Get Reale.

A good God + Anniversary announcement

2011-05-27T06:25:00.000-04:00

So it's been over a month now since I have been able to blog, did you miss me? I can't believe how out of the loop I have been lately--No Twitter, hardly any Facebook, and no blogging...it really makes a girl feel disconnected! Fortunately my absence has not been without good reason! We shall get to that in a moment, but I must first address other amazingness in my world: today marks my five year anniversary to Andy Reale!

I can't believe it has already been five whole years, but even more amazing is that the Lord has only allowed our love to grow and our relationship to gain new depths during this time. As cliche as it is, I can honestly say I love him more today than I did all those years ago. Andy, you are an amazing and wonderful husband! I have so much fun with you and I'm so proud of who you are. I am completely in love and adore who we are together as a married unit...that's why I'm even more excited about transforming this "married unit" into a family-we have so much love to share, and I cannot wait to welcome our little one into our lives.

In case you haven't caught on completely by now, yes, what I'm getting at is that I'm pregnant! I'm officially 14 weeks at the moment, and the baby is healthy and things look good this time around, something I am completely thankful for. I have been warmly welcomed into this pregnancy with loads of nausea and an aversion to brushing my teeth (not because I like to be funky, simply because I am sure to puke because of that darn tooth brush). I won't lie-getting sick is the worst-but I can say that I found myself thanking God each and every time I was clinging to that porcelain throne, knowing that I was sick for the very best reason of all. Its been a while since I have shared or talked about our miscarriage in October, and I thought that I would be a nervous wreck all through my next attempt at pregnancy (I did have a few days of anxiousness at the beginning), but early on we got some good prayer from close friends and family, and I could literally feel the Lord's peace settle in over me. Since then I have been confident in the Lord's plan with this tiny life inside me and trusting him over it all. I feel so blessed to have this experience and look forward to the days and months to come as we prepare for this baby. I have so much more to share, but I'll save that for another day.

Fortunately the nausea seems to finally be tapering off, so hopefully that means I will be able to get back to regular posts and all things social media sometime soon (and hopefully some day I'll tackle making a replacement banner for this blog, maybe June??) Anyway, I have very much missed my little blog-world and all you dear friends.

Have a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend!

Amazing

2011-04-06T18:45:00.001-04:00

I wanted to share with you guys my husband's recent project with Come&Live! It's a short documentary (about 30 min) of their January trip to New Zealand.

God did some really amazing stuff!!

NEW ZEALAND {Our Story} | A Come&Live! Documentary from Come&Live! on Vimeo.

April Fools Slacker

2011-04-01T20:30:00.004-04:00

{ At least I had time to update my header--I'm sure you're so sad the leprechaun is gone ;) }

My, oh my! I feel like I've neglected my little blog here for the past few days (maybe even week!?)

I've been very busy at my new job (which I LOVE) and have been plum tuckered out in the evenings with no motivation to do anything but go to bed early. Our house is a complete disaster, we still don't have our taxes ready to go for the accountant appointment on Monday (Andy's job = TONS of receipts that need added up for write-offs...I'm blessed to have that job every tax season), and our poor Hoffy is definitely in need of a good walk! I haven't even done laundry in over two weeks (fortunately Andy stepped in and picked up my slack in that department!) and needless to say we ate out 4 of the past 5 nights because I was too tired to grocery shop or cook.

This weekend we're headed down to Nashville for a video premiere of a documentary Andy did of his recent trip to New Zealand with Come&Live! I am super excited about this-he has been working really hard on it, and I am super proud him. It will be so fun to see friends and share how God used the C&L! team while they were traveling. You can see a teaser of the video below!

Also I have more to look forward to this week as Ralf finally gets his warm weather hair cut (do you remember last year??) Well this year I am going to be having a bit more fun with the groomer and his haircut promises to be hilarious. Don't worry, I'll be sure to take some photos so you can all have a good laugh.

Have a great weekend friends!

C&L! New Zealand (The Story) Teaser from Come&Live! on Vimeo.

Love Everywhere

2011-03-18T07:23:00.000-04:00

I blogged for Love Everywhere today,

and it has something to do with these encouragement cards!

Click here to check it out!!

To Drool For: The Nomadic Life

2011-03-17T07:15:00.004-04:00

Happy St. Patty's Day!!!

Hope you're all wearing green & not getting pinched today :)

I've said on several occassions how I'd love to just sell our house, put all our belongings into storage and travel the nation. I came across this the other day, and I'm pretty sure I could love the nomadic life even more if I had one of these...

{ The Prototipo by Spanish company Caravanolic }

Here's to a new adventure

2011-03-16T08:03:00.000-04:00

I have to share something astonishing that happened to me over the past week or so. I was offered a new job in design at a fun accessories company called Thirty-One Gifts! I start this new adventure today and couldn't be more thrilled. First of all, because of the way it came about; and secondly, because of the fact that the company name is based off the woman described in Proverbs 31.

The summary version is this: a little over a month or so ago I posted about some challenges at my current job, but after much prayer and seeking I felt the Lord asking me to stick it out and not quit just because it got a little uncomfortable. I wanted to run away from the problem, but instead I listened to the Lord and stayed, and things actually got a lot better for me. I was finally in a really great place and happy with the way things were going, and totally was not looking to move on to anything new. About two weeks ago I got a phone call from a staffing agency to see if I was interested in a possible design opportunity. I nearly didn't even have my resume submitted to the company, but Andy convinced me that it wouldn't hurt anything and it was at least worth exploring. I interviewed and got the job offer on the same day! I am so excited to begin working for a company that was created out of a prayerful heart, and by people who seem to genuinely care for others. I believe that it is true that the Lord honors obedience to Him, and that if I had ran away from the problems I faced at my old job, I would have never been presented with this new one.

This verse popped into my head as I contemplated God's goodness toward me in bringing this new opportunity:

"If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love." -John 15:10

Lord, let us always remain in your love and serve you with obedience in all things, big or small.

Geesers

2011-03-15T11:07:00.000-04:00

I can't help myself. Every time I see a goose or a couple of geese I have to admire them. Not because I think they are beautiful (they're definitely not the most exotic looking bird), not because they are majestic (let's just go ahead and awknowledge that they honk like my old banana bike's horn), and not because they are kind (most geese are pretty darn mean if you get too close). BUT...if you see one, you usually see another; they are one of those creatures that mates for life, and I think that is just beautiful.

I may be getting too sappy over a big feathered bird, but one night a few years back in a movie parking lot, Andy and I drove past a poor goose standing next to his mate. She was laying on the grass just next to the road. She was hit by a car and terribly injured. The male goose just stood there beside her, honking and looking at her, helpless. It was one of the saddest things I have ever seen, and I have to admit that just typing this memory out even now makes me want to cry. I know it's silly, because they are just geese, but it always reminds me of the love I have for my own husband, and how thankful I am to have him as my mate for life.

This morning Andy dropped me off at work. We drove by a field with some geese in it, and one was standing near the road by itself. As we passed I said out loud, "Oh, little geeser, where is your mate?! Go back to your friends-and don't cross the road!!" Andy just laughed at me and said I was a goof. I can't help it, I'm a sucker for love-even if it's between two webbed feet honkers.

To Drool For: Doily Pendant Lamp

2011-03-09T07:00:00.002-05:00

I've been looking at lamps so much lately. My goal is to replace a cheapo Target lamp that Andy has been saying is hideous since we brought it home and plugged it in. I totally wish I could snag one of these AMAZING handmade lamps from REMADE USA by Shannon South. I mean, it's only a measly $850...that's doable, right?

{ Swoon }

Countdown to the Royal Wedding

2011-03-08T12:43:00.000-05:00

Can you beleive it?!

The whole world is counting down to my 28th birthday!!

How thoughtful of them ;)

{ As if you needed another reason to get excited for April 29th... }

And thanks to the daily news coverage, I am reminded every morning as I get ready exactly how many days there are until this historic birthday. I read somewhere that over 500,000 people will line the streets of London to celebrate the union of Kate Middleton (she's so lovely) to Prince William (you know you all had a crush on him in the 8th grade). So crazy-I can't even fathom having a wedding that is this big of a deal!

{ Birthday countdown widget }

If you'd like to grab the widget to countdown to ~~my birthday~~ the royal wedding, go here

Be there or be square!

2011-03-04T13:07:00.001-05:00

I blogged over at Love Everywhere today!

Mosey on over and check it out :)

Happy Friday lovelies!!

On the quest for fresh pits

2011-03-03T11:15:00.016-05:00

Ok, it's about to get somewhat personal over here...

The past few months I have wasted a lot of money trying to find the right deoderant that is made from natural/organic materials rather than putting that awful aluminum ingredient on my skin (if you don't know about the link to breast cancer and aluminum in your antipersperant deoderant, please check this out).

It's been a huge struggle to find an aluminum-free product that works (and a lot of money wasted) because, let's just be honest, many of these natural deoderants just don't work! They leave you feeling pretty un-fresh almost as soon as you put them on. But I have finally found one that works for me, so I thought if any of you have been on the same quest for fresh pits you might enjoy knowing about JASON. I get the Apricot scent, which is subtle and soft smelling. The price is usually around $6, which isn't the cheapest obviously, but it works well enough that I am willing to pay a bit more than the grocery store brands that have those dangerously harsh chemicals.

March Madness

2011-03-01T10:37:00.000-05:00

I'm so happy that it's finally March! Spring is only 3 weeks away-yipeee!

My four fav "F" words & Weekend Recap

2011-02-28T13:56:00.002-05:00

I had a pretty stellar and jam packed weekend!! A lot of my it consisted of friends, family, food and fun (my four favorite F words!) Friday night we partied with friends to celebrate Andy's 30th. We had a great time eating pizza and just laughing and chatting with people we love. Ciara made delish brownie cupcakes that actually had a snickers in the middle of them (they were AMAZING) and we did do a little dancing thanks to the game mentioned below. (I wish I had more than one picture to share from this night, but I am sorta terrible at hosting and photographing at the same time! There's just too much going on!)

{ Ciara the Dancing Cupcake Queen and moi after a crazy dance sesh during Friday's shenanigans }

I'm not very good, but I really do love to dance. It's sort of sad to admit that I don't actually go out dancing very often. BUT Friday we bought a new game for our Wii to play with friends at Andy's birthday party, and since then I cannot get enough! I'm a total geek about it, but I am totally addicted to this game and all my sweet new dance moves, haha. If you like to boogie, you gotta get Just Dance for the Wii (It's a pretty good workout, too!)

{ Just Dance for Nintendo Wii }

Saturday was another super fun day! Andy and I drove 45 minutes to Marysville just to get a birthday cake. The bakery is called The Ribbon Box, and we have my beautiful cousin Jackie to thank for introducing us to the most wonderful tasting cake I have ever put in my mouth. It is insane how good this place is! If you ever find yourself in Marysville on your birthday, stop by and snatch up a baked good from them, you will not be sorry! Saturday evening Andy had a guy's night and Candis invited a few of us over for a girl's night dinner party where we got to enjoy her favorite meal (she blogged about it here). It was basically cheesey goodness alongside bread, soup, salad, and of course, more of Ciara's all-star cupcakes! I'm so anxious for her to get her blog started so you guys can all see how amazing this girl is. She is a bake-aholic and she does it with absolute perfection!

Sunday was Andy's actual birthday AND a totally gorgeous day, so we took Ralf for a much needed walk at Hoover Reservoir. We had dinner with his sweet family at Hyde Park. I have never been there before, and man was it good! And of course we topped the night off with some dancing courtesy of the Wii. Let me just tell you that Andy's Mom and Dad both have some pretty hilarious moves! We laughed pretty hard watching them cut a rug :)

Overall a wonderful weekend and hopefully a great 30th birthday for Andy!
Thanks to all our friends and family for joining in the celebrations, we love you all!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

P.S. Candis posted her first blog entry for Love Everywhere, go check it out!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Andy Reale: 30 ways to love you

2011-02-27T07:00:00.003-05:00

Today is my love's 30th birthday! What better way to celebrate than to recall thirty (equaling his ripe old age) fond memories together or something I simply love about him ;) I know he'll be embarrassed that I wrote this post, but this is too big of a birthday to let it pass without saying a few words...

The past month or so, in conversation about this milestone birthday, Andy has said on more than one occassion to me: "40 is the new 30, so that makes 30 the new 20." I say you're only as old as you allow yourself to be. Fortunately Andy Reale is a vibrant, young soul (and I'm pretty sure it's going to stay that way well past his seventies).

So, without further delay...30 ways to love you, Andy Reale:

1.  Our first meeting; being introduced to you by Karac at CD101. He said, "You both like Switchfoot, so you'll probably get along"
2.  When I found out we would be driving the vans at the 2005 Muirfield Golf Tournament together I was stoked because I knew I would get to know you better
3.  Feeling sorry for you and slipping extra cash in your tips jar at the previously mentioned golf tournament because I was making about triple the amount of tips you were
4. Driving to Cornerstone '05 with you and laughing the whole way there
5.  Getting the free gift cards from the Riverview restaurant and asking you to go there with me.
6.  Driving in NYC looking for an apartment together. Ended up in that weird broker/baber shop/tattoo parlor. Later we thought we were in Brooklyn but we were really in Flushing
7. Walking around NYC after work with you and getting lost almost all the time just trying to find a place to eat
8. Saturdays doing laundry in Queens and getting yelled at about over stuffing the dryer.
9. Bobby Rico and "Whachucall...whachucall a screw"
10. Your proposal in front of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree and the fact that you somehow managed to get that moment on video.
11.  I love the fact that you actually laugh at me when I am trying to be funny...(i.e., a baby in a ladel holding a cell phone)
12. I love that we pray together
13.  I love your crazy amazing support during all the family illness and deaths we've experienced.
14. Picking out Ralf with you and driving home with him from Athens
15. Long evening talks/dog walks to Mirror Lake
16. I love your rediculous creativity and talent
17. Cooking dinner together and your amazing ability to use every clean spoon in the house in one night
18. I love your sense of adventure
19. Dancing to no music in the kitchen on Saturday mornings with you
20. The face you always make in almost every single picture I have with you (as seen above)
21. Your amazing and energetic karaoke performances
22. The fact that we both like cheesy music that we sing and dance to in the car
23. Going to Antique malls and flea markets with you
24. I love and appreciate your encouragement and support with all my crazy ideas and dreams
25. Wasting time at Target nearly every single time we go there
26. I love and am thankful for your heart for the Lord
27. Our super fun NYC visit in September 2010
28. Your love animatronic robots and The Muppets
29. I love that you set goals and find ways to achieve them
30. I'm proud of how hard you work and how you always give your all in everything you do

Happy President's Day

2011-02-21T10:45:00.005-05:00

{ Photo from OneCanoeTwo }

Happy President's Day!

Etsy always has great stuff; but I'm amazed at thier selection of Presidential art (some is really bad, but some is actually well done and fun-like the above from Etsy seller OneCanoeTwo. I'm falling in love with this shop's fantastic letterpressed designs, and just had to share.

I've got NEWS!

2011-02-16T18:00:00.001-05:00

It's been a long time coming, but I'm stoked to finally share with you guys my newest project! I've teamed up with some dear friends (Candis, Chrissy, and Ciara) to spread a little love!

So, why are you still here?! Head on over to LOVE EVERYWHERE to see what it's all about, and be sure to follow so you'll be notified of our next steps :)

Valentine's Weekend Recap

2011-02-14T10:15:00.007-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day, friends! Actually, I must admit I'm not super into this particular holiday...but any reason to spread some love around is a-ok with me. So today (and every day that you can) tell someone you love them, offer up a compliment to a random friend or stranger, or just smile at the people that you pass on the street...it really does make a difference!

I had a pretty great weekend! Friday I got picked up from work by Andy and he had a dozen roses in the car waiting for me. He has been known to buy me flowers every now and then, but not usually roses, so I was very happy to receive them :) This kicked off a pretty busy weekend of celebrating. A delish dinner with friends on Friday night, a very girly Valentine party on Saturday afternoon thrown by my cousin's five year old daughters and all their little friends. It was super cute! I offered up my face painting skills and had about 3 (or 4) yummy cake pops. Saturday night was date night with Andy. He took me to the place where we had out second date for dinner (our first date restaurant is no longer there), and we had a smashing time. Sunday was family lunch day and errand running day. We hit up a few thrift and antique shops, didn't buy anything-but just looking and getting ideas is always fun! This is one of my favorite things to do with Andy, so it was pretty much a perfect day!
I also got some new athletic shoes for working out! I am most excited about this because I honestly have not purchased a new pair of sneakers in about 5 years, and these are the nicest shoes I have had since I don't know when. It's funny how working out with a good pair of shoes can give a girl so much more energy. I was kicking some P90X booty last night, and it felt gooood! We ended the weekend with some Grammy award action. I'm not usually into the awards all that much, but I actually enjoyed this one. Cee Lo and Gwyneth Paltrow's performance was by far my favorite! Anytime the Muppets are present you know it's gonna be pretty redic. Cee Lo's get up reminded me so much of Elton John, I loved it and his faux six pack! I was actually surprised by how Gwyneth's voice was live. I'll probably never see Country Strong, but she got two thumbs up from me last night. Also, her shoes were really cool.

P.S. I also whipped up a freebie button this weekend; if any of you guys wanna grab it the code is below the button image in the right column ;) {I know, so 2002-hah!!}

Inspired by Friends: Meet Keli

2011-02-11T06:45:00.010-05:00

I've mentioned my talented friend a few times in the past here on this little blog. I first met Keli back in a college Fashion Illustration class. I was on the phone with my mom (I lived at home during school) discussing what I wanted for dinner that night.

My initial conversation with Keli went something like this

{I need to add she had a kind yet sarcastic tone thoughout} ;)

Keli: "Mmm...baked potato, huh?"

Me: "Yeah."
Keli: "Must be nice. I bet you don't have to do your own laundry either."

Me: "Not all the time."

Keli: "We should hang out."

And that was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. I'm so honored to know her, and now I get to share her incredible talent with all of you!

Welp, I'm Keli Catalano of Colette Paperie. I just love the word "welp." Lately my cards have taken on a humor of their own, and I love creating new things with this new, clever sense of humor. It all started with "Your baby is freaking cute." This card was the starting point, and it became my most popular card. So I just branched off from there, and so many funny moments and scenarios in life can be translated into a card. I've been having so much fun creating them lately. Through doing this for quite some time now, my funny friends are always willing to lend a helping hand when they think of a funny quip for a card. So it's like I have this little card army, ready to jot down an idea as soon as they get it. It makes it that much more fun to keep creating new ones. For inspiration, it can come from anything. Funny moments, nostalgia, or jokes are all fair game for card creation. I also love making strange and unique items, like the library card calendar. It's a little library card for each month, in a little yellow pocket, just like in the back of the book. It's not really all that functional - but if you love that kind of stuff, you just want it. I like to make sure everything I create is unique and with it's own point-of-view. It must send a message to you, or be different enough for you to fall in love with it.

Of course, creating cards doesn't come with failures and mistakes. So many mess-ups happen. From copyrights (oops) to complicated designs that the printer decides not to recognize at all (and just prints a white box, nice!) to projects that turned out poor sellers and a waste of time and cash. Oh and there are advertising mess-ups too. You can spend tons of money on advertising on the internet and never get a single sale from it. I've actually decided a new rule for advertising my product: don't spend a dime. It's a big rule, I know… but it forces me to think creatively about how I reach my audience. Some examples of how I advertise… creating a custom item to give away at a fun event like a fashion show, creating inspirational cards for the "cancer warriors" in my life, while also supporting them with 50% of the profits. If you get to know me a little bit through my product, it pulls you to it. So I love creating personal relationships with people ordering from me. Cause I'm a real person too, and if they like my cards - they must be a pretty cool cat, right? Blog giveaways have been fun for me too. It gives the blogger a fun perk to bring people to the blog, a great perk for the readers to win some goodies, and brings a lot of people into the shop, taking a look. It's been my experience lately that, when someone comes into the shop, I've practically sold them. It's just bringing them there that is the true challenge.

Selling on Etsy can be difficult. But at the same time, it's the site community that has brought me so many sales. When you buy things on Etsy, it's hard to remember who it was that you bought it from. If you buy a card and someone says, "where did you get this?" - the answer seems to always be "Etsy." and not the individual seller's name. I've thought about this a lot, and hope that someday, Colette Paperie will be the answer instead of Etsy.

As for the history of this company & me… I really don't know how I ended up doing this. I just sort of fell into it. I guess that's what happens when you truly love something. And man, do I ever love cards. Whenever I go into paper shops, I go crazy looking at everything. I buy things and refuse to use them, for I will not have them any longer to ogle and love. Of course, I have design training, which certainly helps. I've been working in apparel design since college, but it's a totally different ball game. It's a wonderful distraction from it. But also would be a great career in itself. I'm getting there, slowly but surely.

To learn more about Colette Paperie, please visit Keli's website, Etsy page, and blog.

Newbie!

2011-02-10T09:30:00.001-05:00

I've been blessed to know a lot of really creative people in my time here on this planet. Great friends that inspire me creatively, spiritually, and over all just amaze me in every aspect of who they are. I want to celebrate their awesomeness with a new monthly {hopefully} feature called Inspired by Friends.

The first one kicks off tomorrow, you simply will love it!

Snow storm's got ya down?

2011-02-01T00:00:00.002-05:00

Just in time for the massive sleet/snow/ice storm that's tackling 30 of 50 great states in the US of A, the newly updated February blog header {yay!}

It could probably be much cuter, but this is what one hour with Photoshop gets me ;)

Happy February & stay safe everyone!

{thank heavens winter is more than half over!}

The Home Stretch

2011-01-31T15:25:00.001-05:00

{ Photo credit: John Pope }

Finally I can begin the official countdown to Andy's return from New Zealand!

He is set to get back late Wednesday night, which puts me at just

two days and a couple hours :)

Love in action

2011-01-28T14:15:00.001-05:00

This week was one of the hardest weeks I've had since October. Work has been intense and challenging on a whole new level, but I found myself in a place where I heard God with more clarity than I ever have. That's the beauty of being in a difficult situation: God is always there, but the struggles drive me closer to His presence.

In my seeking I read Romans 12. I've read this passage countless times before, but it was as if I was reading it for the very first time. I wanted to share these few verses that have been my motto this entire week:

Romans 12:9-12
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Lonely doodle

2011-01-25T11:00:00.002-05:00

Poor Ralf is left home alone a lot more than he is used to now that Andy's been gone for a few days. He really misses Andy when he isn't there with him all day working from home (apparently they eat lunch together and discuss the day's business), and he certainly knows how to make me feel guilty for leaving him home while I go to work all day. From the moment I get home he grabs a squeaky toy in his mouth and barks constantly if I try to make a phone call. But he's so adorable I guess I can overlook his big loud mouth. Looking forward to the weekend (already) and some milder temps so I can get this guy out to the park for a walk!

The other side of the world

2011-01-19T08:00:00.008-05:00

{ Image from Town & Country }

I've been M.I.A. the past few days because I've been helping Andy prep for a two week mission trip to New Zealand. This past weekend we made several trips to pick up rental equipment and purchase the things he would need while shooting in absolutely the most beautiful place in all the world. Traveling to New Zealand has always been on my bucket list of places to visit, and wouldn't ya know Andy Reale is the one who gets to go!! Hopefully he's taking this opportunity to scope out locations when he takes me there some day...(hint, hint Andy!) I'm actually super excited for him. This is a huge opportunity to share Christ's love, and he is traveling with the guys at Come&Live! so he's bound to have a stellar trip.

We've known about this trip for quite some time, and I personally didn't think it would get here so fast! I have to say, I was not prepared for the emotional goodbyes today brought. Two weeks is the longest we have ever been apart throughout our nearly 5 years of marriage! I know that in the grand scheme of our lives together two weeks compared to 60+ years of wedded bliss will just seem like a flash in the pan; but today it feels like two weeks is going to take for.ev.er. I'm banking that the old saying, "absence makes the heart grow fonder" is true (18 hours into this and I'm already pretty sure it is!) But I'm thinking, if I love him this much and miss him this much right now, my heart just might explode before the two weeks is up! It feels good to love someone with that kind of intensity...It reminds me of how blessed I am that God gave me Andy for a husband. He's absolutely my very best friend, and I love love love spending time with him. So I've marked my calendar and started the countdown until he comes home and we can get back to living life together rather than on two separate Continents.

Until then, please keep all the Come&Live! bands and team in your prayers. Pray that they would be used by the Lord in every opportunity, for the people they meet in New Zealand, and for their safe travels and return to America.
Tonight I am thankful for my amazing friends and family that have reached out and made plans to hang out with me these next couple weeks. I feel so blessed and I'm seriously looking forward to some fun times with you all!

P.S. Thanks for allowing me to get all mushy about my awesome husband! Here's a quick promo video he did for their NZ trip...

Come&Live! New Zealand Kickstarter from Come&Live! on Vimeo.

Husbands vs. boyfriends

2011-01-13T13:45:00.004-05:00

{ ♥ Photo from my wedding in 2006 ♥ }

I've noticed a lot lately that our culture really recognizes boyfriends equal to husbands, and I'll be honest...as a wife, it kinda bugs me. I mean, what is the point of getting married if it's all the same, right? But I'm not aligned with most of our society. I don't believe it is the same...even being engaged is so much different than actually being married. Marriage is such hard work; it's sacred--and between two Christ-followers, it's a holy covenant. It's that whole "two becoming one" thing: the beautiful merging of two seperate hearts, two seperate existences into one shared life.

What are your thoughts on husbands vs. boyfriends?

Gray hair is a crown of splendor...

2011-01-11T10:25:00.001-05:00

{ Thought it would be funny to see what my pointy-chin-face looked like with gray hair! }

Let me tell you why I am clinging to Proverbs 16:31 today...

The past few months I've been noticing an increase of these silvery-white little blades scattered throughout my mop. Gray hair—I'm not even 30! No one in my family has ever been prematurely gray either. I'd yank them, but there are just too many at this point.

This next part I'm sharing might annoy Andy a bit, but it's too funny to me not to write about! Last night at Target, while shopping for dish soap and a few other necessities, my sweet and kind-hearted husband looked at me under the bright flourescent lights and said, "You really do have a lot of gray hair." Now, let me just say that although I was embarrassed he could see them so plainly (meaning everyone could see them and it's not just something I notice), he did follow it up with some really sincere and sweet comments about how pretty he thinks I am, and how he thinks my gray hair is "cool;" so he's off the hook for noticing I guess ;)

At any rate, my hair has been blonde, Dr. Pepper red, black, and brown so why shouldn't it also be gray some day? I'm not at the stage where all my hair is gray yet, but I imagine some day it will be, and by then I'll be ready to wear it proudly (in a long old lady hair style, of course!)...but for now, I just might be making a visit to Studio 31 to have my cousin Jackie fix me up!

Weekend Recap: Winter Hike

2011-01-10T06:30:00.004-05:00

{ I love this picture of Andy and Ralf, one of my favorites of the day! }

We went for a winter hike on Saturday with Ralf, and I brought the camera along. I've been so busy with work lately that I haven't had much free-time to be creative, so I thought maybe snapping a few pics would make me feel better. The good news is that this actually did ignite some inspiration! Not sure yet when I'll get around to more paintings or the other creative projects that are waiting patiently on my list, but for now a few brief moments on a weekend with a camera will have to do :)

{ Even though Ralf is sorta out of focus I really liked this moment because he looks like he is having so much fun in the forrest }

We had a really fun time, and by the end of the day, my ears were completely numb despite my warm hat, and Ralf's poor feet had frozen balls of snow all over them.

Totally made my day

2011-01-07T14:58:00.000-05:00

My friend Keli from Colette Paperie is amazing. You'll be hearing from her very soon, as she is the very first guest blogger I have lined up for this year for a new monthly segment (that I can't wait to tell you about)!!

Anyways, today she messaged me these amazing personalized cards, and totally made my day!

{ She rocks my socks off }

She'd love to make up some for you--check out her awesomeness here.

Banners of Love

2011-01-03T17:11:00.000-05:00

I had a few moments to spare today and created this Etsy Treasury.

It won't be long before Valentine's Day is upon us, so I thought it would be fun to see what love themed items are available right now. Enjoy!

{ Click here to see the full treasury! }

Back to reality

2011-01-03T06:19:00.003-05:00

After having one whole glorious week off work, today I am back to that good old routine that we all know as "the rat race."

All day yesterday I was grumpy about having to go back to work. So here is my public apology to anyone who happened to stroll through the mall too slowly, talk too loudly on their cell phones while we waited in line to make a return, and anyone else I might be forgetting. Thank God for Andy! He was a real champion yesterday and managed to put up with all my grouchy shenanigans...guess that's what marriage is all about!

Hope you are all ready to get back to work! 2011 is just getting started ;)

{ I stumbled across this old picture and thought it summed up my attitude yesterday quite well, haha }

Top Ten of 2010

2010-12-31T10:00:00.002-05:00

Honestly, I've been complaining a lot lately. Not so much complaints to other people, but just to myself or during my quiet time. At some point I stopped blabbering enough to actually hear from the Lord, and realized I needed a change of attitude. What better way to beat the grumble monster than to make a list of what I am most thankful for!

Here we go, my Top Ten of 2010:

1. God's unbelievable provision and faithfulness

Romans 8:28

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of

those who love him, whohave been called according to his purpose."

2. A hard working, loving, fun, and crazy awesome husband

3. Amazing and supportive friends and family

4. A big hairy dog that makes me laugh every single day

5. A lovely home in the same city as all my favorite people in the whole wide world

6. Antique Malls (one of my favorite things to do this past year)

7. Popcorn (I'm loving it more than ever lately)

8. Fun jobs like commercial shoots and developing a new boy's clothing brand.

9. Hot Tea (I have it every morning!)

10. The Bed Intruder Song (duh, who doesn't love it?!)

Hope you all have a fantastic New Year...I'm planning to :)

FIFTY!

2010-12-22T07:05:00.000-05:00

That's right! You guys knocked it out of the park this year!!!! We doubled the total from last year's Cans for Comments food drive :) Thanks to all who took some time these last two weeks to comment, the Mid-Ohio Foodbank will receive 50 canned goods for hungry families in Central Ohio.

I just have to say a huge

{THANK YOU}

for all your wonderful comments

that made these donations possible!!

You guys ROCK!

And please don't forget, Food banks need donations year-round, so this doesn't have to be just a holiday thing! You can learn find your local food bank and learn about Feeding America here.

Ralf Turns Four

2010-12-17T15:48:00.003-05:00

Today is Ralf's 4th birthday!

I know he's just a dog, but I love him as if he were my child, and he brings so much joy and laughter to our lives that I just have to celebrate. I thank God on a regular basis for the loyal loving giant He gave us.

What a blessing dogs can be in the lives of the people who care for them! What's your favorite thing about your pets?

**Don't forget about Cans for Comments! There's a little over 24 hours left, so make sure you get your comment in ASAP! Every comment means food for hungry folks in Central Ohio!**

Bunny Treasures

2010-12-15T09:43:00.003-05:00

A lovely fellow Etsy-ite featured me in her treasury!
I'm honored :)

You can check it out here.

And don't forget about Cans for Comments! We're at 17 total canned goods for the Mid-Ohio Foodbank right now with 3 more days to go! Let's knock it out of the park these next few days and get a little crazy with those comments!! Each one you leave equals one canned good-so go ahead and leave a couple!

Let it Snow!

2010-12-13T11:05:00.006-05:00

I just love the snow this time of year! I'm pretty sure yesterday's snow fall was the first significant accumulation we've had so far this year, and I can't remember getting this kind of snow before Christmas in years. In fact, it seems like my last memory of snow like this around Christmas was when I was probably 7 years old. Snow during the Christmas season always makes the holiday feel so much more magical and wondrous.

I had a wonderful weekend! Caught up with my lovely friend Keli at IKEA, and then we got crazy and went to the mall. It was ridiculously crowded, but we're pretty much done with all our Christmas shopping now AND had a great time with Keli so it was a very successful day :)

Sunday after a good portion of the snow came down, Andy and I took Ralf to the park for a walk. He really loves the snow and so we knew he needed to go out and play. I really enjoyed the quiet that a winter snow brings to the park. Things are so peaceful, and there aren't many people there, so it's as if the whole park belongs to you. Walking Ralf in the snow is one of my very favorite winter-time activities.

What's your favorite thing about winter?

**Don't forget, your comments equal food for the Mid-Ohio Foodbank!!**

Hope

2010-12-08T07:55:00.004-05:00

Back in October we hired our good friend Carl to take some photos.

He is amazingly talented and he did an incredible job.

I've had these pictures for over a month, but have only viewed them for the first time this week. I was apprehensive about seeing them because the day they were taken was the happiest day of my life (aside from the day I married Andy), and knowing where. Although Carl is amazing and provided us with perfect pictures of just the two of us, we actually hired him to document our announcement to our families that we were pregnant. Two days later we would have our first ultrasound and learn of the empty gestational sac, and ultimately miscarry at 12 weeks. So you can see why it took me so long to take a look at these beautiful images. I was afraid...Afraid that seeing these photographs would make me sad, that I would get depressed thinking back on this day, and that I would never want to remember.

I was nervous when I sat down with Andy at the computer. He put the disc in and the images opened up and I was overwhelmed with amazement and gratitude. Grateful for Carl's talent, but even more grateful that we had this beautiful day with our families that I will remember forever. And even with all that has happened, it is still the most fun and exciting day of my life. And even though we aren't going to have a baby right now, these pictures didn't make me sad or depressed....they made me hopeful. I see these images of the hugs, the tears, the laughter and celebration and I hear that still, small voice of the Lord whisper to my heart, "You will have this day of celebration again." And all I can feel is happy that I got to preview the excitement, joy, love and jubilee that is ahead for us some day when we get to announce this wonderful news all over again.

To see more of Carl's work, click here.

I'm dreaming of...

2010-12-07T07:30:00.004-05:00

One of the biggest dreams I have is actually quite simple: to host a regular meal with many friends and family, all sitting at one very large, rectangular dining table. I picture us laughing, passing serving dishes full of delicious dishes, and just sharing life with each other.

Sometimes I do some dream shopping online. I found this Vintage Farm Tool Rectangular Dining Table from Restoration Hardware recently, and I absolutely LOVE it. It's definitely out of my price range, but some day I hope to stumble upon one on Craigslist or something, haha!

What are you dreaming of? What do you hope for the future?

*Also, don't forget about the Cans for Comments food drive running until December 18th!*

My favorite time of year!

2010-12-04T17:00:00.003-05:00

The Christmas season is my very favorite time of year. I'm one of those freaks who sneaks listening to Christmas music in late September (total geek--I KNOW!). If I had the funds to decorate them all, I'd have a Christmas tree in every room of the house. I love setting out our beautiful nativity that Andy's mom got us a few years back, shopping for our fresh cut tree, pulling out all our ornaments, watching holiday movies, and just having a legit excuse to give the people I love gifts. I love Christmas so much, I even had to redecorate my little blog (even though she just got a lovely face lift last month!)

And with that it is with great joy that I announce the start of the second annual Christmas Cans for Comments food drive here at Get Reale. Last year I had the honor of donating a total of 25 canned goods to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank--I hope you guys will triple that amount this year!

Here's how it works:

For every comment you leave on any of my blog posts between December 4th, 2010 and December 18th, 2010 I will donate one canned food item to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank.

You may leave as many comments as your little heart desires--THEY ALL COUNT!

Your comments always mean a lot to me,

but now they will mean a lot to someone else too!

Fun with a gift card

2010-12-02T07:29:00.004-05:00

{Recently I was provided a $25.00 gift card from BlogHer and HomeGoods}

Andy was kind enough to go with me on a little excursion to HomeGoods, and he even found a little something for himself next door at Marshalls :) I was surprised at how many cool items HomeGoods had priced under $25, and found several items I was considering buying with the gift card. Finally I discovered these:

I'm sure a candle or some lovely pine cones will look perfect inside each of them!

Bittersweet

2010-11-21T20:15:00.004-05:00

If you were wondering, I'm still alive!

After all that's happened, I just really needed a break. I think I'm back for good now, but can't make any serious promises.

This past two months has been bittersweet. Sweet and bitter for pretty much the same reasons...because I watched as Jesus came to my rescue in His perfect timing, and spared me from having to undergo the dnc procedure...Truth be told I was absolutely terrified of that procedure. I know it's not a serious surgery (there's no actual cutting or anything like that), but I was so nervous of the anesthetic...and I was completely dreading that day. But in His crazy "I'm always here for you" way, the Lord allowed me to miscarry naturally. Still completely heartbreaking, but even in the moment when I truly thought I was going to die, the Holy Spirit swooped in and comforted me, and I felt peace kick in right when I needed it most.

I'm glad that I didn't have to have the surgery, but still trying to tread through all the emotions of what has happened. I'll hate to admit this, but in the past when I have learned someone had a miscarriage, I've always said, "Oh, that's so sad," and then not thought much more about it. But now that it has happened to me...I'm learning what a big deal it really is. I mean, even though it could have been much worse, we still suffered a loss. Even though I was only pregnant for 12 weeks, every day since I found out I was pregnant I thought of the little one growing inside me. I dreamed of him or her...what they might look like, act like...prayed for their safety...We began to love this child that we never got to meet. So it is quite a big deal to have lost that hopefulness and that dream for our baby--even if it wasn't very far along in the pregnancy.

Overall, I think I'm doing ok. There's still a lot of work to be done and a lot of healing left to do, but God has been so good to me even through what seems like darkness. I'm starting to feel back to normal, and every day gets a little bit better than the last. I'm finding little nuggets of encouragement throughout each day, sometimes even during a total meltdown.

I've been easing back into life. I recently started back to work, and I hope to start blogging about normal things again; to share holiday recipes, family events, and maybe even some artwork (if I can find the time!) This is a new chapter for me. I feel like it's New Year's Eve and I'm starting a brand new year. I'm truly a blank slate right now-in pretty much every aspect of life-and looking forward to what God wants to do with me.

To celebrate my fresh start I've installed a new blog design. Right now it's the little things that are making each day great-even if it's something as minor as a blog design.

jitters

2010-10-31T18:35:00.001-04:00

I've got the night before surgery jitters, on top of all the other emotions that come with having a miscarriage. Blah. I'm ready to feel like a normal person again, but not looking forward to tomorrow at all :(

Deuteronomy 31:8

The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.

Fathomless billows of love...

2010-10-24T19:00:00.001-04:00

Written on Friday, October 22, 2010:

I've debated with myself on whether or not to share certain details of my personal life with the world via this small little blog, but I don't think I can move forward without acknowledging things that happen that are life changing, both good and bad. I feel I am obligated to myself to at least be as genuine as I initially set out to be when I started this blog--even if that means I have to discuss the more ugly side of life as I stare it straight in the face. I'm not even sure that people actually read this blog or care about the things that go on in my world; but I write to collect the bits and pieces of this journey so that I can put the puzzle of God's will together and look back at all the wonderful things He has done. I imagine that someday I'll get all these posts printed and bound and be able to pass it to our children and grandchildren so that they will know about life before they existed, and they will see the love Jesus, the comfort of the Holy Spirit, and the amazing grace of the awesome God we serve.

Having prefaced this blog post with that disclaimer, I now sit in wait on a return phone call from a doctor who is scheduling my dnc; a procedure I never dreamed I would have. These past two weeks have been beyond surreal. From extreme joy and celebration with our dear families and some friends as we shared our incredible news, to complete and utter sadness in a matter of days. I was officially nine weeks two days pregnant when we went in for our first ultrasound. Nervous excitement and hopefulness filled our hearts as we dreamed of what we would see in the first pictures of our baby. What we were met with was a painfully silent ultrasound and a view of an empty gestational sac. After ten minutes alone in an exam room someone we had never met came in and harshly informed us that "one in four pregnancies end in miscarriage, and that's what's happening to you." Shocked and speechless at the news and lack of care in the delivery of this information, we were understandably devastated. Andy took me straight to my mom's house, where she encouraged us not to give up just yet, and to get a second opinion. Prayers and encouragements poured in from friends and family.

We met that same week with a new doctor recommended to us by a trusted friend. She took a second look and reported to us the same bad news we had gotten earlier that week (but in a much more thoughtful and compassionate way). We were presented with a small handful of options and signs to watch for, and she agreed to let us wait and see what happened over the next week or so. That was the longest and most emotional week of my life, but through the waiting and not knowing we experienced so much love and care from our friends and family. In my lifetime I have never actually felt the prayers of others, but without a doubt during this past week and a half I have.

I spent a lot of time seeking the Lord's wisdom and comfort, and He surrounded me with His peace. I heard from the Lord in my quiet times. He showed up in big ways and reminded me of His unending love and let me know that He has good things in store for us (Jeremiah 29:11-13, Romans 8:28), even if what's happening right now is beyond my understanding. I was praying for a miracle; and trusting God that no matter what the outcome He is still in control. What was revealed to me I wrote in my previous post on God's goodness, written in the thick of it all, just one day before our third ultrasound. I was questioning God about how to have faith for a miracle, yet still be prepared for whatever His will was regarding this pregnancy. Then He met me with this incredible loving response, and I was faced with a couple of questions: "What is faith, anyway?" and "Does God's goodness change?" The answer, for me, addresses both...Faith is believing that God will do whatever He wants (and trusting Him to do it), in His own timing, in whatever way He can best be glorified--and my capacity to comprehend what He does will not change the fact that He is always, undeniably, ridiculously good.

Walking into that third ultrasound with this revelation was so powerful for me. I hoped and prayed for that miracle, but knew that whatever happened, God's plans for us are still good. A crazy amount of calmness kicked in once the ultrasound began, and as we looked at the image of the still empty gestational sac, I was overcome with peace--the kind of peace you read about in John 14:27 or sing about in that old hymn Wonderful Peace..."Peace, peace, wonderful peace, coming down from the Father above! Sweep over my spirit forever, I pray in fathomless billows of love!

It's true that in your weakness Christ is strong...I have experienced that in these past few days. Don't get me wrong, I still have my fair share of meltdowns; tears and grief can still be found, but even at my lowest moments I find strength in knowing that God, the creator of all life, is holding me close. I have come to know the indescribable comfort of His Holy Spirit, and I'm stepping into the healing Jesus offers. This is a process. This is a journey. I'm already not the same person I was before. I'm stronger. My marriage is stronger. My faith is stronger. What the enemy meant to harm me, God is using for His glory.

Please keep us in your prayers as we proceed with surgery and healing.

Goodness

2010-10-18T14:15:00.013-04:00

Do you know the goodness of the Lord?

I mean, I've often heard the phrase "God is good" in church, but have you personally ever experienced God's goodness?

There are several instances throughout my own life that I can look back on and say, "Yes, God was definitely good to me in this specific area." I can remember a list of marvelous and small things I have watched God do in my life; and I have most likely been blessed with many things I haven't even noticed came from my Heavenly Father. Perhaps I was ignorant to the fact that I even needed what He supplied, or maybe I just let other things in life get in the way of what He was doing. But my noticing didn't change the fact that He is good.

I've found myself searching my past to remind myself of God's goodness lately. I've had some interesting conversations with the Lord, experienced some very powerful journaling time, and stepped deeper into trusting Him over these last few days and weeks. What I have come to realize is that even if I did not have the memories of all God has blessed me with--even if I had never seen an answered prayer--it would not change the fact that He is so good and deserving of my worship one bit.

He sent His only Son Jesus, to pay the price of my sin--even the whole world's sin--so that we humans can have a relationship with a loving, approachable, kind, sovereign, and Holy God. You just can't get any more good than that.

Please share your stories of God's goodness.

It's a great way to encourage others.

Hello again, New York!

2010-09-16T19:02:00.004-04:00

I mentioned that Andy has been a traveling man lately, and I've been rather lonely as a result...well, this weekend there was no loneliness to be felt because I spent the weekend in NYC visiting with Andy, eating good food, hanging with friends, and shopping a teeny bit. It was a wonderful visit!

{ We stayed at Ace Hotel }

{ Pretty cool room Andy called home for nearly a week }

I arrived Friday afternoon and we quickly made the most of the day by hitting the streets and doing a little shopping. Friday was BY FAR the most memorable days of the trip, more on that later! Andy picked me up at Penn Station and we dropped off my bag at the hotel. Once I was settled in we grabbed some lunch first at the best thing about NYC (according to me) RICE. If you're ever in the city, you must eat there--it's soo good! After lunch we stopped by one of my NYC favorites: Top Shop (I got a new dress and some shoes that were quickly worn in over the next two days) and then we just sort of wandered around SoHo and randomly happened upon this sweet looking store called AllSaints. Super pricy clothes, but the store design and interiors were just breathtaking! On the plus side, we also spotted Gwen Stefani (so beautiful in person!) doing a little shopping inside this place! She's only my forth celeb sighting in the city (others include Mike Myers, Joshua Jackson, and a quick near collision with James Gandolfini in the middle of Times Square on a Saturday morning when I was headed to work). It was exciting, but once again I skipped the photo-op since I figure these famous people can never escape the cameras. I did however take a mental snap-shot.

{ AllSaints display behind the cash register }

Saturday we slept in a bit, and then went to meet our friends Chris and Julie for lunch at Hummus Place on St. Mark's. Very good food-and even better company! We got to catch up and hang out for a few hours (stopped by the lomography store--Andy got a neato bandito new $50 camera), it was super fun! Those McCaddon's are some of the coolest people we know! If you don't believe me, check out Julie's blog! We also made our first visit ever to Harlem and the house featured in The Royal Tenanbaums. We stopped by central park, and even made time to take a stroll down memory lane and stopped by Rockefeller Center, where Andy proposed. It brought back a flood of great memories.

{ The lomography store }

{ Chris, Julie, me, Andy (making the usual goof ball face) }

{ View from Central Park }

{ Fun in the park }

{ The Royal Tenanbaums House }

{ Tourist geeks }

Saturday evening after visiting Rockefeller Center we took a touristy stroll through Times Square, where I noticed Spiderman hitting on a pretty lady, and Spongebob dancing for money. It was awesome!

{ Taken from the spot where Andy proposed nearly 5 years ago }

{ Spidey's got game! }

{ Spongebob Squarepants sells out }

Sunday it was raining. We left the hotel with no umbrella, but it didn't ruin our day. We set out for Brooklyn Flea, and stumbled upon this Jersey-esque diner called Junior's. They're famous for their cheesecake, but I ordered a veggie omelet. It was delish and super filling! Brooklyn Flea was interesting. There was definitely some cool stuff to look at, but honestly so many of my "cool design blogs" have hyped it up far beyond what is true (for me on this particular day, anyway). I found a couple of good finds, but in the end, they were still at least $15 more than the very same item listed on ebay, so we opted to not buy and instead got some People's Pops, which I give 2 giant thunbs up. Other events Sunday included a nerdy conversation about super villains vs. evil robots or something like that at Forbidden Planet (comic books, of course), and a spider scaring the pee out of me in between two bookshelves at The Strand, and being somewhat weirded out by Taylor Swift's performance on this years VMA's (wow, it's been a year since that Kanye episode?) For the record, I do love Taylor Swift--just didn't think that video clip from the "episode" was necessary.

{ Inside Brooklyn Flea }

Monday morning I headed home. I caught a cab to Newark, NJ (cheaper flights to Newark and only a short ride by train or cab, FYI). It was 6AM, I was tired but the cab driver was so amazing. We made small talk and by the end of my ride he was getting my luggage out of the trunk and giving me a hug goodbye. Such a sweet man. Strange to have those connections with people who you know you'll never see again but you'll also never forget.

All in all it was a really awesome weekend and a great blessing of a trip <3

Labor Day birthday and other random thoughts

2010-09-08T17:06:00.003-04:00

{ This is Rylee }

Not only is she adorable, but have I told you that she's also recently taken residence with my mom and her husband (he's Rylee's grandfather)-who are completely spoiling her rotten, haha!

Monday was her third birthday, so we threw her a birthday party at my mom's house on Labor Day evening. It was great fun to see all the kids enjoying the last summer hurrah in the pool and playing all the games my mom had organized for them--complete with a back yard treasure hunt-my mom is great at coming up with party activities ;)

I am certain that this third birthday party will be one of Rylee's first memories of birthday celebrations. It is so much fun for me to see her get super excited about even smallest of things. After opening each gift she kept saying, "Oh my goodness! I've never had one of these before!!" It was super cute. She got a ton of goodies, it looked like Christmas!

That's what I did on my Labor Day, how did you spend yours?

In other news, Andy has been out of town for a whole week already (ok, he came home for about 36 hours, but that doesn't really count because most of the time had to be spent sleeping or at work). He left this morning for NYC, and was supposed to come home on Saturday but his trip got extended through the weekend until NEXT Tuesday. I cannot wait until his traveling is done, but it appears that after a week or so back home he'll possibly be headed down to Nashville for at least a couple of days...so that's even more time apart. I've been trying to kill time by watching tons of Steve Martin movies on Netflix and buying a bunch of pretty things from antique malls, flea markets, and Etsy. *Hopefully I'll have a fun post sharing some of those items with you very soon (depending on how hectic things get at work now that everyone is back from their Labor Day vacations). I was sort of enjoying leaving work on time every night and having a little time to blog again!

To Drool For

2010-09-03T14:58:00.000-04:00

An area we completely lack in is our bedding and bath towels. I can't justify purchasing the $900 duvet cover that looks so elegant and beautiful, but I can drool over them at Horchow.com

These are just a few of my favorites...

If you feel so inclined to make a donation to the Reale bedding fund, we'll gladly accept your donations, haha. Have a lovely holiday weekend!

Falling off the face of the earth

2010-09-02T13:00:00.017-04:00

{ I did this little sketch on my lunch break }

Did you think I fell off the face of the earth?

Has it seriously been almost a month since my last post?! I know you've heard it all before, but these days I've been far too busy with work to blog (or clean, or cook, or go to the grocery store, or walk the dog, etc.) But I'm not complaining--I dooooo like the steady moolah. And my main squeeze has been really stepping it up and helping me with all sorts of chores around the house...so needed and appreciated!

Since I'm spending the better part of my day at the office, I thought I'd just share my little workspace with you.

{ My little cubical }

{ Where I keep little things }

{ Makes working on a PC quick and painless...sort of }

{ Special little notebooks Andy got me }

to make meetings and note-taking fun

That's where you can find me Monday through Friday.

I'll try to get back to my real life soon so I have more fun and eventful things to share :)

For the love of Sally

2010-08-13T16:15:00.003-04:00

{ Sally Field, still gorgeous at 63 }

There aren't many women in Hollywood that I admire, but when Sally Field comes to mind, I always find myself saying..."Yeah, I like her."

Now, my knowledge of her doesn't go much further than knowing these few things about her:
1. Gidget
2. Forrest Gump
3. Brothers and Sisters
4. The ads for that Osteoporosis medicine

I have to say that every time I see her on television or in a magazine I think to myself, "I hope I age as gracefully as Sally Field has." I mean, she's nearly 64 and she is still so gorgeous. I'm not sure if she's had any cosmetic work done...my optimistic heart wants to believe she's just naturally beautiful. I read in a Good Housekeeping article that she has never had any plastic surgery. I hope it's true!

So, why am I posting about Sally Field, you ask? Well, mainly just because I love that she's over 60 and still has a stylish super cute haircut. None of that old lady shortness going on over at Sally's house. Seriously, I hope I have long hair for the rest of my life.

Why, hello there soap box-haven't stood on you for a while!

2010-08-09T22:33:00.006-04:00

{ Norris Lake, Tennessee }

So we made it home from vacation safe and sound!
It was a grand time with friends, we were definitely blessed with perfect weather, delicious food, and best of all the company. What a lovely bunch of friends God has given us!

Much of the trip was spent on the water. The lake was one of the most beautiful I've ever been to. The water was clear and clean, and didn't hurt too bad when I face planted after a knee boarding excursion cut short by my attempt to soar over the boat's wake. The good news is that prior to my crash, I was able to complete two 360° turns (only my second time knee boarding ever, so I was pretty happy for myself about that!) the bad news is the only proof of the event I have are a couple poor quality iPhone pictures since we didn't have the good camera with us that day. Oh well, it will always be a fond memory of sweet victory.

{ My triumphant 360 shred! }

{ Andy on the tube! }

That same day I also surprised myself by jumping off a bridge into the lake (Bummed-no pics of that either!) Not quite sure how high it was, but while I was falling it felt like an eternity! Needless to say, I can now cross that one off my bucket list :)

Today was my first day back to work since the trip. I'm very much enjoying this freelance job-everyone is so nice and seems to enjoy what they do (always a good sign!) and the projects are fun and exciting. Wish I could share more about it but everything is so hush hush right now. Being that this is a down low situation and all (and I'm spending most of my time working these days), it's been a bit tough coming up with topics to post about, let alone the energy that's required to actually type them out! I rarely get home before 7pm, and by the time dinner and errands or housework are complete I'm pretty much a soggy french fry. Hopefully I'll find some balance between my hobbies (yes, this is a hobby...not a full-time job!) and the real world.

With that I'll dust off the old soap box and say a few words...
I've definitely missed blogging on a regular basis though. For a little while I was contemplating just giving it up. There's a lot of pressure out there for bloggers...pressure to post a certain number of times per week...pressure to write about cool things...pressure to present yourself in an interesting light...pressure to have a super slick design...pressure to get a bazillion followers...it's so superficial sometimes and so hard to keep up with it all. I mean, I never see a paycheck from this, so it should not consume the same amount of time as a career does. But there are so many amazing blogs out there these days, and in comparison to most mine is not so wonderful. I get caught up in the rat race, I get sucked into the great weblog hurricane. Then I take a step back...I ask myself why on earth do I really have this blog? What am I really doing here? And I remember why I started it. I wanted to document this life the Lord gave me, to share my creative journey with some friends and family, and to be as transparent as possible about my relationship with my best friend Jesus as He takes me on this journey. I don't care if what I have to share is boring to some, or if people don't like my artwork, or if they think sometimes I share too much about whatever. I'm not doing this for them, I'm not trying to sell ad space, I'm not trying to be something or someone else. I'm just being me, and that's the best material I have to offer. It may be a bit sloppy, it may be a bit late--and it'll definitely be a lot cheesy--but I can honestly say I'm no longer going to feel guilty or pressured by this blogging experience. It is and always was meant to be a fun place for documenting love, life and art; and I think that's worth protecting.

Wow, and now I have successfully just word-vomited all over you. Can you tell I'm PMS-ing this week?? (haha) I have no idea how I jumped on that topic, but it obviously needed to come out, so there you have it.

Have a wonderful week...from the looks of this post I get the feeling mine will be an interesting one ;)

Vacation

2010-08-01T07:46:00.002-04:00

I know I've slacked off lately with posts, but I've been really swamped at work and home trying to prep for vacation. This week we're road trippin' with some friends for a couple of days for a little r&r, and after last week's 50+ hour work schedule vacation could not come at a better time.

See you in a few days friends!

Please, tell me you can relate!

2010-07-23T08:15:00.010-04:00

I think it's hilarious that Andy Reale seems to be incapable of shutting his dresser drawers after picking out his clothes for the day. Seriously--I feel like Claire Foster (Tina Fey's character in Date Night) every single time I nearly walk straight into open drawers in our bedroom ;)

Happy Friday, friends!

New Jobby

2010-07-22T07:12:00.000-04:00

{ Super top secret fashion headquarters ;) }

I almost forgot to share with you dear ones that I am working a freelance contract for a few months at this lovely little building. It's super top secret fashion design stuff--yep, I'm back to fashion for a bit! It's nice to be able to do this during the summer months while school is out, and I'm enjoying it very much. I get to work with some crazy talented people, and this particular company really treats their employees well, so it's looking like it will be a wonderfully positive experience. I have to say I am blown away by how the Lord brings provision to us, sometimes in ways we aren't expecting. But I've been asking for some way to contribute more to our finances, and this opportunity literally was dropped in my lap.
God is so faithful like that.

A Lazy Dog

2010-07-21T07:16:00.001-04:00

There's really nothing to say here.

He's just so laaaazy!

The Tuesday Treat: Too cute for words

2010-07-20T07:29:00.000-04:00

{ Really, she's too cute for words }

This is Rylee. She turns three on September 6th.

She now permanently lives with my mom and her husband,

and she is simply adorable. I just love her to pieces!

Free to be me

2010-07-19T07:23:00.017-04:00

{ Wanna know what I sang? The Rembrandts, "I'll be there for you" ;) }

I finally got up the nerve to sing a karaoke solo this past weekend. I've always felt secure in singing with a few friends, where I can easily blend in and won't look too stupid...but Saturday night was finally the night I cut loose...and it was wonderfully exhilarating!

Seems like it has taken me forever to be comfortable (even within my amazing group of friends) with being myself and not wearing this very prim and proper facade. For so long, only Andy has seen my true self. It's great that my marriage is a safe place where I feel free, but how sad that I have not shared that side of myself with some of my favorite people in the whole world! How sad not to allow myself to be who God made me to be! I so often would present myself as more reserved and inverted only because I was absolutely terrified of what people might think about my ideas, my goofy side--my lame jokes, my thoughts, my hopes, my deepest wishes. I've spent the last 4 years being this subdued version of myself-only letting glimpses of who I really am come out once every blue moon.

Slowly I've been finding freedom in Jesus. Freedom in who I truly am--the total goof-ball girl only Andy has seen for so long. The person I have been hiding underneath the insecurities we all have every now and then. I'm not trying to impress anyone any longer. I'm just trying to live in the present, soak in each moment, make the most of everything I do, and love like Jesus all the way through. (Umm...can't help but point out my rhyming skills there, ha!)

So I sang off tune, I got winded, I didn't know all the words...I was basically American Idol's worst nightmare! But I sang and danced my little pea-pickin' heart out, and I'm certain God was watching, laughing and celebrating right along with me.

Matthew 10:29-31

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."

In the process of writing out this blog, I happened to stumble upon this great artist Francesca Battistelli. Her song is pretty spot on with what I'm saying here so I thought I'd share this with you, too!

The Tuesday Treat: Fuzzy Bees and Weeds

2010-07-13T08:05:00.007-04:00

{ These weeds really are the Bees Knees }

We took a walk on Sunday in the Whetstone Park of Roses

with our dood Ralf and visited the prairie.

The place was buzzing with activity, haha!

Fuzzy Bee from Ashley Reale on Vimeo.

Born in the wrong decade

2010-07-12T15:15:00.002-04:00

{ Lady Gaga's got nothin on these guys... }

Sometimes I think I was born in the wrong decade.

Perhaps I'm just an old soul. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy being an 80s baby--1983 brought us some of the best music from The Police, UB40, Michael Jackson, Hall & Oates, and of course Dexy's Midnight Runners. But ever since I can remember I've been in love with the older music from the 50s and 60s. There's just something about it that makes me happy. It's more pure or something. Especially this summer, I find myself constantly tuning into the Pandora Beach Boys station...sooo good! Seriously, you need to check it out! Everything from Jerry Lee Lewis to The Contours to The Temptations to The Cowsills--even some good old Van Morrison--great summertime music. I just love it all :)

In My Kitchen: Summer Smoothie

2010-07-10T10:22:00.015-04:00

We make these smoothies all the time, and they are literally the best tasting I've ever had! Yes, they are even better than Jamba Juice. Not only are they delicious, but they are really healthy and good for you. I got the recipe a couple of years ago from my Step-mom's mother and we have been drinking them ever since.

Ingredients:
1 cup soy milk
1 cup grape juice
2 cups frozen fruit (I like to mix up pineapple, mango and a berry assortment in ours)
4 oz. tofu
1 tablespoon flax
1 tablespoon wheat germ

Instructions:
Put all ingredients into blender and blend to desired thickness.
It's soooo easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy!

The Tuesday Treat: All The Painted Faces

2010-07-06T08:37:00.002-04:00

Jackie is full of wonderful ideas.

She bought some face paint and we both were going to paint stars and other patriotic symbols on these adorable little faces to celebrate the fourth.

Of course after they all caught a glimpse of the full face painted examples on the packaging, the measly stars seemed sooo uncool. Obviously, one cannot deny a brood of screaming children their opportunity to have their faces painted up like they've been to the circus, or the zoo, or a Halloween party or whatever. Needless to say, Jackie and I painted a lot of little faces this year at the Smith family's Fourth of July bash!

And it was oh so fun!!

{ Snakes, Tigers, Monkeys, Polar Bears and Cheetahs-Oh my! }

Five years ago

2010-07-05T15:54:00.000-04:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Independence Day, I know I did :)
Five years ago today I kissed Andy Reale underneath the fireworks and he officially became my boyfriend. Today he is the best husband I could have ever asked for.

Weeding the garden of life

2010-07-01T10:35:00.003-04:00

It's pretty obvious by all my recent posts that I've been a little busy lately--so much so that I've been using my busyness as a way to escape what is really going on in my heart and in my life. Things that really need to be pondered, and should definitely be brought before the Lord and continually surrendered to Him.

Instead I've occupied myself with all sorts of wonderful activities and told the Father to just hang on for a little while. I picture me with 40 giant shopping bags full of junk, asking Jesus to just hold them all for me while I go off to play. Of course He'll take my baggage, He actually wants to; but I'm sure He wants to go through it all with me instead of just being left to stand there holding it all. He wants to help me unload, walk me through it, bring healing and insight...but He can't do that when I keep putting Him off. I feel bad, but honestly, I just haven't felt like diving into it all lately. In a lot of ways, it's easier to sweep it under the rug and pretend it isn't there. But then life slows down...Andy goes out of town...all the fun party planning is over...I'm left to an extremely quiet house, and the Lord says..."Hey, remember me?" I can finally hear Him because all the noise is gone, and I'm feeling like something needs to change.

So now I am presented with a choice: dig in with Jesus and actually start dealing with stuff and experience life, spiritual growth and healing; or do nothing and continue to ignore it and feel half-dead inside. I definitely desire the life, growth and healing that the first option promises. I choose Jesus. He hands me a shovel and some gloves and we start weeding the garden of my life together.

Matthew 11:28-30 (The Message)

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

The Birthday Girl

2010-06-29T08:10:00.000-04:00

{ Happy Birthday Erin!!! }

So far this week I've been crazy updating you on the surprise party we threw for Erin on Friday evening. Well today is her actual birthday, and I am so excited to share the gift I made for her (assisted by my family--and some helpful pointers from the very handsome video professional, Mr. Andy Stinkin' Reale)

Over the course of a couple weeks, I interviewed members of our family talking about Erin-what they love about her, their favorite memories, etc. This is what I shot, I'd love to hear what you think!

Happy 30th Birthday Erin from Ashley Reale on Vimeo.

Oh, and here are some more fun pictures from the party that I haven't shared with you yet!

{ Me and E }

{ The lovely sisters }

{ Gracie }

{ Nattie - haha this one cracks me up! }

{ Lolo }

{ Aunt Becky and "Aunt" Cindi }

{ Uncle Bud! }

The Tuesday Treat: Heaven Bound

2010-06-29T08:05:00.001-04:00

{ The bush outside my kitchen window }

Perfect Party // Surprise, Surprise, Surprise!

2010-06-28T09:30:00.003-04:00

Thinking of Gomer Pyle as I write the title to this post, haha.

I was only going to share one of these screen shots from the video Andy took of Erin's surprise being revealed, but I love the story they tell together, so you get 'em all!

{ She's beautiful even when she's blindfolded }

{ Cute as a button! }

{ Surprise!!!! }

{ Yay yay yay yay!!!! }

{ I love surprises-so fun! }

{ Some of Erin's friends after the big reveal! }

Check out the decorations here!
Check out the cupcake bar here!

Check out the invitations here!

Tomorrow I'll be posting a video I made for the party, so stay tuned for that :)
Have a great Monday everyone!

Perfect Party // Decor Galore!

2010-06-28T08:04:00.003-04:00

{ One of my favorite details of the whole party }

Thank heavens I'm a pack rat! I saved oodles of time with these pre-made handmade decorations from the Euro house commercial shoot I did back in January. To these, we added some handmade paper flowers, streamers, a Happy Birthday banner, and of course some helium balloons. I could not have possibly completed the set up of all these things without some heavy-hitters: Nic (Erin's husby), Dan and my super cool Uncle Bud (his real name is David, long story as to why we call him Uncle Bud...but saying "Uncle Dave" or "Uncle David" seems weird, so whatevs...) I also had the help of some very petite princesses. It was much appreciated. Thanks to you all for your remarkable work on Friday night :)

{ We decorated inside AND outside in less than an hour and a half...and we sure were sweatin by the end of it! }

{ Dan was the best ballon placement man }

{ Balloons everywhere! }

{ Chandelier numero dos }

{ Our handmade paper flowers were delightful }

{ Shiloh helping with balloons }

{ Nic and Gracie working on a balloon assembly line }

{ Uncle Bud in charge of the helium tank-look at those guns! }

{ Dan the balloon placement man! }

{ Gracie and Nattie were super duper helpers }

{ Full of hot air? hmmmm... No helium tank necessary }

Check out the cupcake bar here!

Check out the invitations here!

Perfect Party // Cupcake Bar Edition

2010-06-27T22:05:00.002-04:00

{ Making cupcakes! }

Jackie had this sweet idea: instead of a birthday cake, we created an entire "Make your own cupcake" bar, complete with icing, sprinkles, and more! She made most of the cupcakes--I was dubbed the world's slowest cupcake maker...but the results were delicious!

{ Slower than molasses in January... }

{ Lovely Cindi and the fabulous cupcake bar }

{ Cupcakes awaiting icing and M&M toppings }

{ Sprinkles! }

Check out the decorations here!

See the invitations here!

Check back this Tuesday for a video and more fun pictures!

Perfect Party // Part One

2010-06-27T21:45:00.002-04:00

{ Partners in Crime }

For the past couple months my cousin Jackie and I have been sneaking around planning a surprise party for Erin's 30th birthday. She is a hard one to plan surprises for, so we had several plans in place in order to pull it all off. Somehow we convinced her to ride to the "secret location" blindfolded (no small feat for a preggers girl prone to car sickness, I might add!)

I loved working on this project with Jackie-she and I really rocked out the party planning if I don't say so myself! Seriously, I'm proud of the killer job we did!

Obviously there is much involved in planning any event, and thus between the two of us we had our work cut out-Jackie took care of all logistics (location, food, games/activities, etc.), and I did a lot on the media/design side (slideshow, party decorations, video presentation). Needless to say I've got a lot to share this week!! I'm going to break it up into a couple of different sections to spare you the mile-long single post.

To kick off this party show and tell, here are the invitations I designed to send out to all Erin's friends and fam... I must say, I was pretty proud of my work here-and sooooo thankful to finally have Photoshop and Illustrator in my hands again. Feels good to be creative without making a giant mess :)

{ Invites! }

The Tuesday Treat: What In God's Green Earth?!

2010-06-22T11:03:00.000-04:00

This week my Zucchini really took off! I've got five blossoms on one plant, and three one the other! I love the way little baby zucchini look--they just make me smile. Having a garden really exposes you to see how creative God got when He made the earth...I mean-who else would think this up?! A yellow flower blossoms and then you can eat what's left behind once it withers away. It's such an awesome thing!

Can't wait until they are ready to eat--nom nom nom....