airports: the good, the bad, & the ugly.

I'm at the airport seeing my dad off from South Carolina and I just had to blog about this because I'm a little appalled... let me backtrack...

I've been to college. I was in a sorority. I went on a Spring Break cruise with 27 of my sorority sisters where we pretty much saw every ridiculous thing there was to see. I have heard every drink combination ordered, witnessed sinful amounts of alcohol consumed as an onlooker with jaw dropped... but here I am in the coffee cafe at the Columbia, South Carolina airport at 8:38 AM and girlfriend just ordered a Michelob Ultra and asked if she could "start a tab?" At 8:38, AM. I'm drinking coffee, eating a sausage egg croisant, and wiping sleep from my eyes and you are starting a tab??? I'm bewildered.

Letting the cat out of the bag.

photo by Maura Johnson


It's Friday night, May 21st, I'm currently home alone- well, unless you count my abnormally humanized dog, Billi. My parents left for the weekend in celebration of their like millionth-something anniversary so it's "anything goes" around here. I'm forced to play chauffeur, which I hate, so I just dropped baby sister Emma off at my high school alma mater for a play called, "Urinetown," ew. Well, that's all basically irrelevant. I just thought I needed some sort of segue into the following...

KARL & I WON 3RD PLACE IN THE CRATE & BARREL CONTEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Could I be more excited? No. I don't think so. Want to hear more about my dramatic week full of C&B surprises? Keep reading...

We found out that we were 1 of the 50 semi-finalists a while ago- thanks to all of you we were in the top 50 most voted for couples (#22 to be exact :) ) which was all we needed to move on. This got us in this sweet picture.
This heart is full of the pictures of the 50 semi-finalists! I think it's really cool; mine & K's is towards the top in the middle!

Last Tuesday I got home from running wedding errands to find a FedEx envelope here at home addressed to Karl & I from New York City... weird. I open it and scan the cover letter topping a stack of papers... It reads, "Dear Hannah & Karl: Important notice! You entered the Crate and Barrel Ultimate Wedding Contest... (blah blah blah) your entry was selected as a potential winner in our contest. Please read this letter carefully, and follow the directions exactly as stated, as your eligibility depends upon your adherence to its terms." The rest of the letter goes on the give super explicit instructions on the W9 & two affidavits that K & I each need to have filled out and NOTARIZED and overnighted back to NYC. OK, calm. This wouldn't be such a big deal if it weren't for the fact that KARL IS IN IRAQ! What the heck? Where do you find a notary in Iraq??? Obviously I send Karl a super bossy email and tell him that if he messes this up he blows all our chances of winning any sort of prize. AND at this point we don't even know if we have won a prize and if so, what prize we have won. Needless to say, Karl, after a 12 hour shift of manual labor, is able to find a notary and scans/emails his affidavit back to me. OK. First hoop jumped through successfully. FedEx picks up the packet on Wednesday and it's back in NYC just in time.

and there's me with the priceless (or should I say $2,500) envelope before I sent it off!!

So, Thursday I get an email from a Crate & Barrel exec...
"Dear Hannah and Karl,

Now that we’ve received your signed documents, I am pleased to present you with the official prize letter for 3rd Place. Congratulations!

Please be sure to read the letter carefully as there is confidentiality language we need you to adhere to.

The sooner you can sign and fax back – or scan and email back – to the numbers in the letter, the sooner we can announce your prize and the sooner you will receive your prize. If you can do this today, it would be greatly appreciated."

Great...now I get to have Karl rush around again to print/sign/scan/email all while he's in Iraq. ANNNNDDD we both have to keep our mouths shut because this time we are signing saying we won't tell a soul!! BOOOO!! I am THE WORST secret keeper and have had so many people asking about the contest, I hate lying and saying, "I still don't know." Woof. BUT WE WERE SO EXCITED AT THIS POINT! I had such an overwhelming feeling of joy, thankfulness, excitement... boy are we humbled by this recognition and acknowledgement of our story. So grateful for the votes of loved ones and strangers alike- I just can't even verbalize the excitement!!

Now back to today, Friday, I get an email from another contest sponsor in LA (no big deal, K&I are just an east coast & west coast known couple at this point...) who tells me that they will announce the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd place winners to the public on MONDAY, which is actually the day you will all read this.

K&I are overjoyed. After the Tuesday envelope arrived, I kept brainstorming with my family all the possible prizes that we may or may not have won. Part of the paperwork involved was K&I signing that we agreed to pay all taxes associated with the $100,00 wedding (aka grand prize) or any prize we may win... My dad & I started brainstorming that a little... I'll just say that after we realized what those taxes would look like on $100,000 winnings, I think 3rd place is PERFECT for Karl and I :)

Thank you, thank you, thank you sweet friends for your votes, for sending the link to vote to your friends and family, for encouraging K & I. Thank you C&B- #3 out of over 9,000 entries- such a fantastic & amazing treat. Thank you sweet Lord for this precious and fun blessing- we are so excited, feel so undeserving, humbled, blessed, and in awe.

Go check out the announcement at Crate & Barrel
Love,
Hannah & Karl

And if you never saw the actual entry, here it is :) click on the pictures to enlarge!

New Attitude, Sort of.

So, to recap the past week:
I celebrated with my friends our time at the U of A at a block party on one of my favorite blocks. It was fantastic- great weather, delicious food, the most incredible friends, and the best way to end the semester.




I babysat my favorite little Fayetteville toddler for the last time. Love little girl "N" that I'll miss so much!

I was pinned as an graduate of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at The University of Arkansas' Eleanor Mann School of Nursing. It was kind of a big deal. I addressed my class as Class Representative in a speech that forced me to fight back tears, a little anger, and a lot of happiness.


I had "brunch" (long story, for another post) at Pi Phi for the last time next to sweet friends, & I walked the stage alongside peers that have drug me thru the fire as my sweet, supportive family watched from the bleachers.



Then I packed up my entire life, drove it home in a UHaul going 55 miles per hour, and put it all in storage.

This week has been spent meeting with our wedding planner, caterer, DJ, stationary designer & printer... I have spent hours on TheKnot.com, flipping thru magazines, thinking about measurements, talking about hair & makeup... my life has made a complete turn around from 100% school to 100% wedding. Today marks 100 days until the wedding- can't wait to shift my focus to things beyond August 21st.

The Good 'Ol Days

My Genius 'mate thought to record the Oprah episode totally devoted to interviewing Laura Bush and her precious twin daughters. This morning I thought, eh, I have nothing else to watch, might as well. Best decision I have ever made. I can't help but review a few highs from the past hour, one of the best hours I've spent this past week...

-I have teared up multiple times, not really 100% why
- Round of applause to Oprah for leaving her extremely left-winged opinion out. Thanks for the pleasant surprise. Not shockingly, she obviously didn't stop herself from cutting off even Laura Bush mid-sentence. Sorry, Laura. I'll apologize for her.
- The Bush's rent puzzles to enjoy because they are expensive to buy, that's nice.
- Very interesting to hear how 9/11 was for The Bush Family- must have been terrifying to be in a bunker- literally- in the bowels of The White House
- George (first name basis) calls the swimming pool at their ranch, "The whining pool," because the twins whined for it so much he finally gave in and had one installed... sounds like my dad
- Makes me love and appreciate The Bush Dynasty so much more now that I've experienced, ahem, otherwise...
- Their love and devotion to The Lonestar State & mention of our state flower (Bluebonnets, duh) makes my heart swell with pride & joy

I cannot wait to read her book. The sweetest, classiest, most delightful woman.

153.

UPDATE: Sidenote- this is more for my own memory than reader entertainment... So, just got back from the aforementioned test. I passed. It took me 3 hours and 180 questions but I passed. I left the room (almost last) and immediately emailed Karl. Walked the sidewalk down Maple, checked my voicemail, and listened to "Beth" tell me that Karl and I got the house we have been pining for. I passed and we have a home. I passed, I am done with college, and we are adults. I passed, I am done with college, we are adults, and I am getting married. I am about 5,000 steps closer to being married to Karl. Literally walked to my car in tears. Audible, big, warm, tears. This nightmare of education, the wonderful phenomenon of collegiate life, the tests, papers, horrible & wonderful teachers, checklists, syllabi... it's over. I finally got to talk to Karl on the phone via Skype. I think I said "it's over" about 100 times. I am in awe, but not really, because I believe in The Lord, in His faithfulness and goodness. As Karl said to me this morning, "remember God is graceful & loving & He will help you." I hung to that all day, as I feel I have for nursing school, and will continue to do the rest of my life. Praise God for His fun blessings. Praise. God. It's. Over. Praise God it's just beginning (Karl- can't wait to move into OUR HOUSE and LIVE WITH YOU!!)

After I passed the last test I will ever take in college (in case anyone forgot), I went and picked up my complimentary one year free membership to the U of A Alumni Association because lets face it, I'M AN ALUMNI!! Secondly, I went and ordered my final transcripts to be sent to the Texas State Board of Nursing because I'M TAKING THE NCLEX THIS SUMMER! Lastly, I went and picked up my BSN pin for the pinning ceremony on Friday because...I'M DONE WITH COLLEGE AND BEING PINNED AS A NURSE ON FRIDAY!! L.I.G. baby.

153. Why is that number significant? Because it's the number of tests I will have taken in college at the University of Arkansas as an undergraduate student as of 3 hours from now... which also happens to be the time I will be done with my undergrad career, NBD (no big deal). Should I knock on wood, though? If you read my previous post, you read that I have to pass this test in order to pull away from this city on Sunday, bags packed, never looking back. OK, so I'll look back, and come back, and walk back on memory lane. I know you're all thinking, "Zuh, she'll pass. Stop being dramatic." But let me tell you, out of the 40-something people in my class, I can almost promise at least 10 of us won't pass. Just saying. Not to jinx myself or make what I'm about to do any less special, BUT, I'm nervous. I want to go out with a bang... not a "WOO HOO, last test!... I mean, whoops... guess I'll have to re-do in two weeks..." Anyways, wish me (and Allie, and the other 40-something of our closest peers) luck as we slap good 'ol Nursing School a swift one on our way in to knock this last one out to the ballpark. Sayonara Eleanor Mann School of Nursing. Have fun wherever soul-less academic programs go to rot.

Bedrest, Qualms, & ATI

I stalk peoples blogs that I don't know and will never meet. Suit me. I came across a blog this morning written by a woman that recently had twins and was on "strict bedrest with bathroom privileges" for about 3 weeks before she had her babies. She described her bedrest daily schedule as follows: wake up, move from the bed to the couch, stay on the couch all day, get up to pee, get up to eat lunch, go back to the couch, pee, back to the couch, and then eventually back to bed at night... now I'm not pregnant but this sounds VERY familiar...

For the past 7 days I have been studying for this standardized test called ATI. Now, I'll spare you the gory details but basically it's a practice NCLEX (the RN license exam I will take this summer) that the U of A nursing school requires us to take. Basically here are my thoughts on ATI, my apologies if you've heard this rant before: the administration up here makes us take these ATI's as a means of seeing whether or not we are capable of passing the NCLEX upon graduation, statistically speaking. Why is this important to them, you ask? Oh, because we as students who work our butts off have grown near and dear to their hearts and they want to ensure that they have done their job in adequately educating us and equipping us to pass the test that determines if we are minimally capable of providing patient care. EHHHHH WRONG ANSWER! They put us through these tests (which, I may add are in no way, shape, or form required by ANY state board of nursing for sitting to take the NCLEX) to cover their butts and as a way to hope and pray that we pass the NCLEX so that they can continue to get funding for their less than renown nursing school. Here's the ugly... normally, when we don't pass these standardized bad-boys each semester, we have to take weekly remediation each semester and retake the specific ATI that we failed at the end of the following semester. So, you would think that since this is my last semester as a student, if I don't pass this last, big, and final ATI I would just go on my merry little way and pray a nice big prayer before I take the real NCLEX... no, not according to EMSON administration... get this, THEY ARE TELLING US THAT WE WILL STAY UP HERE FOR 2 WEEKS OF REMEDIATION AND THEN RETAKE THE (insert expletive) ATI! OK? no.

This brings me back to my initial thought... you can find me, on my couch, simply breaking to pee or eat, studying literally EVERYTHING I HAVE EVER LEARNED IN NURSING SCHOOL. No, not for the NCLEX but for the ATI. You are not welcome nursing school. I hate you. I hate you. I hate you. I am parting with such vices.

NOT HAPPY TO BE ON STUDY BEDREST! You can also feel free to bring me TCBY like the pregnant girl had brought to her.

I can almost taste it

One week from today I will be sitting in a packed up home, probably tearfully waiting on the arrival of my family from Texas to see me receive my Nursing School pin, address my class of forty-something peers as "class representative" at the pinning ceremony, have my last brunch amongst sixty-something of my closest sorority sisters at the most beloved address in Fayetteville (502 W. Maple, duh), and then walk across the stage as one of thousands in Barnhill arena. I'll go out to eat somewhere delightful, sleep one last time a few blocks distance from Old Main, and then pull away from Fayetteville for an undetermined length of time. OK, really? Could I have made that sound any more horrific? Probably not.

Here's the thing: Per usual, I'm feeling nostalgic. Sans normal, I'm a little emotional. The last 4 years have been... such a mixture of the normal college experience and the most atypical collegiate daily life liven that I can possibly dream up. I am a member of probably the most incredible sorority, chapter, and pledge class to ever live. Not biased either. We regularly win everything ever given to anyone. I never go a day without feeling super loved, supported, and encouraged by both these women, my family, my peers, and my super hot fiance.

About those peers... I am in nursing school. Soon I will say "I was in nursing school." This is the part of the past 4 years that I have been dying to escape. I try not to complain about my curriculum path, I chose it, I could've chose differently. Here's my opportunity to let it all out... Remember when you were partying on Dickson multiple times a week for the past 2 years? I wasn't, I was completing reading assignments in medical terminology that I still cannot understand at increments by the thousand pages. Remember when you stayed up watching every episode from every season of Friends, Sex & the City, & One Tree Hill? Well when you were going to bed, I was waking up at 5 AM multiple times a week, every week, to go be an indentured slave at a crappy area hospital or nursing homes or some other horrible place. Remember when you were crying because you couldn't stop laughing? I was crying because I was horrified at the bodily fluids I was cleaning up at age 19, regretting every career decision I had ever made, hating my life as a permanent resident of Mullins Library, and a servant of the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing. Remember when you were picking out cute outfits to wear to school or getting to roll out of bed and wear whatever your little college heart desired? Must be nice, I wore a starched, white potato sack of a button down that I have plans to incinerate this week in my driveway. Remember when your advisors gently steered you in the right direction, gave you advice and choices? No. I don't. I remember being sassed, bossed, and pushed around; made to come to classes that would never appear on my transcript, kicked out of clinical for not completing a TB test I was never told about... yep. WELCOME TO NURSING SCHOOL, LADIEZZZZZ. BYEEEEEEEEEEEEE GOOOOOOOD RIDDANCEEEEEE SEE YOU NEVERRRRRRRRR

About that fiance: the most hunkiest thing I have ever laid eyes on that I cannot wait to marry in approximately 114 days, greet home from Iraq in about a month, walk into our 1st home with soon after that, and thank for the rest of my life for just being the greatest thing as we jointly suffered through long distance, ever pressing toward the goal we are now staring in the face. Encouraging in studies, always incessantly complimenting, God-fearing and serving, I am so excited that the end of school means beginning something so new and great with him.

Those women- those Pi Phi women that I will miss more than I have yet to realize, those blonde bombshell of roommates that I laugh and live with, those nursing school comrades that I have been through the fire with.

Can't wait to post pictures, stories, and fun times from the week to come. Tonight is Pi Phi Senior Farewell, next Monday is my last test, Friday pinning, and Saturday graduation. I promise, ok maybe not promise, to have a minimal number of nostalgic-centered posts for the next month.

Praising the Lord for packing the next week full of shenanigans to go out with laughter, a summer full of reunions with weddings of friends & trips to Arkansas!

gone

I've lost the will to be educated.

Green

Crazy, posting again so soon? I know, I know, must have so much time on my hands! In an effort to soak up my last few weeks in Fayetteville, I'm trying to post as much as I can about this awesome town so the time is ripe for a story and a memory... I have mentioned before how much I love where I live this year in Fayetteville. The location couldn't be better. I have a view of Old Main from my bedroom window, I'm 3ish blocks from Pi Phi (I've never really used "blocks" as a means of measurement before... never been to NYC, what can I say, I wanted to try it out!), am walking distance to the square, AND am a stones throw away from Marvin's IGA. Now, I always thought that real value in property locale was found in proximity to your local grand super center (aka WalMart), I recently have had a change of heart.

Growing up, I lived super close to a Food Lion. Now, I don't really remember much about Food Lion, mostly that I just liked living close to it. Then it changed to an IGA, it was even better. Needless to say, moving into this house has allowed me to flashback to the beauty of living close to a truly local grocery store. Yes, the prices are higher, the selection is slightly more limited, and the generics are less generic, BUT, let me tell you how much it SUCKS to drive to WalMart for a loaf of bread (OK thats a lie, I have never done that)... by loaf of bread I mean can of Pringles and frozen dinner.

Now, back to Marvin's on Lafayette & College... I like it because of previously mentioned reasons but there are a few things about it that aren't that great. For instance: I get judged when I go there. I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before on my blog but Fayetteville is two-faced. 50% of Fayettevillians have one or more of the following characteristics: barbie/makeup/greek/collegians/alumni/athletes/nike shorts/tanorexic (I guess this is where I fall in). The other 50% of Fayettevillians are hippy/dreadlock/deodorant hating/Devils den loving/Toyata Prius driving/bumper sticker mania/birkenstockers. The latter 50% own and operate Marvin's. You get the picture. Therefore, when I shop at Marvin's I feel eyes burning holes in my back as I make my way down the frozen pizza section in my Pi Phi shirt and Nike shorts, as I buy paper towels and harsh cleaning products in UGGS, and (dare I say it), the one time I answered "plastic" at the checkout. Ever since then I have felt nonverbal pressure to go green in weird ways... today when asked, "would you like a bag?" I could've just answered, "Yes, paper please, I love recycling!" Instead I answered, fumbling for words, "NO!" and ran out the door with my waffles and butter. Wow. Not one of my finer moments.

Ignorance is Bliss. And Bliss is Bliss too.

photo blisscupcakecafe.com

Well, I'm still on the emotional roller-coaster called life. Obviously (I'm not dead). Right now I'm on a high; no, not a drug high. A wedding high. And by wedding high, I mean I'm completely, 100%, fully ignoring every aspect of my wedding. I'm not joking, ask my mom. When I was home for Easter I had a meeting with a potential wedding planner scheduled. I broke down in tears just thinking about it, so we cancelled it. Thus we have ignorance. Tah Dah! It's really working for me right now!

Onto other news... Bliss. I haven't yet reviewed the no longer "new" Bliss Cupcake Cafe here in Fayetteville. While others are onto "bigger and better" things, aka Orange Mango, I'm sticking to what I know as the true dessert haven here in northwest Arkansas. That being said, allow me to give you a few descriptive words of what I have come to know and love as Bliss, also the employer of one of my best friends, Susanna. Bliss is the most quaint, modern/antique/chic little establishment on the square. It's utterly unique flavor combinations artfully baked into moist perfection are the perfect endings to any kind of day. So saddle up partners and head on over to Bliss. Forget this Orange Mango biznasty, it's a poor excuse for dessert and will leave your sweet tooth wanting more. You want my flavor recommendation? Well you don't have to ask me twice! I recommend Strawberry or Key Lime Pie. P.S... I'll let you all know when I convince the owner to incorporate BACON into one of her confectionary delights... my dream come true.

PS: I'll be excited to post after my soon-to-come BEST WEEKEND EVER!!! My WHOLE family is coming for the weekend! It's Mom's Day for Pi Phi (aka one of my favorite functions EVERRRR), my first bridal shower (YAYYYYYY), Maddie's 19th birthday (Sunday, WOO HOO), and just a great weekend to be in Fayetteville!

May you all be blessed with Bliss this week and may none of you ask me about the wedding that I'm ignoring.

The face of a poet

This is the face of a blossoming poet. See post below.

absence

I apologize for my extended leave of absence. I have several things to catch up on in the blogging world. I will keep this brief, as I am home for Easter and my time is rather occupied...

Here is a Limerick I threw together as an outlet regarding my feelings toward wedding planning...

There is currently a bride planning a monstrosity of a wedding.
Whose ideas are brilliant but nobody gets them.
She is miserable,
And wants to elope,
But is 6 feet under and not coming up for air anytime soon woof on weddings.

don't critique me.

Hope you enjoyed that. Mrs. Strayhorn from 5th grade would be proud. I, on the other hand, am floundering, fighting back tears, and literally caught up in chaos, out of control planning, excessive ideas, and a monstrosity of a wedding. Feel free to bail a sister out and fly Karl and I to Vegas.

Bridezilla

Hunan DYNASTYYYYY

Well, actually it's called HUNAN MANOR but I never get to use the word Dynasty, which is the name of my blog and this is a very appropriate substitute because let me tell you... Hunan Manor is Dynasty Living at it's prime.

UPDATE: I have every intention of having this blog printed in coffee table book form, not simply for my pleasure but for my children. I'm not pregnant. BUT, I think that this blog is a special way to have written and photographic memories for my future children. Also, if I get some horrific illness or die tragically, my kids will have little words of wisdom and life lessons from me in post-form. That being said, something came to mind today about chinese food as I was eating an egg roll gifted to me by my roommate, Charis. Future children, your mama's not fat (or at least she doesn't think so) but here's the right way to eat an egg roll: put some chap-stick on before you bite into it. Why you ask? Because that way all the fried outside pieces will stick to your lips instead of falling into the bag or on the plate and you can savor every bite, not wasting a single one. Your welcome. Love, your mom.

Allow me to give you some background information, you look a little confused. As I prepare to leave the city of Fayetteville, I am sort of doing the opposite of "nesting," "migrating," if you will. This migrating of mine involves a little nostalgia, a lot of thinking, and a touch of gluttony. Explanation as follows: I love Fayetteville. This love has had to grow as I haven't always been so fond of the city of lights angels hills, hippies, & hogs. Over the past two years I have grown extremely enamored with certain characteristics of this city, I know that this is a special place and one that I will miss. The people, the scenery, the food, activity, architecture, homes, history, greek life.... all of that is for another post although it is closely linked with the highlight of this one. Today, dear friends, today is Hunan Manor's 15 minutes on DynastyLiving.blogspot.com. This goes back to the gluttony that I promised an explanation to...

Hunan Manor was established in 1991 with drive-through service as well as a full-dining menu and in 2008 opened a beautiful but casual and architecturally interesting location on Wedington Drive in Fayetteville. Hunan Manor specializes in Hunan and Szechuan style food. On the weekends, I like to enjoy the lunch or dinner buffet or during the weekdays, sometimes the drive-thru lunch menu is more my style.

I wish I could adequately describe the full-bodied flavor of the bacon-fried rice (if you know me AT ALL, you know that bacon is literally the key to my heart), or the phenomenon of the crunchy coating of the lemon chicken yet the juicy tenderness of the meat within, maybe soup is more your thing... egg-drop soup at Hunan Manor is to me like afternoon tea is to The Queen of England.

Egg Rolls. All I need to say about the egg rolls at HM is that when I order to-go, I get two. That's because I eat one in the car on the way home.

HM is so satisfying, so delightfully filling, it pushes you to be the glutton within us all, it makes you eat more than you knew you ever could, I think I eat so much I increase my intracranial pressure (I'm not kidding). You. Won't. Have. Room. For. A. Fortune. Cookie.

Today I ate at HM. In order to fully appreciate the salty, rich, variety of flavor, I ate a cupcake beforehand. That way I would need salt to balance all the sweet. That way, I would NEED HM.

Bling Bling, she's got her RING!

I flew home this weekend for a very special occasion, MY OLDER SISTER'S ENGAGEMENT!! Remember when I introduced Jeremy to the world in a post several months ago? Well, she moved on and it's a different guy. PSHT, JUSS PLAYIN'! So, after a lot of planning, lying, deceiving, sneaking around, and lots of surprises, THEY'RE ENGAGED!! We are so excited!! You may want to steer clear of The Cuppett household for the next several months, I have a feeling it's going to be 100% chaos as we plan two weddings to take place this year! Sorry, Dad.




Maybe you could all pray for Jeremy as he prepares to enter our family... dun dun dun duhhhhhhhhh......

Late-Breaking News

So, I'm currently on a Skype date with Karl. I've been looking forward to this alllll week! He works 6 days a week, 14 hours a day. As you can probably figure out this leaves little room for conversation with me, sleep, and just life in general so when he gets his day off each week, it is literally the best thing. Well, we are Skyping and I look away for like 2 minutes and the next thing I know, he's asleep! Like, literally as I type this I'm watching him sleep. Here's the thing, he is sooo tired and I know that his body needs sleep so badly, and he looks so sweet BUT I can't help but want to wake him up. I've already cracked all of my knuckles in front of my computer's microphone, coughed (a lot), and I'm typing as loudly as possible. Nothing. Not one flinch from him. Dang. I'll let you know what I come up with. Luckily I didn't waste my time shaving my legs for this date, it definitely wouldn't have paid off :) haha

Wardrobe Change

Holiday Head stays pretty busy year round, but with Valentines so close to Mardi Gras this year, "whoa" is all I can say. She had a quick wardrobe change and has really been flaunting her stuff ever since Monday morning. We tried to give her our best since she can't be out on Bourbon Street and all, it's not the safest place for hollow glass, BUT, she seems to be pretty content here, all festive and all. Noel's sister sent her the outfit featured in this picture, thank The Lord. HH HATES when Mardi Gras goes uncelebrated so we were really relieved to see that we would be able to really go all out for her. Also, she's in a particularly good mood because she won the baby in the king cake. Luckily Kevin, our crane, wiped her mouth off for her before I took the pictures. Thanks, Kev! Anyways, enjoy because St. Patrick's Day will be here before we know it!

Lately

Lately life has been busy and I've been doing everything I can to just keep things under control! I have had to be so diligent about staying on top of school work like I never have before in preparation of wedding chaos ensuing at any moment... I'm kind of at that point in planning where everything I've done prior to now has just been like, for fun. Just planning because I could and now, now is a whole different story. Now I'm planning because deadlines are approaching and because TheKnot.com has been throwing social taboo in my face about booking and accomplishing or die. On another note, Valentine's Day treated me right. Thursday brought a gorgeous bouquet of fresh red roses from my dad, Friday the USPS didn't let me down (for once) and showed up at my door with a nice full box from my mom! It was chock full of goodies, thanks Mom for forcing me to eat an entire bag of assorted Ghiradelli chocolates in 24 hours, my wedding dress & tailor are so happy with you. Saturday brought a card from my grandmother and the l-o-v-e holiday continued even today when I got a valentine from Callie and Jeremy! A few weeks ago, Karl gave my the biggest, baddest, craziest gift a little early... he is helping me go on a cruise for Spring Break!! Happy Valentine's Day to me, woo hoo!! Back to Friday night... I saw Valentine's Day with some of my favorite girlfriends after a sushi dinner and topped the night off with a Butterscotch spiked coffee, all compliments of my parents who sent me cash money for my night out (THANKS MOM & DAD!!!)... de.light.ful. I would say it was a successful early Valentine's Day celebration. Now, enjoy some pictures and please pay special attention to Holiday Head, whom we all love and adore. She loved channeling Lady Gaga this February as she modeled glittery heart-shaped shades and some classy heart-shaped beads. Also, she's wearing little heart-shaped decals on the outside corners of her eyes, I mean, where else would she wear them!?!

Vote!

UPDATE #2: Well, I've done it again. I forced my little sister to contact (in person) the Faculty Advisor of my High School newspaper. I sincerely apologize, Emma. That is out of the normal realm of MOH duty. Thank you for your service. Don't worry, I'm not done yet... I also emailed "The Arrow," that is Pi Phi's magazine that they send to every Pi Phi, active and alumni, every month or so. Oh still not done... I posted a discussion on Pi Phi's national website under the classified section... WHO. AM. I? Freak. A freak who wants to win a contest.

UPDATE: You know when you do something and then 5 seconds later think, "Whoa, that was not me. A rational, college-educated, sane, God-fearing, classy lady did not just do that. That was someone else"? That just happened to me right after I contacted the University of Arkansas student paper and KHOG... which is Fayetteville's ABC newstation begging them to cover this story. AM. I INSANE? Yes. Also, super extreme, all-or-nothing, dive-in-head-first? Yes. Gee whiz.

I have entered Karl and I into a contest to win a $100,000 wedding from Crate & Barrel and oh my gosh, it is consuming my life. I entered us yesterday and it is all I have thought about since then. It started out me just fantasizing about how I would plan a wedding with that much money... the food, the music, the lighting and decorations... oh. my. gosh. Mind blowing. NOW, I have turned into a competitive monstrosity. I want to win this so badly. I want it for the wedding, bottom line. BUT I also want it because I know it is sooo attainable...

Here's the contest... you write your love story in 100 words or less, describe your dream wedding in 100 words or less, and describe your dream day after the wedding in 100 words or less and upload a picture of you and your fiance. THEN, people vote until April 21st. You can only vote once for the duration of the contest, which I like... as if I'm not neurotic enough trying to get people to vote once, all I need is to try and get those same people to vote daily! WOOF. NEXT, the 50 couples with the highest number of votes go to the next round... a panel of judges picks the winner, as well as the 2nd-18th places. Y'all, the prizes are AWESOME! ALL OF THEM!

I want to win SOOOO BADLY! You can all help. Please, pretty, pretty please go vote for Karl and I if you haven't already. It literally takes less than a minute and I have been ASSURED that there is NO SPAM involved for those who vote!

http://www.ultimateweddingcontest.com/entries/26835

Dear John, Scratch that...

Dear John God... why did you let me go see that movie?

My review (SPOILER ALERT!!!)...
If you aren't in a relationship with someone you love more than life itself who is currently serving our dear Uncle Sam in war ravaged desert country, if you aren't emotionally unstable, if you don't have an imagination that runs more wild than Max's (ahem, Where the Wild Things Are), if your soul doesn't rip for those mangled by the brutality of infidelity, if you don't have a soft spot for cancer patients or autistic parents, if your heart doesn't ache for those who lose love, if you could care less for lonely and lost veterans who come home to nothing but an empty house and a multi-million dollar coin collection... than this movie is for you. On a totally opposite note, I somehow liked it. It was relatable, but not. It was very pro-America, very real, and could never survive on Lifetime. I give it a one-time-two-thumbs up. I know, confusing. Hope your cold and hard heart enjoys it, mine did, sort of.

Justice & Bones

I'm 99.9% opposed to people blogging about feelings. Right now is like that .1% because today I'm a little bit mad.

-I'm mad that Karl is gone and that if the internet is down here or there, we don't get to talk. And by talk, I mean communicate. And by communicate, I mean carry on our almost 3 year relationship that is quickly leading to nuptials.
-I'm mad that I had to go to school in hazardous conditions today when all of Fayetteville is still 6 feet under snow & ice.
-I'm mad that I just ruined my beautiful seafoam green quilt coverlet that my Gam gave me... vintage Saks... because I was studying for a test when Karl called, the internet went out, and I freaked out and mindlessly left the blue highlighter open, on the bed.
-I'm mad that I just took a test that I studied my butt off for and it didn't pay off and I'm mad that I'm drained and exhausted going for round two for tomorrow.
-I'm mad that my shower hasn't had hot warm water since I got back from Christmas break and my landlord couldn't care less, obviously due to the numerous phone calls and ruthless voicemails I've left.

I probably won't be mad tomorrow, and as a recent article highlighted Matt Chandler's coping with his brain cancer, I too should be trying to "suffer well," because my fiance fighting war in the desert isn't that bad, nor are my hands that wreak of Shout, despite my worthless efforts to remove the stain that will undoubtedly send that precious quilt to the trash. Praise God that Karl is fighting war, ALIVE AND WELL, and that I have a backup quilt hung in my closet, freshly dry cleaned.

May God throw you all bones of justice... seriously.