pride

I have always been very proud of my last name. I knew the importance of my family and being a part of them was always very special to me. When Bret and I decided to get married I was really hesitant about taking his last name as my own. It was not out of disrespect or not wanting to fully commit to Bret, I just didn't want to give up a name that had been mine that I had a large amount of pride in. After many conversations however I decided taking my married name was the right thing to do and I wanted to share that with my husband. I have been married for a little over a year now and I have enjoyed watching a new pride build within me for the letter "M." There is a certain beauty behind an "M" to me because I know feel that it is my letter. This is something I share with Bret that nobody can take away from us. It's our own little private club as husband and wife and I am finding that very inspiring. While I will always be proud of where I came from, I like knowing that with my new name I will build my own family and my own future with Bret.

peace

home.

This past weekend we went back home to spend the 4th of July holiday with my family at the lake. While home I got to run out to my parents house. It has been about 5 months since I was last home so it was nice to get to see the house. I love coming home and seeing that everything has stayed the same and everything is just as comforting as always. While home I decided to take some pictures around the house because to me, home is pure beauty and full of love.

busy and in a hurry catch up!

Several things I want to mention in this post but A) I am in bit of a hurry and B) I don't really feel like typing a ton (although I know I will) so I apologize, this probably will not be my best post ever and I will not be providing pictures or links - sorry :/.

First thing is first, thank you Steph for the Honest Scrap award you gave me. Very friendly to be thought of, thank you! I enjoyed reading about all your "honest scrap" and learning more about you. :) So, to follow the rules, here it goes:

The rules are:

1. List 10 honest things about yourself that your blogging friends do not know about you.

2. Give the award away to 7 bloggers.

3. Let them know they've received the award.

1. I have the hardest time in the world spelling the word definitely. In fact, I know I just spelt it wrong typing that but thank goodness for spell check. When I am writing and do not have the luxury of spell check around me, definitely becomes "def." So sad yet so true.

2. When Bret and I first started dating I bought a miniature bowling game for like a $1 at the grocery store and we played it at my house one night. I am talking the bowling pins were about an inch tall and the bowling ball was a marble. Till this day I carry one of those little bowling pins in my purse at all times. I love seeing that pin and thinking of my husband. Every once in a while I will pull it out and show it to Bret and he will just smile :) It makes me happy.

3. I love the smell of gasoline, skunks, magic markers and dry erase pens. Probably an odd thing but I do.

4. I am addicted to chap stick - for this I blame my dad who has the same addiction. But I usually have at least 2 things of burts bees with me at all times, there are 3 different kinds of chapstick in my desk at work, one kind in my night stand and then usually any purse I switch to has one or two things waiting for me. I am constantly putting on chapstick and I love it!

5. Bret and I have one of those automatic/motion censored air fresheners in our apartment so if it hasn't gone off in the past 30 minutes and somebody walks by it will spray you. So, Bret and I have an on-going joke that when that thing goes off it must be because you smell so we will yell out "You Stink!" It is amusing when people come over and they do not know our little game and we are yelling "you stink!" at each other and even them too!

6. I have two tattoos... one that is a four-leaf clover with a heart around it... another is a light pink bumble bee on my hip. People normally look at me strangely when they see I have a bumble bee but, when I was a senior in high school I had a very, very dear friend of mine killed in a car wreck. Her parents adopted the bumble bee as Sara Catherine's symbol so their entire house has little bumble bee things all around. So, some of my other good friends including myself and Sara Catherine's mom all have bumble bee tattoos. I love that tattoo and cherish it very much.

7. I consider my dad a saint and one of the smartest, most caring people I have ever known. My dad is what makes me believe that humans were made in the image of God.

8. I literally HATE emptying the dishwasher... this has been my chore since I was a kid and even now as an adult this chore has followed me! Bret takes out the trash, I empty the dishwasher... UGH! I don't know why it bothers me so much but I will put it off as long as possible!

9. I am very particular about pens that I use and I have a huge pet-peeve when people take my pens or use them and do not return them. It has gotten better since I have moved into my own office but before I use to have employees literally reach over my counter and take pens off my desk (ew) and then try to walk away with them (rude). And usually, all of this was done withOUT asking. I don't think so!

10. I love Texas in the summer time - I know it gets to 105 degrees here, I know I am sweating like a man, I know people are having heat strokes all around me but, I. LOVE. IT. Being warm makes me very, very happy!

Alright, I do not know if any of that was interesting and I might have said many of those things before but, oh well ::shrug::

Now the people I am passing the Honest Scrap award on to are the following:

• Jen @ The McCradys


• SB @ The Sages


• Lil' Woman @ Little Woman, Little Home


• Lindsey @ Learning to be a Wife


• Patty Ann @ Living Life to the Pinkest


• Morgan @ Sometimes I just think funny things


• Mrs. D @ The Daily Life of a Dallas Wife

I don't have too many blogging friends so I am sure within my little circle this has been past to you guys already. I tried to go through people's blogs and not have somebody repeat but I believe it is impossible. But, I adore reading everything you guys have to say so for my own selfish pleasure I won't mind the repeat :)

... I just realized I have been posting this on the wrong blog the entire time and I cannot copy and paste so tough... I am just going to keep going. Sorry to my Beauty blog followers that you have to read this and not get any pictures from it :/ This post belongs at bretandkatie.blogspot.com

Next order of business, Bret and I went and saw Transformers 2 last night - I loved it! I had heard mixed reviews about the movie not being as good as the first, a forced plot line, etc. but I still thought it was really, really good. If you liked the first movie I don't know why you wouldn't like the second one so I recommend seeing cute little Shia work his transformer butt off!

Recipe of the day sent from Jillian's website:

Spinach and Feta Frittata - For Brunch
Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
8 ounces mushrooms
8 eggs
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 ounces reduced-fat feta cheese
1/4 cup water
4 cups fresh spinach

Preparation
In a nonstick oven-safe skillet, melt butter over medium heat and add mushrooms.

Cook until tender.
Preheat broiler.

In a bowl beat eggs, basil, salt, half of cheese, and 1/4 cup water.
Pour egg mixture over vegetables in skillet; add spinach.

Cover and cook until set (about 10 minutes) Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Place frittata in broiler until cheese melts (about 1 minute).

Hope everyone is having a good week - Sorry that I don't know my real blog from my picture blog and I will be back tomorrow!