Color of the Year

When January hits, I am always ready to bring out bold, vibrant colors. Spring is only two months away and the thought of green grass and warm nights is enough to make me want to wear flip flops in the snow.

The color for 2014 is helping me make the transition from black to something brighter. I am wild about this year's color because not only does it go great with my skin tone (I am a WINTER) but it will transition easily into every season.

SIDE NOTE: My sister always finds out the color of the year early and lets me know how I should plan for the upcoming year. She is my fashion Sherpa, if you will.

This year the color is Radiant Orchid and I am kind of in love with it.

Just soak it in, people, because you are going to see a lot of it in 2014. It is everywhere!

If you are wanting to dive into this year's color trend, here are a few of my favorite orchid-infused things.

This darling pillow from Joss and Main:

For your tootsies:

As an accent wall, a bedroom dresser or the interior of your kitchen cabinets:

 

 

 

Some arm candy from Michael Kors:

 

 

To tuck you in at night:

As a way to celebrate your big day:

 

To accessorize anything:

 

You can even buy a net for your face...if you want a net in your face:

 

So, there you go, purple-lovers! This is your year! Live it up.

And if you want more ideas of where you can find Radiant Orchid, Pinterest has an entire board dedicated to it!



Five Things

I have this new blogger friend. She found me on Facebook on my Gourmet Girl to Go page and invited me to participate in a "Five Things" question series. I agreed right away because 1.) I need blogging material and 2.) I cannot say no to new friends.

Her name is Kris and you can find her blog here. I am a big fan already.

So, without further ado, here is a snapshot in time, or, in other words, a ton of information you have never wanted to know about me. Just think of it as my contribution to helping you get through hump day.

(Which, by the way, I am LOVING this commercial:



Totally brilliant.)

Okay, now without further ado, here it is:

Five Things I am Passionate About:
1. A simple life. My mind is often so cluttered with stuff that I forget to live well. So simplifying is my theme right now. And I love it.

2. Food. I love food. I love growing it, eating it, cooking it, baking it, sharing it and preparing it for anyone who will eat it. It is my love language and my spiritual gifting, if that were a real thing.

3. My family. They are a crazy bunch of people, but they are my people.

4. My friends. I have amazing, incredible friends. Holy cow, who knew I was I cool enough to have friends like that?

5. Jesus. Amen.

Five Things I Would Like To Do Before I Die:
1. Get married. I practically have it planned out on Pinterest anyway and I would hate for that board to go to waste. But in all honesty, I am one of those girls who has thought about her wedding since she was little and I would love to experience it with the right person.

2. Hike Machu Pichu. I know many of you must be shocked over the word "hike" but that is one hike I would gladly tackle.

3. Own another horse. I was 12 years old the first time I got a horse and I would love to see how I would handle it now. Besides, they smell really, really good.

4. Take a week-long cooking class in Europe. Italy, France, Spain, Ireland, any of those countries will do. I want my entire week to be covered in sugar and flour. And chocolate. And maybe some cheese. I don't think that is too much to ask, do you?

5. Memorize large sections of the Bible. Isaiah 40, the entire book of James, 1 John and any of the psalms are on my list. I am horrendous at memorization unless it is put to a song. So I guess this is fair warning if I ever sing verses at you. Don't be alarmed, I'll try to jazz it up a little.

Five Things I Say A Lot:
1. It's not my yard.
2. I could stick my entire head into this bowl.
3. Salted caramel is my love language
4. Seriously.
5. I'm over it.

Five Books/Magazines I Have Read Lately:
1. Country Living Magazine. Naturally.
2. The Harbinger. This was a few months ago but it was a quick and intense read.
3. Treasure Island. It has been over 20 years since I last read that book and it was totally different than what I remembered. It's funny how that happens.
4. The Spirituality of Fundraising (Henri Nouwen). I re-read this all the time because it is essential to my job. It's good stuff.
5. Joy the Baker's Cookbook. I love her, her writing style and her recipes. I highly recommend following her blog!

Five Favorite Movies:
1. The Goonies
2. Pride and Prejudice
3. Braveheart
4. Lord of the Rings
5. Strictly Ballroom

Five Places I Would Like to Visit:
1. New Zealand.
2. Peru
3. Greece
4. Egypt
5. Montana

Now, I am supposed to invite five other people to participate but I am kind of lame and don't know many bloggers. So, if you would like to tackle this list, go for it and just let me know! I'll link you up.

Oh, and happy Wednesday, people of the world wide web.

The Weight of October

October carries a lot of weight in my world. It is filled to the brim with memories and milestones and days you wish you could relive and others you wish you could forget.

October is like a very large speed bump on the calendar. If you approach it too quickly and do not take your time to get through it, you may come out on the other side battered and bruised, and probably without a  muffler.

October can make you dance like a lunatic. It can also make you sleep for days. It is just that kind of month.

***
First, there is the celebration of Claire and Carr. I cannot believe they have almost been married a year! I am pretty sure my little sister should still be in 7th grade, but she is actually quite adult-like and living a blissful married life with the man of her dreams. They are such a beautiful couple. They love each other in ways I have never seen. And after nearly 12 months of wedded-ness, they still hold hands even when sitting on the couch.

I have a feeling they will be like this for the rest of their lives. Some couples are just like that, they need to be near each other always.

It is breathtaking to watch when I am not totally annoyed mesmerized by it.

***

And then there is my Grandpa. I had a dream about him last night. I do not remember the details but I remember he was there and I was at his house and life was simpler. My world was safer. My heart was lighter. I do not understand how some people can have that effect on you. Their mere presence in the world anchors your soul, mind and heart. In a way, they are your home. He was that way for all of us. He equaled home, a love-filled, laughter-brimmed home.

On October 20, it will have been two years since he left this earth for something unbelievably better.

Now he is home.

***

Finally, there is that Monday.

That Monday in the courtroom, surrounded by friends who held our hands and prayed like warriors. That Monday where the judge read the verdict and I sucked in my breath and my brother squeezed the fingers on my left hand. That Monday where my mom and I drove his truck home without him and I could have sworn that God had abandoned us and let the enemy win.

That Monday where my head and heart both screamed but my soul remained silent.

That Monday where God whispered:
"Oh, the plans I have for you, my child.
I have not left you. I have not left them.
I am right here, sitting right next to you, squeezing the fingers on your right hand.
I am working on something that is bigger than you.
Something that will change you for the better.
Something that will draw you closer to me.
Something that screams of my unbelievable love for you.
I am fighting hard for you, my daughter.
I am fighting hard for all of you. 
Trust me in this.
I am trustworthy."

I am just now hearing this. He has been here all along.

We have come a long way since that Monday.

***

Oh, the magnificent weight of October.

Wedding Marathon Anniversary

Can you believe a year ago we were here?

And that resulted in a 10-day marathon of epic proportions that still boggles the mind and makes me want to take a nap.

Holy matrimony.

Time flies really, really fast.

Thankfully, the outcome was blissful.

They still look like this, by the way. All dreamy and lovey-dovey.

However, they have moved on to stretchy pants and sweatshirts.

So romantic.

A Pinterest Confession

I have a complicated relationship with Pinterest.

Pinterest is one of those tools that is so completely simple and brilliant that it makes me wonder how I ever came up with a creative idea on my own. Of course I did have a ghetto version back in 1993 when I actually owned a bulletin board with various ideas and dreams pinned to it. But who has the time, space or available cork to have an actual real one these days?

Unless, of course, you get the idea from Pinterest to buy a real one and put it on your wall.

I have spent so many otherwise productive hours pinning everything I could ever possibly want for myself, my home, and my life. The fact that it is so easily available on my phone makes even the DMV enjoyable.

It is truly a modern miracle.

However, I have a confession about Pinterest: I have a severe lack of follow-through.

This became the topic of conversation between Rachel and me the other night. And we both agreed that there is a lot of pressure to be a Pinterest All-Star, when in reality, I am more of a Pinterest Bench Warmer.

Believe me, my intentions are pure. I want to make all of those things. I want to be the kind of person who not only bakes a mean salted caramel brownie, but can also make her own pillows, apply her own amazing eyeshadow, wear the most amazing clothes without looking like I tried, do the latest thigh-trimming workout, and plan my wedding all at the same time.

Oh, and wear killer high heels while doing it.

The fact is, I have only made one of the sixty-one recipes I have pinned.

The fact is, I have planned my wedding without having a groom.

The fact is, I don't even own a house to make-over.

The fact is, I really suck at applying eyeshadow.

And who in the world wants to spend time trimming their thighs?

Exactly.

So, dear readers, let the world know that all of those amazing ideas that I collect and admire are only just ideas at this point.

I am just thankful there is an app to hold them all!

Dear Future Husband

Dear Future Husband,

I have been thinking of you a lot lately. It could be because I had a dream that I would get married this summer. Or it could be that I have known that I would get married since I was six years old. Either way, you seem both familiar and mysterious to me at the same time.

There are few things you should know about me. Don't worry, I won't tell you everything, I want to leave you with some work to do. But just in case you're wondering, your future wife is fabulously weird. It's just part of my charm, babe.

I am a mixed bag of thoughts and emotions. At any given moment, one of these two things will win out and you will either have a sentimental feeler on your hands or an analytical thinker. Most of the time, the feelings win and I am known to cry at country music videos or Bob Costas reporting on the Olympics. I can't help it.  

I love my family and this past year has made me love them even more. We are complicated and passionate and fiercly loyal. And Camp Alamosa is something you are going to have to learn to embrace. I promise to cleave to you but I also promise to integrate you into what could be the most amazing group of people I have ever known.

Oh, and by the way, I have 56,988 cousins with one more on the way. Don't worry, I'll make you a cheat sheet at the next family reunion.

Oklahoma is in my blood. It is a part of who I am. Who knew that invisible geographical lines could define people? But that state represents more than just wind and more wind. It represents history, roots and love. And football. A passionate, die-hard devotion to college football. If you are a Husker, Longhorn, Cowboy, or Aggie, we may need to sign a pre-nup.

Just kidding.

Kinda.

Dave Matthews Band is my favorite all-time band, ever. Big brownie points for you if play them on our first date. 

Don't ask me to hike. Don't ask me to look at blood. Don't eat seafood and expect me to kiss you. It just won't happen.

But do ask me to dance, to go camping and to take a roadtrip without a destination in mind. I will bring monster cookies along for the ride.

I will be courageous, loyal, dependable and encouraging. I will feed you well and I will listen intently. And I will seek to love you like Jesus loves you. It's a good thing I have a lifetime to work on this.

I have prayed for you, cried for you, hoped for you and dreamed of you. I know you will be exactly what I need but never what I expected.

So, Future Husband, wherever you are, I look forward to running into you someday. I have been waiting for you for a long time.

Yours,
The FC

Vegas Wedding Pictures

I am on a break from my meetings and thought I would share a few pictures with you. Perhaps you have already seen them on Facebook (and if we aren't friends, we totally should be!), but since I am fresh out of anything clever to say unless you want to talk about computer servers and international internet security, then pictures it is!

Besides, who wants to read a bunch of words anyway, right?

First up: the Happy Couple.

Don't you just love Brian's smile? It kills me.

Here it is again in case you missed it. He is a stellar guy. Good choice, Lizzy.

Next up: The Bridesmaids

I love this shot, it makes us look like we are part of the Miss America Pageant. This was a busy hotel and we kept having to move so people could come down the steps. They were so high maintenance. And I have no idea why I am looking at Lizz's head but her hair did look beautiful.

This was one of the last pictures we took and you can tell we are excited to eat. REALLY excited to eat.

P.S. Don't you love the red shoes?! LOVE them!

I love this picture of Lizz and me. It was so much fun being in her wedding and she looked absolutely stunning! However, I feel like my left arm looks like it belongs to the Incredible Hulk. I have no idea why it looks this way but let's just hope I didn't scare any children.

And this is my favorite picture! I love these girls and everyone looks so amazing. And yes, my dress does have a top...although I am sure I could have gotten away without it in Vegas.


I hope you enjoyed the scenery! Now, I am going to take my ginormous left arm and go back to work.

Scenes from Vegas

Word up, peeps.

Today is the wedding day and things are beginning to get a little nutty, especially when you have a party bus with a stripper pole involved. Nevertheless, this day is bound to be exciting!

Here are a few pictures I captured as we ran errands around town, picking up flowers and the marriage license, and trying not to melt in the 105 degree weather.





The wedding chapel has their very own Las Vegas sign. Classy.





And they also have a drive thru. Las Vegas is all about convenience. Big kudos to them.





Here I am with a Ferrari. You know, the norm.





This is the view out of my hotel room. The pool is hopping, so much so that my walls are vibrating. I think that is part of my resort fee.





Last night was Lizz's bachelorette party and we went to the Venetian for dinner and to see the Blue Man Group. The food was fabulous and the blue men were extremely weird. I highly recommend it.





Here is Lizz's posse. These girls are awesome. And in three hours, they will all be wearing false eyelashes. It's part of my MOH duties.





And here is the view at night. What a strange, crazy, fabulous city! It's like Disneyland for adults.

Okay, I'm off! It's time to get this show on the road...or bus, whichever.

Vegas, Baby

Today's the day!

I am currently sitting at Gate C42 waiting for my flight to Vegas. Lizz and Brian just boarded their plane, which luckily for them, is a direct flight. Mine, on the other hand, has a layover in Salt Lake City where I am going to try to avoid becoming a sister wife.

Ah, the price we pay for a cheap ticket.

Last night, I packed four pairs of high heels, six sets of false eyelashes and a really great pair of Spanx. I think that's about all I need for this trip, don't you think? Actually, I know I overpacked because I am pretty sure I have four wardrobe changes for each day. But with the temperature being over 100, I may be glad I packed so much.

Two of my favorite new purchases are currently on my person. Exhibit A and B:






These shoes are fabulous and super comfortable. And I am all about the bling these days. Also, I am loving the red jeans. I found them at TJMaxx, which could be my favorite store ever, ever. They are not the super popular red skinny jeans that all the celebs wear. I can't wear skinny jeans because they make me look like a snow cone. Instead, they are wide leg and slouchy. Perfect in every way.

SIDE NOTE: I am sorry if you don't like pictures of feet. Mine are clean and relatively un-gnarly.

I also bought a pair of gold sparkle peep toe heels. Oh yes I did. And they are coming out for the bachelorette party tomorrow night. I know you are just as excited about them as I am.

My friend Tara gave me a photo scavenger hunt assignment for the next four days. Elvis is involved and a few other Vegas staples. If you want to add to the list, feel free! Between MOH duties and trying not to sweat my eyelashes off, I am sure I'll have plenty of time to accomplish each one. But please, keep it PG.

Or maybe even G, for Vegas standards.

Okay, that's it. It's time to board. Me and my fedora are needing a quick snooze before we hit the ground running.

I Have Some Thoughts This Morning

As you may have noticed, my blogging has been a bit slow lately. It's because all I do is work and work out with occaisional fun things in between. I am not complaining, I do love a good routine, but unless I completely wipe out on the treadmill (almost happened) or paint a new work of art (I think my artistic talent has dried up), my thoughts are all I have to give.

So, here they are, all five of them. I would love to know your thoughts as well. Consider this a thoughts-swapping party.

1. I LOVE Phillip Phillips. I have loved him from the beginning, partially because he sounds like Dave Matthews, and partially because he is so humble and gracious. And I am always a sucker for a southern accent. I cried when he won and walked off the stage to hug his family last night. Seriously, I cried. And I will totally buy his album.

2. T-minus 8 days until Lizz's wedding! Holy Moses. How did it get here so quickly?! And I am happy to report that the dress... fits! Wahoooooooooooo! I consider this a major victory in my life, especially since I ate pans (as in, plural) of brownies over the winter months. I will give you more details about this later, but for now, just know that I won't have to wear a bedazzled mumu for the wedding.

3. I want to learn how to fly fish.

4. This is my view of out my window:

These mammoth beasts have been moving dirt for a week now and I am pretty sure my beautiful view is going to be obliterated by a building, which is rumored to be a mental health facility. I am sure there is some irony in there somewhere.

5. I found another t-shirt that I think I need:

It's the boots that make it, don't you think?

Grandparent Marriage Tips

THIS. IS. AWESOME.



I can't even handle it.

Happy Tuesday to you.

One Size Smaller or Bust

Wow.

You are spectacular. Thank you for the sweet emails, texts and comments about yesterday's post. Glory to God that He gives us such stupendous freedom! I could seriously bust out some jazz hands right about now.

You made my day.


So, in other news, let's talk about this Vegas wedding, shall we?

It is almost five weeks away and I am in full "get your booty to the gym" mode. I spent most of my winter eating entire pans of brownies so it was way past time for me to get back at it. And all it takes is one three-way mirror to make you find your motivation.

So far, this is what my week has looked like:

Monday, I ran.

Tuesday, I did high intensity circuit training.

Today, I can't move the lower half of my body.

In other words, I feel awesome!

Other than wanting to feel better, I have another reason for this sudden surge of motivation: I ordered my bridesmaids dress one size smaller than what I normally wear.

SAY WHAT?!

I know, it's true. It's like the cardinal rule of what NOT to do for any wedding. But, in my defense, the dress was no longer available in my size and I could either go up or down...so I chose down. I am nothing if not optimistic, people.

The dress that I had ordered last week finally arrived and I didn't care for it so I had to start looking again. And I know there are literally thousands of black dresses out there but I just really love this one. It is one that will work for a wedding but I could also wear again. And how often can you say that about a bridesmaids dress? Practically never.

And besides, I have hips that were either created for child birth or Latin ballroom dancing so I need something that works with me, not against me.

Here is a picture of the dress:

With our black dresses, we are wearing red shoes for the wedding. I am going with a pair of my favorite shoes of all time:

I may even buy a fun clip to add to them, you know, just for a little Vegas flair.

So, there you have it. That is why I have not posted recipes and pictures of peanut butter caramel dipped in dark chocolate. I have a dress to fit into and I don't want it to make me look like a sausage. And I don't want all of my blood, sweat and tears to be for nothing. I can do that without the treadmill.

How Can It Be Monday?

Y'all.

I seriously need another weekend. This past one went by way too quickly and I found myself hitting snooze one too many times this morning. So, since my brainwaves are apparently misfiring, I have put this somewhat underwhelming blog post in a list format. Because that is the only thing that makes sense today.

1. I am still sick, people. Last week, after I had already missed two days of work and was tired of honking, I went to the doctor to see what kind of nuclear germ-bug-of-death had afflicted me. And when I told them that I had just been to Africa, they rushed me in right away. (This made me chuckle inside because unlike popular belief, Africa can be quite clean and civilized). Anyway, the results came back that I have a virus, which means BO DIDDLY because we all know that viruses cannot be killed with any form of wonderful medication. So, I continue to slowly heal and allow myself plenty of time to climb a flight of stairs.

2. It has been six months since Claire and Carr were married. Can you even believe it? Oh, the time. It flies. And for the record, they are still VERY MUCH in love.

3. I saw my Daddio yesterday. Noah, Sam, my mom and I all headed south, with stops at Krispy Kreme and Taco Bell, of course. And we went to Chili's and ate chips and salsa. You would almost think we were taking a gastronomical tour of southern Colorado, but I am a firm believer in being well-fed on any road trip. My dad is doing great, by the way, just working, waiting and praying.

4. I ordered a bridesmaids dress for Lizz's wedding and it should arrive today. We got to pick out our own black dresses, which beats pastel and poufy any day. My only concern is that it is not flashy enough for Vegas. I may have to borrow someone's Bedazzler if it isn't.

5. I really feel the urge to bake.

6. What is with the snow, Colorado??  Oh wait, it's spring.

7. On almost any given day, it is the birthday of one of my cousins. However, today two of my cousins are celebrating their birthdays. This is global domination in action. Feliz cumpleaños, peeps!

8. Has anyone seen the Hunger Games movie? What did you think of it? I saw it before I went to Tunisia and for the most part, loved it!


Okay, that's it. I could only come up with eight items today. I pretty sure this virus is affecting my brain.

MOH: Vegas Style

This is my friend Lizz.





She is funny and spontaneous and fantastic.

And she is also getting married. In her hometown of Las Vegas. And I am her Maid of Honor.

You guys, this takes the MOH duties to a whole other level. I mean, we are talking exponential. I feel like I need to wear something sparkly just to write about it. I should even buy stock in a Bedazzler.

Actually, what I should do is just hire myself out as a MOH. I promise you, I can arrange flowers and wrangle groomsmen with the best of them.

As we all know, being a MOH is serious business. You have to be tough. You have to be flexible. You have to find a way to pull off a wedding in 10 days. You know, just in case your darling little sister decides to do something like that. Thankfully, Lizz's wedding isn't until June 1 so we have a few more days to plan.

However, I have a fabulous team of bridesmaids to pull this whole event together. It takes a posse to marry off our sweet Lizzy. And in return, Lizz has promised us that we do not have to wear rhinestone jumpsuits to her wedding. I admit, I am a bit disappointed in this.

So, if you have any pointers on how to help pull off a wedding in a Vegas, please let me know. Just keep it PG and legal.

Thank you very much.

Top Ten: Things I Learned About Planning a Wedding

Okay, so this may be the last of my posts about weddings for a little while. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE weddings, but I am bit on overload, if you know what I mean. I am still dreaming about tulle and place cards. That is just not normal.

But before I depart from this blissful topic, I thought I would share with you some of the crucial things I learned while helping Claire plan her big day. And please keep in mind that I have not planned my own wedding which may make all of these suggestions null and void when that happy day comes.

Are you ready for this? Here we go.

1. Flowers die. Therefore, don't spend a lot of money on flowers. For Rachel's wedding, she ordered hers from Costco and they were stunning. They were also extremely affordable. The day before her wedding we all sat around and made our bouquets. It was perfect.

2. Don't stress over invitations. Since Claire only had 10 days to plan her wedding, she just called people instead of sending an invite. However, if you have longer than 10 days, I would encourage you to not fret over those puppies. They are pieces of paper that will be thrown away and no one will remember if you used crimson instead of burgundy. I promise.

3. Having a restaurant do your reception is the way to go. Maggiano's did an amazing job. Claire and Carr picked their faves from the menu and they were steaming hot when we arrived. And she didn't have to worry about decorating or cleaning up...which meant that I didn't have to worry about decorating or cleaning up.

4.  If a wedding planner is in your budget, I would encourage you to get one. You can control the price by determining how much you want them to do. But they are oh-so helpful when you can't be in two places at once. And they are even more helpful if you have less that two weeks to plan your big day.

5. Favors, although thoughtful and always appreciated, are not essential. Your guests are just happy to be with you and if there is free food, total bonus.

6.  Manicures and pedicures are a must. I am now addicted and I don't even have fingernails.

7. Take time to enjoy the day. Claire was so calm and collected and that made everyone enjoy the process of getting ready. The bridesmaids hung out and chatted, the make-up artist took her time to make us each look fabulous, the moms sat around and talked and everyone came and went, grabbing food on their way. It was totally relaxing and enjoyable.

8. Less is more. Right before Claire went outside to take her first set of pictures, she was covered head to toe in pearls and lace and tulle and sparkles. At the last minute, she took off her pearl necklace and her birdcage veil (she wore it for the ceremony). All of sudden you could see her face! And it was like she wore the dress, not the other way around. De-cluttering made a huge difference.

9. Wear false eyelashes. Trust me on this, you won't be sorry.

10. If possible, don't have a long engagement. When Claire first told me that they had 10 days to plan their wedding, I almost went into cardiac arrest. But throughout those crazy 10 days, I realized that being with the one you love should not wait. Marriage is what is sacred, not the planning. Once you are engaged, run as fast as you can to the altar and don't look back.

So there you go, that's all I have to say about that...at least for today. And someday, if I am ever engaged, and I am suffering from a severe case of bridezilla, please remind of these things so I can focus on what's really important, like the manicures and false eyelashes.

And happy Friday to you!

Paparazzi

During our photo shoot on Friday with the lovely bride, I left my camera under a nearby tree along with my flip flops and hairspray.

However, once the pictures were over, I turned around to see that my camera was no longer where I left it; instead it was around the neck of my six year-old nephew.

Case in point:

For the next hour, while Claire and Carr were busy posing, Noah followed the photographer around and took every shot he did. In fact, once I was able to retrieve my camera, I saw that Noah had taken over 200 pictures.

Here are a few of him I took on my phone:

Oh my gosh, he kills me. And by the way, doesn't Claire look stunning? I mean seriously.

I began going through the 200 shots he took and I came across some amazing photos. Take a look:

That kid is a genius, I tell you. A genius.