Memorial Day

Thank you to all of the service men and women, past and present, and to their families!

This Memorial Day is a little more real to me because one part of the three muskateers is serving in Afghanistan right now.

'H', I am so proud of you!

Be safe and come home soon!

I believe President Ronald Reagan said it best:

"I have no illusions about what little I can add now to the silent testimony of those who gave their lives willingly for their country. Words are even more feeble on this Memorial Day, for the sight before us is that of a strong and good nation that stands in silence and remembers those who were loved and who, in return, loved their countrymen enough to die for them.

Yet, we must try to honor them -- not for their sakes alone, but for our own. And if words cannot repay the debt we owe these men, surely with our actions we must strive to keep faith with them and with the vision that led them to battle and to final sacrifice.

Our first obligation to them and ourselves is plain enough: The United States and the freedom for which it stands, the freedom for which they died, must endure and prosper. Their lives remind us that freedom is not bought cheaply. It has a cost; it imposes a burden. And just as they whom we commemorate were willing to sacrifice, so too must we -- in a less final, less heroic way -- be willing to give of ourselves."

~Ronald Reagan, May 31, 1982

 

Happy Memorial Day!

awesomely awesome

My sci-fi geek heart sings!

Famous sci-fi movie quotes as infographics...

Nathan Yau has designed these humorous infographics representing

famous sci-fi movie quotes for SciFi Wire.

I love, love, love these!!

I just wish there we more of them.

Happy Friday!

graceful much?!

{via}

I am a complete klutz!

I have always been clumsy.

So much so, my nickname growing up {and even now} was Grace.

And not because of my cat-like reflexes or mad ninja skills.

Well, this week I have been particularly clumsy.

It all started on Sunday.

When I was putting the apple pie in the oven, I

touched the side of the 425° oven.
Yeah, hot oven and flesh...not a good thing!

Now I burn myself ALL the time in the kitchen.

I cook almost every night and somehow I wind up

cutting or burning myself in the process. 

But this burn is bad and I think it is going to leave a scar.

{4 days after I burned it}

Then when I was cooking supper Sunday night,

I dropped a bowl {luckily it did not break.}

Then I was getting the A1 sauce out for the steaks and

I dropped the full bottle {yet again it did not break.}

I am really good at breaking stuff, so I was a little suprised

 when I dropped 2 breakable things without them breaking.


Then when the bff was cleaning the kitchen I knocked
over a full trash bag...oops!
She then proceeded to kick me out of the kitchen.


The rest of the week has been just as bad.
I have dropped EVERYTHING I touch.
It is a wonder my poor cell phone has not protested and died!
And I have not meet a table or corner that I have
not wanted to plow some part of my body into.
I have bruises everywhere.
My legs look like a paint-by-number.


I guess my equilibrium is off this week or something.
As long as I do not break any bones this week
I will be just fine!

{via}

baking=yummy goodies

I have been on a baking kick lately.

Much to the chagrin of my roommates;)

Although the BFF's boyfriend LOVES it!

I have always liked to cook but I love baking.

It relaxes me and I love seeing people enjoy my desserts.

Granted it is not very good for the waist line,

but I try to give as much of it away as I can.

I am the office favorite on those days;)

A couple of weeks ago, by request, I made some of my cream cheese filled red velvet cupcakes.

Last weekend I baked a triple chocolate cake with cream cheese icing.

Yesterday was a homemade apple pie.

I think next I want to try a peach cobbler.

This is actually one thing I have never baked before so it will be an experiment!

What are your favorite things to bake or

if you do not bake, what are your favorite desserts?

friday favorites

sunshine

{minus the humidity PLEASE}

more than 5 hrs sleep at night...sigh

the best friends in the whole universe!!

all of the spring flowers in bloom

3 whole days without class!!!

Have a lovely weekend!!

{images via}

thoughts & prayers

I am requesting your thoughts & prayers for one of my closest friends from high school, 'H.'

'H', the BFF, and I were known as the 3 musketeers because we did everything together.

And we were always perfect little angels;)

'H' joined the Air Force shortly after high school.

She has been stationed in some pretty cool places in the past 8 years.

Some of her favs have been Okinawa and London.

She has 2 gorgeous little boys: ages 3 & 2.

Her husband is also in the military and they have gotten really lucky in the past with being stationed together.

But last week 'H' was deployed to Afganistan.

She is tentatively supposed to be there 180 days, but you know how things can change with the military.

So I am asking y'all to remember her and her family in your prayers.

Please pray for her safety and that the boys will cope well in the next few months.

They are young so I am sure they do not really understand what is going on.

'H' has been able to talk to them through Skype pretty regularly and that is a blessing!

Isn't it amazing how the internet can make the world shrink?

Thank you so much for all of your thoughts & prayers!!

first day

Today was my first full day

of working 2 jobs and school.

I think I am going to really like the new job.

Working at financial aid is not all that different from working in retail.

You have "customers" that want a "product."

The only difference is you are giving money away instead of taking it.

I just really have to get used to their computer system.

But it is not rocket science, so I am not too worried about that.

This class, Management Operations, is going to be crazy.

I already have to read 6 articles and the

first 3 chapters of the book by Thursday.

I am definitely going to have to make time to read.

I do not see me getting more than 5 hours of sleep at all this summer.

But I really think I am going to love it all!!

{pics via}

beach day♥

Today the BFF and I spent the day at the beach!

It was so relaxing to just lay there and listen to the waves.

I definitely needed some sun on my legs.

After riding the horses all week my face and arms looked pretty good,

but my poor legs were sorely neglected.

I am so not ready for classes and work to start back Monday.

I am starting a new job on Monday too.

I will be a graduate assistant in the Financial Aid office this year.

So, I will be working 20 hrs there and 20 hrs at my current job,

plus taking a full schedule of classes.

It will be interesting to see how this works out.

The good thing about the GA position is that it pays full tuition

plus gives me a monthly stipend.

Thank you Jesus!

And I absolutely love the people I am working for currently,

so I do not want to quit.

I am pretty sure I will be in a perpetual state of exhaustion.

But I would rather be busy than not.

And it is only for a year.

I can do anything for a year!

Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!!

catching up

Generally, I do not watch much television.

But during the semester I pretty much watch zero TV.

So this week I got to watch all of my favorite shows!

{I am still not sure if I like the new doctor.}

What are your favortie TV shows?

{click on pics for source}

can every week be like this...please?!

The past couple of days have been heaven on earth!!

Let's see. I have been:

riding a beautiful horse

building a barn with my brother

riding in classic cars with my other brother

taking lots of pictures

and just generally loving life

Here are the past few days in pictures:

whirlwind weekend

This past weekend and week has been a whirlwind of activity.

I survived yet another round of finals.

One day my body is going to just stop functioning on less than 3 hours of sleep a night.

Saturday was the BFF's graduation!

Approximately 2,500 students graduated Saturday.

She LOVED her grad present!

Saturday afternoon I drove down to the farm and met the horses for the first time!!

I did not get here until late Saturday night so I waited until Sunday afternoon to go for a ride.

We were supposed to get 3 horses, but sadly one of them died at the rescue.

They think she must of ate something because she was on the mend.

It is crazy that I had not even met Dixie yet and I was crushed when they told me.

The brown horse is rebel and the grey horse is Phantom.

They are both rescue horses and have the best dispositions!

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Phantom cannot be ridden.

We have only had them since last Monday and they are already spoiled.

Rebel

Phantom

Lazy Sunday afternoon ride!

I hope everyone has had a wonderful weekend!!

finals week

I will probably be MIA this week.

My finals schedule is insane this semester.

I have a final:

-Wednesday night

-Thursday night

-Friday morning &

-Friday night

I hate Friday finals.

I have been in college for 8 years

and I have NEVER had a Friday final.

It seems unfair that I have 2 in one semester.

C'est la vie!

{click on pic for source}

On the bright side, the BFF graduates Saturday with her MPA!

I am so proud of her.

After graduation I am heading to the farm.

My aunt and brothers have been badgering asking me for weeks when I am coming to visit.

We got 3 new horses that I will get to see for the first time next week.

I am so excited!!

I will be riding every day next week

and I will fit in a little lounging by the pool.

Now, that is the life!

I hope everybody has a fabulous week!

Wish me luck...

the run for the roses

Is anybody else as excited about the Kentucky Derby as I am???

My favorite to win was Eskendereya but he was scratched on Sunday.

So I am now trying to decide who I want to root for.

I really like Lookin At Lucky

but that is mainly because Garret Gomez is one of my favorite Jockeys.

I also like Sidney's Candy ridden by Joe Talamo.

I was really excited last year when Joe was going to ride I Want Revenge but the horse was scratched on the day of the race. So I want him to do well!

I also like Devil May Care mainly because she is the only filly in the race.

Us girls have to stick together!!

{all pics via}

I would be horrible at actually betting on the horses.

My requirements for choosing a favorite are quite random and do not necessarily have anything to do with the ability of the horse!

Do you have any favorites to win the Derby?