HITTIN' THE ROAD

taken on the road, of course.

 ...the obvious thing to say! ;)

 

We are going out west, to do what's best!

ROAD TRIPPIN'!!!

 

James and I are finally taking a REAL vacation.  The kind that is consists of a week, sleeping at roadsides (glamorous, I know), and enjoying TIME TOGETHER!  We are so thankful for Nate & Aimee, and Kathy & Troy who will be babysittin' Rainey for the week! 

Also, thank you Jeremy and Charity and the huge blessing this is!  THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

 

We knew that the time has come where James and I both needed to spend some serious time away from all the lovely things we are so proud to be a part of! :) But, we have come to realize that to strengthen a relationship and to keep things in check, sometimes you just HAVE to get away from the norm.  We both are very excited for these next 7 days! They are going to be a lot of just him & me, driving, hiking, rafting, riding..........excited, HOLY COW!  No seriously....we are going to see lots of cows as we drive on by! ;) ha.........as I say this and am writing this, I hope James is ready to put up with me and my silly ol' jokes! Love this dude! Love this time!

 

SO THANKFUL!!!!

Hey! Hey!

Oh, Hey! Hey! It's the last Monday in June! Wowza!

So........................here's an outfit from that one blossom day I posted about here!

 

 Target dress, thrifted top, Chuck Taylor All Star sneakers,

Target watch, Peppers "Nola" sunglasses

 

 

 

And, of course summer brings those little dandelions...

Let me try that again.....stubborn little guy!

beautiful blossoms(and the weekend), you finally arrived!

 

 Last weekend (two weekends ago, actually), James and I took a little stroll across the train tracks to view the beautiful blossoms that finally arrived in northern Minnesota!  We could see them from one of our upstairs windows and thought they were stunning. 

They looked beautiful from a far, but we needed a closer look.  Of course, I can't go anywhere without my camera,

so here are just a few snapshots of those blossoms, up close and personal... 

 

These blossoms didn't smell the prettiest, but beautiful THEY ARE, don't you agree!?

 

I just hope that wherever you are, seeing blossoms or not, that your weekend will be beautiful! 

It has to be....IT'S OFFICIALLY SUMMER!

 

Enjoy the first weekend of this beautiful season!

See you again on Monday!

Awkward and Awesome Thursday!

Hey! This is Awkward & Awesome Thursday!

It's where I post about awkward and awesome moments in this little thing called life!

 

Converse Sneakers, Charlotte Russe Skinny Jeans, Target Tank, Target Sunglasses

Awkward:

Someone comes up to you for your assistance after you secretly just DEVOURED a powdered sugar donut (with lemon custard cream).  You go through the entire conversation smoothly, thinking you absolutely got away with it, until they leave and you notice powdered sugar all over your skirt.  Hopefully there was eye-to-eye contact, and not eye-to-skirt.

When you have to go to the bathroom while watching a movie at a theater.  You just don’t want to miss anything, but know that you should never embarrass yourself by having an accident at your adult age.  So, you quickly sprint in and out of the theatre doors (like that is not awkward) and run down the long hallway, only to notice the two ticket attendants ahead of you…..so you kind of slow down to a light jog and pretend that everything is normal.  Then once you pass them, you sprint again.  You know they were wondering…did the movie freak her out? or does she REALLY have to go? You all have been there, don’t lie!

You have to ask a friend to check and see if your athletic spandex pants are ‘see through’ like, “when I bend over like this?” Only, there are at least 30+ people around and I am sure at least one of them is wondering what I am doing.  Asking anyone that question, is just uncomfortable, but you have to ask a good friend that you trust, so you don’t just keep on showing the world everything you got!  You know!

Paying through the drive-thru at McDonalds for the coffee you ordered as you are eating Hardees.  And saying, “Have a great day” with a mouth full of their competitors food because you are trying to be polite but then talking with food in your mouth.  Wow! Double bad.

(Talking about bathrooms again, sorry!) Being at my desk at work which is right in between two separate  bathrooms.  Let’s just say, it is not as awkward for me, but if they all knew the walls were so thin…you get the picture. :/ 

 

Awesome:

Two hours after I ate that powdered sugar donut (I talked about above), I ate another bakery item!  Bad for me? Most likely.  Awesome? Most Definitely!

James is officially done, done, done with classes for this semester.  This means a summer with no papers and lots more time with friends and the outdoors... Booyah!

We are going on vacation in 8 days!  Headed out West and can’t be more excited to take a summer road trip.  I better start packing tonight, because it takes this lady FOR----EVER to figure out what I need to bring, not just what I want to bring.  I’ll forget something. 
On the other hand, James ROCKS!!!... All he needs is 15 minutes and he is done!  LOTS of credit given to that man.  But we have been married almost 4 YEARS and he hasn’t shared his secrets on HOW!! Come on, dude!

James calling every morning just to make sure I got up, let Rainey out, and…………say, “I love you!”  I don’t care what you think...I live for this romantic, mushy stuff!  He knows me!

Pizza & Juicing…but not together!  James and I enjoy a slice or more here and there.  We also have been enjoying all the juicing we have been doing lately: veggies, fruit, and a juicer…BOOM!  It seems I REALLY crave anything pizza flavored though…most of all, the real thing.  Just make sure you never try to put a slice of the good stuff in a juicer…it won’t work.  No. I didn’t do it! But, there probably was one or more times I thought about it.  Just not going to happen.  Pizza and I have a very respectful relationship. 

YOU are awesome…for stopping by TisforTiffany and showing some love!  I read every comment and every email.  This Internet thing is a pretty amazing place to share life with so many other people I like to call friends.  I am not alone! …and it is a real treat. 

Looks Can Be Deceiving...

James and I were admiring the beautiful blossoms that we FINALLY have seen in northern Minnesota (we thought the day would never come)!  They looked so sweet smelling, that I had to take in all their sweet-smelling glory! 

I stuck my nose right up to branch and took the deepest breath I could.

 

(INHALE HERE)

 

OH MY WORD!! Eeewww!

Here is what happened (for those who are visual people):

 

            1...                                                      2...                                                   3...               

 

Those blossoms looked sweet smelling, but as soon as I took a deep breath, I realized their true colors! Looks sure CAN be deceiving! 

Just for warning you here...to admire your blossoms from a far, unless you are into the smelly ones! :)

 

Plus, I have 20/20 eye seat, so if you thought I needed to wear these glasses because of a prescription, I deceived you.....

but DIDN'T MEAN TOO!!!  I just think glasses rock....so yes, a little unnecessary! But they are fun, right!!

 

Target Wedges(last summer), Target skinnies(last fall),

Target long sleeve(I know...it's summer),

JCPenney tunic top(old!!), Eagle necklace(my mom),

Chain necklace(a little hospital boutique),

Glasses(purchased from blogger Elaine from ClothedMuch)

 

 

Dad's Shoes

<<<<...just borrowing my dad's loafers when I was back home in May>>>>

When I was home to visit my parents last month, I woke up early enough to take a short stroll outside.  I threw on my dad's shoes, like I always did, and headed out the door.  It just seemed natural to me to throw on some of Dad's old loafers.  Ever since my feet were the same size as Dad's, I'd wear his shoes.  One of my favorite pairs were his penny loafers.  I would actually wear them to high school with a penny in each front tab.  No matter what people could say, those shoes were worth more than 2 cents!  I think I just felt....I don't know...a little more comfortable when I put them on....maybe even a little more confident!  The soles were worn leather and pretty beat up, but they were soft to my feet....better than slippers.  Dad still wears his loafers a lot.  He even wore those loafers {seen above} this past weekend, when him and Mom came for quick visit.  On Saturday I looked down and thought,
"Of course he wore those! Why anything else!?"  

 

It may sound cliche, but ever since I can remember, I always wanted to do what dad did.  Of course, it's not that I loved him more than Mom, I just had a tomboy inside of me and wasn't quite ready to be a "girly" girl yet!  I wanted to walk in his footsteps:

Dad was a drummer, so I was a drummer. 
(I always watched Dad play drums, every Sunday at church.  He was my inspiration.) 

Dad was outside working on some project, so I was outside working right there. 
(I am one of four daughters, but I didn't mind getting my hands dirty.)

Dad had short hair,.......well, there was a time when YES.....I had short hair, indeed.  
(One moment I had long, red locks, the next I had a mushroom, "bowl" cut.
I think Dad about had a heart attack when he saw me after "the chopping."
I remember saying, "It's okay! I donated it")

...and yes.  Dad wore loafers, so I wore loafers.

 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

 Dad, the most important thing in my life that you (& mom) did, that I wanted to do,
was live a life that was pleasing to God.  There is one memory that I am grateful for and will never forget:
I was a little girl.  It was bedtime in our little 9 x 10 bedroom where all my sisters and I slept.  You were reading the daily, bedtime Bible stories you and mom read to us girls every night.  When we were done reading I had realized, in the simplicity of the story, that I needed something.  I needed and wanted Christ to live in me. You had Christ in your heart, and I wanted Christ in mine.  I remember that night that you walked me through a simple prayer and kissed me goodnight.  You told me that I was then "a new creation" and that was the start of something amazing.  I may not have understood that moment in it's significance then, but I did as I grew into a young woman.  As I grew up, your faith inspired my faith, and now the faith that I have is my own.  I wanted to follow in your (and mom's) footsteps, but the decision to walk by faith through Christ is now my very own decision (and has been for some time).  I just want to thank you for being steadfast in your faith and living a life for the Lord.  I have seen it, I have watched it, and I appreciate it. 
 

 ...and the song that I shared with you when I was probably 17:

She Was Watching by Mark Schultz

I Love You!