Thought-full Thursday

Random Acts of Kindness

Today is National Random Acts of Kindness day!

I'm excited about this post because it's one of my favorite things to do.  

A few years ago, Jim called me up to the office to ask about the American Express bill.  

He saw a two charges for Chik-Fil-A on one day and thought we were being charged double.

I was busted! 😉

Flashback to some time before when I swung through Taco Bell after running errands at lunch. I was shocked when I got to the window and the employee said 

"no charge today, ma'am".  

Wait....what???

The sweet older gentlemen in the car ahead of me had paid for my lunch.  I couldn't believe it!  He didn't wait for a "thank you" but, instead, drove off quickly.  

I was so moved by that random thoughtfulness that I quickly got into the habit of doing the same thing each time I grabbed a quick lunch.  

Fast-forward to some time later in the truck with Jim and I were running our Saturday morning He-man-woman-hater errands.

Jim was craving an egg-mcmuffin from McDonalds.  We pulled up to the "pay here" window and my husband paid for the guy behind us!  

I gave him the "awww-honey-you-are-so-sweet" look and got the one pictured above back.  Ha!  

He was like "What?!?  I do this all the time!"

I soon found out that he DID indeed do it all the time!  💜

He once bought a Starbucks gift card (he goes there every single morning) and left it at the counter for the cashier to use for that day's customers.

He once purchased coffee travel mugs for the police officers he sees in Starbucks every weekday morning.  (With these travel mugs, Starbucks gives free coffee refills.)

While neither Jim nor I came up with this idea, we both get a kick out of doing it for someone else.  It's contagious!  It warms your heart as much as it does the customer behind you.  

Do it and see for yourself!!

Thought-full Thursday

#8

On Tuesday, Jim and I celebrated our eighth wedding anniversary!! 

This is us on our wedding day.  

See that all-encompassing-hug-thing that Jim does?  I love it!!  💙 

It makes me feel like the center of his universe.  

This is us a few short years later.  

It really doesn't feel like eight years.  Maybe because there's always some kind of adventure.....

Moving to Minnesota



Raising two amazing kiddos

Job/career changes

Tons of Saturdays spent in Home Depot

Hours spent in the basement while Jim plays video games and I paint signs

And laughing every time I catch Jim sleeping on film  

If I had to use one word to describe the last eight years, it would be FUN.  We just love spending time together because we always have fun.  Simple.

On our anniversary last year, I wrote about the secrets of our happy marriage.

Nothing ground-breaking there.....just a few things that work for us.  

Speaking of which.....

Jim hand-delivered a beautiful bouquet of roses to my office on our anniversary.

Eight yellow ones (one for every year we've been married) plus four red ones.  

Then made reservations at our favorite steakhouse for a special anniversary dinner.  

He popped the question in a steakhouse just like this in Dallas. 

Check out my drink!  It's called a Smoking Cosmo....

It was so awesome!  There was dry ice in the bottom and it made it look like it was boiling.  

After hours of talking about the future and how lucky we are to have found each other, the server brought out my favorite dessert......red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting.  

All in all is was a great day!

Happy anniversary, Jim!! 💑

Thought-full Thursday

Life lately

There has been a lot of activity around our bee hive lately!

 

Here’s a look……

 

 

I finished my first ever month-long blog challenge!

 

Woot woot!

 

Now you know everything you never wanted to know about me.  Haha!

 

Delanie turned 18 this month!! 

 

 

I tried so hard to surprise this kiddo with a birthday party but her schedule is so jam-packed, we just couldn’t fit it in. 

 

What is it they say about the best of intentions???

 

 

This fella was hurting most of January. 

 

He bruised his ribs after slipping on sidewalk ice, then threw his back out the next week.

 

 

Poor guy…..he could barely move for a few weeks.

 

This was my view for a full week last month as I came down with the flu (even AFTER getting a flu shot). 

 

 When Jim is sick, he sleeps a ton.  When I’m sick, I binge on Netflix.

 

The Netflix home screen cracks me up.  It is the perfect snapshot of our family.

 

James – Mr. Grumpy (just kidding honey!!)

 

Delanie (AKA Jo) – Cartoon panda.....she’s the baby of the family after all!

 

Garrett (AKA G-money) – Bad ass biker dude!

 

In addition to Netflix, I ordered the complete set of Heroes. 

 

This show reminds me of something Garrett would watch and, I have to admit, I’m hooked. 

 

 

Speaking of Garrett…..I laughed out loud when this picture of he & his roomie, Hutch, came up in my Facebook feed. 

 

The feud between the Detroit Red Wings and the Dallas Stars is still going strong!

 

Our sweet little Maci passed her nursing exams last month!!  

I’m so proud of this cutie!!

 

 Maybe it’s the history teacher in me but I can’t get enough of the inauguration.  I don’t care who wins the election (don’t get me started!) but I’m glued to the TV every four years. 

 

 

I took this snapshot as Lee Greenwood’s “God bless the USA” was being belted out by this veteran.

 

I get goose bumps every time I look at that photo.  We are so lucky to live in this country.

 

One of my goals for 2017 was to try digital scrapbooking. 

 

While I don’t think it will replace my physical scrapbooks, it’s been interesting to explore.

 

I’m using the Project Life app on my iPhone to do a weekly digital spread throughout 2017.

 

The idea is to use the app to document a week’s worth of random photos throughout the year, then print the pages in a bound photo book.  So far so good!

 

Outside of that one layout per month, I haven’t been motivated to do much creating. 

 

Until Jim surprised me with an art set one afternoon after his errands.  No particular reason, he says, he just “thought I would like it”. 

 

That is my husband in a nutshell.  💚

 

It’s time to get my bootie in gear and start ramping up the Etsy shop again! 

 

 

For the first time since we’ve been in Minnesota, Jim and I visited a church last weekend. 

 

Since I was raised Baptist and Jim was raised Catholic, we are trying to find somewhere we are both comfortable.

 

I don’t think it will be this particular church but we are definitely moving in the right direction.

 

Last but certainly not least……..this beauty moved to Houston and started grad school this month!!

 

My sweet Raymond is a big girl now!!

 

She is kind.  She is smart.  She is important.  (Quick!  Name that movie!!)

 

Seriously…..this apple didn’t fall far from her MiMi’s tree.  She is independent, smart as all get-out and so dang foxy!!!

 

And speaking of family……..I’m just going to leave this right here…..

 

 Have a great week, friends! 😀

 

Thought-full Thursday