#Blogtober14: Biggest Fear

Today's #Blogtober14 prompt is one my dear, sweet family loves to torture me with: my biggest fear. While I am not a fan of storms, ketchup, snakes, fish, heights, or the dark, what's my biggest fear? The one responsible for the blood-curdling scream in the video below?

FROGS.

For your viewing pleasure, I've included two videos. The first is from Easter 2013, and that introduction was made courtesy of my cousins, and the second was taken after just over a month of marriage, and Matt is lucky he hasn't been sleeping on the couch ever since. 

Post by Matt Mortimer.

I'm very well aware that you're all laughing right now. You're welcome. 

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday!! I'm SO looking forward to the weekend - hoping to get some much-needed sleep, dig up my front flowerbed, and watch my Pokes beat TCU :)

Now, on to this week's favorite things!

1. I got to see my brother at work! Kale volunteered at the Regional Food Bank with his fellow Southwest District 4-H members.

2. Remember that Magan & Justin got engaged on Sunday? Well, Mag posted this to her instagram last night:

with instructions to reply by posting my favorite picture of us! I couldn't pick just one :) 

And I just can't get over how excited I am for her!

3. In the "things" category, this mug is my favorite find recently, though I can't decide if I need want it in Tangerine Tango or Emerald. This flash drive is pretty spiffy, too. 

4. I have no pictures for this one, but my Aunt Kandi gave me a package of scentsy cubes that smell HEAVENLY. They're perfectly fall-scented and give my house a cozy, inviting feel. I don't even know what scent it is, other than perfect.

5. This one should go on the "not favorites list" I suppose. Just last week I posted about the adorable iPhone case I ordered. Well, it still hasn't come in. #GetWithItAmazon. And sadly, yesterday I dropped my iPhone and the screen is totally shattered...with pieces in my thumb. Apple is replacing the phone (thanks, Apple Care) but who knows when the new unit will be in, so I'm stuck with a broken screen for a little bit. I've already been told we're sending back the case I ordered (when it finally comes in) and ordering an OtterBox instead. Does anyone with an iPhone 6 have the Commuter series? I like the one below - I don't want the Defender because it's giant, and with the last Defender series case I had (for my 5), the rubbery back peeled off in layers - gross - so I had to mod podge glitter it. ;) 

6. Yosemite - not the place, the operating system. So far I'm loving the look. #MacFanGirl #WhoAmI? I'm ready for Monday when iOS 8.1 is released and my texts will show up on my computer. I really like the handoff feature for mail and safari (all I've used it for so far). 

Happy weekend!

#Blogtober14: Favorite Quote

Anyone who knows me knows I l.o.v.e Wicked. The music is beautiful and, hello, Kristen Chenoweth & Idina Menzel. #EnoughSaid I asked Matt multiple times if our dog's name could be Elphaba (he didn't agree. Obviously. #Hashtag). I still think she looks like an Elphaba though, and I wouldn't be opposed to changing her name. Ahem. 

Anyway, the song "For Good" is one of my favorites. The line above - because I knew you, I have been changed for good - is my favorite line out of everything spoken/sang in the entire musical. Those 10 words are so powerful and alway makes me reflect on myself and how I act toward those I interact with - whether that be once or daily - and if they could say because I knew you, I have been changed for good. 

 

Linking up with Taylor & Helene
#Blogtober14

Weekend Rewind

Happy Monday!

Today I'm at work, pretending to celebrate Piomingo Day (downside of not working for the Chickasaw Nation = no extra day off!). But this weekend? Let me tell you - it was great :)

On Friday, I made my first "Facebook deal." I'm part of a local "buy, sell, trade" group on Facebook and a lady posted that she had 2 quilt racks for $8 each - and they were so pretty! So, I messaged mom, basically seeking justification to buy one...in the end, she bought one and I bought one! I need to finish the wall behind my chair so I can put the quilt on the rack and get it set just where I want it. Right now it's a natural wood finish but I'm thinking I'll stain it dark to match the wood in our house. No pictures, because I forgot to take any, so follow me on Instagram and I'll eventually remember to post some. Probably.

After my gas-station money-quilt rack exchange, I went to my Aunt Kandi's to help her prepare food for "Justin's Birthday Party" (more on that coming later). AK makes everything from scratch, so I was quite certain I could pick up a few pointers. #CookingLessonsWithKandi, we'll call it. She doesn't measure, though, so I'm not sure exactly how much I picked up - other than the Puppy Chow recipe :)

One thing I definitely did learn was how to make salsa Suckerpunch Salsa.

What you can't see in those pictures are the mouth-burning jalapeño peppers that went into the salsa. It wasn't just a little kick, as my aunt said it would be. The salsa had great flavor, but I'm pretty sure my mouth caught fire when I tried it! 

As I said, all of the food was prepared for a "Surprise Birthday Party" that Magan was throwing for Justin. Little did she know that he was actually behind the whole thing and had a surprise planned for her!

(trying not to get sappy here - deletes whole paragraph because crying while writing it and it's not time for tears, duh) Mag & Justin, I'm so excited for you! Congratulations, "Feyoncés"!

#Blogtober14: The Best Advice

"Never make someone else miss out on a blessing because you're too stubborn to accept it."

- Grandma Vernia, after the May '99 tornado (likely paraphrased, as it's been so long!)

Friday Favorites: It's Fall, Ya'll!

I'm so excited that the weather is finally feeling fall-like! I'm a fan of all things cozy, fireplaces and mom's hot chocolate mix with lots of marshmallows (I guess now that I'm married I should probably get a copy of that recipe!), all of which start to be acceptable in the fall :)

Since I haven't shared my favorite things lately, I thought now would be a great time. Some are Pinterest finds - so go follow my boards! (ETA: after typing this, I realized I went from "ooh I like this" to a very random list. Whoops!)

1. I'm wanting so badly to learn to speak Chickasaw - and not just "know a few words" but actually be able to speak it. I figure since Matt's in school, I should do some studying, too, right? This is definitely on my already-being-made Christmas list :)

2. As we've determined, fall = cozy. Cozy = flannel, scarves and boots. I'm wanting this puffer vest and planning to make a flannel cardigan - if I can get through the gold sequin cardigan I'm currently sewing (did I lose my mind somewhere in hobby lobby when I decided to sew with sequins? Yes. Now I know why my grandma took a sewing sabbatical after making my gold sequin dress in first grade. But oh man that dress was awesome, right Mag? Also, this just further shows I've always been obsessed with gold sparkle.) 

3. This headwrap is too stinking cute and I need it to cover my ears. #EndOfStory #MakeItHappenMatt The leopard, the bow, it's adorable. 

4. I joined #TeamiPhone6 yesterday! I got the gold one, and as much as it pains me to cover up such a beautiful color, I'm really accident prone and don't want to break it (yes, I got apple care). I ordered this case from Amazon and I think I need to get my monogram, in pink, to put on the back. Yes?

5. Do you think if I wore this dress to work on Halloween that I could bring Hashtag to snuggle with all day? (Yes, our dog is named Hashtag.) 

6. I'm really not a fan of my front flowerbed. I'm wanting to take everything out except the two evergreen trees and put a bench like the one below in the middle. Then, I could put flowers on/around the bench or other seasonal decorations (I've got a scarecrow needing somewhere to sit right now, and I think that'd be a perfect place for Santa to hang out, too). Would that look weird? 

7. I'm really needing something to put above my curio cabinet. I have this one (pictured from Amazon below). Currently I have a little greenery above it, but I'm really not loving it. Suggestions? Our ceilings are really tall so I want something to give this a "top" instead of it being so flat and so far away from the ceiling. 

8. Last week/end my brothers showed at the Tulsa State Fair and Bear & Cait came to watch. Bear got in the way of a swishing tail, getting covered in black paint. He didn't want to pose for a picture because "this is gonna end up on your blog, isn't it?" Yes, yes it will :) 

I'm also loving that it's Friday. On that note, see you after the weekend! (I'm really liking the #blogtober14 prompt for Sunday, so maybe I'll even have a post then!)

#Blogtober14: When I grow up

I'm joining Taylor & Helene for #Blogtober14 - I may not post every day, but hopefully these prompts will help me get rid of the writer's block I've been experiencing lately!

My earliest aspirations were simply to be the center of attention. That worked out pretty well for me, as I was the cutest first grandchild on either side of the family. I'm very well aware this didn't line up with my desire to be a big sister - having two brothers on the scene meant I would have to share the stage, but they were worth it. And, since I've blogged wanting to be a big sister several times, I thought I'd share some other goals I had growing up. 

Photos courtesy of my mom. I can't pick my favorite!

Magan arrived just 18 months into my time in the spotlight, and I decided I just wanted to be her best friend. 

A real live baby doll, just for me!

I think I could have passed as an Olympic skiier with those duds.
Also, approximately 90% of my childhood pictures include Magan. 

When I was in Mrs. Abello's Kindergarden Class, we filmed our Kindergarden Video, and one of the questions they asked was what we wanted to be when we grew up. My favorite answer was from my a classmate who said he wanted to be a first grader (I think he's one of the few who stuck with that goal for a whole year). I don't remember what my answer was, but considering social media wasn't a thing back then and I think marketing would have sounded silly to a 5-year-old, I know I didn't stick with it. My mom and I are trying to remember what the video said. I'll update if we can remember.

Around Kindergarden age.
Also, I think at this age, we just wanted to jump on the trampoline and eat grilled cheeses forever.
I also happen to remember a few years later we both wanted braces and glasses so we could be cool.
We both got that wish granted.

Around that same time, I decided I wanted to be just like my cousins Christie and Katie, so I started showing sheep. My favorite picture of Little Shae showing sheep (say that 5 times fast) is of me in my gymnastics leotard, showing Princess and Pazarra. I can't find that one on Facebook, though, so instead, I'll post a super not flattering picture of me "listening" to Katie's instructions. Hint: I probably wasn't listening. 

 

Around the time of this next picture, I wanted to be a doctor. My bio for the Miss Tuttle/Miss Northern District/Miss Grady County pageants even said I was going to major in biochemistry and molecular biology at OSU and go on to med school after I graduated. I wanted to be a pediatric oncologist or an ER doctor, if I recall correctly. Well, I worked at a doctor's office one summer during high school and QUICKLY realized that human blood grosses me out and there was no way I could cut it as a doctor.  

Since I decided I couldn't be a human doctor, I determined would be a veterinarian. I had been helping deliver sheep at Showtime Club Lambs since before the sheep showing picture up there, so I figured I could handle that. Well, all that changed one day my senior year when I got to help with a particularly gross birth (I'll spare you all the details, you're welcome). 

I took Mrs. Reedy's College Writing class during high school and discovered I loved writing. She wrote an encouraging note on one of my papers that started me thinking about "being a writer" when I grew up - of course, I didn't really know what that entailed, but it sounded good. After meeting Dr. Shelly Sitton when I was enrolling for college, I knew I had picked the perfect major - agricultural communications - and couldn't wait to start college! 

Our "Senior Service" at church just before high school graduation

Ag comm is a pretty broad degree, so I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted to do, but I loved what I was studying. During my second internship at Riverwind Casino, I discovered a love for social media and decided I wanted to "do social media" for the casino. I loved my degree but wanted some more mainstream marketing knowledge, so I took a bunch of marketing classes and a few advertising classes. After a lot of research and a third internship, I graduated college and went to work in the marketing department at Riverwind, as the Social Media Specialist.  

College graduation

After two years at the casino, I applied to work at my favorite nonprofit, which is where I am currently working. What started out as managing social media and website has now added graphic design, and I get to be creative all day every day while fighting hunger in Oklahoma. Cool, right? 

One of my favorite days on the job: when I met Desmond Mason!

But really, what I want to be when I grow up isn't defined by a job title. Now, I just want to be like these ladies:

My Grandma Nett, Grandma Vickie, Mom and Aunt Kandi

My Mom, Grandma Sparks and Grandma Nett

When people say "you're so much like your mom," I smile and say thank you. Because I want to be a great wife, daughter, mentor and friend. I want to be a kind person - the kind of person other people know truly cares. And above all, I want to be like Jesus. I want to share His love, grace and faithfulness with all who I encounter. So thank you for always pointing to Jesus. Because when I grow up, I want to be just like you.