Because life is so FUN(NY!)...

Not sure if I am just in my 2nd trimester glory or if I have just taken more time to "enjoy the view" lately, but I find myself laughing all the time at how fun and down right hilarious life can be!

Exhibit A:

We went to visit my BFF, Erin, this weekend and she needed some help putting up a ceiling fan.  My good looking, handyman husband was glad to help.  I was laying on the couch and decided to see if I could help.  Here is what I found:

Erin's arms were tired so she decided to use a pillow and rest the fan on her head!  Did I mention she is a doctor?

Exhibit B:

We got a baby crib this weekend!!  We found a fantasitc deal on Craig's list when we were visiting Erin, so we drove to Snellville, GA to pick it up.  The family was very gracious and let us come at 10pm as we were leaving town so that we didnt have to drive back to Georgia to get it.  It is beautiful and matches the room so nicely...even Cookie Monster likes it.

Well....we didn't get home until 12:30pm and since I usually go to bed around 9pm, I was exhausted.  When we were looking for the directions to put the crib together the next morning, I couldn't find them, but wasn't too concerned.  I went to make breakfast and found a "suprise" in the fridge.  See anything that doesn't belong on the bottom shelf :)

I found the directions.  I really must have been tired as we unpacked!

Exhibit C:

Yesterday, I was in the restroom (sorry...again...TMI), but I looked up and saw this:

Way up high (out of my reach) was Adam's deodorant!  Hey, we all know that boys' deodorant works better than girls' deodorant.  It is just a fact, but I guess Adam was tired of sharing!  Ha.  Jerk.

Life is funny business :)

First Kicks or Just GAS?!

It has been a HUGE week in the Greer household!   We found out that we are having a sweet baby GIRL!  On Monday, we went for the ultrasound and things looked wonderful or that is at least what the ultrasound lady said.  I had a harder time trying to decipher body parts.  Ha!  I did see 10 fingers, 10 toes, and a wiggly little girl that kept waving at her mom! 

Oh, I can't wait to hold Miss Adalyn Grace Greer in my arms this coming September....ahhh, what a beautiful thought.

I enjoy reading baby books and getting new-mom emails each week to see how she is growing and changing.  Last week (week 17), she was the size of an onion. This is also the week that many moms can begin to feel their baby KICK!  Is it weird that I want to be kicked?!  When I feel any ache or twitch I start to focus to determine if it was a kick : ) 

I asked  lots of moms what it feels like when the baby kicks/moves.  Here are the answers I have received so far:

• It feels like bubbles...no clue how to interpret that
• It feels like anxiety or butterflies in your stomach, but you clearly aren't anxious about anything
• It feels like indigestion...ha, when dont I have that (sorry...TMI!)

I am pretty sure that up to this point I have only felts aches, pains, and stretching, BUT today after lunch there was a different feeling.  A mix between butterflies and my stomach "flipping."  I think it may have been her!!! but...then again, I had just eaten lunch :)  I'll be convinced fully when I feel it again. 

Hope that is soon...

In case you are wondering, next week she will be the size of a sweet potato!  Our little sweet potato :)

What I LOVE about Being Pregnant

I have read quite a few baby books to prepare for pregnancy and most focus on the scary and frankly, icky parts of pregnancy.  Yes, I have had my fair share of heart burn and gas (sorry, its true), but there are quite a few things that I LOVE ABOUT BEING PREGNANT, including:

• Feeling my belly first thing in the morning!  What a way to start the day :)
• Having a beautiful excuse to go to bed at 9pm and sleep 10+ hours a day
• "Allowing" Adam to clean the bathrooms.  It just isnt good to breath in those fumes
• Having a doctor's excuse to avoid deer meat
• Wearing stretchy pants.  It may be hard to transition back to regular pants
• Hearing the baby's heart beat (Thanks, Teresa, for letting us borrow your Doppler)
• Having an excuse to pass gas...again, sorry.  It is just so funny!
• Walking with Adam everyday and talking about what "cool" parents we are going to be
• Getting weekly emails from The Bump telling us how the baby is developing
• Drinking "mock"tails (cranberry juice + ginger ale) in fancy glasses
• Practicing my parenting skills on the Cookie Monster

A Baby Story...

"Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? And if this were not enough in your sight, O God, you have spoken about the future of the house of your servant. You have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of men, O Lord God.."
I Chronicles 17:16-17


This verse has been the SONG of my heart for the past 2 months!!!! What a blessing to share with you that God has spoken about the future of our house and blessed us with the joy of becoming parents.  PARENTS!!

The words still do not seem quite real. PARENTS!!

We found out that we were pregnant in January. After 5 home pregnancy tests and one at the doctor (6 total), some would be convinced that they were pregnant. Me on the other hand, I wasn’t so sure just yet! I wanted to SEE the baby. You can call me doubting Thomas, but two stripes on a stick (sorry if that was too visual...i refrained from putting up that picture) just isn’t the same as knowing that the baby is doing ok!

In February, we went to the doctor for our first ultrasound. Would you believe me if I said my whole world flipped upside down in a matter of seconds when we saw that sweet baby come up on the monitor?! OUR BABY! Did I mention that we are going to be PARENTS?! : )

I laughed and cried as Adam held my hand, and we saw our baby for the very first time. The doctor was incredibly kind and allowed us time to soak up the glory of the moment. As we watched, I knew it was my child because during the whole ultrasound he/she flipped around, moved from side to side, and waved its arms at us! Lots of energy, I am guessing!  The baby was healthy and the heartbeat sounded great.  The doctor even made a joke that the baby has Adam's head size!  Ha

I am now starting my 2nd trimester, and everything looked good at our appointment this afternoon!  If you have been doing the math (January-ish + nine months), you will quickly realize that it is going to be a long, HOT summer for me!

The facts…

• How far along: 13 weeks (out of 40. I wouldn’t have known that before we were pregnant)
• Due date: September 12th
• Cravings: Orange popsicles!!! I didn’t even like them until recently
• Feeling: Feeling awesome! So far, no morning sickness

So, bring on the advice and the hand-me-downs! Both are welcome : )

More baby details to come…

Valentine’s Day – To Hate or Partake?

Ahh…Valentine’s Day! The day when love is in the air and retailers make plenty of money from the sale of flowers, candy, cards, and jewelry.

Legend has it (at least according to the History channel) that this day back in 278 A.D. a holy priest in Rome by the name of Valentine was executed. In that time, Emperor Claudius II wanted an all bachelor army, so he banned all marriages and engagements in Rome. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret.

BUT, as you may know, it is not good for your health to defy the emperor! St. Valentine was beaten and beheaded. Before his death, he left a farewell note for the jailer's daughter, who had become his friend, and signed it "From Your Valentine."   Romantic, huh?

   

As I reviewed my friend’s facebook statuses this morning, I noticed a clear line between V-day haters and partakers. You can take a guess about which status goes in which category:

•  Haappy Vday FB! Its my most favoritist holiday (after christmas of course). Love is great (bc God is love)? Tell someone you luv em 2day. And do something sweet 4em while ur at it. :)
• So blessed to be in love....
• Valentine's Day is not for love. You should tell your significant other everyday how much they mean to you. Valentine's Day is actually a day to remind all the single people that you are NOT in love. And a day to remind you of your ex even though you don't want to think about it. Worst. "Holiday." Ever.
• Shout out to those that have given up on love or don't feel loved. God is love and He would never give up on you. Seek the Lord first. Hang in there! I love you!

So, what do we make of this joyous, fun-filled, industry dictated, love mandated holiday that is full of perhaps unrealistic expectations?!

 

I say we go back to the definition of LOVE found in 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8a:

"Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails."

Would your friends and coworkers describe you as patient, kind, hopeful, trusting, and never failing or would they describe you as proud, angry, self-seeking, etc? 

"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." - John 13:35

We are recognized as God's people by our LOVE for one another!! So weather or not you have a hot date tonight, don't miss your opportunity to show LOVE to others as Christ showed to us :)

What is a picture REALLY worth!?

We have all heard the saying, "A picture is worth a thousand words."  I would agree SOME pictures are worth a thousand words.  Here are a few of my favorites:

And of course....



Well...I spent most of the month of December gathering my favorite pictures from 2010 and scrapbooking our sweet memories from the past year...everything from my sister's wedding to Adam's 1st Georgia football game to our 11 day trip to see all of our friends in Florida. 

I do, in fact, realize that there is "new" technology that will allow you to make photobooks quickly online by simply uploading pictures, inserting your credit card, and waiting for the arrival in the mail!  BUT I LOVE reliving the memories, cutting fun shapes, and gluing in ticket stubs, invitations, and any other 'scrap' that I saved to inlcude in the book.  It does cause quite a mess in the dining room, but Adam is pretty patient with me.

As I was scrapbooking, I talked to my dad and told him what I was doing.  He laughed and told me about a home he recently bought after a gentleman passed away.  He said that he was going through the attic and found several scrapbooks that this man and his late wife made.  He looked through some, but tossed most things as he had several rooms to clean up before he could rent the house out. 

Then he asked, "What do you think people will do with your scrapbooks when you are dead?" HA!  Seriously, dad!   That wasn't really where I thought the conversation was going.  I guess now that I think about it, I hope that when I die (hopefully in 100 years) that I leave more than scrapbooks and pictures.  I hope I leave a legacy (for lack of a way better word!) of joy, kindness, peace, and patience.  Those are the things can never be tossed. 

In the meantime, I say, "Happy Scrapbooking!"  May your pictures be clear, your cuts be straight, and your books be filled with lots of beautiful memories!

The Jolly-days!

I LOVE the holidays JOLLY-days! 

My ears are delighted by praise songs about the birth of our Savior;
my eyes are pleased with all of the lights and decorations of the the season;
my soul is comforted with the thought that we have been blessed with family, friends, and fun-filled year;

my excitement level peaks with thoughts of the new year and new opportunities to come!

Corny?  Sure!  But if you know how much I love the holidays, this is no surprise to you!  I tried to convince Adam to let me decorate the house the day after Halloween (Nov 1st).  He said that I couldn't do it until December 1st!  We compromised on November 15th and since that was on a Monday, I was able to move it to the 13th, because, of course, I needed the weekend to get everything in its place : ) Ha!

Left: Me and my Christmas elf (Cookie Monster) prepping to decorate in our holiday PJs!!

It was a surprisingly quiet Christmas season as my family all seemed to be in different places - visiting other family or working!  We had a To-Do list (see the previous blog to get my theory of To-Do lists!) that turned into a To-DONE list!  We got a crazy amount of house projects completed and still had lots of time for quality time, snuggling, rejoicing, and resting. 

We even saw snow on Christmas..in Alabama!  If you are from up North, I use the term snow liberally :)  We had enough snow to make a few snowballs!!  Wooo!  Not snowmen, just snowballs! 

And even though presents are NOT the reason for the season, it is always fun to bless others with something that will make their heart smile!  Adam got me the BEST present ever. Are you ready to hear this?!  An all-in-one printer, scanner, fax, & copier!  It does double sides copies & scans.  It can turn a scanned document into a writable word doc!  It is awesome.  A grad student's dream....ahhhh!

Adam got a scope for rifle. I guess it is cool.  I haven't seen him much since he won't come out of the woods!

I love "To Do" lists!

It is true!  I can't help myself from making lists especially To Do lists: grocery lists, wal-mart lists, chores around the house lists, daily work to do lists, lists about goals for the week/month/semester, lists of errands I need to run around the city, etc.!   At any given moment, I may have 5 or 6 To Do lists going.  Some are in my planner others hanging on the refrigerator or laying next to the bed. 

I love drawing lines through all the the things that I have accomplished, and I have been known for writing something on my To Do list just so that I can mark it off and feel accomplished.  I've got this down to an art.  For example, instead of writing "Read Chapters 1-3 for Class" on my To Do list, I will write:

• Read Chapter 1
• Read Chapter 2
• Read Chapter 3

Because then you get to mark THREE things off your to do list instead of just one :)

As the semester is coming to an end and the holidays are quickly approaching, you cannot begin to imagine the number of lists we have around the house!  Ha.  For some people, I do realize, this would be an awful feeling, but for me it helps me to feel like I have a game plan.  Plus, I cannot seem to remember a darn thing these days and a house full of post it notes was just not cutting it. 

Over Thanksgiving when we were traveling home, Adam and I made several To Do lists including:

• Things that needed to be done by the end of the semester
• House projects we wanted to accomplish during the Christmas break,
• A list of people to send Christmas cards to
• Plus another list of people who we still needed to get their address
• A list of Christmas gifts we wanted to buy

You may be thinking, "Mallory, what does Adam think about all those To Do lists?"  Ha.  Good question.

I actually think these lists have helped our communication a ton!  I am not always great at expressing what I need from him when I am overwhelmed and lists let him know some of what I need.  To be totally honest, at first, the lists did not help because he thought I wanted all of it done immediately, but I let him know that lists were just a way for me to organize myself.  Now, I think we have lots of shared meaning about our goals and priorities...thanks in large part to To Do lists! 

I think he even likes marking off tasks too.  Sometimes he will put his initials next to all the items that he completed and feel very proud because he did more than me :)  Don't tell him, but I am ok with him "winning" that little battle. 

Well, now I can mark "Write Blog" off my To Do list and move to the next thing!  What a productive day!

Grateful...for my crazy family

Last week lots of families across the country gathered together to give thanks for their many blessing and to eat until they had to pop open their top button : ) 

Same is true for the Greer family.  We traveled to Tallahassee to be with my sister and her husband.  This was a big year for them - being married, buying their 1st house, and inviting the in-laws over to eat!  Let's just say that is was nothing short of a firework show gone bad.  Sigh....

How does that happen?  Civilized adults who LOVE each other gathered together for a meal all under the same roof.  You would think that it would have been smooth sailing, right?!  Ha...I can think of lots of words to describe Thanksgiving (i.e. interesting, lively, energetic, wild, fast paced, nutty), but smooth sailing is not a word that comes to mind. 

In the midst of the chaos of family, Adam & I have lots to be thankful for this year:

• We have each other!  (I could stop there, but I'll go on)
• We have a beautiful home that we have already lived in for a year!  Wow, time flies!!
• We are both full time Auburn students
• We have jobs!  Even better: we are blessed to be able to work together!! 
• We have family (biological and chosen) that bring excitement to our lives

But best of ALL....we have a relationship with our Lord and Savior - the One who provides all of our blessings. 

Even in the midst of family "chaos" and days that certainly don't seem to go my way, I pray that I will continue to see God's many blessings along this journey we call life.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. Psalm 107:1

Wake up! Someone is in the House!!

Probably once every 2 or 3 months, I wake up with my heart racing, and I just "know" that someone is in the house!   Adam says that I shouldn't read murder mystery books before bed (which may be a good suggestion), but either way, he knows the routine: 

No time for questions! 
Get up!
Put on your glasses and go save my life!!

To date, no one has ever been in house.  So, generally he does his rounds of the house, turns on all the lights, and then we go back to bed.  In fact, we live in a lovely neighborhood and 99.9% of the time I feel perfectly safe. 

Well, last night, the story went a little different.   At 12:30, I heard taps (like maybe the "robber" had on high heels or something) and I heard the gate shut outside (so maybe the "robber" was stealing something out from the man cave in high heels!).  p.s. Yes, I did read my murder mystery book before bed.

Adam dutifully put on his glasses and went on his rounds.  Of course, no one was there, but we noticed sirens outside and saw numerous people walking around in the neighbor's back yard!  (All I could think at the moment was, "Ha!  I'm not so crazy.  I did hear something!!")  Turns out there was an electrical surge and subsequent fire at a home down the street. 

When we joined our neighbors outside, they were relieved to see us.  They said that they had called multiple times, knocked on the windows, and on the door, because their home had sustained damage too and they were concerned for us (so much for my keen sense of hearing; we slept through all of that)!

Happy to report that everyone is ok.  Nothing a little time and repair cant fix.

On a high note, I believe that Adam will be more likely to believe I heard something the next time I roll over and say, "Wake up!  Someone is in the House!!" 

Traveling is Fun, but There is No Place Like Home!

Fun Resturants + Nice Hotel + Great Conference + Time With Friends & Family = A GREAT TRIP!!

I heart traveling and seeing new places.  Over the last four days, I have been in Minneappolis, Minnesota at a conference for work.  Lots of fun times including:

Presenting our research at our national conference...

Going to The Mall of America...

and seeing my sweet step sisters!!

But it was so nice to be home and see Adam!  I was pretty zapped from going and moving for 4 days straight (without much sleep), BUT when I saw Adam I was immediately recharged and refreshed from being home.  While I was gone, I found out that he wrote me a several sweet letters (or rather lists...you will see).  They went a little something like this:

What is Better About Mallory Being Home:

• I miss her genuine smile
• Someone to talk to about my day
• She tells me when to put the chips down
• Cookie Monster sleeps on her side of the bed rather than mine

Advantages of her Being Gone:

• No "Real Housewives" or "Dog the Bounty Hunter" on tv
• More flatulants (ha!!  he really wrote that!!!!!)
• I eat all the chips I want

Things I did today that would've been more fun if Mallory where here:

• Woke up
• Drove to School & Went to work (We work together)
• Drove Home
• Prayed for her
• Watched Part of Grey's & Police Women of Dallas (Some of my favs)
• Ate her popsicles
• Went to Bed

What a blessing to be married to such an amazing (and creative!) man

Where has all the toilet paper gone?

The other day I was sitting on the couch getting ready for the Georgia game. (SIDE NOTE: Let's try to avoid UGA football jokes...it has just been a ROUGH year for me.  All my smack talking has caught up with me).

Anyway, I was sitting on the couch and Adam walked into the living room with an empty toilet paper roll in his hand and a seriously look on this face!  I smiled, because I couldnt imagine what he was able to say :) 

The toilet was stopped up? 
Cookie Monster (our 6 lb chihuahua) had pulled the toilet paper off the roll? 
What could it be? 

In all seriousness, he said, "Do you know that you have gone through a whole roll of toilet paper in 2 days?"  Silence.  No smile from him.  Just genuine confusion....

HAHAHA!  Really, that is what you came in here to tell me?!?!  Well, pardon.  I didnt know that the TP police had an eye on our bathroom.  New Alert: Girls use toilet paper...

Oh the joys of living with a guy : ) 

This morning I got a lecture on how to use the toothpaste.  Ha! 

Fall FUN!!

From PUMPKIN PATCHES...

  

 

to PUMPKIN CARVING...

to FALL FESTIVALS...

we have had a blast over the last few weeks in this cool, "flirty" weather! 

So...happy fall y'all :)





We are Crying Over Spilled Milk - LITERALLY!!

When you walk into our kitchen be prepared to have a gas mask to make it out alive!  Ugghh....

We are in some serious trouble over spilled milk....literally

A few days ago, Adam wanted his milk REALLY cold, so what did he do?  Put it in the freezer, of course!  Then, he YANKED open the freezer door, and what do you know?  The milk spills.  No big deal.  Just wipe is up.

Day 1 = No problem we wiped it up
Day 2 = We wake up to the smell of rotten milk!!  We wipe the freezer again...and cross our fingers
Day 3 = The rotten smell now has a hint of cheesy grossness.  AHH!  We clorox this time and buy 2 boxes of baking soda to put in the fridge and freezer!
Day 4 = Rotten, cheese smell mixed with DEATH!  Everything comes out of the fridge and freezer and is washed.
Day 5 = HELP!!  We need help!  The smell of death is permeating the house! 

I think they have this idiom about NOT crying over spilled milk WRONG! 

People aren't crying because they are sad.  They are crying because the rotten/cheese/death smell has taken over their tear ducts!

Southern Bride!!!

So excited and honored to be part of Southern Bride's latest issue!!!!!!!  This is a TRUE story about our dog - Cookie Monster - running away on our wedding day....sigh.  Through the woods we went (wedding dress and ALL) looking for Cookie Man : ) 

Tuesdays with...

Tuesdays with Morrie Adam! 

I love Tuesdays.  They are first of all NOT Mondays :) which make them special, but in the Greer house:

Tuesdays = Softball Night

Every Tuesday, I find myself on the bleachers with a chicken finger basket in my lap, school work next to me (usually untouched), and a smile on my face.  Why? 

Because I love sitting on metal bleachers for 2-3 hours?  No. 

Because I dont have anything else to do?  No.

Because I love chicken fingers and fries? Well, maybe!

I love it because Adam loves it!  Every Tuesday he joins his friends to play some church league softball.  Adam enjoys going, doing, playing, moving.  It is probably safe to say that between the two of us,  am more of the "home body," but on Tuesdays there is no place that I would rather be.  I am sort of like the postman in the sense that I try to be there every game. 

"Neither rain, sleet nor snow, to the ball field I must go"

So on Tuesdays, if you cant find us.  Drive by the ball field.  Look for the bright yellow uniforms. 

Check the bleachers.  I'll be there!

Look for the hottie at 2nd base.  Adam will be there!

See you Tuesday!  I cant wait : )

Married for 500 days!!

So, your first question is probably, "Who counts the number of days they have been married?!"  Ha...valid question!  On my cell phone, I had a count down to our wedding day, then after the wedding it just started "counting up!"  I liked it, and so it has stayed on my phone.  Duh!

Weddings and marriages have been on my mind a lot lately (probably b/c my sister, Jessica, just got married!  see the previous post).  I had the privilege of being Jessica's matron of honor, and at the rehearsal dinner I gave a toast.  It was nothing too profound or original.  As I choked back tears, I said something along the lines of:

• "I love you both"
• "I am excited to have a new brother...although I feel like Ryan has been part of our family for a long time"
• "We, as their friends/family, have an obligation to support them, love them, & pray for them"
• "Marriage is hard work, but a blessing beyond what you can imagine"

I didnt think much of it, but the next night after the wedding I was talking to my stepdad, John, and he asked why I said "Marriage is hard work."  My 1st response was a resounding "Because it IS hard work."  Hello, I have a whopping 500 days under my belt; I know a little something :) 

His point was that marriage takes work, but is that really "HARD work?"  Maybe it is just semantics, but I appreciated his point.  We choose to be married.  If we go in with our eyes wide open, we know that our partner is not perfect (gasp!).  While, I think Adam is perfect for me, I know he is not perfect, and I know that I am not perfect (no laughing!).  Thus, when you have two imperfect people under one roof, it takes work in the form of compromise, patience, and compassion.  So, John, maybe marriage it isnt HARD work, but it takes work daily, right?  On day 1, 2, 3....day 500, 501...day 15,000, etc! 

Happy day 4 Jessica and Ryan!  Happy day 500 Adam! 

 

Ryan and Jessica SMITH!!!! 9.18.10

My best friend - who just happens to be my SISTER - got married Saturday!!! What a blessing to be part of that amazing day at the beach : ) Here is a little taste of the day! Cant wait to see the professional pictures:

She was breath taking, wasnt she?!?!

Bachelor/Bachelorette Parties – Glorious Fun or Grand Faux Pas?

Just thinking of the to-do list while planning a wedding can be exhausting…book the caterers, reserve the location, send invitations, obtain a marriage license, etc., etc.   After all that work, most brides- and grooms-to-be look forward to the fun events designed specifically to celebrate them and their upcoming nuptials – such as this now-infamous bachelor/bachelorette party.

I started thinking about this “infamous” party as I began helping to plan one for my younger sister, Jessica, who is getting married in a few weeks to a wonderful man.  In planning, I kept thinking:

1.  What is the purpose of this event? To party?  To celebrate the bride? To celebrate marriage?
2. What should be emphasized? Remembering singlehood?  Looking towards marriage?
3. How should be talk about marriage this weekend? Sad because you won’t be single? Excited?

I was probably READING way too much into this event.  Ha!  I know!  Yet, this is my sister and best friend, and I wanted her to not only have a special weekend, but I wanted to provide a solid example from what I know as a wife and a marriage researcher.  I have attended different types of bachelorette parties in the past, and it makes me a little sad when people think of parties like this as the “end of fun” or when people make comments like “RUN!” or “Don’t do it!”

I did some brief (non scholarly) research on the history of these parties and found that bachelor parties date back to the 5^th century when Spartan men held a dinner in the groom’s honor and would make toasts to the groom in a celebratory fashion, but the term bachelor party wasn’t coined until the 1920’s.  After the sexual revolution in the 1960’s, women began their own version of celebration with the bachelorette party.  In wasn’t until the 1990’s that women “pumped up the volume” and were regularly celebrating these parties with wild nights on the town and often male entertainment.  So, maybe all my party planning questions were founded as the typical stereotypes of bachelor/bachelorette parties (think The Hangover) have only been normed during the past decade or two.

Today, I would venture to say that there does not appear to be a “right” way to celebrate.  As the party-planner and/or friends of the soon-to-be-married-couple, it is important to know what the couple wants (and what they do NOT want) at their party or separate parties.  There is nothing wrong with good ole fashioned fun as friends help celebrate the transition from singlehood into marriage, but honoring the couple and their upcoming life together is also an essential element for a successful party and for a healthy relationship for the couple.

As for Jessica’s bachelorette weekend, it was a raging success filled with fun, sun, and lots of talk about the adventures of marriage!

Pictured left: Kaley Revell (bridesmaid), Jessica Lucier (BRIDE!), Mallory (Matron of honor)

Below Left: My BF's bachelorette party.  Now Mrs. Catie Walker O'Neal.

Below Right: My bachelorette party with my son, Cookie Monster!!

 

Vacation By Numbers...1, 2, 3....1,330

Gators and Porpoise and Seagulls, oh my!  Adam, Cookie Monster and I just came home from our multi-destination adventure of Florida :)   We had LOTS of fun and ate TOO much food.  Here is a summary of our trip by the numbers:

11          Days we spent on vacation!
1330.9  Miles driven.  Ok, ok!  I should say, number of miles Adam drove :)
7            Homes we visited
4            Different beds we slept in
616        Pages read catching up on the last two Janet Evonovich books!

33          Naureen's jersey number!  We got to see her and Chris play...they won!!

6           Times I spit on the ground in Gainesville, FL.  Yick, UF!  Go dawgs :)
4           Number of real gators (not the obnoxious fans) we saw at Paynes Prairie! 

             Thanks to Roxanne, our amazing tour guide!

2:30       Time of Drew and Patty's wedding on 8.7.10! 

9'8"        Length of the longboard I tried to surf on!

2            Number of sandsharks in the water...and reason I didn't learn to surf :)

$40        Amount of money we saved b/c Adam's mom gave us both great haircuts

9374      Address to Jessica and Ryan's NEW HOUSE! Glad we went to visit Tallahassee
387        Exit we ran out of gas.  Really. We even had a note to remind us to fill up. Ah!

15           Minutes it took Grant to get gas & save us...in the RAIN!  Thanks Grant!

∞               Amount of fun we had traveling to see our friends and family!!

                  Can't wait to do it again!

p.s. Thanks to the Netzer family for giving us this numerically descriptive idea! 

Vacation...Porpoise Sighting from a CANOE!!

Rivers and beaches and pools, oh my!  We are enjoying our vacation as we circle the state of Florida visiting family and friends (i.e. fun and inexpensive holiday before school gears back up).

Adam and I went on a canoe ride on the Banana River yesterday afternoon.  It was beautiful outside as we watched fish jump and the sun shine down on us.  Then Adam spotted a porpoise!!  

Check out the video as we basically paddled right next to the porpoise!  Shoot, he/she almost swam underneath the canoe (in the 2nd video)! 

The 1st one has me narrating; the 2nd one is a little windy but mr. porpoise gets CLOSE!

I was having a laughing attack...excited like a little kid.  Growing up in Georgia, you dont see this everyday unlike my surfer boy husband who is like a fish to water....better yet, a porpoise to water!  Enjoy :) 

More photos and videos of the trip to come!

Learning While Teaching!

I love my job(s)! As a little background, I have been in grad school at Auburn for the last 4 years (yet still a faithful Georgia Bulldog). During that time, I have worn many “hats!” Beyond my favorite roles (wife to Adam, sister, daughter, etc!), I also have had some rocking jobs. 4+ years as a research assistant for Alabama’s healthy marriage initiative and the last three years as a therapist at a community mental health facility.

I love therapy, but I was ready for a new adventure. In the spring of this year, I co-taught a class with my major professor...loved it! Then, this summer, I turned in my 30 day notice at mental health when I was offered a job teaching an undergrad Marriage & Family class at Auburn.

Transitioning from a one-on-one, community mental health setting to a classroom with 35 “knowledge seekers.” Oh, it has been an adventure!!!! There are some similarities between therapy and undergrads (i.e. in both settings some WANT to be there, others don’t; both are filled in interesting people who keep me on my toes!)

Here are a few things that I have learned/enjoyed about teaching this summer:

4. Everyone was learning…including ME! I had a chatty, thoughtful group of students who asked LOTS of questions and had even more “colorful” stories to highlight various topics we discussed including LOVE, costs/rewards for romantic relationships, rules for breaking up, healthy sexuality, etc.

3. I felt so funny! : ) I am not sure if they are required to laugh at my jokes and stories because I was the instructor (or maybe Adam paid them), but they did which just encouraged me to tell more jokes! Ha!

2. It is important to have clarity in communication! This is a good lesson for everyone…therapists, teachers, spouses, etc. On the first exam, I asked the students to describe the difference between individualistic values (individual/self oriented) and familistic values (family oriented). Then, I asked them to illustrate each value system expecting for them to give me an example of each. I was really confused when I was grading the tests and began seeing pages covered in STICK FIGURES! 

HAHA! I didn’t know if I should deduct points or give extra credit : ) Next time I will just ask for an example.  p.s. I asked permission from the students to use these

1. The best part about teaching: Watching the A-ha Moments! Lots of students across the University have to take this class. I had interior design students, engineers, communication disorder folks…students from a variety of back grounds. As diverse as their interests were, we all had some common ground in this class. We all have a family – whether biological or a chosen family – and we will continue to be part of a community of people.

Several students we struck by the fact that we can STUDY marriages and families! Skills such as having realistic expectations and being intentional in relationships can promote healthy relationships and stability….plus research rocks! The last part was added by me. They may not yet love research as much as I do!

What a blessing to have such a great job in which I get to talk about marriages and families!! Looking forward to learning lots more as I continue to teach this fall!