Top 10 Loves

This is going to be a very vain and materialistic post.  I hope every single one of my loyal and faithful readers know that my #1 love of life is The Lord and my #1 "couldn't live without" is surely God's word.  Now, luckily I live with modern day conveniences and here in Sumter, I am reminded daily how wonderful those things are.  For my own reminder and the joy of my readers, I am going to compile my top 10 loves right now.

10. Woodwick Candles, specifically in "linen"

9. Parmesan Goldfish.  I buy these 2 and 3 bags at a time.

8. Love.This.New.Network.

7. My nightly beauty regime.  Can't have a pretty day without pretty skin.

6. Live in my new pant/leggings from Forever 21.  Thanks, Emma.

5. Smart Water.  Call me bad for not using my Nalgene but this H2O is so good.

4. You haven't had a bath till you use this stuff in it.

3. Best.Chapstick.Everrrr.

2. Scrabble, with Karl.

1. Tassimo coffee.  My best friend.  I roll out of bed everyday and make my way to my Tassimo for my choice of coffee, latte, capp, whatever my heart desires.  My #1 love, Tassimo.  Die for her.  Best friends since junior year of college.

I dare you to indulge in one of my faves... I mean, I don't know, go crazy and splurge on a few of them.  You won't hate yourself for it.

Billi

Missing my sweet Billi this Saturday afternoon.  I came across this picture of some pup today on one of my favorite new websites, pinterest, and it totally reminded me of Billi.  She is seriously so sassy and full of attitude.  If she had thumbs and could paint a self-portrait, this is surely what it would look like...
BTW, she's smoking a tobacco pipe, like her grandpa used to back in the day... shame on anyone that may think something else may be in her pipe.

Happy Saturday,
Hannah K.C. Burton

E-Mealz

Groceries are SOOOO expensive. Karl & I try really hard to live frugally and on a strict budget so I cringe everytime I go to the grocery store. Like, we spend almost $500 on groceries every month- excuse me, am I feeding 34 obese men or two reasonably sized people? I use recipes that call for basic ingredients, use coupons, and shop at WalMart or our local grocery store. I wish I were cooking snow crab and asparagus every night and shopping at Whole Foods or Central Market because then it would be really easy to cut our grocery bill down but I'm not. So, I'm trying a new solution- E-Mealz! Dave Ramsey (financial planner) endorses this website and I can't wait to see if it works for us! My cousin, Lincoln, told me about this site several years ago so it's about time I tried it out. Here's how it works:
-You choose the plan that works best for you (family or couple, normal or low fat or weight watchers, and grocery store you shop at)
-Every week they post a meal plan for you that includes a shopping list, full recipes, and the estimated amount of your bill
-The bill for a 2-person plan is supposed to be between $35-$45 a week and the cost of using e-mealz is $5 a month
My goal is to shave $100-$200 off our grocery bill every month so if we spend $45 a week on dinners + breakfast and lunch randoms, we should easily be able to spend around $350 or less a month! YESSSS, savings baby! I'm also looking forward to meals that are designed for 2 people. Karl and I are forced to eat A LOT of leftovers because I'm usually cooking a basic recipe for 4-8 people. I'll definitely report back on how successful we are on e-mealz and how impressed (or not) we are with the recipes. I thought this may be something some of my newlywed and college friends might be interested in.
Here's a snippet of this weeks menu...

Expect a full report,

html is of The Evil One

Why did I try to change my font on here??  Ruin.my.life.

Too irritated to care,

Your average weekend with The Burtons

I bought Karl a home brewing kit for Christmas.  If you read one of my Christmas posts you will see that I was totally skeptical of the kit and completely reluctant to buy it BUT it was Karl's #1 on his wish list so being the selfless and wonderful wife that I am, I got it for him.  He started on his first batch of Amber Ale a couple of weeks ago (made the house smell HORRIBLE and was super messy) and last night it was time to bottle it.  He was so excited to do the whole process and get it all bottled.  Now it will sit in the garage for 4 weeks in the "cool and dark" environment.  Anyways, just another random experience with Karl worth documenting!  Karl is so smart and it is so neat to see him successful at whatever he puts his mind to.  He was telling me all about the fermentation process and chemicals and sugar levels... blah blah blah I didn't get it but he is so interested in the art of beer.  We had a fun night bottling and capping and we can't wait to taste his creation in a month- we have relatively low expectations for this first batch but I'll be sure to give a full report.
In other news, Karl & I had our first Dave Ramsey class last week along with our first Life Group gathering.  Everything was so wonderful and enjoyable!  If you haven't taken Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace class, DO IT!  Married, single, high school, engaged- it is wonderful for everyone and is so encouraging to have steps to create wealth for Karl & I to enjoy when we are much older, learn the diligence and obedience necessary to stick with a budget, and just feel like the financial aspect of our lives is in order.  It's so fun to work towards our financial goals together!  Our life group was wonderful as well- so fun to be around people in general, ha.  Everyone was encouraging and fun and we can't wait to grow with this group, learn more about everyone, and just continue to embed ourselves in this community.
Thats all for now,
Hannah K.C. Burton

Good, Bad, or Ugly

I'm thinking about ordering a blog book and was just looking through my posts and found this one.  I never posted it but it's dated last April.  Today Karl & I have been married 5 months!  Woo!  That means 5 months spent NOT wedding planning :) Fun to look back on this post and see how I felt just months before our wedding!

April 29
I have a million things to plan, I'm stressed out to the max, & this isn't particularly fun anymore. One thing is for sure, I cannot wait to marry Karl. Despite the chaos of wedding planning, I am proud that August 22nd has really been the focus of my attention since July 31st, 2009, the day Karl and I got engaged. Yes, the wedding is August 21st, but August 22nd seems to me like the day all the fun starts, the day that all the hustle and bustle is gone, the plans, and fluff, the extra people... August 22nd is the day I wake up a Burton, Karl's wife, that is the day that I have been looking forward to. So, no matter how our wedding week goes, no matter what plans fall through, what may or may not stain my dress, what vendor may or may not be late or overcharge, what flowers or dresses or pictures look like... August 22nd will come, I will be wed, and I will be happy. Praise you, Lord for that day and for all the days in between, good, bad, or ugly.

Hannah K.C. Burton

Line drawn.

This just in: Willow Smith is starring as Annie in a remake of the musical. I drew my Willow Smith line at her ridiculous "Whip my Hair," song that got farrrrr too much attention. Bottom line, Willow, back up off my beloved musicals that need not remade.

Hannah K.C. Burton


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big news in the life of Hannah K.C. Burton

I just got off the phone with my dad and in his words, I've "pulled my head out of the sand."  I'm not sure if I sure be flattered or insulted by that.  Maybe I'll just take it as a complisult and call it a day.  In one week I've penciled the following into my planner (and by planner, I mean steno pad because I realized I do not have a 2011 planner.  That is a travesty, speaks volumes about where my life is right now, and a whole different post for a whole new day.)...
Tonight: Karl and I start Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University.  I'm so excited for this.  My parents swear by Dave Ramsey's financial principals, have taught the class, and are providing this class for Karl & I.  I can't wait to start 2011 off on a great financial foot!  Plus, I'm not bummed about having something on my calendar for the next 13 weeks :)

Tomorrow night: Yes, thats right.  I have had nothing on my calendar since my cousin's wedding in October and I have back-to-back events scheduled...on week nights.  Am I back in my Sophomore year experiencing Pi Phi life again??  Nope, go ahead and pinch yourself, Hannah.  You aren't dreaming.  This.is.real.life.  It's called activities, and showering when you wake up, and getting out of your slippers.  Love.it.  Anyways, tomorrow night is our first Community Group of the semester!  (I think the rest of my life will be punctuated by semesters).  Karl & I bit the bullet and just chose a church here in Sumter in perfect timing for community groups to start back up.  We played tug-of-war with The Lord on this for a while, go ahead and guess who won...  Karl & I just haven't absolutely died for any of the churches here.  It's been super difficult and something I absolutely didn't expect.  The churches here are nothing like the ones in Arkansas and Texas and it has been a huge adjustment but we are so excited about what The Lord has in store for us at this church we have chosen and more importantly, we are excited about how we can serve The Lord through this church.

Next week: My first Pi Phi alum club meeting!  EEEEKKKK  I'm so excited for this!  I live for Pi Phi and cannot wait to meet some alums in this area.  I recently discovered that USC doesn't have a Pi Phi chapter (which is totally devastating to me) so I will most likely be the youngest person at the meeting oh and all my hopes and dreams of reliving my Pi Phi days through the USC chapter as an AAC member are now absolutely crushed.  Zing.  Oh well.  I can't wait to talk about Dr. Suess & Arrowmount & Libbie Brook Gaddis...

Next week: I'm renewing my CPR certification.  I know this seems so ridiculous to look forward to but it isn't if you only ever get out of the house to grocery shop or take your husband the lunch he left at home.  Renewing my CPR also means I'm inching a little bit closer to getting a job (which I would have done already if there was a fun job here to have. blahhhhhhh).

Well, there you have it my good and faithful friends.  You've found me in optimistic spirits today, lucky you.  I should also document that my home reeks of garlic as I accidentally dropped half of an entire bulb down our disposal and then ran the disposal and garlic into oblivion.  Read: my house reeks of garlic.

ANNND one of my favorite and happiest pictures!  Happy 4 months to Callie & Jeremy! 

Go ahead and count on a full report of all my scheduled events and a picture of the 2011 planner I'm sure to purchase soon as I may, just may have a reason to buy one.

Hannah K.C. Burton

I'm going to give you a shot.

When Karl irritates me, which happens about 20-30 times a day, I tell him "I'm going to punish you now." It helps me laugh off my irritation instead of actually getting mad with his pestering. The man really needs a son or a dog to play with, it's actually my fault I'm not playful enough with him. Anyway, his punishment is a shot. I give him a pretend injection in the leg (mostly just punch his leg) and it makes us laugh sooooo hard. I don't know why, especially because I've been doing this for over a week now and it's still funny. I know this sounds really weird, especially if you don't know me. We need friends and social interaction and maybe this will stop being funny and Karl will have someone else to pester. I also got a kick out of the horrible effect that real life vaccinations would have on our children if I continued to "punish" Karl with "shots" into our childbearing years. I guess I should kick this habit before we procreate. Just another newlywed memory worth documenting.
This is Karl after I punished him with a shot. Hahaha.


Happy MLK Jr. Day,
Hannah K.C. Burton


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Real Life

I just cancelled Netflix so that adding dental coverage to our insurance for myself wouldn't make our budget go out of whack... I'm not mature enough for these decisions to sit well. Hey Maddie, can we "borrow" your Netflix password for Instant Watch?? This.Is.Marriage.

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Young Love

Well I've been telling Karl that my anthem for him is Katy Perry's Firework.  This is because a) I love singing this song to him and b) I think the lyrics are great (if I understand them correctly, and there's a good chance I don't and also a good chance they are really inappropriate and I don't know it.  If so, I apologize). Anyways, I say Karl just has to get out there and show the world what he's got... so this is his new theme song from me to him because I said so.

And Karl's song for me?  Well, I chose it and it's Bruno Mars' Grenade.  This is because a) he has the most hunkiest singing voice I have ever heard and b) it's really only his theme chorus to me because the different versus are actually horrible, like saying that I wouldn't catch a grenade for Karl, which I totally would.  Here is the part that I know is Karl's song to me even though he never said it was...
To give me all your love is all I ever asked,
Cause what you don't understand is
I'd catch a grenade for you
Throw my hand on a blade for you
I'd jump in front of a train for you
You know I'd do anything for you
I would go through all this pain
Take a bullet... (blah blah blah, kind of graphic...)
Yes, I would die for you baby

I'd be happy to choose any anthems or theme songs for you if you want me to... just let me know.
Sincerely,
Hannah K.C. Burton

Great is His Faithfulness

I've been wanting to post something for the past week but my mind is swarming with thoughts and emotions yet feels super empty all at the same time.  What an emotionally draining past month this has been.  Maybe I'll gather up some semblance of a post later this week that is a little more fun and uplifting.  Since returning home to the middle of nowhere on Sunday, my days home alone have been spent with iTunes on, bible sprawled open, and two different devos laying around.  Fortunately, The Lord is my rock and I feel Him holding me close right now.  I'll leave you with my favorite page from Sarah Young's "Jesus Calling."  If you don't have this book, go out and get it right now.  It is exactly what you need to hear everyday, no matter if you are on a mountain top or in a valley.  I promise.
"Come to Me with your gaping emptiness, knowing that in Me you are complete.  As you rest quietly in My Presence, My Light within you grows brighter and brighter.  Facing the emptiness inside you is simply the prelude to being filled with My fullness.  Therefore, rejoice on those days when you drag yourself out of bed, feeling sluggish and inadequate.  Tell yourself that this is a perfect day to depend on Me in childlike trust.  If you persevere in this dependence as you go through the day, you will discover at bedtime that Joy and Peace have become your companions.  You may not realize at what point they joined you on your journey, but you will feel the beneficial effects of their presence.  The perfect end to such a day is a doxology of gratitude.  I am He from whom all blessings flow!"- December 17, Jesus Calling

Hannah K.C. Burton