Fellow TEXAS BLOGGERS Series: September Edition

Ten is a nice round number...don't you think?  And ten is where I am going to stop - at least for now.  I have been fortunate enough to be able to share with you ten amazing ladies from the TEXAS BLOGGERS Facebook group.  I have loved getting to know them through their blogs and have been lucky enough to meet a good number of them through our blogger meet up - the post is coming, I promise!  Anyway, I have something new on the horizon that I am so excited about.  I can't wait to share it with you all later in the month.

To round out my series I have Amanda from Princess of the Panhandle.  Amanda was one of the bloggers that I was fortunate enough to meet this past Saturday.  She is an absolute hoot and truly lights up a room when she walks in!  And now, I think I will turn it over to her......

Hey there! I'm Amanda from Princess of the Panhandle and I am taking over Julie's blog today.

I recently met Julie this past weekend at a blogger meet up and let me tell you she is just as sweet in person as she is here on her blog.

I will tell you a little about myself and my blog. I am a new Mama to a special little preemie princess named Teale, pronounced as teal, like the color. I am also newly married to a Cowboy, not from the Dallas Cowboys, but a real Cowboy who takes care of cattle, rides horses, trains horses, and lives on a ranch in the middle of nowhere. I graduate nursing school this coming Friday and then I will be moving out there with him to the ranch. When I have free time I like to work on my scrapbooks, decorate our home, blog, try new recipes, ride horses, go fishing, turn junk into treasures for our home, hang out at the lake, visit my family, and drink a glass of wine or two.

This is from our first family pictures we had made after baby Teale was out of the hospital.

Meet Jay, my favorite horse that we own.

These are our fur kids. The one in the middle is Dollar, our diva child. Callie is on the left and Buddy on the right. Our house is overrun with women, sorry Mr. H and Buddy.

This is Nicole and I at the blogger meet up this past weekend.

Please stop by and show Amanda some blog love....I know she would be thrilled that you dropped in!

Amanda, thank you so much for the guest post...it was my pleasure to have you.  Congratulations on your graduation tomorrow - that is quite an accomplishment!  And finally, I am so glad that we were able to meet before you relocated and I hope that we will meet again!

Guest Poster: Katie from Katie Stories

I wish that I could tell you how I stumbled across Katie's blog, but I can't.  I think that it was one of those things that was just meant to be.  She is a scrapping machine.  Between traditional scrapbooking, Project Life and projects for around her and her fiance's apartment, Katie always has something in the works.  In short, the girl INSPIRES me!!!  Katie is the first person I ever reached out to personally to guest post on my blog and I was thrilled when she agreed.  So, I am turning it over to her....ENJOY!

Hi A Beautiful Day readers!

I'm Katie from Katie Stories. I'm a New York girl living in the mid west with my fiance and way too many scrapbook supplies for my apartment!

Jules has been such a wonderful blogger to get to know. When she asked me to be part of her September guest poster series, I was honored! There was happy dancing in my very small apartment - which may have led to some falling down over the myriad of scrapbook supplies on the floor ;)

As a science teacher, I love when fall rolls around and school is back in session. Even though this actually happens in August throughout most of the country (including here in Chicago), September will always mean back to school for this east coast girl.

So what could be more perfect for a September scrapbook layout than Back to School?

Since I am already stepping out of my blogging comfort zone with my first ever guest post, I figured, let's keep the trend going and step out of my scrapbook box with a one page layout!

I love the look of washi tape, but I just didn't have any school themed tape. Fortunately, I had just purchased the Die Cuts with a View Edumacation Stack. There was an awesome page with borders I was able to cut up to get the look I wanted.

This blue strip is my favorite. Its just so fabulously science-y!

I cut the title letters out with my Sizzix lollipop alphabet. Its one of my favorite fonts for school related layouts. Then I covered them in white glitter, just to add a  bit of sparkle, because who doesn't love a bit of sparkle?!

Well, that is all for me today! Stop by Katie Stories and say hi, I love to meet new people and check out new-to-me blogs!

Thank you for letting me take over your blog for a day Jules! It was truly an honor to be here.

I hope that you enjoyed Katie's post....I have a sneeky feeling that you haven't seen the last of her around these parts!  Don't forget to drop by Katie's little slice of the blog world and say "hello"....she would love to have you!

Thank you, Katie for sharing your back to school layout with my readers.  It is a great layout and I love the way you gave the paper the washi tape look!

Fellow TEXAS BLOGGERS Series: August Edition Round 3

You guys are in for a real treat today!  Nicole from Three 31 is gracing the pages of my blog today.  I am meeting Nicole next week IRL...and I cannot wait!  Not only is she a fellow TEXAS BLOGGER, but she also hails from The Bluegrass State....she is a Kentucky girl!  And let's not forget she is insane about the 50 Shades Trilogy...as I think that most of us are, but some are too shy to admit it ( I however, do NOT fall into that category).  And once more thing....she has a wicked sense of humor and that is one of things I love most about her.  If you can honestly get through her post without laughing...and I mean out loud....there may just be something wrong and you should be checked out at the nearest clinic or ER.  Sit back, grab a glass of your favorite wine or a sweet tea and read about the men that make Nicole's engine rev....VROOM, VROOM!!!!

There are some fine-as-frog-hair men gracing the tee-vee and movie screens. In fact, I've deemed them all worthy of acts approved by my Inner Goddess. If you have not read the 50 Shades series, you're seriously missing out on some hanky-panky that your girlie parts would appreciate. And your significant other.

300 is one of my favorite movies. I couldn't tell you much about the storyline, except the male character are semi naked manly men in leather skivvies. I'm not complaining. Gerard Butler (King Leonidus) was speaking to me when he said, "Yes m'Lady" when he and his men left for battle. Hands down, I think it's the best line in the movie. If GB and I were together, our conversation would go something like this: Are you attracted to me? GB: Yes, m'Lady. Am I the best thing that's ever happened to you? GB: Yes, m'Lady. Do you like to spend more time with me than your friends? GB: Yes, m'Lady. Do I look skinny? GB: Yes, m'Lady. Do you think I'm sexy? GB: Yes, m'Lady. Would you like my inner goddess to do Christian Gray-ish things to you? GB: Yes, m'Lady. Are you glad we had this conversation? GB: Yes, m'Lady.

Mama always said *NOT* to get in a stranger's vehicle, but I'd make an exception for Richard Rawlings of Gas Monkey Garage on Discovery Channel's Fast-n-Loud. The jeans, the boots, the tattoos, and the slicked back hair ..... yes, please. I don't know the difference between a brake caliper and a cam-shaft, but I'd like to learn from Richard. He's a native Texan (y'all, he lives in Fort Worth!!!!!!), turns "buckets of rust" into show-stopping vehicles, *AND* has the need to exceed the posted speed limit. Obviously, Richard and I could be best friends. {wink} He currently holds the world record for the Cannonball Run, driving 2,811 miles from New York to Los Angeles in 31 hours and 59 minutes --- that's an average speed of 87.6 miles per hour. The next time I drive to Kentucky, Richard is invited to be my chauffeur.

The volleyball court scene in Top Gun. Yes, you remember it. Sand. Sun. Sweat. Shirtless, very sexy men. Mmmm, oh yessssssss. I'd give a pretty penny to be those dog tags. I think he needs some sunscreen on his back too. Most people think Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer were the studs in this movie, but Slider (Rick Rossovich) put the sizzle in my skillet. Since 1986, I've seen Top Gun at least 498,285,108 times. But I'm not counting. No offense, Rick, but if you weren't as old as my mother, I'd think of more inappropriate things for my Inner Goddess to do with you. DRUM ROLL PLEASE .......... { the star of this show } { the apple of my eye } { the sugar in my tea }

I would be the world's worst wife if I didn't include Handsome Husband. He's already given me a million-gabillion eye rolls while I put this post together. He is, however, very well aware of my enthusiasm for the aforementioned men above. He is also aware of who has his last name, prepares his favorite meals, and keeps him warm at night.

 

 

Nicole, thank you so much for that bit of eye candy.....(GB seriously makes me swoon) not to mention the witty commentary.  I think that everybody deserves a guest post by you...just sayin!  Oh, and by the way....who is your choice for Christian Grey on the big screen???  Inquiring minds want to know!

  

If you love what you read and are dying for more of Nicole's hilarity make sure you drop by Three 31 and show her some love....you will not be disappointed!  Tell her I sent ya.....

Fellow TEXAS BLOGGERS Series: August Edition Round 2

I would like to introduce you to Cynthia.  You can find her blogging over at Oh So Pinteresting.  I had the pleasure of meeting her a while back and she is truly delightful...just as sweet as can be!  I could tell you all about her blog and her passion for Pinterest, but then I would be stealing her thunder, so I am going to turn it over to her.

Hello, I'm Cynthia from Oh So Pinteresting Jules has been so sweet to invite me to guest post here today. I was lucky enough to get to meet Julie a few weeks ago and she is just as sweet ad vibrant as her pictures in her header.  

 

  For this guest post, I'd like to tell you a little story .........   A long time ago in a galaxy not so far a way a busy frugal mom looked to the internet for inspiration with crafting and decorating projects. There, she found beautifully decorated homes and creative projects done by other women just like her. She could spend hours looking at the incredible things they did. She even attempted a few.   Then 2 years ago at Christmas, her sweet and loving husband surprised her with a Cricut. (An electric die cutting machine) She was so surprised by this gift. She would never spend that kind of money on something for crafting. He insisted she should have it beacuse he saw how happy she was when she took time for herself to be creative. He knew she had always held a special place in her heart for paper crafts. She went to the internet to find ways to put her Cricut to use and she had a blast making things for her friends and family.

 

Fast forward a year and she began to hear of a new site online called Pinterest. She resisted even looking at it for a while because with work and family, who has time for another meaningless social media site? Curiosity got the best of her and she took a peek. Just like when Alice fell down the rabbit hole, she fell into the world of Pinterest. And, just like Alice, she was amazed at what she saw.   She found that she could save, organize and share all of those wonderful projects from the talented bloggers she had come to admire. She found new blogs to follow too. She began to pin recipes to help her out with the dinner routine and even ideas on how to clean the house (one of her least favorite things to do). 

Roasted Shrimp and Broccoli on OhSoPinteresting.com

    When she did something new around the house and her husband or family asked about it, she found herself saying "I found it on Pinterest" more and more. Soon, she wanted to shout from the rooftops how wonderful Pinterest could be and share it with the world. Well, a fear of falling off of her roof kept her from doing that so, she opted for something less scary like starting a blog.  

     

After many long nights of battling the Wordpress beast and coming up with a name, design and color scheme she could live with, Oh So Pinteresting was born. It is a blog meant to encourage fellow Pinners not to just pin things but to try them too. I have saved money, learned new skills and made parts of my life easier from the things I've tried. It is also about teaching people how Pinterest can be used for different things like taking a virtual vacation or getting ready for back to school.

       

The best part about blogging is the people. She has met people from all across the world online and in person. Her passion for Pinterest and her blog has even led her to a new business. She is now the social media community manager for a local company, a contributor to a blog called PinnableBusiness.com and is developing other opprotunites. Who knows where this adventure will take her next?

 

Lolli and Me, Blogging Pals at NYC Metropolitan Museum of Art

I hope you have enjoyed my story. A big thanks to Jules for the invitation. If you have any questions about Pinterest or would like to share your experience with it, please come on over to ohsopinteretsing.com or find me on Facebook at facebook.com/ohsopinteresting. As they say, Happy Pinning!

 

How fun was that post???  Don't forget to stop by her little slice of the blog world and show her some love.  She is so sweet and you will not be disappointed.  Cynthia, thank you so much for guest posting today...I loved having you!       

Fellow TEXAS BLOGGERS: The August Version

I am so excited to introduce y'all to Sarah from City Girl Gone Country.  This little lady is a sweetheart and I feel blessed that our paths have crossed through the Texas Bloggers Facebook Group.  Can't tell you how excited I am to meet her IRL next month at our meet up. If you are in the DFW metroplex and would like to join us please join our group (link above) and check out the Event page....or better yet just comment or send me an email and I will be happy to fill you in.

Now, without further delay, here's Sarah!

Happy Anniversary to ME!



Hey y’all! I’m Sarah from City Girl Gone Country and I am so honored to be guest posting today on Jules’ blog! It’s been a joy getting to know Jules through the Texas Blogging community and co-hosting our “Sunday Snaps” link up together! I moved to Texas from California a year ago this week, and I thought it was only fitting that I create a blog post to commemorate my first anniversary here in the ‘ole hot state (since as I’ve mentioned in SEVERALprevious posts, I always like to celebrate the ‘little’ things)!

  On August 6th, 2011, I packed my bags and headed over to this glorious state. I had NO idea what I was in for, but managed to keep an excited smile planted on my face as I transferred my poor body from a cool 70 degrees to 100+ degrees in a matter of two days. Since living here in Texas, I have learned and picked up so many things/habits I didn’t know in California. One of which is the oh-so-famous “y’all”! I am SO guilty of this one! It’s just so convenient. Why the conjoined word phrase hasn’t mozied its way on down to CA is beyond me! I REALLY learned what football is all about here—especially college football! I could not believe how much fun it was getting to attend my university’s first game of the year… even if we didn’t win (anyone who knows about UNT knows we don’t have the best track record when it comes to winning football games).

  I’ve learned about love and I’ve learned about heartache.  I’ve learned the true meaning of friendship and how crazy but oh-so-fun it can be to live with 3 random girls. I’m still constantly learning things here in Texas (like how much mosquitoes love my sweet blood), but I’m so proud and so happy to call it my home for the time being. So cheers to my first anniversary here in Texas, and cheers to the blogging community for enduring my mini-celebration! ;-)
  I sure hope y’all will come visit me over at my blog. I offer DIYposts like my T-shirtto Tank Tutorial, recipes, and random tidbits in between. I sure would love to get to know each and every one of you!
Facebook -- Twitter -- Pinterest

Sarah, thank you so much for stopping by today and sharing your thoughts on TX with my readers.  Wherever life takes you after your time here, you will always be a little bit Texan to us! 

Don't forget to stop by and show her a little blog love @ City Girl Gone Country.  Have a great weekend!

Fellow TEXAS BLOGGERS Series: Part 5

Please give a warm welcome to Emily who blogs over at Insanity Rules.  She is the fifth and final installment in my Fellow TEXAS BLOGGERS Series....well at least for July anyway.  Emily is mom to three super cute boys and if that doesn't keep her busy enough, she is also super crafty.  I don't know how she squeezes it all in.  She changes out her mantel according to the season or holidays...I am lucky that I get mine changed out once a year for Christmas.  Enjoy a little glimpse into Emily's world as well as her crafty goodness.....

Hey y'all I'm Emily from Insanity Rules w/ three little boys. Yep that's right I am the mom of three energetic, some what crazy little boys that add to the insanity that is life. 

Aren't they just so handsome. I know I'm a little biased but that's what being a mom is all about right? Okay not really but I do so enjoy hanging with my little men. I am so excited to be here at Julie's blog today. I wanted to share with y'all my new found love of creating subway art. I love to hang it all over my house and I have this thing for redecorating my mantel every time the seasons change. So, this new obsession has come in handy. I got My Memories digital scrap booking software last year and this has come in so handy. So, let me show  you what I make and then I'll tell ya how. 

                                                      

   

Aren't they so much fun! You can always find great blogs that will let you down load the subway art that they have created for free too. I make mine using photoshop and then importing the pictures from the My Memories software. I just open up a blank document in photoshop. Whatever size you would like it. I do 16 x 20 over my fire place and then I have these weird little nooks in my house and I will usually do an 8 x 10 for those along with some 5 x 7's. You can check out my summer decorating soon on the blog! You just open up the document and then have at it. Picking fonts, colors, words etc... Some times I will make a list of words that apply to whatever art I happen to be making at the time. I then just open up the My Memories software and look through what ever scrap booking kits I have to add fun little pictures. It's really simple and I so enjoy doing it. It can be a little time consuming if you don't have a list of words ahead of time. You would think that you'd just be able to pull words out of a hat but sometimes I get really stumped. My boys are great at helping me come up with words though!

Well thanks for letting me stop by and share my new favorite craft to create with y'all. I hope that you will stop by and share in the Insanity that is life with me. Thanks Julie for letting me hijack your blog for awhile. Have a wonderful day y'all!

Thank you, Emily for sharing a bit of your crafty passion with my readers.  I wish that I was half as committed to decorating with the seasons!

Fellow TEXAS BLOGGERS Series: Part 4

Happy Monday! Glad you stopped by for the fourth round of the "Fellow TEXAS BLOGGERS Series".  I am so excited to have Kelley visiting today from The Grant Life.  For those of us in blogland that don't have a clue when it comes to the technical stuff (yes, I am totally referring to myself) Kelley is your gal. "If ya got a blog problem, yo' she'll solve it".  If you picked up on that Vanilla Ice reference good for you, and if you don't know who VI is, well I just don't know what to say to that other than I REALLY showed my age.  And if you are now tempted to not read any further because that was just too hokey for words, I apologize.  Please read on...Kelley is going to enlighten you if you have ever been curious about offering paid sponsorships on your blog.  Take it away, Kelley!

Hi A Beautiful Day fans!  I am so happy to be here today!  [Isnt Julie the sweetest?!  Love her!]  My name is Kelley and I blog over at The Grant Life.  I'm kinda crafty, always thrifty and I love to cook.  I also write about my two blonde haired and blue eyed babies, Ryley and Avery.

 

I've ben blogging for a little over a year now and I absolutely love it!  The blog world is full of so much love, support and genuine friendships.  One thing I enjoy doing is promoting fabulous blogs and shops. A few months ago I began offering paid sponsor spots on my site and it has been so much fun!  Im not an expert but I wanted to share what I know about accepting sponsors on your blog/site.  

1. Have time to promote

I suggest waiting to accept sponsors until you have the time to promote.. not only the sponsor but your site as well.  The more visitors to your site the greater the exposure for you and your sponsor. 

2. Have similar content

Its best to accept ads from sites with similar content.  People visit your site because they enjoy your posts.. its best to promote sites that you know your readers will enjoy.  

3. Set Expectations

Share your stats with your potential sponsors which lets them know how many readers you reach each month.  Also, tell them if you include any extras in their paid spot.  I.e. - social shout outs, giveaway and guest post options.  

4.  Establish an online presence

Its an added bonus when you are involved in other social outlets that will help drive traffic back to your site. 

5. Have a common interest

Establish not only a working relationship but a friendship as well.  [This one is my favorite!]   

6.  Stay organized

Keep up with your sponsors needs and help them as much as possible.  I created a simple sponsor checklist that helps me stay organized.. and Im sharing it with you today!  

Right click, save and print! 

I hope you enjoyed my sponsor printable and my tips on accepting sponsors!  If yall get a chance be sure to stop by my blog, enter my giveaways, link up to my party or just say hello!  Thanks again to Julie for having me on her amazing site!  

Kelley, thank you so much for sharing this valuable information on sponsorships.  It has confirmed for me what I had already been thinking that I am just not quite ready to jump into the paid sponsorship arena.  For now I am going to stick with the button swap / guest post option and continue to focus on being a more consistent poster.

Fellow TEXAS BLOGGERS Series: Part 3

Welcome to part 3 of my July "Fellow TEXAS BLOGGERS Series".  I would like to introduce you to Brittany, who is one half of the duo that make up Natural- Nesters.  She is a sweetheart and I am honored to have her share her latest mission experience as well as a little bit about her blog with you all.

Hello everyone! 

I am Brittany, the Little sister that blogs over at Natural-Nesters! I am so excited that Julie has invited me to guest post over here at A Beautiful Day! Julie has asked me to share with you a little about my most recent mission trip to Trinidad, but before I do, let me tell you a little bit about us the Natural-Nesters.

  

We are two sisters that love family, taking care of our homes, kids, cooking, doing DIY crafts, home projects and more. We would love for you to join in on our adventures with us! 

My Name is Brittany!

 I am a wife who works full-time, goes to graduate school at night, and is taking care of three Asian exchange students! My entire life is an adventure being lived for the Lord and I love it! I love my husband, and I love taking care of our home, which involves, cleaning, organizing, fitness, crafting, creating and planning! I have a passion for each of these things because of the gift the Lord has given me as a Natural Nester!

Now to tell you about my trip...

At the first of July my husband and I helped lead a mission trip with half college students (we are leaders within our college ministry,) and half adults from our church.  We took 36 people from our church to Trinidad to partner with an organization called Every Home for Christ (EHC).  EHC is an organization with the vision of going into every country and putting the word of God into every single home.  They have already partnered with local churches in Trinidad and had a lot of the outreaches planned out for us.

My husband and I at the end of the trip when we visited the beautiful beaches of Trinidad. 

A neighborhood view of Trinidad

A big part of our trip consisted of us going out with 5 different churches to their designated neighborhoods, and walking the streets of Trinidad, going into homes, asking to pray for people, and sharing the love of Christ with them.  Not everyone was kind and welcoming, but as a whole the people of Trinidad were very friendly and hospitable.  Even if they didn't believe in Jesus they loved to just chat with you. 

We saw the Lord do so much while we were gone.  As some people were out evangelizing on the streets, half of our team was in each night worshipping and interceding on behalf of our team in the neighborhoods.  I learned so much about the power of prayer as we watched specific prayers being answered in the work that we were doing. 

Members of our team and the local church praying for an elderly Trini lady

We saw people be healed of physical ailments from eye sight, to being able to walk, to straightening our of limbs that had been messed up by strokes.  We saw people come to love the Lord God, and only God, who had been worshipping multiple Hindu gods.  They would give up their devotion to all of the gods that they had been serving since childhood because they experienced the true love of Jesus Christ. It was amazing to see the miraculous changes.  

Some of the college students that we took on the trip

It was also very encouraging to meet other believers and get to learn from them and spur them on.  We made some wonderful relationships with the local church body, and I pray that as our team left, that they would still be going throughout the streets to spread the name of Jesus to the country of Trinidad.  

It was an amazing time of serving the Lord and seeing his love and power at work.  The country of Trinidad was beautiful, and I would love to go back one day. 

A beautiful sunset view in Trinidad

I hope that after reading this and seeing how good the Lord is that you are spurred on.  On this trip I was reminded so much about the power of prayer.  Different nights, my half of the team would stay in and pray, and in the back of my mind I would think we should all be out DOING. But as our team would come in from neighborhoods, and we would hear testimonies of the prayers that we prayed THAT NIGHT! I was amazed and reminded that our prayers have power, and that daily I need to be using prayer to war for things on this earth.  

Blessings to you all, and thank you for letting me share with you. 

I would love for you to stop by and get to know us more!! 

-Little Sis

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-Natural Nesters

Natural Nesters is trying to reach 1,000 Facebook followers.  When they hit that number there will be a great giveaway!  Can you help them reach their goal?  Just click on "Like on Facebook" above.

So far, when someone has agreed to guest post and asked what I would like them to post about, I have left it up to them.  But knowing that Brittany had just returned recently from her mission trip I asked if she would mine sharing her thoughts on that.  It has been on my heart for years to go on a mission trip and one day I will make it happen...not sure when and not sure where but mark my words I will.  Thank you, Brittany for sharing your lastest mission experience in Trinidad....your faith and passion are a true inspiration

Matthew 28:19-20 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Fellow TEXAS BLOGGERS Series: Part 2

Happy Monday!  It's time for the second July installment of my "Fellow TEXAS BLOGGERS Series".  I couldn't be happier to introduce you to Jennifer of Finding My Way In Texas.  Jennifer is the master mind behind our Texas Bloggers Facebook group, and yep, I kinda love her (but not in a weird way)!   I had the pleasure of actually meeting her a couple of months ago at a craft show she was participating in, and honestly it was like being reunited with an old friend.

Hello Beautiful Day readers! Or Should I say “Howdy”? Nah… I’m not THAT Texan… well not yet anyways. Hehe!
I’m Jennifer and I am the scattered, blonde, coffee addicted mind behind Finding My Way in Texas. I pretty mugh write about what ever catches my fancy. There’s usually something crafty, something yummy and/or something chaotic going on in my house. I started writing and blogging about this craziness that is called life because a year ago today, I moved to Texas to be with the man of my dreams!



So to celebrate, I’m going to do a little bit of reminiscing about everything that I’ve learned and how I’ve changed.
I arrived in the middle of July… the first thing I learned is that Texas is HOT and I needed to get over my clothing/self-esteem hang ups in order to survive! My poor little white legs hadn’t seen the sun in years! Ask pretty much anyone from back “home” and they’ll probably tell you that they’d never seen me in shorts. One of the very first things I did was hack the bottom off of several pairs of pants :)

I definitely went through a period of being homesick! Its hard to believe that as of today its been an ENTIRE year since I’ve been able to hug my family or hang out with my friends. CRAZY! I have had the opportunity to meet amazing people here and I am so thankful for them :) Not to mention that people are SUPER friendly around here! Since I got here, I’ve had more in depth conversations with complete strangers, than phone calls with my family!



My hubby and I recently expanded our little family and welcomed the most adorable german shepherd puppy into our home. Well she’s adorable when she isn’t eating my flip flops, or chewing on socks or biting our toes. Hmmm… sounds like she has a bit of a foot fetish. Silly puppy. She’s incredibly smart though and is learning very quickly!



One of the other things I quickly learned about Texas is that Dr. Pepper isn’t just a drink… its pretty much a  baking staple! Don’t believe me? Type in Dr. Pepper on pinterest and see what comes up!



There are so many other things that I’ve learned and experienced since I got here, there isn’t enough time to share them all! I hope you’ll drop by, check out my blog and say Hi!

Jennifer,  thank you so much for guest posting today and sharing fun insight into your first year in Texas.  Although you haven't been here long, we know you got here as fast as you could!