I Have to Brag a Little.....

There are a number of reasons why I love Matthew, and one reason is how he can act like a little kid playing with the dogs. It is hilarious watching him in the floor with them rough housing. I know he will definitely be a great dad. He has JuJu wrapped around his pinky and vice-versa.We both love Sammy and JuJu so MUCH....they really are like our kids. When we go to bed, Sammy lays on his side, his head on my pillow and lays his arm on me. JuJu will be spooning with Matt under the covers with her head on his pillow. If we act this way with them, it is crazy to think how much love we will have for our own flesh and blood!

Well it is bow season and of course Matt is in his tree-stand a lot....but I let him have his time. I would go but I can't kill...lol....I don't have it in me. I have had to drag the deer out of the woods and help gut them when I lived at home but Matt let's me leave it all to him....thank's hun! Anyway, this past week he got an 8pt and the next night got a turkey. He is still hunting to get his family some deer meat as well. I know without a doubt that my husband could keeps us alive and I guess that's what I find attractive in him, his providing skills.

Another thing I am thankful for with him is that he isn't a yeller. We seldom get in arguments, we pretty much have the same personality which helps. One thing he does really well, is talk everything out if there happens to be an issue with something. He gets it out, solves it, and moves on. I used to be bad about claming up and not talking but I have gotten a lot better since we have been together. I must say that we are better together, became more cohesive since we have been married than when we were dating. It's only been a little over 3 yrs....which is hard to believe.....

I tend to read before I go to bed and now I have been reading the bible, from beginning to end. He will go to sleep and sometimes I just watch him sleep and thank God for placing him in my life. Blake Shelton's new song, God Gave Me You, is a great example of us. He couldn't have entered the picture at a better time in my life, to help pick me up and give me something good to look forward too. This is a little long, but for some reason I am feeling a little sappy, and just want to express my unconditional love for him and thankfulness that he is in my life:-)

I Can't Help But Love Her

I have been a fan of Miranda Lambert before she was famous, discovering her before Nashville Star. I can't describe why I like her sooo much, I think it's because she is very REAL and talented. Anymore, you don't have to be talented to become famous and that is what irks me. She can sing, write her own music, and play guitar and these past two years she finally started getting recognition, which is long overdue. I've seen her 4x in concert now, the last being on Friday. She just keeps evolving, growing, and getting better and better. She is such an inspiration to women and aspiring songwriters. She actually is who fueled me with my music. Although, I didn't stick it out like she did, I am forever her fan. All I can say is THANK YOU to Miranda for staying true to herself and for staying grounded. I feel like I have known her for a long time, she feels like a friend to me, and if you haven't listened to her music, I highly recommend it. She is a rock star and I love her!!!

She has started another project called Pistol Annies. Ashley Monroe and Angelina Presley make up the trio. They all wrote the songs on the CD and I recommend it a listen too. They are all talented and in a way it reminds me of Dolly, Emmylou, and Linda Ronstadt's songs together. I guess why I like her so much is because she is living my dream. I almost feel like a proud momma watching her on stage because she has overcome the obstacles and proven herself to the country music critics:-)

To Buy or Not to Buy????

I have seriously been considering trading in my car. I love my Mazda CX-7 but it is at the mileage to either trade in or drive until the wheels fall off. The pic is when I first bought it in Feb. 2009. Last year around this time I test drove some SUV's and didn't really care for any of them and so here we are again going Saturday to test drive more. After watching "Up All Night" they showed the new GMC Terrain and I like the looks of it. All I need to know is how it drives and if I can get it in black!!! Of course it will be used but that is what I am thinking as of now. I might have a different mind set after Saturday:-)

New Doors!

Today happened to be my day off....woohoooo and was really needed. This past month has been super tiring at Dillard's. I have been working a lot of open/closes and I have seen Matt awake 3 days out of this month since he goes to bed at 9 and gets up really early. I am sooo happy that my schedule next month is much better. I only close 2 nights/week and off early the rest:-)

Matt and I have been slowly updating and redoing our house. It is definitely more homier and not so much 'bachelory' since I have redecorated it. I hope we can be in a bigger/newer house in the near future but as of now it isn't our priority.

Anyway one of our todos was getting rid of our sliding patio doors and installing french doors, mainly for efficiency when it comes to the winter months. They look great and have made a huge difference in how the house looks. I really like them a lot as does Matt!!! I think it was a good investment:-) We need to stain the border to match the rest so it is not completely done.







Next on our list is a possible new truck for Matt ( Toyota Tundra) or what he calls a "baby hauler", a wood-burning furnace, a new couch since our dogs like to chew on it. It was already chewed up due to Buddy and Jake, now Sammy and JuJu have increased the holes. Also a bigger kitchen table would be nice. I guess we will see what all we get accomplished this year and next...hopefully the majority of it:-)

David Charles Monds

It has been awhile since I have posted, all for a good reason. This past month has been a nightmare. Things happening that you have to ask, "why now"? My uncle, David Charles Monds, my mom's brother passed away last week at 55. What was a snake bite announced his silent killer, cancer. He has always been considered a mountain man/ blacksmith/artist/musician, living in the mountains in Arkansas in a cabin without electricity. I remember when we used to visit, having to take baths in the creek, and have wild game for dinner. He was always messing with snakes and has been bitten several times by poisonous ones, especially rattlers. He would tell these crazy stories of his adventures and I naturally thought that he would die fighting a bear or something wild and adventurous as that.

He moved back to Texas to be with my grandparents and about two months ago he was bitten by a copperhead, saving kittens from the snake. He thought he had killed it with a pitch fork and went to take the snake off the teeth and it bit his finger. My grandparents rushed him to the doctor and apparently they did 4 blood tests on him and found he had stage 4 lung cancer. He didn't tell anyone, his plan was to die in his bed. He never went to the doctor and had always been healthy. Week before last, my parents got a call that they life flighted him to Houston, his organs had shut down and was placed on life support. Apparently he couldn't breathe and was stomping the ground and my grandparents went to check on him and called the ambulance. He said he wasn't going to go he wanted to stay in his bed. The venom from the snake spread the cancer like wildfire all over his body. My parents went down to be with him, and my mom and aunt never left his side. I couldn't go nor did I want to because I knew that was not what I wanted to see and have burned in my mind. My mom can't get the image out.

While he was in the hospital he had a heart attack and then a stroke that paralyzed the right side of his body. He had blood clots in his legs and on his ear. My parents would describe what was going on. They had him medicated but he was still alert and trying to write and talk to my mom. There was a team of doctors working on him and one who had been practicing for 30 years never saw anyone be as alert and strong as near to death as he was. After about 3 days, they had him in an induced coma and my mom decided to take him off life support as his body was turning black. My mom said that as she talked to him he had the most peaceful look on his face as he died.

It has been an emotional roller coaster these past few weeks. Everything happened so quickly, it has been hard to digest. One thing that has helped me cope with not only his death but the past couple of deaths that have happened within the past year is a book called, Heaven is for Real. My uncle was very religious and I am happy that he has been reunited with my grandpa and great grandparents. That was my biggest worry but this book has inspired and uplifted me reading about what is to come. I am thankful that I was able to have his banjo, fiddle, mandolin, guitar, my grandpa's guitar, and harmonicas as well as the songs he had written. Matt got his muzzleloaders, knives, and pistols, that he had made. He really was a unique person and I am looking forward to the day we will reunite. Until then, I will cherish his memories and gifts he passed along:-)

Let's Talk About Theft

I have had the worst possible week in a long time. It started off fine, we went to church and the sermon was about how God will come as a thief in the night when it is the end of time. Little did I know, that would somewhat be how Tuesday would play out. I was at work and I usually work in the back sorting clothes and pricing. We all keep our purses in or around the management office since we don't have lockers. I had just checked my phone around 3:30 that afternoon and a guy came in the back around 4. He was walking around and the manager saw him and asked him what he was doing....looking for the bathroom? Well, I literally rounded the corner and ran right into him, hands on his chest, so needless to say I got a good look at what looked like a rich, preppy college kid....harmless..... He was in the bathroom maybe 2 seconds, came out and went back out the way we told him not too. I didn't check my purse again until 6 when I closed the store. When I opened it, talk about a feeling of vulnerability or even the feeling of possible rape, my wallet, phone, and checkbook were gone. Thank goodness he left my keys!!! When I got home, I checked my bank accounts and he had already used my debit card for $2000 and my credit card for $1600. $500-600 purchases at 5 different Walgreens within the span of 1 hour. I was able to get the swipe times and as much information as I could to the cops. I have been playing detective this past week because apparently the police haven't assigned a detective yet.

Here's my question....why as an employee would you not check ID for that big of purchases???? The manager at one of the Walgreen's gave me the run around and said that there weren't any purchases at her location for the amount my bank account showed.....and she said they don't feel a need to ID....Really???? So what could he have possibly been buying for that large amount and she said Visa gift cards. The kid is slick, obviously done this many times before and to have stolen my stuff right by the management office with the manager in there.

My whole "being" was in my wallet. I had just put my Social card in it for employment purposes and that was gone as well as an SD card with wedding pics. Probably the most priceless item of all was the sweet note I got from Matt last Valentines that I kept in my wallet to look at time to time. Luckily I am getting refunded all the money and had insurance on my phone.

When I was in banking, I had dealt with people who had their purses stolen and I knew how devastating it would be but I really didn't know exactly what they were going through until now. Surely the cops will catch him, I don't see how they can't. Here's the funny thing as well, there were 3 other purses by mine and mine was the only one stolen from. I guess cause it was bigger and brighter than the rest and had jewels all on it, he thought I had a lot of money. Hopefully this week will be much better, I am praying for that!

Tee Time

Matt has become an avid golfer, more so now since we are married than when we were dating...lol...I guess you can say we are members of a country club. He, his dad or mine go every weekend, sometimes both Saturday and Sunday. I golfed some when I was at Drury, but hadn't been yet with Matt due to my work schedule. Well a few weekends ago we decided to go and have Christie, Cassie, and Rick along for scramblers. I was already exhausted from working a 48 hr. week and being out in the heat did it for me. Matt is really good, he can sometimes drive 300+ yards. Christie and I were playing about the same, Cassie had some good hits as well as Rick. The last whole is when we all shined and I think since we knew it was over is why. 18 holes lasting 5 hrs is a lot in 100 degree temp for someone who isn't acclimated to the heat, so give me the driving range any day!

Rain delay and then came the heat

Cassie is ready to go!

He doesn't cooperate with pictures, it was sooo hot that day...ugh!

The Pics Are In

They are in, Yay!! They turned out well too!!! I can't believe it has almost been 3 months since then, time flies. I didn't make it down the isle without crying, as soon as the doors opened, so did the flood gates. I couldn't control myself after I told myself not to cry! I can't wait to get our wedding video, it will be in 6-8 months though. I guess we will be watching it on our 1 year anniversary!! I didn't post all the pics, just a few of my favorite! Enjoy!

4th on the Water

My 1st ever float trip, and in a canoe. I was soooo excited but didn't know what it was going to turn out like. Everyone had been preparing me for the waterfall, saying you have to hit it right, you will be fine. Matt has been floating at Twin Bridges for years and never had a problem until I come along. The day started off great except for having a 5ft cotton mouth cross the top of the water in front of us, one of the most aggressive/poisonous snakes in Missouri.

Christie and Cassie were a lot of fun... we will definitely do it again and needless to say, they made it down the waterfall just fine.

The river was up and I was in the front of the canoe as the rock detector. When we got to the waterfall, I couldn't see anything until we were of course going over the top of a big rock. We actually didn't flip until after we were off the waterfall and the force of the water meeting in a V and the end of the canoe hitting the rock, flipped us. I still don't know how Matt landed on his feet because I ended up under the canoe, it hit me in the head and slammed my knee into a big rock. I have never had a pump knot come on soooo quickly and it be so big. It was the size of a softball. The force of the current took my shorts and sunglasses, which were my favorite. I only had one shoe and luckily found it. A guy watching had to help me cross the river..lol...it was quite funny. People that came down after us flipped as well....If the river hadn't been up, we would have been fine. But I will never forget Matt's words before we flipped as I told him about the rock....It's ok, just go with it.....

2 days later, my forehead swelled up...lol....He kept calling me an egg head, how nice of him. My knee is a big bruise and still swollen. I'm just glad I didn't get badly hurt....It was fun though and look forward to it again!

Sweet Findings

I am so excited about our recent find! We have been looking for an old rustic coffee table/trunk for awhile but they cost around $400, which we think is a little expensive for that. We found exactly what we were looking for at the cheap price of $75!!! You can't beat that!!! It had an armoire that went with it but as of now, we don't have the room.

The table is in good condition and it comes with a rustic key that locks both sides!!
I have started going to auctions looking for primitive antiques, and hopefully I will find some neat, cheap, sturdy stuff:-) My next auction is today and I am on a mission to find a country dining table. Hopefully, they have one! The house is looking soooo much more homier now, I can't wait until we have wood floors, new carpet in the bedrooms, and the spare bedroom finished!!! It is coming together slowly, but surely!

A Father's Day to Remember

Matt and I decided to have the whole family get together at our house for Father's Day. Matt grilled Filet Minon, I made oriental cole slaw, carrot cake, my mom brought corn on the cob, baked beans, and deviled eggs, Barbara brought an apple pie, Christie and Cassie brought a veggie tray, and Rick and Michelle brought homemade tea!!! The eating was great and then afterward we played a nice family game for the rest of the evening:-)


Matt is sooo competitive and gets it from his mom and dad, if he starts losing, he won't stop til he wins.


Barb had to have a warm up and then she found her groove, she had a foot swing going on...lol

My mom gets serious and I have no idea what Cassie is doing...lol



All-in-all, the evening was perfect!! It is nice to be able to get the whole family together and have a fun, enjoyable evening! That was a major factor in finding someone, because if the family can't get a long, it creates a tension which is not enjoyable. I can't wait until we have kids, it will be sooo much fun because the extra addition will add to the experience!!!!

The Ozark's Secret Treasure!

I absolutely love country primitives and chocolate, so why not go to a place that has both of these delights! Rosewood Farms is an awesome place that if I had the money, I would buy everything! I know that sounds crazy but I am obsessed with their decorations. They make everything themselves, including the display cases that I want sooooo badly!

Here is the bizarre thing, I had no idea they existed! This place is literally in BFE. On highway 5 in between Hartville and Grovespring, driving along you will see this place. They don't do any advertising, it is strictly word of mouth. Their chocolate is amazing as well as their drinks! I found my favorite place. So if you want to take a drive through the country one weekend, stop in at Rosewood's! You will not be disappointed!!!


I bought a sign for our spare bedroom, and I love their patterns, which would be great for baby linens:-) I admit, I have an obsession...lol....I don't remember the Amazing Grace sign, looks like I will be going back:-)

1 Month Infinity!

Yesterday we celebrated one month together as a married couple. It will be 2 years July 20th. Nothing is different, feels the same as before. Since we both come from split families, we have made it a goal to be the exception to the rule. I do believe we were meant to be together for the rest of our lives! I never knew I could find someone that I would be so compatible and happy with until Matt entered the picture! Thank you God for placing him in my life, I don't know what I would do without him:-) Here's to infinity!

Crazyness

And so it begins.....Christie looked soooo gorgeous, I have never seen her with make-up on or dressed up! What is funny, Matt went to the beauty shop while she was being made up and she said to him, " Don't ever question my love for you!" She is beautiful without it all, I just couldn't believe the transformation.
Barbara looked great as well but here is the fiasco, 30 minutes before the wedding she is getting into her gown, the zipper breaks completely down the dress. While this is happening, apparently my Ipod doesn't work with the sound system that has all the wedding music on it. I had brought my laptop because I had created a movie of Matt and I from when we were born to now, to be played at the reception. The projector was there but there wasn't a cord. Imagine this all happening at once, I was about to go CRAZY!!!! We found a cord, thanks to Jennifer's mom but because my Ipod wasn't working with the system, they had to use my computer. There went the movie. Matt's step-mom, Michelle, had to bring needle and thread and my mom sewed Barbara in her dress. I was ready for the wedding to be over with!!!!



Here I come, walking down the isle to " Feels Like Home" by Chantal and this is what I see, Matt grinning. I told myself not to cry, oh but the flood gates opened!!!


It really got worse when Charlie was walking me closer, I had my dad walk me part of the way and Charlie the rest. I had him crying and everyone else....even Matt!

My vows I wanted to wing it, but instead decided to have them written in case I forgot because of my emotions.

I, Charlie Elizabeth, take you, Matthew Dean, to be my husband for the rest of my life. After all the years of wondering about you, I knew from the moment we reunited that you were the one I had been searching for. I have not only gained a companion but a family that has welcomed me with open arms and that I am proud to be a part of. You are a blessing in my life and make me strive to be a better person. Because of you, I am who I have become. You are my better half and I will always be by your side and always try to uplift you with encouragement. In Nicholas Spark’s words, The best love is the kind that awakens the soul, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds. That is what you have given me and that is what I hope to give to you forever. I love you Matthew Dean, more than words can express and I believe we share a love that will carry us through to eternity.

The wedding turned out great, went super quick though! One thing that upset me and a lot of my family, after the ceremony the movie was suppose to play so we could finish our pictures before everyone ate. They went ahead and let everyone eat and 20 minutes later when we come down people are done eating and starting to leave....by the time we ate and went to cut the cake, it was just family there. People can be very, very RUDE!!!!! I didn't get to do the bouquet/garter toss because of it. Another thing that made me mad, we had 100 people RSVP, only 50 showed up.....we could have saved over $1000 if we had known........but all-in-all, I married my soul mate and that is all that matters!!!!





These are cake pops I made for the wedding. They are little devils.....I originally planned to do 200 so everyone could have 2 different flavors. After taking 9 hours to do the 1st batch, I threw the other away. It was an ordeal getting the hardening chocolate to Fuschia. Finally, I just used the light pink colored chocolate and royal blue, fuschia sprinkles. They were red velvet with cream cheese, and oooohhhh sooo good!!!!

My barbie bouquet Jenna and her family made from their flower shop!!!!! Absolutely awesome job on everything!!!!!!! Loved the colors!!!!!!!!

Wedding Preparations

This post is basically about the decorations and colors. I decided on Fucshia and Royal Blue with Pink Gerbera Daisies as my main flower! At the wedding the bouquets, colors, and decorations were absolutely beautiful!!! They turned out better than I had imagined! From the beginning stages of planning, I wanted to mainly do everything myself, not only for the control but I have a degree in marketing so I consider myself somewhat creative! I designed and created our wedding invitations as well as our programs. I was very pleased with how they turned out when I got them from the printer!


Why May 7th? Irene, Matt's grandma, celebrated her birthday on this day and in honor of her we decided to have it then also because it is the only date he could ever remember so hopefully our anniversary will never be forgotten! We were planning to have the wedding in Cabool where she lived but last September she passed away at 93. She loved Matt so much, always calling him her baby boy. It was a hard time and Matt said that he believes when God closes a door, he opens a window. He meant that she could leave because he had me now. I thought that was such a sweet thing he said! Since she passed away, we decided to have it at Whitestone Wedding Chapel in Marshfield.



Only two months after September, Matt's good friend and groomsman, Trevor Waugh was killed in a car wreck! I felt so bad for Matt and Trevor's family, no one could believe it and the fact that he was at our house a week before it happened. We decided not to replace him, and make sure a space was saved for him in all aspects of the wedding. In honor of him and Irene, we had pictures, memory candles lit by Matt in the Ceremony and the reading below:

If you look around the room, you may notice two important people missing today: Irene Maness, grandmother of the groom, friend and groomsman Trevor Waugh. Within two months of each other the lord called them home and though they are not present, they are here in spirit. In honor of their memory, candles will be lit as a reminder of the positive impact they had on our lives.

There is always a face before us,
A voice we would love to hear,
A smile we will always remember,
Of Irene and Trevor, we loved so dear.
Deep in our heart lies a picture,
More precious than silver or gold,
It's a picture of them both,
Whose memory will never grow old.