Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Recruiting Season

Not for me but for Matthew. If your haven't been around in awhile or are new around here, let me catch you up! Matthew will be graduating in December (74 days to be exact) with his MBA in accounting. So the search has been on for a job and the interviews started a couple of weeks ago! He is doing great so far and interviewing with a lot of potential companies. It's SO exciting but SO nerve-wracking.
 
The other day we were talking and he told me we were going to have to sit down at the end of the interview process and talk about all of the companies and what all they have to offer.
To be honest, I was a little shocked I was going to be included in the decision making process. Not that he doesn't include me in everything, but I just assumed he would make the decision. Now, he will make the final decision, obviously because this is HIS career, but he wants my opinion and I really appreciated that! He never ceases to amaze me with his thoughtfulness.
 
His/our decision is a huge deal! It's where he will work, where we will live (after we are married, it's not a secret that we want to get married y'all ;) ), what opportunities he will have to climb the ladder, etc.
So, I am excited but also really nervous! The firms that look like they have potential so far have offices in Chattanooga, Nashville, Knoxville, Memphis, and Atlanta. He is still on the front end of this process so it's pretty surreal knowing that in a month or so we could know where we will end up!
 
It's also a little bittersweet knowing that Matthew is graduating in December and moving to where ever he gets a job. My plan is to stay in Cookeville until we get married but I honestly don't want to think about us not living in Cookeville. Just thinking about moving from here gets me all kinds of emotional. This town hold SO much. So many people and things that are near and dear to us. It is going to break my heart moving away from here and leaving everyone/everything, but who knows we may end up back in good ole Cookeville when we retire ;)
 
I am SO proud of Matthew. He has handled himself very well throughout his stressful process and I know he will continue to do so. I have so much respect for that good lookin' man and not to mention love ;)
I know he is going to make the right decision in whichever firm he chooses. If you don't mind saying a prayer for him through this stressful process, we'd appreciate it :)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Monday, September 29, 2014

Weekend recap: Girls night and home!

Friday night was our first girls night of the semester for the SOC, and the first girls night I was in charge of. I was a little stressed out but we ended up having a great turnout! A couple of weekends ago I went on a ladies retreat with our home congregation and we had a little class and painted this:
So, since I knew how to do it already I decided that's the painting they could do Friday night!
It was so fun seeing everyone add their own personal touches to their painting, I loved it!!
 
Matthew and I drove home late Friday night so that I could make it to my sister's last soccer game the next morning, bright and early at 8:00am :) Love watching them play sports!
 
Saturday afternoon Matthew and I drove to Nashville to meet the rest of the SOC at Sky High and dinner! We went there a couple of times earlier this year and love it! It was definitely crowded but we got some good cardio jumping in :)
It was a BUSY weekend but we had a good time with everyone!
 
Please look at this road and tell me it's not GORGEOUS?!
 I can't wait to drive back down it in a couple of weeks when the leave are changing ;)

Thursday, September 25, 2014

My best friend is engaged!

Last Friday night my best friend got engaged! It was a fun night with everyone. Her whole family was there and his parents were there to watch the whole proposal go down. He made a small slide show of pictures and reasons why he loved her and then got down on one knee.
I know their parents enjoyed being able to watch the whole thing! He had taken her the weekend before to buy a new dress that she would wear on the night he proposed to her, it was thought out very well!
 
 
 
 
At the beginning of the summer My best friend's boyfriend called Matthew to discuss engagement plans. Kathleen wanted us and our other best friend, Sarah, to be there when she ot enaged. So he followed her wishes and let us know when he was going to do it so we could be in town!
That same night I got to work and searched Etsy for a couple of days until I found this adorable bag,
I wish I could remember the shop name but I forgot it and I have searched and searched for it but I can't find it. The lady was extremely nice and this shipped so quick, I was very impressed!
Sarah and I knew we wanted to get Kathleen a few small gifts to celebrate, becuase you only get engaged once...and she HAS to have something to carry around her bridal magazines in, duh ;)
We also got her...
 The cup couln't be anymore perfect for her, those are her wedding colors!
Not pictured: The HUGE bridal magazine and ring pops ;)
 Sarah picked up these ADORABLE and delicious cookies at Julia's Bakery in town.
They had an edible picture of an engagement ring and said "congratulations" on them. They were also lined in silver spinkles. They were so cute!
It was a fun night and now the real planning begins!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

White Vanity

Last week I told you I had a package arrive on my doorstep on my birthday...
 
And this was what is was!!!! A couple weeks before I remember I had two visa giftcards left over from last years birthday and they were going to expire soon. I had planned on using them on a vanity but I was taking forever trying to find the perfect one.
 
Matthew put it together for me and I was about to explode with excitment!  



 
Here it is again...it's just perfect! I absolutely love doing my makeup and hair at it each morning. It's the perfect size and holds all my makeup, nail supplies, and hair supplies!
 
I bought this off of Amazon. They have a ton of white vanities on there but after reading reviews on about 20 different ones, this is the one that sounded the best and I think looks the best! The stool is comfy and the mirrors on the side are able to be adjusted.
I LOVE IT!!

Monday, September 15, 2014

Test scores & birthday celebrations!!!!

I'm back! I decided to take last week off from blogging, and it actually felt good.
Some pretty big things happened last week though, so I will catch you up!
 
The main thing that happened last week...
 
MATTHEW PASSED HIS LAST CPA EXAM!!!!!
We knew the scores were supposed to be out Tuesday morning. I called him on my way to work to see if they had posted them yet and they hadn't so I knew they would more than likely be out by 8.
Sure enough they were. I was watching Twitter like a mad woman very patient person ;) and people started tweeting around 8 that they were out. I waited about two minutes seconds and then text Matthew asking if he saw his score yet and of course the website was taking FOREVER to load because everyone and their momma was trying to check their scores too. And then he text me and told me he is going to be a CPA.
I took my break a little early at work and called him (insert happy dance in the hallway at work here) and got all choked up as soon as I heard him on the other end telling me he passed.
Y'all I am so incredibly happy/proud/excited/relieved for him!!!!! I knew he could do it.
He sacrificed SO many events this past summer to study and worried so much. He ended up studying over 800 hours but it was ALL worth it. He is the first person ever to take the fast pass (take all four parts and pass during the summer) from Tennessee Tech and I am just so stinkin' proud of him!! God is SO good and we know this is nothing short of His plan!
I guess you could say Tuesday was a pretty great day!!!!
 
Thursday I turned 22 and was overwhelmed with all the sweet birthday wishes!
Last weekend we celebrated my birthday at home. It was a lot of fun and I loved seeing all my family! Matthew and his whole family surprised me with a Samsung Galaxy Tablet!!! :)
 
I have been wanting one for awhile! Matthew and I actually had a conversation about me getting one that Friday afternoon on the way home. I told him I was going to try and find a good deal on one on Black Friday this year LOL.
Matthew took me to Chili's, one of my favorites, for dinner on Thursday and then we had Refuel with the SOC and intramural games.
 
Tech did this on the quad on campus.
 I thought it was a great was to remember all the lives lost. There was a flag for every life lost on 9/11
 
I also bought some watercolor paint last week and I've been playing around with it. It's so fun using things that I used when I was in preschool in a whole new way.
 
I also had a pretty big package waiting for me on my doorstep on Thursday afternoon when I got off work, I'll share that with you tomorrow! :)
 
 
 
 
 
 

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Christmas List...

No not for me, but for others! This week I started making my list of what I want to get family/friends for Christmas. I know, I know it's only September, but last year I kept putting it off and I was still running around and stressing out the week of Christmas. I even picked up a few last gifts on Christmas Eve. I refuse for it to be that way this year. I want to enjoy the holiday season and not be stressed out. Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoy Christmas shopping, I just want to keep it that way!! :)
 
 
My goal this year:
Have all my Christmas shopping finished by...
December 13th
 
Am I the only one who feels this way? Please tell me I'm not.
Some of the pros on Christmas shopping early:
1. Less stress
2. Beat the crowds
3. Enjoy the holiday season
4. Save money
 
I would much rather spend a little bit at a time and pick up a few things here and there when I see a good sale on it instead of spending A LOT at one time and not catching the item on sale. Which is usually what happens when I wait until the last minute.
 
I do actually have a friend that has her Christmas shopping completely finished by the end of October every single year. When I first found that out I was shocked and thought she was crazy, but really she's pretty smart. She has the entire month of November and December to relax with her family and enjoy ALL the holiday festivities.
We'll see how I do this year with my goal. If I can do it then hopefully it will move up next year. Who knows maybe one day I will have my Christmas shopping finished by the end of October. ;) #wishfulthinking
 
 
How about you?
Do you set a deadline each year for your Christmas shopping?
 Any tips for Christmas shopping early?? I'm all ears ;)
 

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Weekend: 3 things

This past weekend was good. So good an of course I didn't want it to end!
Just like everyone else, I can't believe it's already September!! I feel like it should still be February or March. This year is flying by and in a way I am sad to see it go and in a way I am excited. There are so many exciting things coming up.
 
1.  My parents were out of town for the holiday weekend, they made their annual anniversary trip to Gatlinburg. So it was just a sister weekend. It was fun and a relaxing weekend at home!
It consisted of :
Disney movies
milkshakes
"sleepovers"
naps
laundry
crafts
 
The youngest two call it a sleepover when I come home. They think it is the best thing ever to have a "sleepover" in their own home an usually in their own beds lol.
 
2.  Also, this weekend I worked on cornhole boards for the SOC. One of the post grad guys made them a couple of years ago and they look great! I took them home to paint them and put the SOC logo on them.

I'm so excited to finish them this weekend!!
 
3.  I finally caved and ordered Spark...
I have heard only good things about this drink and so far I am LOVING it!
I ordered it in fruit punch flavor and it's great! I'll definitely post more about it later!