VACATION!

I have been counting down the days and it is almost here! 37 days later, I finally GET TO SEE MARK! YAY! If you can't tell, I am beyond excited!!! Though this month really has flown by, it seems like it has been forever since I have seen him! His birthday is on Thursday so I am flying down to Dallas Thursday to have dinner with him and his family.  I'll be there through Monday morning and CAN"T WAIT! I am excited to do some of our favorite things together, just in a new place! I'm hoping we'll get to spend some quality time just hanging out, swimming, shopping, eating, cartoon watching, and just having a great time! I also am really excited about his birthday present so I hope he loves it! 

Granted this month has not been the most fun (I mean it wasn't terrible at all but would have been better with a certain someone around :) ) it really has made me appreciate Mark even more. Not that I am not usually super excited to see him but I feel like a little kid the night before Christmas! I have been giddy, giggly, and energetic! I just can't wait for my plane to touch down in less that 45 hours and give him the biggest kiss of my life!!!

 When two people are meant for each other, no time is too long, no distance is too far, and no one can ever tear them apart.

Happy song for the week!

I'm seriously obsessed with Blake Shelton! And his relationship with Miranda Lambert! Just a great song if you haven't heard it yet! God gave me you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68YgtNis8Bc&feature=related

My Wine List!

Here are the wines that I am currently obsessing over! WARNING: I am a white wine fanatic (the sweeter the better!) that is trying to dip my toes into red wine! PLEASE let me know if you have any great suggestions!

Spatlese 2008 (Germany)

Kung Fu Girl 2010 Riesling (Washington State)



Kiona Vineyards 2009 Riesling (Washington State)

Balsamic Bruschetta

One of my favorite things to do is to cook! Granted, it's a lot more fun to cook for others to enjoy but there is also something so simple about cooking a delightful homemade dinner for yourself. Mark and I would typically try to get together on Sunday depending on our weekend plans and so I didn't usually cook during the weekend a ton.  Also, during a busy week, I usually try to heat up leftovers, a healthy choice meal, meet up with friends, or eat something quick like a PB and J! I am going to try and make it my goal to try and cook one new dish every week and (depending how it turns out!) share them with you!  This weekend, Kansas City FINALLY got a TRADER JOES and  I was so excited to try it out! For those of you that don't know, Trader Joes is a reasonably priced health food store and has fantastic stuff.  It is especially known for it's wine, "Two buck chuck"- that you can get for the stealing price of $3 a bottle!!! After going and checking out (along with half of KC) what they have to offer, I decided that I was going to try and make some homemade bruschetta this evening. 

I started off marinating cherry tomatoes sliced into 4ths with balsamic vinegar, basil, a little big of kosher salt and a splash of olive oil. 

Next, I used a take and bake loaf of french bread.  I cooked this in the oven according to the package, taking it out and slicing it into thin pieces.

After bread is cut, brush lightly both sides with olive oil. Place in the oven on broil and watch until it is just brown.  Take out and flip, repeat. 

Once both slices are browned, top with a spreadable cheese (I used goat cheese but know that cream cheese will work just as well).  Finish off by topping with the tomato mixture and enjoy.  Bon Appetite!



This recipe is great for a meal for one, an appetizer for a gathering, or a snack with wine before date night!

My WORST habit!

Ever since I was young, I have always been a very excited person.  My problem is, I never focus on what is currently going on in my life, I am always focusing on the next step!  When I got my first grade teacher, I was excited but even more excited about figuring out who my second grade teacher would be!  This has carried over into my young adulthood...

Sometimes I get too caught up in the destination, where I am hoping to be in the future.  I constantly think about what I will be doing a year, five years from now and what will be happening then.  I get WAY to  caught up in what's going to happen in my life next?! I need to realize that this just added unnecessary stress.  Planning for the future IS important to think about, it's just my problem is during all that thinking

and planning for the future, I am missing what is going on in my life now! And there are so many great things happening right now that I need to focus on!

This has carried into my relationship.  All I can focus on is how excited I am for the next... I am so excited for the NEXT time I get to see Mark, the NEXT time I get to talk to Mark instead of enjoying the moment that we are currently living in.  Instead of always looking at next, I need to look at now and see that our relationship is great now!  Whatever is to come will come, what's meant to be will find a way.  I just need to be willing to sitback and watch how our wonderful relationship will play out!

I need to remember to live in the moment and enjoy where you are right now in your life! Because one day, you'll be looking back...wishing you were here. And those worries you have now..won't even matter! It's is allll about the journey and everything has a way of working itself out!

Chicky song of the day!

  Without You--- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teBjoCvbXoI

Sometimes I have to remind myself even though we are going through a crazy time, it's worth all the craziness to be together :)

Fabulous Quotes!

This is going to be an ongoing list of current quotes that are currently making me happy!


Don't cry over the past, it's gone. Don't stress about the future, it hasn't arrived. Live in the present and make it beautiful.

A good life is when you assume nothing, do more, smile often, dream big , laugh a lot, & realize how blessed you are for what you have.

·        Distance is not for the fearful, it is for the bold. It's for those who are willing to spend a lot of time alone in exchange for a little time with the one they love. It's for those knowing a good thing when they see it, even if they don't see it nearly enough...

Distance shouldn't be a factor in a relationship, but communication, trust, and commitment should be.

Trust that everything has a reason. Look for that reason rather than focusing on the chaos. Keep your mind open to the bigger picture.

First holiday apart

4th of July this past weekend was the first 4th that we hadn't spent together in a few years.  I knew it was going to be different so I had to figure out something to do to keep my mind off of the fact that we would be in two totally different states celebrating one of my favorite days! To start off the 4th, I wanted to make sure to do something special for him.  He was the one, after all, that wouldn't be home for the holiday.I decided to make and mail him some cute 4th of July red, white, and blue sugar cookies.  Mark loves America more than anyone I know, so it seemed like the perfect idea!

Throughout the weekend, I surrounded myself with family (see above picture- my two little sisters Katie and Maggie) and friends by going to visit my younger sister, attending a sorority sister's wedding, and going home for my normal 4th of July celebration.  I even found some time to make a cute 4th of July cake!

I know this 4th felt different that what I am used to but the one thing that made me feel better was what Mark said to me on the phone that night.  He said "it's not like we have to get used to this, this isn't how it is going to be forever,  This is a temporary thing and we will have many more 4th's to spend together!"  This simple statement meant so much to me and it really goes to show when you are in a long distance relationship, it's what you say and how you say it that can make a world of a difference!