the abc's of randomness

A - i am obsessed with ASOS. just bought the perfect boyfriend blazer from them.

B - i can't wait to get to the beautiful beach next month.

C - why is it spring but it's still so cold outside? not a fan.

D - i have an irrational fear of drowning . even though i know how to swim. i still don't like doing it.

E - deviled eggs are gross. easter reminded me of how much i detest those suckers.

F - i am on the hunt for the perfect floral swim suit top for the summer.

G - i have had glasses since i was 4. i have them and need them, but hardly wear them.

H - i am a huge homebody. i would rather cuddle on the couch than go out at night.

I - we go through about a gallon of ice cream a week. it's cold and makes us happy.

J - jorts (jean shorts) are disgusting on men, please don't ever wear them.

K - kyle is mine mine all mine.

L - i laugh at things no one else finds funny (well, besides my sister - we can cackle at nothing for hours).

M - the dogs make a big mud slide out of our backyard every time it rains.

N - i have been obsessed with my nook tablet, reading books every spare minute. i love you, nook. 

O - ocean - have i mentioned i am ready for the beach?!?!?

P - how long will petsmart continue taking money out of my account to pay for bella's puppy package?!

Q - queso. my phone spells it Queso. kyle convinced me it was a capital somewhere. i believed him.

R - reality tv. i need more in my life. sports and video games are taking over.

S - i don't like to swim. i like being in the water but holding my breath freaks me out.

T - we have a new 65" 3-D TV now hanging over our mantle complete with individual 3-D glasses.

U - i need new underwear. how do they always disappear?!

V - vomit. i have only thrown up 4 times in my life. i'd like to keep it that way (who talks about vomit?)

W - i have wedding fever! no shocker there. especially since we have approached wedding season.

X - i know how to work an xbox. seriously, kyle has rubbed off on me.

Y - sometimes i yell to get the dogs to tilt their heads in that adorable way dogs do.

Z - my mom claims her feet are bad & Z coils help. look them up. highly embarrassing in high school.

our weekend

Friday was Opening Day for the Rangers, so Kyle spent the day at the ballpark with some of his family (I had to work). We have season tickets again this year and it's a lot of fun going together. We had game #2 last night and we had perfect weather, the perfect seats for the upcoming season, and great food. I can't wait to see what this year has in store for the team and for us! Nothing screams springtime like a 70 degree weather baseball game, and maybe a hot dog or two. 

^^^our new view for the season

^^^picture #1. a retry this year of taking one photo of us per game. our new seats are at the back of a section, so we get a lovely brick wall as our backdrop all year. 

^^^gotta love it. 

we also got a new shelf I am very excited about. We have had a big blank space for a while in our living room, and this helps tie it all together. 

^^^still have to finish deciding where to put things. hello, big gap.

falling in love on houston st. (part two)

Part two. 

Part one here. 

So there we were at a dusty old table, getting to know each other. We talked about jobs, where we had gone to school, our families, our likes and dislikes, everything we could think of. There was a naturalness with him and I didn't hold anything back. 

already looking like a couple 

As the night went on, he asked me if I wanted to go outside. We strolled around downtown with every intention of coming right back inside to our friends, but we somehow lost track of time. I had left my wallet, keys and phone at the bar and Kyle had left his phone sitting on the table. Oops. Let me also say this would be the prime time for a maniac to capture me or steal me away, etc. But I was lucky because I was with Kyle. I just knew who he was and I wasn't worried about anything else. Normally, I would never have put myself in that situation, but it was all different with him. He took me down a few blocks, showed me one of his demolition job sites. He let me climb up in an excavator --- it was exciting to see what he did, what he was passionate about, how he spent his days...all things I didn't expect to learn the very first day.

Once we wondered back to our friends, the bar had closed and hardly anyone was on the streets. Since we had no way of calling them, we assumed they grabbed our stuff and were probably freaking out about where we were (an alien kidnap, I like to think they were imagining). We hopped in a cab and headed to our friends and got everything straightened out. 

Needless to say, it was an eventful night. I adore that night because I'm pretty sure I fell in love right then and there. I had no idea why this guy was being so sweet to me, but I was not complaining. I didn't know where his head would be at after this lovely little night out, but he insisted I text him during work (and couldn't wait for my text, so he texted me first) and insisted he needed to see me after only hours of being apart. I knew right then that he was a keeper and was genuinely interested in me and wanted so badly to see me every second he could. And I felt the exact same way. We haven't gone over 24 hours without seeing the other since that very first night and I'm hoping to never break this record! :)

So we met in a bar --- yes. Do we tell people this is where we met? Sure. Did we sometimes get judgy looks and eye rolls in the beginning of our relationship? Absolutely. But they didn't know we were serious and this was meant to be or else it wouldn't have happened this way, and that's okay. Let them think what they want. We have shown them all that we are going to last. That first night he told me, "I'm gonna marry a girl like you", and I think we all know a girl like you means YOU.

hey, i think i love you

We have had a wonderful relationship since day one. We didn't have to have a discussion on "what we are" and the technicalities of dating --- we just naturally progressed into the roles of each other's mate. I think we knew it from the beginning. I can certainly remember looking at him on day two and thinking
 this is my husband.

We have loved each other and stood by each other and have never for a second wanted anything but what we have. He is my true soul mate and I am forever thankful that we found each other in that dusty little bar
on the corner of Houston St.

xoxoxo 

falling in love on houston st.

Part one. 

I have written a short post on meeting Kyle for the first time, but I wanted to go back and try to really remember the details. 

This is the beginning of our love story. 

October 28, 2011. 

First things first, 2011 was a time in which single 23-year-old girls gathered their friends together and headed out to a bar on Friday nights. It was not considered trashy and desperate, despite what our mothers and grandmothers may think. Let me say, there is definitely a point where it can become trashy and desperate, but going downtown to a bar on a Friday night, with your girlfriends, on a holiday, is less than ordinary.

So, on a chilly October night, my two good girlfriends at the time and myself headed out to one of our favorite spots downtown, The Library, (officially The Library Bar, not to be confused with an actual library) --- in our Halloween costumes. We had always been big on costuming through town. We once went to the same location for a tacky Christmas sweater contest and I kid you not, we were the only ones dressed for the occasion. Seeing as there was a prize for the winners, we weren't completely upset about this, until we managed to be the only ones dressed up. And still lose. True story. I really don't know what happened...

The Library

only ones in costume 

But, back to the story... We decided it would be a great idea to go in our Halloween costumes that night, since we had such a success at Christmas, I guess. I wasn't completely sold on the costume idea. I didn't have one, plus I didn't want to parade around in a tiny outfit in front of tons of people. My friends persuaded me somehow, gave me a costume to borrow. I wore boots instead of heels, so basically only my knees were showing, shorts under my dress, and I think I even brought a jacket. So, dressed up we got and borrowed a costume I did and off we went. Joking along the way there of the horror of being the only ones dressed up at Christmas and how that was certain NOT to happen on Halloween. 

Enter bar. 

ONLY ONES DRESSED UP. 

How that happened to us twice at the same location should be a sign, but we tried to keep our dignity as best we could regardless. 

It may have been due to the fact that Halloween was two or three days away and we were just nominating that Friday as the closest day to it (??), or the fact that the Texas Rangers were in the middle of the last game of the World Series, so everyone was preoccupied. Yeah. Looking back. Not our best idea. 

As it turned out, thank goodness the World Series game was that same night. Because that is what brought Kyle and his friends out to that bar that night. Kyle went to about every game, so the fact that he was not at the game was lucky for me. The fact that his friends were in town was another bout of luck because that is what brought them downtown to "explore the city" I suppose. 

Being one of three in a costume, I guess I stood out pretty decently in a crowd. We stood at the back end of the crowded bar that night, watching the near end of the game and trying to decide what our night had in store for us. Kyle and two other guys walked passed us, but not before Kyle came up to me. I smiled and nodded while he made a joke about his friend having a matching costume as me, and off they went to the upstairs portion of the bar. I assumed that was that. And it could have been. 

He then told his friends I was the most beautiful girl in the room (swoon). After the game was over, they came back downstairs. I believe we were still in the same spot and they asked us if we wanted to go up and get a drink. We hesitated for a moment --- but we finally agreed and headed up there with them. 

A friend of Kyle's ordered shots for the six of us. When he handed me mine, I politely declined, announcing that I was hypoglycemic, so I don't take shots. So, some of the first words out of my mouth that Kyle heard were "I don't take shots. I'm hypoglycemic". Score. Kyle was kind of quiet while we were all talking, but I kept catching him glancing my way.  I asked him to take a picture of my friends and myself in our costumes, so that we could remember this high shining moment in our lives... 

he agreed 

One of his friends kept trying to hint him towards talking to my friend, Christie, because she is tall. I guess when you're a guy it makes sense, and considering she was about 6 feet tall in heels, he was the only one taller than her. We then hit it off the rest of the night, I would say. Not just he and I. Our friends really had fun together. It was like we had all grown up together. Weird how that can happen. Kyle and I spent the night getting to know each other, finding out every little thing we could. We were completely smitten with each other and had a magnetic force between us. It was a love at first sight moment, where you  

just know...

...to be continued...

i believe

on this beautiful wednesday... 

i believe in snoozing for ten minutes but then getting out of bed

i believe a twenty minute workout in the morning can help your whole day

i believe a good morning kiss is just as essential as a goodnight kiss

i believe more in health and less in appearance

i believe in true love

i believe crafting is good for the soul

i believe a long walk can cure about anything

i believe a little nail polish can make you feel put together

i believe in bold lipstick (even though i never wear it)

i believe in holding hands

i believe in honesty

i believe in seeing the best in people

i believe a dog is the most comforting when you're sad

i believe in winking

i believe in starting small

i believe in miracles

i believe in kisses on the forehead

i believe in the beauty of a front porch on a nice day

...a few of the things i believe in this week :)

i also believe in having matching lucky penny key chains with the one you love

and since we're speaking about luck, i am also obsessed with the lucky ones by radney foster

Never forgotten

Flowers from my grandmother, "Meme"'s funeral from two years ago are spread around throughout my house. I gathered a few during the burial and have kept them since. A few are pressed inside a book. One is hanging above my dresser in our bedroom (the left daisy. daisies were her favorite). A few others are hanging over the kitchen sink, which I adore.

I like to look at them when I'm cooking with old pots and pans of hers. I think it's special to keep memories around the house. It makes it all a little bit more homey.

The now purple roses are from Kyle. I am thinking of adding to this framed flower collection with other flowers of importance. 

^^^left daisy from meme's funeral / pink rose from kyle 

^^^flowers from funeral, next to kitchen sink

^^^me & my grandmother a year before she passed away

^^^another red rose from k

{Group Intro}

today, i would like to introduce you to some great ladies. please take a minute + go check out their blogs! they have some great things to share. thanks, girls!

Hey there,

I'm Noor from Noor's Place. I'm a student, blogger & Designer. A teenager with a twin :)

My blog is Personal and kinda goes life style. With a touch of photography. I love camera & lenses. I blog about everything, blogging is about originality, right ? Me and my sister attend the same class, with same faces. It sometimes tricks people. Our school ID cards were swapped with each others names. Hers pictures was put into mine and so with my card. Being a twin is great ;) I wish to be an accountant, though I don't like Maths. But I turned to Computer & Softwares and I am now a so called Geek who plays with Codes. But still I maintain a pretty face ;) Have a great day, and don't forget to come say a hello :)

Hey y'all, I'm Meighan!  I blog over at Heavens to Meighan about all kinds of stuff.  Life, love, my cat, fashion, wine, and a lot of pure nonsense.  I started blogging because my boyfriend says I talk way too much, so if you want to listen to a girl from Alabama babble on about God knows what, come on over!  We'll have some laughs together, I can promise you that.

Hello Lovely Sugar & Stripes readers! I'm Yaya and the sweet Rachel has been letting me hang out on her sidebar. I am an Expat from the US (a TX girl, just like Rachel!) who now calls the UK home. My blog is a combination of Expat adventures, daily musings from UK life, as well as being an all around lifestyle blog. 

Rachel's post on writing her 30 before 30 list has inspired me to write my own. The twist being I will be 30 in 2 days, yikes! Rachel has a good 5 years to go, lucky her! 

I would love it if you came over to my dream world. See you there

My name is Whitney. I'm a Southern 20 something sassy Southern Belle with a fashion, makeup, hair, social media, photography, and Diet Coke addiction. I'm married with two furbabies. Give me the right eyeliner, mascara, lipstick, a Diet Coke, and I can rule the world. 

Blog: Everything Happens For a Reason (http://southernbelle23.blogspot.com)