Happy Birthday Kassi!

*** If you haven’t yet, you better get in on the birthday bash going on in the earlier post! (:  ***

Dear Kassi,

First things first- Happy Happy HAPPY Birthday!!!!! (:  I’m a little bit sad I’m not there to celebrate with you on the actual day, but I’m SO excited for this weekend! So because it’s your birthday I thought

1. That I would take this opportunity to tell you how blessed I am to be your little sister.

and

2. Give you a heads up on the celebration to come! (;

So let’s start with #1. I’m just gonna jump right in and do my best to write what I really think. So let me begin by saying that I appreciate the team you and I are. There are the little things- we’re a team in the kitchen, we’re a team over our sewing machines, we’re a team in social media and soon, we’ll be a team in the business world. And then there are the big things, we’re a team when things are good and we’re a team when things are bad, we’re a team when we’re celebrating, we’re a team when we’re grieving. Sometimes you take the lead and sometimes I take the lead, and sometimes we’re just doing our best to stay above water, but we’re both ALWAYS there. Lots of people have sisters, but not everyone that has a sister also has a best friend and teammate. We’re lucky, and I know sometimes I forget that.  I hope you know that I count being your sister one of the greatest blessings of my ENTIRE existence. Not just in this life, but in the life before and in the life to come. I believe with all of my heart that our relationship is much older than the time we’ve had together here on earth and there’s no way that it will just end when our lives on earth end. The idea of any kind of life, anywhere, without you as my sister is something I can’t wrap my mind around. I just know there’s more.  I’m so grateful to have your example, to know someone so beautiful in every way.  SO let’s celebrate you! ALL MONTH! 🙂

Prepare yourself, because I’m sneaky and I may or may not have some things up my sleeve…. And now here are some pictures that describe us for your viewing pleasure.

Cause... we're gangsters.

Source: via on

Proof we really are:

Can’t argue with the evidence.

For sure

Source: etsy.com via on

Did you know you were my midnight companion? Well… I guess now you do.

fictional characters

Source: griffithsrated.blogspot.com via on

The Stinky Cheese Man, Harry, Edward, Katniss and Peeta… Oh how we’ve progressed. Also, I know you used this earlier this week, but I’m using it anyway….So there. (:

.

Source: msquaredphotos.com via on

So happy birthday sister!!! 🙂 I can’t tell you how much I love you and how much I hope this year brings you everything you want and then some.

Always,

Baby Fever….

Hey pretty friends! 
I first shared this post over at The Foley Fam, but I’ve decided to share it here too!
I finally worked up the nerve to share it on my own blog… haha.

So.. Here we go….

Babies. I got the fever yo!

The hubs and I are at that point where we’ve been married almost a year… That’s not that long, but consider we were together for five years before that… so we’ll call this year #6!

All of our friends are starting families! OK, maybe not all of them… But THREE of my six bridesmaids have a bun in the oven right now! That’s 50%. Half. Shall I reiterate? You get the point.

Wanna guess which three?? 😉 Haha...

It just so happens I am much too wimpy to shout it out on my own blog where friends and family members can give me grief. {Edit: OK, I finally worked up the nerve… be kind!!!} You know… that SIL that keeps pestering you for a niece/nephew. Yep, I have three of those + my sister, Kayli! 😉 Love em all to death, but if I mentioned my recent case of baby fever, they’d be all over that like… Something that gets all over something else. hahaha!

My plea to you? What advice do you have for a young couple thinking of starting a family??
Got any fun baby shower ideas saved up you’d wanna share? Remember, THREE of my best friends are preggers!
What about you? Caught the fever too? Already have a family started?

I’m all about making friends in this bloggie world, so if you have no interest whatsoever in anything baby related, that’s cool too, just tell me something random about you! And share your blog link in the comments! I’d love to stop by and check it out! 🙂 Ready, go!

I’m linking this to…

Bloggie Bestie – Kristine of The Foley Fam

Hi friends! Thursday already!? Where has this week gone!?! 
If you’re new here, welcome to our weekly Bloggie Bestie post! Every week we swap blogs with one of our Bloggie friends and take the opportunity to introduce you to someone awesome and new!
Don’t worry, it’s not an exclusive club, anyone can be a Bloggie Bestie! Just and scroll to the bottom for more info!

 

Today we’d like you to meet our girl Kristine of The Foley Fam!!!!

 

We just LOVE this chick and we’re positive that you will too!
She’s a sponsor here at Truly Lovely, so be sure to check out her blog and for sheer awesomeness! 😉 And enter our for a chance to win ad space on her blog!

Take it away Kristine!!!!

 

Hi there Truly Lovely Readers!

I’m Kristine and I blog over at The Foley Fam – {unedited}.

So thrilled to be here today! Kassi and I have become great friends thru this awesome thing known as the WWW, and I’m so grateful for her genuine friendship. One day we will be sipping margaritas in Viva Las Vegas together, I’m sure of that (wink)!

She is over at my casa today, so be sure to stop over there and say hello!

Over at my place I share {us}. The Good, the Bad, & the Dirty.You’ll also find some crafting, baking, my fashion style, and all the bits and pieces that make me {me}.
I can be a wee bit sarcastic, but try not to take offense mmmkay?
We might not agree on somethings, but no worries, we can still be friends! I promise!
If you want to know more about my cool little fam and I you can here.Here are some of my popular posts:
How I {try} and stay organized for my fam – Weekly at-a-glance Calendar
My attempt atRefashions
Bucket Lists – Let’s face it we should all have one!
I also own an !

is where I share my love for creating things and sharing with
others like yourself! You’ll find an eclectic mix of handmade goodness
for ladies and sprouts.

Use code: TRULYLOVELY20 to receive 20% off your order!

I would love it if you came over to our space and partied it up with us! Speaking of parties (wink wink), I host a link up party every Sunday!
Anything goes, and I feature my favs on my networks, so you should totally link up and show off your goods!

ALSO I’m hosting a Group GIVEAWAY every Sunday next month, to celebrate my 1 year Blog-iversary!! Be sure to stop by and enter to win the amazing swag that my lovely friends have offered up, even some goodness from Kassi and Kayli! 

Hope to see you over in our neck of the woods, sooner than later! If you stop by, please leave some comment love so I can follow your adventures too!

 Blog / / / / / /


Thanks to Kristine for being the Bloggie Bestie this week and for letting me share at her place!! My post over there is um… interesting to say the least! Would love if you would pop over and let me know what you think! 😉
Happy reading friends! 

Ten Weeks of Thanks – Kassi’s Week 4

Hello there friends!!!
So Miss Kayli is off enjoying her Spring Break… And as such is taking a break from the computer! Can you blame her… she’s still in her first year of college… I got tired of the computer when I was in college too! haha.


SO, I’m going to use her break to catch up on MY Ten Weeks of Thanks! She’ll be back next week with her week 7… which will give YOU plenty of time to get YOUR post(s) ready if you’d like to link up with us. 🙂 Week 7’s topic is Places, so next Wednesday, if you want to share what PLACES, anywhere in the world, that YOU’RE thankful for… we’d love to have you!

Until then, here’s my week 4 – People who have passed on that I am thankful for… And as always, this is only a select few… The list of people I am thankful for could go on and on… You’ll notice my list is . Over the last two, almost three now years we lost three people very close to us. So it’s them that I’ll be sharing today.

Granny. One of my most favorite people in the entire world! I remember once when I was just a tyke, and it only happened that ONE time… I was being naughty and got a spat on the bum from my Granny. I’m not sure who was more shocked, me, her or the people who saw it happen… She and I were tight. She never really got mad at me.
I was born just over a year after she lost my grandpa (). My mom always said I came at a time when she needed someone to love more than anything. And she loved me like crazy. And I her. When I graduated from college I moved home to care for her. She lived with my parents then. That is a time in my life that I will truly cherish forever.

My mother in law. Oh this lady… She could crack you up like none other! And she always had my back. Which was awesome being that I married her son… She would say, “If you guys ever break up, we’re keeping you.” 🙂 She said that about all of her daughters in law. There’s three of us and a daughter and every one of us has a house full of trinkets and treasures thanks to her. She loved to yard sale and would always bring everyone a little something home…. You know… like a set of couches. 😉

We lost her in a car accident in 2009. That was and still is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to go through in my entire life.

Grandpa S. My husband’s grandfather. My mother in law’s dad. We lost him just a year shy of my mother in law. A spunkier cowboy you have never seen! He made it as a team tier in the National Finals Rodeo several times. As far as I know his love of roping and riding is where my husband got his love from. We are lucky to have a few photos of them roping together. When I met him he was one of the first people to include me. The hubs and I dated for over five years before we got married. But being married didn’t matter to him… I was already a part of his family.

**************

Tell us lovelies… WHO are YOU thankful for?

If you have sometime today or in the next few days, here are the linkups (and their topics) in Kayli’s Ten Weeks of Thanks Series thus far. We would absolutely LOVE to hear what/who you are thankful for. 🙂 By the way, some of the links had closed… But I’ve re-opened all of them until April 1st if you’d like to join in anytime before then… 🙂






And don’t forget, next week’s topic is PLACES.

Be thankful friends!


 

Bloggie Bestie Blog Swap With Janine of 3 Wishes

Hello there! Today we are thrilled to introduce you to

Janine of 3 Wishes!

She’s sharing a fun post on enjoying the simple things in life! A little something we ALL need to work on! 🙂

Take it away Janine!!!

Hello, I am so excited to be here.  Today I wanted to share on the topic of simple pleasures.  Isn’t it something when the smallest of things or moments can make us smile? Like meeting new bloggers.

Here are a few of my simple pleasures…

I adore reading devotionals…This is my quiet time with the Lord.  To ask for guidance with my words and steps.  To give thanks for a brand new day.

I love tea…I gave up caffeine for my health about 6 weeks ago so I have been enjoying organic caffeine free teas, and herbal teas.  I also gave up most defined sugar so I sweeten my tea with agave.  I am in love.

I love trampolines. I have always wanted one.  My 3 precious kiddos love jumping also,  we were able to purchase one for this spring break. We are having a blast and getting some exercise is a bonus.

I swoon over our view every day. No matter the season, our view is so breathtaking to me.  I go and stare out at the lake and daydream about where the boats are going or about summer plans of soaking up the sun on Moonshine Beach.

I am crushing on our hammock in the backyard. I could just lay here all day and watch the humming birds in summer and in Missouri we get cardinals all year long.

I love to write and this blog has really opened the door to journaling in an entirely new way.  I have considered this little blog to be a love note to my family but, if I can touch others in some small way, or be helpful at all, well that just makes my heart happy.

These are a few of my simple pleasures…Would love to hear what yours are.

Have a wonderful day lovelies!

Our thanks to the lovely Janine for being this week’s Bloggie Bestie and for sharing her simple pleasures! 
Did you know we have a page JUST for Bloggie Besties now! 🙂 Hover over the Contact/Advertise page and the Bloggie Bestie page will appear! 🙂 Hope you’ll check it out and click through some posts from our other fabulous blogging friends!

By the way, I’m over at 3 Wishes sharing a post today as well! I’d love to see you over there!  

Today is a Blessing: Ten Weeks of Thanks Wk #6

So this post is later than normal, but it’s because this post is about TODAY. I think today is a blessing.
And here’s some evidence of that:

First of all, today is our Papa’s birthday! And I’m absolutely thankful for him and everything he’s done for me. He’s an amazing man and fantastic grandfather. Happy Birthday Papa!!! (: As far as random little things about today go, I’ll start here!

I’m grateful for fresh laundry, it smells so good!

I’m grateful for long lasting birthday flowers that are keeping the dining room table pretty, 9 days and counting!

I’m grateful for my Shine Necklace.

I’m grateful for my pretty smelling perfume.

I’m grateful for awesome weather, perfect for the upcoming Spring Break!

I’m grateful I got out of class early today. I’m grateful I don’t have much homework. I’m grateful that the newest episode of Khloe and Lamar replayed this afternoon! (: I’m grateful I wasn’t late to class this morning. I’m grateful for snail mail and smart phone drawing games. I’m grateful for good friends, good food, and you. I hope we can all learn not to take our small blessings for granted. (:


Happy Wednesday!

Next week’s topic is: PLACES. What geographical places are you grateful for? Why?

 


 

A Few Reasons Why I Love The World Around Me: 10 Wks of Thanks Week #5

First of all, I’m grateful for all of YOU!!! Your birthday wishes have made this such an awesome celebration! 

I can’t say thank you enough for being so awesome!!

That being said, this week is going to be one of my favorites easily! (: The topic is Things in Nature. I love nature. I love being outside. I LOVE the world around me. SO, let’s get this party started!! 

First on my list, I love a good patch of thick green grass

I’m a mountain girl, so pretty green grass is an absolute favorite thing of mine! I’m just so thankful for it. For everything it is. I love the way it smells when it’s just been cut. I love cutting it. I love sitting in it. I love laying in it. I love the way it looks and feels. I love how it pops up in the spring after all the snow and cold is gone. And I love kicking off my shoes and walking in it. I’m grateful it keeps me from getting stickers when I go barefoot, I’m grateful for it because its so pretty!

 

 

Next up, cotton fields. So random considering I didn’t really know I loved them until this year, because I’d never really seen enough of them until this year. Up in the hometown it’s too cold to grow cotton, but Kassi and I both live far enough south now that they’re EVERYWHERE. And I love them. They’re just so stinking pretty. And they’re so productive, think of all the things we make with cotton. I’m wearing cotton right now, and I bet you are too. I can’t tell you how much I adore those millions of little white clouds right at ground level. There’s just something about a field of cotton. 

 

 

Next are trees. Oh trees. My favorite trees EVER are aspens. Every fall they turn the most beautiful colors and in the summer they’re green and the leaves shake and they’re SO pretty. BUT I also love Weeping Willows. I always have, even though I’ve never really been around them. And I love pine trees and the way they smell. I love juniper trees and cottonwoods and oaks. All of them. I’m thankful that you can build things with them. I’m grateful we can make paper and furniture and houses and all of those wonderful things with them. I love that they’re planted on my college campus, and because I live in the desert, a lot of trees on campus already have blossoms. I’m grateful for that extra bit of pretty in my day.


I’m thankful for mountains. Clearly. Since I’ve brought them up in like every addition to this list. (: But I really am. Mountains are something to look at. And they always have the deepest colors and so much life. In the summer they have wildflowers and fishing holes and in the winter they have snow and frosted trees. They’re so big and there’s so much to them. They hold memories and secrets and the scary unknown and adventures. They’re my home. I just have a thing for mountains. Mountains and clouds. 🙂 
And finally, flowers. I’m pretty sure flowers have ALWAYS been my favorite thing. Oooo I love them!! I used to pick them all the time and drive my Granny crazy. And then she embraced it and would buy them potted for me and let me pick what I wanted. I love growing them. I love cutting them and putting them in a vase on the table. They smell so sweet and are gorgeous and happy. I’m thankful they add so much beauty to the world. I love how delicate they are. I think about how hard and cold and mean the world can be and is really built to be, and how fragile flowers are in comparison- but they live on anyways. Spreading beauty and happiness and carrying on. Flowers are the best. 

And that’s my list!!!

Thanks for reading!

Next week’s topic  is What About Today (3/14/12) Are You Thankful For?

Take a little time to appreciate the small blessings you receive through the day. 

(Hopefully everyday.)


 

Happy Wednesday!

 

 

 

Where were you…?

“Where were you when the world stopped turning… 
That September day?”

Have you heard that song by ? It’s a good one. 
A song that defines a single date in time that changed the lives of so many. 

Kassi: I was at home.
I was getting ready for school. 
I was a teenager.
My brother and I took turns watching for the school bus. 
Then it came on the news. Honestly, I don’t remember what part. 
Maybe the first tower…
When we got to school I remember distinctively going into the high school library and watching the news with a bunch of students and teachers.
I wasn’t even really sure what was going on. I remember a sense of panic, that this was really, really bad, whatever was happening. 
Turns out it was


The 9/11 Memorial is scheduled to open today. 
Will you be visiting? 

Kayli: On September 11th I was in third grade. 
I don’t really remember much. 
I do remember going to school and then they rushed us all into the school board room. They had a TV set up and I remember watching the plane run into the tower over and over. 
Our teachers were crying so we were too. 
None of us really understood but we knew it was sad, and we knew it was scary. I’ll never forget that day, and that even though I wasn’t totally sure what a terrorist was, or what the trade centers were.. 
I knew patriotism and compassion and that was enough for my heart to break for my country, and for the lives lost.

So tell us friends, in the comments below. 
In remembrance of September 11, 2001…

Where were YOU when the world stopped turning… 
That September day???

AND

Bloggie Bestie Blog Swap with Jaime of Memoirs of a Pilgrim

Hello dolls! Happy Thursday!!
Today we have a brand new Bloggie Bestie!!!
The lovely Jaime of Memoirs of a Pilgrim is here to share some gorgeous photos and talk about one of my favorite places… Australia!!!
On a side note, did you know I went to Australia in high school to play for the NM girls basketball team?? LOVED IT!!!

Take it away Jaime…
First off, I’m pretty stoked to be taking over Truly Lovely’s blog today. 
What better crowd is there to show off the plethora to photos I take and my attempts of being an artist?

Of course, there is none 😉

Now, if you click on over to my blog, Memoirs of a Pilgrim, you’ll get an eye full of  the absolutely gorgeous country I have been clubbed and dragged to by the man I met two years ago at a New Orleans hostel:

Australia!

I’ll admit, the initial  transition was a bit tough being from the quaint Midwestern state of Wisconsin. I left behind all my closest peeps, cozy home, rural livin’ and of course the cheeeeese. Oh how I dream of those fresh, squeaky cheese curds!

But now I live in “the big smoke”. I just moved to Sydney two months ago, but started my time here in Australia living in Brisbane, which only a train ride to the famed Gold Coast. All of which are absolutely stunning cities with so much character. 

Living in a major wold city definitely has its perks  and quite the thrill for small town folk as myself, especially when said city (Sydney) has earned a title in the top ten cities in the world! It’s a bragging right I never refrain from gloating about 🙂

 Fortunately I’ve always been ambitious to get out of my particular small town and lived in Minneapolis for a while after high school, making the transition easy and not sticking out like a sore thumb.  I’m also savvy at using public transport, finding my way through mazes of crowded streets and making sure to find all the lush, expansive parks and beaches to by the time.

But the great thing of all about Australia are the many natural and gorgeous escapes it provides for it’s residents pleasure. 

With the great barrier reef, local islands, and a vast shoreline of the greatest beaches in the world you will never hear me complain. And I have yet to check out any of the inland mountains or outback!

While that’s all being said and done I still have lots of downtime at home while I’m working and saving up for said adventures and taking a course to maintain legal residence here. With that spare time I like to express my creative side via sketch-booking, painting and drooling over Pintrest! 


I hope you enjoyed this blog swap and I invite you to check out s’more at my blog!


Tah! 

THANKS SO MUCH TO JAIME for being this week’s BLOGGIE BESTIE and swapping with us today! 🙂 Hope you’ll pop over to her blog and check out my guest post after you leave her some bloggie love here. 🙂

Project: Do Me Kassi Style #4

So… Just in case you missed it, I posted a Project: Do Me update on Saturday… . It just so happens I marked quite a few things off…
So now I think it’s time for an updated list. 



To read the premise behind Project Do Me, 
created by the lovely KY at Travel Babbles… Go here




Kassi’s List! 
For the week of February 28, 2011!


Daily


1. Read one book chapter 
or magazine article every night before bed. 


2. 10 minutes, at least, of exercise. 


3. Log calories and exercise on My Fitness Pal. 


4. Spend 10 minutes every evening playing with my doggies




Weekly


1. Two Love Notes Jars. 
One for me and one for the hubs to be.
Write one thing we love about each other everyday for 20 days in March. 
Read one a day to celebrate our anniversary in April. 


2. Go to lunch with a friend once a week


3. Finish one rope vase for the wedding




Monthly


1. Decide on and order wedding flowers


2. Decide on and order wedding invitations


3. Go out on a REAL date with my fiance




Yearly


1. Mark 5 off of my 30 before 30 list




So that’s it for this week!!!
If you have a Project Do Me list or something similar, please share it here, or link it up over at Travel Babbles! 

We’re all about the encouragement!!! 🙂