Wednesday, August 25, 2010

lists of doing&buying.

of how i really do seem to love and rely on to do lists. if ever i get a few minutes free at work [usually on my last or second to last night because my freedom is in sight] i will grab a blank piece of computer paper and start anxiously writing&doodling. i feel like i am unloading my ever-working brain. we even got a single "To Do List" in a card for our wedding, just one. but i love it. how darling. i surely haven't used it... oh! i will copy it!

when i get to actually cross things out on my to do list... well, that is bliss. especially things that have made their way on several different lists because i was never able to get them done. my current to do list [the one with 22 (now 30) tasks that i made after we got back from our trip] has the majority crossed out; i couldn't feel better about it.


when i was in nursing school i felt so overwhelmed and beat all the time i started adding mundane tasks that i knew i would get done to my lists [interspersed with actual tasks, of course]. ex:

dance
eat
laugh
say hi to a friend
laugh
brush my teeth
drink water
hug someone
call my parents
walk

it made me feel so productive and proud. [until one day it was commandeered by one of my most un-favorite nursing teachers as she read it so sarcastically in front of the whole class as everyone was laughing at me]

i make lists for grocery trips [always, this is an after marriage discovery, ask megan]. even if there are only 3 things. one time i thought i would be adventurous to venture into the wonderful world of walmart, just me and my cart, and see where i ended up. i ended up spending regrettable more than i usually do, and buying everything from pre-made cinnamon rolls to several brownie and cake mixes. a list at the grocery store gives me purpose, helps me stay within budget, and helps me keep my trips to those ever-so-tempting middle aisles to a minimum.

last walmart trip i was feeling extremely frugal and we tried something new. every time dan or i decided we wanted something that was not on the list [such as the fancy poppyseed dressing or a baguette] we had to remove something that we had already put in the cart, to control unplanned spending. it worked quite well. we ended up putting back one of our lime [which was 22 cents... we tried] and the second bag of chocolate chips].

my frugality advice: check your bank account and take a good, hard look at all the money you have spent recently right before you go grocery shopping {or any other shopping} and it will put things in perspective and infuse in you a new sense of "we don't need that."

good luck!

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

back to bama!

d&r in real life includes:

singing/playing "let my love open the door" forever we are dueting
grocery shopping at walmart/sam's club
we made very healthy choices
dan's lunch tomorrow includes a loaded turkey sandwich {12 grain bread, romaine lettuce, sweet pickles, and
baby campari tomatoes}, an apple, goldfish&pretzel mix, fruit snacks, and a baby bag of almonds... so proud of the health factor here
planning our weekend camping trip to smith lake
being a nurse again
listening to tegan & sara
being happy little love birds
running through rain in our soaking wet toms
free full moon dinner tomorrow at the school
appyling cica care to dan's back


dan's first day of school is tomorrow! he is taking conversational spanish, biology, organic chemistry, american literature, and geography. it's just so fun we think.

so happy we are after the most wonderful, love-filled, joyous week/weekend with our dear family.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

love.

jared james & kristina ockey.
married 8.14.2010.



my heart is overwhelmed with love and gratitude.

love for this perfect newly married couple whom i utterly adore.

love for my beautiful, close-knit family, who are held together by an amazing patriarch i call grandpa.

gratitude for the most special parents who have cradled me with their love from the first moment they held me in their arms.

gratitude for the infathomable blessings my Heavenly Father has given me and the love i feel from him.

love for the most patient sweet man who is as vital to my soul as blood is to my veins. i am amazed by our love every day.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

lake love lovely love.

we are in las vegas! jared's wedding is august 14th, so we came out a little early to spend time with the family! we are loving it so much. went swimming, wakeboarding, &sort of tubing at lake mead. ate real armenian food at shish kabob. played cranium &yahtzee. had a gift opening session to kick off the J&K celebrations. went swimming in the back yard. ate lots of delicious food including ice cream [haagen daaz bars, pistachio, sherbet] &tilapia [which kristina liked!], and the famous tomatoes, baguettes, &mozzarella cheese with fresh basil picked straight from the backyard.


it has so been so wonderful getting to know kristina &seeing jared with the love of his life! we just love spending time with our family! [we hadn't seen them for 8 months, that's too long.] &we even got to see dan's dad for a couple hours today {call it a pretty coincidence}!

the best is yet to come! will update!