. Who am I kidding?

I'll never in my life be able to live up to that mantra.

But I have discovered a whole new groove.

I haven't gone into work the past THREE Sundays.

Can't even believe it.

I am finally getting to a point where I'm able to say,

"Nope. You're staying here tonight.

And I'm not gonna feel guilty about it.

And I'm even going to sleep well knowing

that I wasn't able to cross you off my to-do

list. So nanny, nanny, boo-boo."

It feels good.

Life has still been as busy as ever.

Just attended our 13 of 14 weddings this past weekend.

Where on earth will I spend my time and money when we only

have 5 (and counting) weddings next year?

I still MUST do a post on a recent wedding we attended. But time does just not permit

the post it deserves right now.

So I leave you with:

Pieces of Me: October Edition.

celebration of mi birth

got to see mi lifelong friends I've known since kindergarten

celebration of mi college friendships and KSU's short-lived 7-0 streak.

competed in the oktoberfest bier barrel race. so.much.fun

celebration of mi hubby's birth

and little sammie-boy's birth

turned out to be the only teacher in my hallway to dress up - boo.

wedding numero 13 of 14 this year - congrats to the super-cute couple

Dear November,

Please do not go as quickly.

Mmmk. Thank you.

Oh hey. It's me.

2011-10-25T21:52:00.004-04:00

Oh heyyy.

Just me.

No biggie.

Trying to think back to the last time I've ever been this spotty in blogging.

Life.is.a.whirlwind.right.now.

And I HATE that I begin every single blog I write with something about "sorry it's been awhile", or "many I'm sure busy". Grr.

So obnoxious.

I'm just not sure I'm ever going to be able to catch my breath! And I know I'm not the only one. I feel like everyone in my life is just beyond busy. Is it going to be like this forever? And we don't even have kiddos yet - SHEESH!

Just wanted to let you know that I am still alive. Sort of.

Trying to get through my first parent-teacher conference experience. I keep telling myself things will slow down "next month". I've been saying that for about 5 months now. I really think it will though...

But I do have the world's BEST hubs. I found this little gem hanging out in my teacher bag - just begging me to hydrate myself and prepare for all of my talking with full days of teaching and then parent conferences at night. So sweet. Love him.

How is YOUR life? Do you feel like you don't even have time to think?

Lovin Life

2011-10-17T21:21:00.003-04:00

Good news.

I have my formal evaluation tomorrow morning,

where a ridiculous amount of planning is involved.

And, it's conference week (and a half).

And I have 7:30 a.m. meetings every single day this week.

And grades are due by 4:00 p.m. tomorrow.

But guess what?

I don't feel anxious/nervous/stressed.

At all.

And you know what's even better?

I did not go into work at all this weekend.

Not even for an hour.

This is a breakthrough for me, people.

I mean, I am the girl who went in to work straight from

a full day of flying with two layovers and a jam-packed weekend

of wedding festivities. And no sleep.

But I didn't go in this weekend.

And let me tell you,

it.felt.good.

I think this means I'm getting the hang of things.

(Or that I'm burnt out and simply learning

to just be okay with never, ever finishing things. Ever).

And for someone who lives by one giant to-do list,

it is pretty stinkin hard.

But I'm slowly trying to let things go.

Proof that I am still ME in the midst of all that is my chaotic life right now:

*Can't wait to share some photos from a VERY special wedding weekend...pics coming soon!

**I MISS all of my bloggy friends. I promise to (hopefully) start getting back on the bloggy wagon again soon. I am trying to keep up with everyone!

xoxoxox ;)

Cheers to 28

2011-10-11T18:35:00.006-04:00

In light of my recent 28th birthday, I figured I'd dedicate this post to age.

I know. 28 isn't old at all.

But it's so close to 30.

And I can remember thinking 30 was borderline-elderly.

In fact when I was little, we threw an "Over the Hill" birthday party for my aunt when she turned 30.

Depressing.

But my body and mind are terribly torn.

They're not sure whether to take sides "get over it you're old"

or "forever young".

So, let's hash this out.

Proof that I am Old.

1. I desperately crave sleep. In fact, last night, I came home from work and took a nap for 2 hours. TWO HOURS. On a Monday night. Normal? Nope. Just old.

2. Anytime Mr. Ruby and I go out, we constantly find ourselves saying, "Let's go somewhere quieter." This past weekend for example, a bunch of us were out after a wedding. We were suddenly overtaken by a plethora of yawns and desperate attempts to hear one another by yelling, "eh, I can't hear you over the loud music".

So, we decided to call it a night.

3. When asked by my best friend what Mr. Ruby and I did for date night, I got embarrassingly excited and blurted out, "We went to TJ Maxx!!"

4. I am in bed by 11 most weekends.

5. I look at high schoolers and think , "Their mothers let them wear that?" and "Kids just look so much younger these days" and "Kids aren't as grateful/respectful and/or have it much easier than we did growing up."

Proof that I am STILL Young.

1. I often eat peanut butter and jelly and applesauce for lunch. And sometimes even macaroni and cheese for dinner.

2. Mr. Ruby and I still have some of those "we are probably way too old for this, and we are up way past our bedtime" nights.

3. I still laugh when someone toots in class. And yes, I am a teacher.

4. I still shop at Forever 21. Yes, I'm aware I should probably start dressing more "womanly", but I refuse. Forever young!

5. I have a feather AND tinsel in my hair.

Desperate attempt at youth? Or proof that I'm forever young.

You decide. ;)

Did that just happen?

2011-10-04T22:21:00.004-04:00

Aside from my daily flubs, mishaps, and awkward moments that go along with working in an elementary classroom, there hasn't been anything to horrifically significant in quite some time.

So, of course I was due for something BIG to happen.

We're talking speechless, sweat-right-through-my-shirt, somebody please dig me a hole so I can jump right in.

Last Friday, my sweet husband skipped lunch at work just so he could go home, pick up my sack lunch that I left in the refrigerator, and bring it to me at school.

So, I texted him to just go ahead and pop into my classroom so he could meet my kiddos. I figured it would be fun for my curious fourth graders to meet "Mr. Green", who always gets used in my all of my examples in class.

My hubs has never seen me in classroom action, so I was a little nervous. And he's not really used to being around kids, so I was nervous for him too. I know. I'm a nervous nelly. About everything.

Well, he walks in. All the kids get super excited and all, "Hi Mr. Green"!!! We were a little late for lunch, so I felt rushed. I told the kids they could ask Mr. Green one question.

So, hands go up. I skim the room quickly.

I call on a boy, whose name has been changed, and suddenly regret my decision:

Me: Alex? What is your question for Mr. Green?

Alex: Do you...like boys?

Mr. Green: (anxiously looking at me like, "please help") Umm...

Meanwhile, the entire class of fourth graders are admiringly and innocently looking at Mr. Green waiting for his reply.

Of course I jumped in to save the day and said, "You know, like do you like to hang out with your friends", and he answered the question without missing a beat. And then he left to go back to work.

After I dropped the kiddos off at lunch, I laughed so hard, in the hallway, by myself - that I thought my ribs might crack right in half. I quickly ran to my phone and had a text message saying,

"Well. That was awkward."

I laughed throughout the entire day every time I thought about it. All.day.

Seriously? You get one question and you ask if my husband likes boys? Poor thing really didn't mean anything by it at all...he gets confused easily. But I'm still not quite sure what he meant??

Best birthday present in the entire world.

My sweet, supportive hubs. ;)

Funfetti

2011-10-03T22:26:00.002-04:00

So, my birthday was on Friday.

28 years old.

Oh my wow.

Where has the time gone?

But it was a wonderful birthday.

And I'd like to share lots of fun birthday-ness I got to celebrate with.

However, I'm so tired, I can't even think straight.

So I will just leave you with a quick snapshot.

Meet Intyce:

The new love of my life.

Happy Overload

2011-09-26T20:40:00.030-04:00

And picture overload.

Consider yourself warned.

We had such a wonderful time last weekend in Rhode Island.

Well, if you can really call it an entire weekend.

I barely blinked before the darn thing was over.

We left immediately for the airport after work Thursday night.

And then suddenly,

it we were heading back to work early Monday morning.

Mr. Ruby and I were on our back patio that Monday night and

barely remembered anything from the weekend.

It was just a giant blur.

A giant happy blur.

We had the honor of both being in our dear friends' wedding.

We even got to walk down the isle together.

So.fun.

It was a spectacular event.

So many touching moments.

Got our hair done at the bride's sister's salon.

Reminisced with old friends.

Wore some pretty rockin' bridesmaid dresses

with some STATEMENT necklaces.

Never gotten so many compliments in my life on our b-maid look.

Bride's family was in her church choir she directs,

and they sang "Oh Happy Day." Her pal from college sang the solo.

Not a dry eye in the entire house.

Gives me chills thinking about it.

All around, amazing time.

So amazing, I got really sick this week.

Go figure.

Wish I could go back and relive.

Congratulations to two of my very best friends!

I'm a runner. I run.

2011-09-25T16:21:00.005-04:00

Ok. No. I am definitely not a runner.

In fact, I kinda, sorta hate running.

Everything about it, really.

But Mr. Ruby is so into running.

In fact, it seems the whole rest of the world is so into running,

I figured I check out what the whole big deal was.

So, the hubs signed me up for a 5 K.

The most I've ever run in my life was 2 miles.

But we started off slowly and ran for a couple of weeks after work.

And it was actually refreshing.

Something simple, cheap, and dare I say...fun to do together!

Then, my body got incredibly worn down from travel, work, school, and weddings.

And I got pretty sick.

Boo.

But, I powered through, blowing my nose the entire time

and ran my first 5K yesterday.

And now I want to do another.

When I'm not hacking, blowing, and wheezing.

*It should be illegal to have to get up while still dark outside.

Prepping with my box o' kleenexes

No Excuses

2011-09-21T22:05:00.018-04:00

I'm pretty sure I've started just about every blog post

for the past month with an apology or excuse.

But I can't help it.

It is amazing how my connection to the world,

especially in terms of social media,

has drastically declined since I've begun teaching.

I think I have over 2,000 posts in my Google Reader.

I blog about once a week...if I'm lucky.

And I check my gmail and Facebook about once a day.

ONCE a DAY.

But no excuses today.

Except that maybe I'm tired.

And worked for over 12 hours straight today.

And every other day for the past month.

Instead, I'm going to give you a preview of a

very much-needed wedding post.

It was a whirlwind of a weekend.

A dazzling weekend.

For now, I'll just share some rehearsal pics.

I'm really missing my RI family!

Half-Awake Hodgepodge

2011-09-14T21:52:00.007-04:00

Welcome to my random stream of consciousness.

1). I'm exhausted. And grumpy. And overwhelmed. And stressed. And can't think straight. Life of a first-year teacher, I guess.

2). On the flip side, everyday of teaching reminds me I made the best decision of my life when I gave up one really great career to pursue my dream.

3). In less than 24 hours, we will be with our Rhode Island Family. I.can't.wait.

4). We leave straight from work to the airport, so everything has to be loaded in the car tonight. I haven't even started packing. And I still have work to do. And I will go into work Sunday night when our flight lands after a long day of traveling with TWO layovers. Yuck-O.

5). Yes, I am Whiney Windy tonight.

6). We painted another room and its trim. Dear sweet muffins - there is probably nothing more tedious than sanding/priming/painting every piece of trim in your entire house.

7). This weekend, we will be attending our 11th out of (now 14) weddings this year. We both have the pleasure of being in this one for two of our dearest friends!!!

8). Wiener dogs are on my top 5 list of favorite things ever. My parents just got two baby creme long-haired doxies. I die.

9). I have been attempting to run. And by attempting, I mean, Mr. Ruby signed me up for my first 5K, and I feel like I'm going to die after 2 mile runs. Meanwhile, he just completed his first marathon ever. So proud!

10). I'm sad that blogging has been put on the back burner. But don't feel bad. So has eating healthy, sleeping, and having down time.

11). My new favorite love = Mad Men. I have my very first celebrity crush since the N'Sync and Leo DiCaprio days. Don Draper, obvi.

Hope you all are having a fantastic Wednesday. Only two more days til the weekend!! :)

Oh My Darlin.

2011-09-12T09:00:00.000-04:00

Let's play a little game.

What do the following 3 objects have in common?

I'll give you a hint:

None of them work properly anymore.

Give up?

All are things I heard clanging around

in the washing machine earlier.

Yes, my sweet husband left a

pen, remote for an iPod dock, and keys in his pocket.

Sigh.

Oh My Darlin.

Never a dull moment around here.

I'm in love.

2011-09-07T08:31:00.002-04:00

I am head over heels.

Totally swooning over my job.

And my fourth graders.

Love, I tell you.

But that doesn't mean I'm not exhausted.

And completely overwhelmed.

And have at least 57 thoughts and to-do's buzzing in my head at any given second.

Plate is full. In over my head.

In good old-fashioned American style.

But I love it.

You know what else I love?

This GORGEOUS weather.

Fall makes me giddy.

And you know what I love even MORE?

That I will receive my desperately-needed first paycheck next week.

So I can look like I'm ready for fall.

With a cute new wardrobe. :)

Happy Wednesday!

Source: None via Angela on Pinterest

Work in progress

2011-09-01T19:50:00.012-04:00

I'm sorry, what?

We actually have a free weekend?

Yes. This is our first weekend void of weddings/showers/bachelor(ette) parties/insert-any-other-life event in about 3 months.

At first I panicked because

I'm not quite sure what to do

with free time.

But then, I quickly realized that our

sweet little home has been neglected

for the past few months. And the 3-day weekend

gives the perfect opportunity to do some work!

When we first moved in, we had 4 MAJOR house projects going on at once.

This was quite possibly one of the most stressful time periods ever.

We didn't plan on doing that much work at once,

but stuff kept breaking!

Due to burn-out, we took a giant break from doing anything house

related (including cleaning and doing laundry).

Just kidding.

Kind of.

So, le house is still a major work in progress.

But here are some more pics.

Welcome to our living room - Before & After

(*Still have big plans for this room: floating shelves, possible photo wall, and a cute little buffet that's been sitting in the garage for 4 months.)

Yes. I'm clearly indecisive.

Hello. I'm a new person.

2011-08-30T19:49:00.002-04:00

I have to get right up on a soap box.

But first you must know, this is totally on my own accord. I am not being coerced in any way to discuss the following product.

And I'm just going to come right out and say it.

No, shout it.

From the rooftops.

I LOVE TEMPUR-PEDIC!!!!!

In the last three years I have blogged, I've probably mentioned my sleep issues at least 50 times.

I have insomnia.

Bad.

We're talking, can go 2 nights at a time without a wink of sleep, wake up at 3 am only to never fall back asleep, or simply just can't fall asleep at all.

I'm one of those people who has to have perfect sleep conditions: black-out curtains (where I have taped any slots so not even a glimmer of light can shine through), I put underwear over any electronics that give off any amount of light, we have a fan running for a consistent noise, and of course the temperature has to be perfect.

And when I'm stressed?

Forget it.

I'm toast.

I will goes weeks without sleep.

And it is pure torture.

I finally noticed a gradual change in my ability to sleep when I quit my corporate job just over a year ago.

It was like, BOOM - I quit and suddenly I was SLEEPING. Not fully through the night. But I could actually go three or four nights a week with a pretty good night's sleep.

And then about a year later, my life changed forever. And I know I tend to be a bit dramatic at times, but I'm not kidding. My life has totally changed...thanks to our new Tempur-Pedic Cloud Mattress.

You.do.not.understand.

I have been sleeping SOUNDLY through the night for the past 2 months.

Oh my goodness.

If you only knew how light of a sleeper I am. I could wake up if a ladybug was crawling on the floor. Not kidding. I'd hear it.

And I usually wake up a dozen times a night.

Now, I barely wake up to my alarm. And I rarely even wake up ONCE during the middle of the night.

I won't lie. I did not want a Tempur-Pedic. I thought it was some silly marketing ploy...I mean the things are really expensive. And when we went mattress shopping, we went in KNOWING we would not get a Tempur-Pedic. We have several friends who swear up and down that the things are pure magic. We didn't get the big deal.

Until we caved and got one of our own.

Now I get the big deal.

I will say, they definitely take some getting used to at first. In fact, I was ready to send it back after 2 weeks. But once my body adjusted, everything was more than perfect. Now I will never ever ever go back to another mattress.

Ever.

And now, I actually look forward to getting into bed.

I used to constantly take naps because I never got a good night's sleep.

Not anymore! :)

Just what I needed

2011-08-24T20:12:00.004-04:00

I had my first of probably many first-year-teacher breakdowns last night.

We're talking pacing. chest tightening. sobbing.

It's not even that I had a bad day.

In fact, I had a great day.

I love my class.

I love my job.

I am just completely overwhelmed.

Plate overflowing.

And it hit me like a ton of bricks last night.

So.

You can only imagine how happy I was to come home to

a sweet little surprise from my hubs:

( please ignore our dirty, 1960's front door. )

It's the simple things that help remind me that nothing else really matters. :)

I'm alive.

2011-08-22T21:20:00.020-04:00

Kinda.

I'm suuuure hoping I get this whole new job/first year of teaching/finishing my masters thing down.

Not only am I exhausted, but my mind is constantly spinning.

Half the time, I have to remind myself to eat and go to the bathroom.

Thank you to EVERYONE for the sweet comments on my last post. It really means so much. And I apologize for not responding or posting lately...I have not watched tv, gotten on my computer, or even really slept in the past few weeks. So thank for hanging in there with me! :)

So Thursday was my first real day of school last week. It was overwhelming, but wonderful. I love my class. I definitely have my work cut out for me in terms of improving on reading and math scores/skills, but they are all so incredibly sweet.

And then Friday after school, Mr. Ruby picked me up, and we immediately headed out on a three hour road trip to KC for my best friend's wedding where I was the matron of honor.

Starting school and tending to my matron of honor duties = excitement overload.

Everything about the wedding was wonderful. The bridal party was so much fun and quite hilarious. The flowers were gorge. The bride was the calmest I've ever seen. And I didn't vomit like I thought I would giving my speech.

Congratulations Lauren and Eric. Such a fab couple!

No turning back

2011-08-17T22:25:00.010-04:00

This is really happening.

I need to sit down.

Or sleep would be nice too.

In 10 hours, I will officially be

a fourth grade teacher.

With students.

Holy. Cow.

I've been working my tail off.

I'm behind in every single

facet of my life.

Including working out.

And sleep.

And blogging.

Been putting in over 12 hours a day.

I'm exhausted.

And I don't even have my students yet.

But tomorrow,

all of that will change.

First day of school jitters.

Oh my!

My Classroom Before (started with absolutely nothing but some desks and textbooks):

My Classroom After the blood, sweat, and tears:

We like to demo.

2011-08-11T21:42:00.017-04:00

Hi. Just call us Young House Love.

Ok. Not even close.

But, considering the fact that we'd never

even picked up a hammer or paintbrush before this year,

I'd say Mr. Ruby and I are doing ok in the home remodel department.

To be honest, we actually looked for a house that needed

a little bit of TLC and some cosmetic work.

You know, so we could make a house our home

and all that jazz.

Well, let me just say, we got more than we bargained for.

I mean, don't get me wrong, it could have been much worse.

However, our sweet little "home" had a bit more

in mind than a few paint touch-ups.

Instead, due to some unforeseen circumstances,

we had a construction zone in our

living room, 2 bathrooms, and basement...

all at the same time.

Baptism by fire, my friends.

But, my husband is amazing. And my handy-dandy cousin

is amazing. So after lots and lots of work (and maybe a couple

swearwords), we got a new bathroom.

In addition to this one.

Two new bathrooms in 4 weeks.

Most exhausting thing I've ever partaken in.

I don't suggest it.

Go on, check out the fruits of our labor.

Painful.

This is what happens when you buy a house built in 1959.

Demo.

Good thing my hubby is not scared to get a lil' dirty.

The big mistake.

Yep. Was going for a rich purple. Ended up with easter egg lavender.

The end.

Still have some finishing touches to do, but I'd say it's quite the improvement from our Caribbean-infested bathroom.

WILW - Pinterest is taking over my life.

2011-08-09T23:31:00.007-04:00

No seriously.

I need help.

Pinterest is sucking up the time I do NOT have.

And it really doesn't help that I find it so darn functional. I mean, it helps me keep track of all the stuff I need and in the same breath reminds me of all the stuff I don't have and can't afford.

It's a sick, sick indulgence.

But I.love.it.

Some of my latest pins include:

1. I'm LOVING burlap. Especially personalized banners. So cute.

Source: etsy.com via Angela on Pinterest

2. I'm really LOVING stacked bangles. Ahhh. Love. Love. Love.

Source: atlantic-pacific.blogspot.com via Angela on Pinterest

3. I'm LOVING everything shabby-chic. Especially this amazing farm table and chandelier - my favorite combo.

Source: dreamywhites.blogspot.com via Angela on Pinterest

4. I'm LOVING multi-necklaces.

Source: veronicas.tumblr.com via Angela on Pinterest

5. I'm LOVING inspiration quotes. Always have, always will. And this one says it all.

Source: etsy.com via Angela on Pinterest

6. I'm LOVING sangria. Especially this delish-looking recipe.

Source: highstreetmarket.blogspot.com via Angela on Pinterest

7. I'm LOVING everything white. So pretty much anything off of dreamywhites. Why-oh-why must I love white so much?!?! If only I could be so daring in my own home...

Source: dreamywhites.blogspot.com via Angela on Pinterest

Happy WEDNESDAY and come on and join the fun with Jamie!!!

Happy Heart

2011-08-09T09:00:00.000-04:00

I'm usually a pretty happy little lady.

You know a glass-is-usually-half-full kinda gal.

Puppies and rainbows.

Glitter and jellybeans.

Can't help it.

I love me some life.

And then there are those particularly happy moments in life where my heart feels like it truly might BURST right through my chest from JOY.

Last weekend, for example.

I couldn't stop smiling.

Beaming, really.

I got to see some of my very dearest childhood friends.

We go way back to the kindergarten days.

You know, when we accidentally peed in the sand at recess.

Wait, was that only me?

You get the point.

I have been friends with these gals for a looong time.

And although we all live all over the entire country/world,

it is pure JOY when we all get together.

Non-stop chatting.

Catching up.

Reminiscing.

Laughing.

I seriously can't even catch my breath

when we're all in the same room.

So, we had the pleasure of showering a soon-to-be-mama and

a soon-to-be-bride with plenty of fun showers and celebrations.

It was amazing.

And I am SO blessed.

I may or may not be secretly praying/devising

a plan for every single one of them to move back home.

You know, just so the fun never ends.

Hooray for bursting hearts!

We're getting there.

2011-08-03T23:52:00.010-04:00

So. We still have a long way to go.

But our little house is coming along.

And by coming along, I mean it is

no longer a daily battle zone of

sheet rock, paint cans, and tools.

Our home sweet home

is still in some need of some TLC.

But, we've been able to (finally) take a breath of relief

and slow down the remodels.

We had no idea what we were in for when we

signed the dotted line.

Don't get me wrong.

Things could have been much worse.

But from the moment we moved in,

we had one thing after another break/leak/destroy.

So we had our work cut out for us.

We started out thinking we would simply

repaint all the rooms.

Well, we quickly had a full demolition going

on in 2 bathrooms, the living room, and the basement.

Bad idea.

We were not planning on re-doing our

little half-bath off the master bedroom.

At least not right away.

But, a major water leak had a different idea.

So. Mr. Ruby became handy very quickly.

He gutted, ripped up flooring and rotted sub-flooring.

And basically installed a new bathroom

while I was out of town one weekend.

I'm pretty proud of him.

Before:

Interim:

We thought we'd be in this bathroom awhile before re-doing. So, I tried to make it work by buying cheerful towels to match the cheerful sink. *cheerful = 1959

Uh-oh. A little more than we planned for. Rotted Floors.

New bathroom. Holler.

And yes, we still need to get rid of some of the 1959-ness: paint the cabinet, replace the door/all doors in the house, and get rid of that big square mirror.

Best part. Before & After.

More rooms to come...

It's about time

2011-07-29T12:04:00.005-04:00

We've been in our new house for 4 months.

And I haven't done one house post.

Not one.

I'd say it's about that time.

Wouldn't you?

Now. Keep in mind it is a

WORK in PROGRESS.

I know everyone says that.

But ours really is.

This is our very first house.

So we had to buy lots of stuff.

Like trash cans, lawn tools, and caulk.

Cause that's what homeowners buy.

And there is still not one thing on the walls.

Because I have a plan.

And eventually it will all come together.

Hopefully.

But before I dive right into the house posts,

I have to show you my 3 favorite housewarming "gifts"

we received the week we moved in:

1. Love notes.

So, our dear sweet friends in RI helped Mr. Ruby

pack, haul, and load everything we owned into a moving truck.

Why?

Because I was already in KS...student teaching.

And when we unpacked, I found little notes from our besties.

Everywhere.

In inconspicuous places.

Like behind picture frames.

2. The perfect card.

I'd say it is pretty fitting,

don't you agree?

3. A diagram of our street.

Yep. The day we moved in,

we heard a knock at the door.

It was our retired neighbor, Gary.

He decided to draw a diagram of our street

so we would know everyone's names (including dogs).

Wish I was retired so I could draw diagrams.

Thanks, Gary!

WILW - For the Love of Pinterest!

2011-07-27T11:50:00.003-04:00

Somebody stop me.

Seriously.

I can't stop pinning.

And somebody tell me what am I supposed to do when I start school and no longer have time for...well...my wakadoo Pinterest addiction ?!?!

So, I figured before things get mad-crazy (as if they already are not), I'd dedicate a WILW post to Pinterest.

I love so many things.

So let's get started.

1. I'm LOVING this idea. Write down memories throughout the year and then read a few on New Year's Eve. CUTE!

Source: inchmark.squarespace.com via Angela on Pinterest

2. I'm LOVING high skirts and coral. Everything about this outfit is perfection.

Source: reclusive-genius.tumblr.com via Angela on Pinterest

3. I'm LOVING navy. Enough said.

Source: shop.mango.com via Angela on Pinterest

4. I'm LOVING cute ideas for my classroom. I mean, could these apple cupcakes be any cuter for the first day of school?

Source: bettycrocker.com via Angela on Pinterest

5. I'm LOVING this photo wall. I plan to do something very similar in our living room. I've been following Nesting Place for a looong time now. And I'm obsessed with every.single.thing. in her house. Most of her stuff comes from garage sales or thrift shops.

Source: thenester.com via Angela on Pinterest

6. I'm LOVING everything that is shabby chic. Everything. I die.

Source: urbanbarbies.tumblr.com via Angela on Pinterest

7. I'm LOVING this cute hairstyle on Miss Quinn Fabray from Glee. I plan to do exactly this for my MOH hair in my bestie's upcoming wedding.

Source: glamour.com via Angela on Pinterest

What are YOU loving? And please tell me you're on Pinterest! Come on and play along in WILW with Jamie!!! :)

I miss the beach.

2011-07-26T18:40:00.022-04:00

Yep. I've got a list a mile long of posts that are overdue.

Like, for example, posts about our house. That we have now owned since March.

Oops.

Does anyone know the secret to slowing life down...even just a smidgen?

Well. I had a FANTASTIC time celebrating one of my bestie's bachelorette parties in Ft. Myers, Florida a week and a half ago.

Aside from the actual bachelorette night, no planning was involved. We slept in. Did whatever we wanted. Laughed. Lounged. Got a little crazy. And let me tell you, that is a way to "plan" a vacation. Have no plans at all.

But I digress.

So many highlights of the trip.

1. The most annoying bugs I've ever encountered in my entire life: No-See-Ems. Because you can't see em'...although you really can. We all left with these rascal-ly bites all over our bodies. (Yes this was a highlight - because it just got funny after awhile).

2. Our $2.00 inter tubes we bought at Target. These things were the lifeblood of our trip. And we looked so awesome walking around the beach with our matching floaties.

3. Homemade sangria. We bought ingredients to make a ton the first night. Well, we had to make a couple of grocery store runs every day after that in order to replenish because we somehow drank it all . It was hot out and we were thirsty. ;)

4. Everything about Sanibel Island. The beaches. The shelling. The Mucky Duck and it's perfect location to watch a sunset.

5. Making fools of ourselves the night we celebrated our bride-to-be. We made quite the spectacle as we wore ridiculous, bright-colored wigs out and about and sported blinking bling-rings.

We.had.a.blast.

Back in Business

2011-07-21T10:10:00.021-04:00

I feel refreshed.

Even in this ridiculous heat.

It could be because we fixed my AC in my car.

Or because I actually slept 7 hours last night instead of my recent 5 hours per night gig.

And I've had an exciting past couple of weeks. Busy. But exciting.

Last week, we had some of our VERY best friends in town from Rhode Island. It seemed like it would be an impossible job to entertain pals who practically grew up in the ocean, and here we are in the middle of the country: 100+ degree weather for the past 30 days, flat as a pancake, and well...not a whole lot to do.

But we had a FABULOUS time. Although I'm sure Kansas was quite the culture shock! ;)

Luckily we'll see them again soon. We're already gearing up for our next trip to Rhode Island to both be in another dear couple friends' wedding!!! Woo-hoo!!!

You can stand under my umbrella-ella-ella

2011-07-19T15:35:00.004-04:00

Because when it rains, it pours.

Warning: Doom and Gloom Ahead.

Just got back from one of the BEST trips

I've taken in a very.long.time.

Went to Fort Myers/Sanibel Island in Florida

to celebrate my bestie's upcoming wedding.

Ah-Ma-Zing trip.

But on the very last day,

we woke up to find out the bride-to-be's four year old lab

suddenly died in the middle of the night at doggy day care.

Out of nowhere.

Still don't know what happened.

So.Sad. (Feel free to drop a note of encouragement for the

soon-to-be-bride).

Not the greatest way to end an AMAZING bachelorette weekend.

And the fun didn't stop there.

We made it to Detroit only to have a delayed flight

due to severe thunderstorms.

Then we finally arrived in KC, and I was really

not looking forward to my 3 hour drive home

in 100° heat (which, by the way, is hotter than it was in

FLORIDA!)

My Facebook status actually read:

"Is there anything worse than coming home from vacation."

That right there sealed my fate.

Because yes. There is something worse.

You could come home to 100° weather, only to find that your

Air Conditioner went out.

Because that happened to me.

Just yesterday.

After an already emotional day.

So I drove home in a puddle of sweat.

And nearly passed out.

Still doesn't stop there.

Took my car in figuring it simply needed

a filter changed or some more freon.

Of course not.

The entire compressor needs to be replaced.

For the low cost of almost $1,100.

Yes, $1,100.

Which is money I SERIOUSLY do not have.

There. I'm done.

Doom and Gloom over.

I promise to bring much happier posts in the future.

And just so you you believe me,

I leave you with a preview of our super-fun

bachelorette weekend.

Summertime and the livin is easy

2011-07-12T17:29:00.004-04:00

At least for a few more weeks anyway.

And to be completely honest,

it hasn't really been that easy.

I mean, the Kansas heat broke an all-time record by reaching 111°.

Holy sweaty body parts.

And our entire house has been a minefield

of drywall, paint cans, drop cloths, and tools.

We've also done a pretty little number on our bank account.

12 weddings with only 2 of those in-town.

Need I say more?

But, I also got a job.

And got to celebrate marriages, births, and new homes.

And finally completed some big home projects.

And had our very first house guests.

Who left this morning. :(

And I leave for FLORIDA tomorrow.

For a bachelorette party for my bestie.

Then, it's time to get ready.

For one of the most important roles of my life.

As a fourth grade teacher.

So thankful.

So excited.

So nervous.

And I've got a bad case of the back-to-school bug.

Also spent a ridiculous amount of time in the

Kansas heat garage-saling.

I'm insane.

But I've gotten a good start on my classroom.

And I'm super excited about my reading rug & chair and

my treasure chest that will be put to work immediately.

Woop. Woop.

Hope you all are having a lovely Tuesday.

I've got the shakes

2011-07-07T19:53:00.006-04:00

Is it possible to overdoes on excitement?

If so, I'm in big troub.

I am on happiness overload.

1. My very best friend just got engaged.

Like, best friend since kindy.

I feel like I just got engaged again.

Almost.

Overjoyed.

2. Our other half will be arriving in 2 and a half hours.

From Rhode Island.

Most favorite couple ever.

Def not going to want them to leave.

Ever.

3. I leave for Florida next week.

To celebrate another best friend's

bachelorette festivities.

Things may get crazy.

Can't wait.

America's Birthday Celebration - Farm Style

2011-07-05T18:23:00.011-04:00

There's nothing like celebrating the Fourth of July deep in Kansas country.

Hope you all had a FANTASTIC holiday weekend as well!!!

P.S. I have so many updates, I can't even keep track anymore. Hoping to blog more...life just keeps going faster and faster. Yikes.

Always a Bride

2011-06-28T18:47:00.036-04:00

Always a bride.

Never a bridesmaid.

Or something like that.

You see, I was the first bride of all my college gal pals.

And now after 5 years,

the trend is finally catching on.

As evidenced by the 11 weddings we

are to attend this year.

And last weekend was my big debut

as a bridesmaid.

Every moment was so special.

And a lot of fun.

Is it actually possible to

overdose on fun?

Because I think I had a fun-

hangover the next week.

That's what happens

when you put a bunch of your

sorority sisters in

one room

to celebrate

one AWESOME couple!!!

starting off right.

With manis and pedis.

partners in crime.

These two were b-maids

in my wedding as well.

Hey, we're resourceful

and like to recycle.

wedding morning.

I may look shleepy,

but that's really just excitement.

About my new b-maid gift.

happy bride.

bridesmaids and ushers.

With our respective lovers.

let's get it started.

This bride and groom know

how to party.

With a green party bus.

gorg reception.

and gorg friends.

this little lady's next.

;)

meet sophie.

My husband's real date.

And dancing partner for the night.

dancing fools.

yep.

that's my husband again.

not over yet.

off to the lake

with friends.

after the reception.

at 1 a.m.

Oh what a night!

Deja Vu

2011-06-24T18:42:00.002-04:00

So, I had a very productive 12 hours.

Went to Home Depot.

Bought a gallon of Behr Ultra Dark Lilac.

Painted our entire newly renovated bathroom.

Stood staring at the walls for a good 20 minutes in silence.

Went downstairs crying.

Asked for Mr. Ruby's opinion.

He agreed.

Walls looked like an easter basket.

7 hours later.

Woke up at 6:30 a.m.

Went straight to Home Depot.

Without brushing my teeth.

Or putting on deodorant.

Bought 2 samples of paint.

Painted on the samples.

Made a decision before the paint even dried.

Made a third trip to Home Depot.

Bought a gallon of Behr Ultra Gypsy Magic.

Painted entire newly renovated bathroom again.

Much better.

I learned my lesson.

They don't make those little paint samples for nothing.

Has anyone ever painted an entire room before realizing they made a big mistake?

WILW - Gift Edition

2011-06-22T10:29:00.008-04:00

Happy Wednesday, Everyone!!!

In light of all the weddings/showers/anniversaries/any other celebration that just so happens to occur over the summer, I wanted to share with you what I'm LOVING in terms of gifts.

There are so many cute things out there, and below are some of my favorite and most meaningful.

1). I'm LOVING this print I ordered off Etsy from OhLouiseDesigns for one of my best friends for her wedding this past weekend. In her wedding colors is the date of her wedding and below the date it says, "I Shelby take you Brian" and "I Brian take you Shelby", and in the middle it says "Forever and Ever". She actually used it at the reception!

2). I'm LOVING the bridesmaid gifts we received this past weekend. Sort of a bridesmaid survival kit: an umbrella, flip flops for boogying at the reception, a hanger molded into our names (the GROOM made these), and a bag with our initials to carry all of our stuff. All in wedding colors, of course. Perfect, right?!?!

3). I'm LOVING this little bouquet of flowers Mr. Ruby got me on Etsy...just because. And then, it just so happened that I accepted a teaching position last week...perfect occasion for a bouquet. ;)

4). I'm LOVING Mr. Ruby's anniversary gift to me. A few weeks back we were at a local event that showcases local artisans' work. I fell in love with this sunflower vase. Now that we're back home, sunflowers are my newest obsession! Of course my sweet hubs went back a few days later and got it for me!

5). I'm LOVING the anniversary gift I got for Mr. Ruby. It's a "Mod Love Story Print" from ModMemento on Etsy - basically a summation of favorite places, fun memories, etc. from our "love story". Best part? It says "To be continued..." at the bottom!

I had seen these done before, and I thought it would go perfectly in our living room. Unfortunately, these love stories have gotten to be so popular, Brianna from ModMemento had to shut it down for a bit.

What are YOU loving today? Join in and play along with Jamie!!!

Not so bad after all

2011-06-21T14:52:00.025-04:00

This anniversary celebration was by far the best...well, at least a close tie with our 3 year.

That year we went Maine and white water rafted for the first time, rode ATV's through the mountains, and then headed to the Bar Harbor Resort for some quality R&R. Ahhh. Perfection.

But I digress. This is about now. Our big five year.

I have to admit I was a tad bitter this year. I mean, FIVE YEARS. Rather than celebrating in Tuscany or the South Pacific on a secluded island, we spent it in Wichita, Kansas. Where it is hot, windy, flat, and where the closest beach is a freshwater lake about 40 miles away. (And I use the term "fresh" and quite loosely).

However, I quickly retracted my thoughts about halfway into our celebration. We actually had an amazing time. Such a good time, that I think this anniversary will always stick out in my mind.

Farmer's Market. Fresh produce, the smell of bread, and local artisans? Yes please.

Antiquing. Who knew that shopping for old stuff could be so much fun?

Taking a stroll. Love me the history of downtown.

Our spot. Everywhere we've lived, we've always had a "spot". Ours just so happens to always involve coffee and/or ice cream.

Reminiscent. The park where we took our wedding photos. Who cares if it just so happens to be coined as the "homeless park"...

I'm a sucker. I mean, I always stop and buy lemonade from children. Even if it is way too sugary.

Perfect picnic. If you've never had "Art's and Mary's" kettle-cooked chips, you should probably get your hands on some ASAP. And they are made in KS.

Hittin up the hot spots. We stayed at the same hotel as the night of our wedding.

Hittin the town. Totally more fun than I remembered...

My comedian. Could be from the 3 glasses of wine, but I thought it was hysterical when Mr. Ruby pretended he was jumping out the window. Hysterical.

Self-Timer: Take 1. Or not. Mi hub's head always gets cut off.

Self-Timer Take 2: This has the potential to be cute if it didn't have...you know...hotel things in the background. Now would be the time for those Photoshop skillz to kick in.

It just keeps getting better

2011-06-17T09:15:00.002-04:00

I want take a moment to try to fully grasp the fact that exactly five years ago today, I walked down the isle toward one truly amazing man.

Although my advice to every bride is to savor every.single.moment. on her wedding day, I feel like the reality is that the whole day just flies by in a blissful, whirwind-ish blur .

A blur of sheer joy, of course.

But there are a few special moments that particularly stick out to me from our wedding day...

*Literally bouncing out of bed the morning of. I felt like those butterflies were going to rip right through my stomach.

*Tapping my groom on the shoulder so he could turn around to see me for the first time. He stood there jaw dropped. Staring. For a good solid minute.

*Nearly peeing my pants every time I randomly realized throughout the day 1. No more long distance. 2. I get to marry my very best friend 3. The real celebration will begin after the reception...you know, the after-party. ;)

*Saying our vows. Coolest part - Mr. Ruby's dad was the officiant. SO special.

*Hearing, "It is my honor to introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Green."

*Our private little moments on the altar, trolly, and during pictures.

*Driving through the Wendy's drive-thru at midnight after the reception. And devouring our Jr. Bacon Cheeseburgers in our hotel room. While still in our wedding gear of course.

Those are just a few. And although that amazing day five years ago was the best day of my entire life to date, I can honestly say it only gets better.

I love my husband even more today than I did five years ago. Didn't think that was possible. But it's true. And I can also say, I am happier now than I ever have been.

We tend to have more and more fun with each passing year. It's been nothing but an adventure. And I am forever thankful.

So, Happy Five Year Anniversary to my amazing husband.

P.S. In case you're interested, check out my posts from our third and fourth wedding anniversaries!!!

P.P.S. Yeah, so this post really was just for me. I'm sure none of you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed re-living it. Sorry for all the sap. It's what love does, my friends.

Let's do a little recap, shall we?

2011-06-15T23:40:00.007-04:00

Wow.

First of all, thank you SO very much for all the congratulations. Ya'll are too sweet for words. Really.

Secondly, I was thinking about how much of a whirlwind 2011 has been. And it's only June. I mean, so much has happened. And we have been SO blessed.

Since January the following HUGE milestones have occurred:

1). Mr. Ruby received a job offer with an AMAZING company in our hometown.

2). We packed up our belongings and moved cross-country from Rhode Island back home to Kansas.

3). I began student teaching.

4). We bought our very first house.

5). I got a job as a fourth grade teacher.

Holy.Moly. That exhausts me just thinking about it.

And, in light of the past 6 extraordinarily busy months, I feel the need to share this week's equally as jam-packed list of exciting things:

1). I interviewed. I got a job offer. I accepted a job.

2). We celebrate our FIVE YEAR wedding anniversary on Friday.

3). One of my VERY best friends is getting married on Saturday.

Can you handle the excitement?

Well, because we will be in our dear friends' wedding on our actual anniversary, we celebrated last weekend. I seriously can't wait to show you pics from the weekend.

But for now, I leave you with a little teaser.

Still can't believe it

2011-06-15T00:21:00.003-04:00

Well.

I'm just going to come right out and say it.

No need to drag it out.

But it all just happened so darn quickly.

One minute, I was getting ready to blog about how sad I was.

And then things got super stressful.

And then today, I got some of the happiest news I've heard in a very long time.

I got a job.

That's right.

In the midst of one of the most horribly awful worst times ever to look for a teaching job.

I got a job offer.

And I accepted on the spot.

Fourth grade.

In a top district.

I am beyond excited.

And thankful. And blessed. And humbled.

Details soon to come.

Bless his heart

2011-06-09T22:38:00.004-04:00

Love when Southerners say that.

And that's exactly what I thought today

when I received a text from my hubs.

It said:

"This is what happens when I try to be courteous and get dressed in the dark".

Mr. Ruby had to wake up extra early this morning.

He decided to get ready in the dark

so I wouldn't wake up.

And then he went to work.

And then he looked down

and realized he had on two very different socks.

Oops.

Bless his sweet little heart, right?

In high spirits - WILW

2011-06-08T19:08:00.008-04:00

So many things I'm loving right now. Can't even keep it all straight.

Could be that my spirits are a little more lifted than normal because:

1). I'm LOVING that I get to be a bridesmaid for the very first time ever in my best friend's wedding next weekend. I can't wait!

2). I'm LOVING that next weekend will also be a monumental time for Mr. Ruby and I - we will be celebrating five years of wedded bliss. FIVE YEARS! #Holycow

3). I'm LOVING that we decided to try light soy milk last week. We are hooked. And it is sooo good for you. I'm going to try the chocolate next time we hit up the grocery store.

4). I'm LOVING that some of my huge house projects are coming to an end. Especially the front door/built-in book case. It has taken hours/weeks to sand/tape/prime/paint all the trim in the living room and the French Provincial windows and door. (A whole post will be dedicated to this soon...in addition to house posts period. Promise.)

5). I'm LOVING that I have been reading again. Just finished Water for Elephants last week. LOVED. Can't wait to see the movie...although I'm just sure it wasn't nearly as good as the book. Movies never are.

6). I'm LOVING all the volunteer opportunities this summer. Last Friday, Mr. Ruby and I volunteered at the Special Olympics. So fun. So rewarding. And I have a ton more volunteer fun coming up for JL.

7). I'm LOVING how cute the pups are lately. I mean, they're always cute. But they have just been overly cuddly and sweet. I mean, this is what they do every day when we leave. So sweet!

Go ahead and link up with Jamie to play along!

Tuesday Tidbits

2011-06-07T18:53:00.008-04:00

My brain feels mushy.

It may or may not be because of the fact that it was 101° today.

And it's only June 7th.

So, my brain is currently thinking in bursts of tidbits.

Mind if I share?

1). Sometimes I freak out at the fact that I am 27 years old. It's not the number per se, it's just that life consists of so many adult things: bills, spending money on non-fun things like new breaks and heartworm pills for le pups, evenings full of priming and painting, and extreme excitement usually involves finding a really great antique shop.

2). I realize it is not okay to wear jean skirts anymore. Mostly because of my age but also because it is not 2001. However, just about every article of clothing I own was dirty...so I caved last weekend. (P.S. The pic is actually of the mirror we are going to put in our NEW BATHROOM!)

3). New homeowner words of wisdom: 1. Hire professionals for some things. Although I LOVE a really great DIY project, some things just need to be left for the pros. I have recently concluded that I am not nor will I ever be Young House Love. Oh, and another tidbit: Lock your dogs up while painting. Otherwise, you may end up with white paw prints all over your dining room rug.

5). I have a serious ice cream problem during the summer. Exhibit A: I ate ice cream every night for seven days in a row last week alone. Photo#1: An AMAZING new yogurt place in town Photo#2: AMAZING homemade ice cream at my in-laws.

6). Although I have a strong love for Quik Trip, they are making my desperate attempt to stop drinking pop VERY difficult by offering 32 oz. drinks for 59¢ all summer long.

7). We've recently discovered that Samson is a little collector...or maybe a hoarder? For example, he takes his kibbles and places them in a neat pile. And then the other day while we were demoing the bathroom, we came out only to find this:

Who knew

2011-06-06T20:35:00.006-04:00

So, I figured I'd have a relaxing summer.

Considering I don't, ya know, have a full-time job.

But au contraire.

I am beyond busy.

My life really only consists of one of five things:

*Applying for jobs

*Nannying

*Studying (still workin on that masters)

*House stuff: demoing, painting, spending all my money

*Attending some type of event: Junior League, Baby Shower, Wedding etc. etc.

Does life ever slow down? And how the heck does one keep this up with (gasp) kids?!?!

My Summer:

This represents the current state of about 1/3 of our house. Ugh.

Summer calendar = completely full (and there are still more invites on the way)

Happy Monday, Lovelies! It's almost Tuesday...

WILW - Woop! Woop!

2011-06-01T11:13:00.007-04:00

YEAH FOR WEDNESDAY!!!

It's been a pretty busy week, and the job search continues to make me sad.

SO, I'm pumped to play along with Jamie for What I'm Loving Wednesday.

1). I'm LOVING our new Eclipse Blackout curtains in our bedroom. You would never know I struggle with insomnia. I sleep like a BABY. My sweet hubby was like, "Um. Babe. It's reeeally dark in here." And I love it.

source

2). I'm LOVING the new Lauren Conrad line at Kohl's. Have you seen it? Adorable!!!

source

3). I'm LOVING the wood buffet we got on Craigslist last week. I can't wait to get my DIY-ing hands on it. Gonna spruce it up a bit. Give it some lovin.

4). I'm LOVING that hubs has gotten to be quite the Mr. Fix It. Seriously, I'm dying to show before and after photos of our master bathroom. Just a few more touches. :)

5). I'm LOVING summertime bbq's. We've had 3 in the last week. And we'll probably cook out tonight too! LOVE.

6). I'm LOVING LOVING LOVING that I got to see my bff since kindergarten this weekend. I got to meet her boyfriend too. Double the love. They have an amazing story. I'll have to share it sometime.

Memoir Monday: Crazy-Town

2011-05-30T15:36:00.023-04:00

Oh.my.word.

I really do apologize my blogging has fallen by the wayside the past couple months. I can't help it. There has been so much going on, and unfortunately, le blog gets the brunt of it.

Ya know when you have an overwhelming to-do list and you don't quite know where to begin or how to even tackle the darn thing? Well, feels the same for the blog. So many stories. So many pictures to share. One HUGE to-do list. And I've let it slide for so long, that I'm not even sure what to share anymore.

So, I figured I'd try to catch the caboose and hop back on the Memoir Monday train.

And I thought it was highly appropriate to continue documenting the happenings of our trip to Rhode Island. As mentioned in my last post, it was one crazy weekend. Like full-moon, Friday-the-13th, end-of-the-world-is-coming, this-would-only-happen-to-us crazy.

Even in addition to the whole food poising situation (which by the way made it to the top story of the evening news - check it out here. And the woman being interviewed is our friend...a.k.a. the groom's mother), a few more...interesting events occurred.

More events that made us giggle and pinch ourselves while asking, "Is this real life?":

1). In the middle of the whole food poisoning saga, I went out to go buy some gatorade and Immodium for my green-faced boys. I was already quite flustered because they both kept racing to the bathroom, and I was worried they were getting dehydrated. So, I borrowed my friend's car, backed out the driveway, and suddenly realized the parking break was on. I couldn't find it to save my life. I searched everywhere! I called her frantically and she tried to guide me to the silly break. Meanwhile, while still in the middle of the street, there is a marathon going on and runners are literally dodging my car. One runner nearly hit me. I made quite the spectacle, I'm sure. To continue with the theme of good luck, I finally found the break and made it out of the neighborhood, only to discover a bumper-to-bumper traffic jam. I just needed GATORADE gosh-darn-it!

2). The day after the wedding, we were all hanging out talking and laughing about the events of the previous day when one of the gals receives a text from the groom's mom. It said, "Do any of you have a key to the bride and groom's house? The best man locked all three keys inside!"

Seriously?

So, the best man (groom's brother) was given the responsibility of house/cat-sitting. The first day of his sitting duties, within the first twenty minutes, he locked all three keys in the house. Meanwhile, the bride and groom are on a plane to Mexico.

After laughing so hard we nearly tinkled ourselves, we walked over to the bride and groom's and resolved the situation...by breaking into their house.

3). On their way back home from dinner one night, Mr. Ruby decided to take Mr. F's Nissan 350 Z for a spin. The boys came to a stoplight. Within a split-second of the stoplight turning green, a jeep began impatiently blaring its horn.

It startled Mr. Ruby, who subsequently stalled the car in the middle of the intersection. The angry jeep-driver behind them honked again and sped up next to Mr. Ruby and Mr. F driving so close, he nearly ran them off the road.

Mr. Ruby, who never, EVER has road rage casually flipped the jeep driver the bird.

Oh dear. Wrong move.

The boys stopped at another stop light, and this time, the jeep driver pulled up next to them.

He rolled down his window.

The boys rolled down their window.

Jeep Driver: What's the beepin problem

Mr. F: Nothing, man. We accidentally stalled the car.

Jeep Driver: (Veins bulging) Well why don't you get out of the beepin car, and I'm going to snap you're beepin neck!

Mr. F: Dude, relax. It was an accident.

Jeep Driver: You guys packin? What a bunch of wimps. Let's go. Get out of the car!

Other words were spoken. But, you get the idea.

Mr. Ruby drove off the moment the light turned green.

I mean, who let that crazy out of the loonie-bin?!?!

4). Finally, it was time to head home. Although we were quite sad to leave our compadres, we were ready for the crazy-town weekend to be over! So, we loaded up the car, and our friends drove us over an hour to the Boston airport. In the middle of rush-hour traffic.

We wipe our tears (literally), say our goodbyes, and wave "sianara" to one twilight-zone-of-a-weekend. Our friends leave. We stand in line. We talk about what we're going to have for dinner. We get to the ticket counter. The woman asks us our destination.

Without a flinch she says, "Yeah. You're not making it out tonight."

Mr. Ruby presents multiple scenarios, and the woman repeats herself, "You're not making it out tonight."

Sigh.

We call our friends. They turn around. In the middle of Boston rush-hour traffic. 45 minutes later, after making it more than half-way home, they pick us up.

I mean, after the kind of weekend we had, why WOULD we make it home like planned?

All of us were crying we were laughing so hard.

Definitely a weekend to remember!

Looking back at some of the happier moments of our trip:

Pick Your Title - You WON'T believe this

2011-05-25T21:18:00.012-04:00

"Seriously?"

"Is this real life?"

"Judgement Day: May 2011"

"Rhode Island: The small place where BIG things happen"

Any of the above titles will suffice, really.

Because all of these words came out of our mouths this past weekend. Multiple times.

What happened to us only happens in the movies, specifically the movie Bridesmaids.

It felt like a really crazy dream where we kept pinching ourselves to see if what was going on around us was truly happening.

And now, we are all famous. In fact, our story was just on the news.

This is how the story goes (Warning: Details get a little graphic)...

May 21, 2011: Wedding Day of our Dear Friends

6:30 a.m. - I wake up because the bed moved abruptly. I see Mr. Ruby sprint out of the guest bedroom where we were staying. He was in the nude. I giggled to myself and thought, "Why the heck is he running into the hallway naked?"

6:32 a.m. - I check my text messages. I realize I've received two in the middle of the night. One said, "Are you guys sick? We have been puking and pooping all night. I'm pretty sure it's food poisoning." I read the other text, "I just pooped myself, please tell me you don't have this too."

6:37 a.m. - I run to the bathroom to check on Mr. Ruby. He's been in there awhile. I ask, "Hon, are you not feeling well?" He replies, "I'm ok". And I say, "Well, I think all of our friends are sick, they've been puking all night." He sighs with relief and yells, "GOOD. Because I just puked my brains out."

6:38 a.m. - I realize we have a very serious problem.

6:40 a.m. - I run into our friends' bedroom to ask if they are sick and if they've received the text messages. Yes they received the texts. No, they were not sick...yet.

6:41 a.m. - Mr. Ruby emerges from the bathroom looking like death.

6:45 a.m. - Our phones start blowing up. We are all on the phone talking to different members of the wedding party. Everyone has been up all night deathly ill...including the groom.

6:50 a.m. - Mr. Ruby runs to the bathroom again.

6:51 a.m. - Mr. F (host of where we were staying), states that he all of a sudden doesn't feel well. Mrs. F chalks it up to staying up too late and drinking too much.

6:52 a.m. - Mr. F runs to the bathroom.

6:53 a.m. - I run to Mrs. F and yell, "Hold me" as we were the only ones at this point not ill. We both look at each other and say, "Is this really happening?"

7:00 a.m. - All the girls, including those who were very sick, headed to the salon to get ready for the wedding festivities.

The rest of the morning/afternoon was spent running around getting gatorade, Immodium, and taking care of poor Mr. Ruby and Mr. F as I was not in the wedding party nor was I sick. One would get up, sprint to the bathroom, and spend a good 20 minutes getting everything out of his system. Then, the other one would turn, look at me, and run to do the exact same thing.

This happened about 30 times that day.

Both were literally green.

Neither could keep a thing down. Including water.

The house smelled like 45 rotting corpses.

A couple of times, I thought I might need to take the boys to the hospital. Things were looking grim.

The situation at the salon wasn't looking any better. The girls who were sick had to make multiple trips to the bathroom. Neither could stand. Both were dizzy. Both had been up ALL NIGHT. Not a wink of sleep.

But everyone rallied. Everyone did their best to make the wedding a spectacular event. And they did a fantastic job. The maid of honor gave an amazing speech, despite her lack of sleep and torn up insides. The groomsmen made it down the isle...well, most of them at least. The boys had to go downstairs to lie down every 15 minutes. One groomsman didn't make it down the isle. Mr. Ruby left during the vows...and didn't return to the wedding at all. But everyone tried their best and did a darn fine job all things considered.

Believe it or not, this was the shortened version.

Let's just say everyone was REALLY sick. Scarily sick.

The next day, we discussed the situation. We just figured it was the rehearsal dinner from the previous evening. But the more we talked, the more we realized that out of 30 people, it was too much of a coincidence that only our group of friends got sick and no one else from the rehearsal dinner. And we had all eaten at a sushi restaurant the night before (24-30 hours prior to everyone getting sick). The only weird thing about that is that I also ate off the SAME plate as everyone who got sick, and I did not get sick.

We called the department of health to report the incident.

A couple of days and stool samples later, and we've come to a final conclusion.

Today: May 26, 2011.

The samples were tested positive for the Norovirus.

And the restaurant we ate at got shut down.

And this will all be on the news this evening. The groom's mother was interviewed.

The reasons found by investigators? Are you ready for this?

Mouse droppings were found in flour, jimmies and noodles and on the doilies on which sushi is served.
Vinegar was being stored in container previously used for laundry detergent.
Rice was kept at room temperature in a turned-off cooker.
The restaurant does not employ a full-time manager certified in food safety.
A microwave had dried food accumulation.
Tubular lights were lacking shields
Scooters, toys, powder and wipes were found in the kitchen area, suggesting that a child was allowed in the kitchen area and diapers were changed there.

Oh, and three employees were tested positive for the norovirus.

See the full article here.

The following days after the sickness, we all began to laugh about it. That's all you can really do. It's just a terrible shame it all happened right before our friends' wedding. Hopefully one day they can look back and laugh too.

But we are all still trying to process the situation. Rat poop? Baby diapers. Oh. my. goodness. I'm never eating again. Ever.

The ominous dinner.

I know this is exploitation. But I had to document the sheer rawness of the food poisoning.

And apparently I have a stomach made of STEEL. How did I not get this?!?!

Do you want the good news or the bad news?

2011-05-25T20:35:00.022-04:00

Today, I'm going to focus on the good news.

Don't worry. You will also hear the bad-yet-we-will-all-look-back-and-laugh-someday news. But, I'm saving that one for my next post.

I'm going to focus only on the good right now.

And by good, I mean REALLY good.

We just got back from one amazing trip to Rhode Island.

The moment we stepped off the plane, it felt like no time had passed. Felt like we never left. Caught up with old friends. Reminisced. Laughed hysterically. Like, I truly tinkled a few times. We visited some favorite places. And we attended an exquisite wedding. Literally perfect. Stunning bride. Made-for-each-other couple. And details that demonstrated the bride's previous experience as a wedding planner - everything from the handmade programs, homemade groom's cupcakes, and changing into a reception dress made from her mother's wedding gown!

Everything about it reflected the couple.

I really love that.

Congratulations to the newlyweds who are soaking up some rays in the Mayan Riviera!!! :)

In case you didn't notice, there is only one picture of Mr. Ruby and I. There is an explanation. Believe me.

To be continued...