Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Tuesday Topics: Ten Things I Live For

Life.Love.Lauren
YAY! New round of Tuesday Topics!  Today's topic is 10 things I live for!


1.)  God: I wouldn't be here without him.  He is my reason for living and loving.


2.) My Husband:  Love him! He is my best friend!

3.)  My Family: I don't know what I would do without them.  

4.) Teaching: I love my job, I love my students, I love what I do.

5.) Reading:  I love getting lost in a book.  It may be nerdy, but I love it!!


6.) Friends: Life would be pretty boring without them!
7.) Laughing: I am nerdy, I am a dork, and I am kinda weird, but it does make for good laughs ;)  I love laughing, it means I am happy, or at least getting there.  Laughing means I am creating memories and I love that.

8.) Pictures: I love pictures.  I got away from taking pictures for awhile, mainly because I didn't like my camera, but I am back! I love taking pictures and capturing memories.

9.) Home: I don't live for the physical aspect of home as much as I do the feeling of home.  Home may be in my apartment, it may be wherever I happen to be on vacation, but it almost always is wherever I am with Sean.  I love the feeling of belonging.  I love having somewhere to be comfortable. I love the feeling of home. 

10.) The Future: Sometimes living for the future can make me a big worry wart and I have to make sure I don't live TOO much for the future.  Most days, living for the future is so fun and exciting.  I love making plans and imagining my life in a month, a year, 10 years.  I love creating an image in my head of who I will be, what my family will look like, where we will be.  The past few years my future plans usually centered around marriage and my life with Sean.  My future plans still center around that but I just added babies to the mix.  =)

Monday, July 29, 2013

Virginia and a McNamara BBQ!

Well, if you read my blog, you may have noticed I have been a tad bit absent from the blogging world! Out of the past 21 days, I have been out of town for 16 of them.  Needless to say, I have had a blast the past few weeks but I am happy to be home, unpacked, and back to normal!

Sean and I drove to Virginia to visit his family and stayed for a week.  This was the first time we had driven there just us and luckily he drove most of the way- I only drove about 2 hours out of the 12.  The week we were there was HOT! We spent a lot of time at the pool and just hanging out with everyone!  We went out one night with his siblings where I ended up singing karaoke.. yikes!  We went to the beach where everyone got sunburn but it was a total blast!  It was a great week catching up with his fam (now my fam too) and spending time together!
we celebrated my father-in-law's birthday!

out to eat!
Out to eat

I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to photograph my brother-in-law and his fiance's engagement photos! Here are a few- more on this later! =)





Shortly after we got back from Va, and before leaving for Lake Sara with my family, Sean and I hosted a barbecue at our place. I probably spent way more then I had to and made way more food then needed but I was so excited! We had about 10 of our closest friends over.  We grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, had a bags tournament, had a bonfire, and just hung out! It was a blast and I felt very adult! =)  I can't wait to host another party, maybe Halloween??



I am loving Summer and sad that it is almost over but I have truly had a great past couple months!! 

More on my Lake Sara vacation later!! =)


Sunday, July 21, 2013

Tuesday Topics: One Lifelong Dream ( almost a week late!)

Life. Love.Lauren

So sorry for the delay! I was on vacation with no wifi and no way of posting this even though I already had it written. But, better late then never, right?


THIS one is pretty easy.  While I have "dreams" such as I would love to be a rock star, which is kinda funny since I have awful stage fright.  I would also love to work in the rain forest with orangutans, which is also funny because I am petrified of snakes. As for a life long dream, I feel like I am already living it.  I have never been someone with larger than life goals and dreams.  My dreams have always been pretty simple.  I wanted to fall in love and marry my best friend.  I wanted to be a teacher.  I wanted to serve God.  I want to have a wonderful relationship with my family and friends. So far, I have done pretty well.  Now that I am working and married to the love of my life, my dream is to have children with Sean.  I want to be a mom.  I want a family with my husband and love of my life.  Lucky for me, I have a husband who wants the same thing just as much!  No, not right now, not even a few months from now.  Whenever it does happen, just know that I will be one happy girl!







Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Tuesday Topics: Two Places I've traveled

Life. Love.Lauren

Hello all! We are on #2 for Tuesday Topics! Please forgive me in advance, this post will be short.  I returned from a 12 hour car ride about an hour ago and I am very sleepy... speaking of a 12 hour car ride:

Traveling # 1:  Virginia
Sean's family moved to VA the summer before our senior year of high school and after we had been dating 1.5 years.  Needless to say, I have made the trip to VA many times! It is always fun to spend an extended amount of time with Sean's family and always hard to leave!  More details about our most recent trip to VA coming soon! =)
(Last Summer, Va)

Traveling # 2:  Galena
Our trip to Galena was not a long one and it was not very far away but it was special! Sean and I got married in March and since we were both teachers, we did not have the time available to take a long and far away honeymoon.  We settling on a weekend in Galena and while it was not the typical beach honeymoon- we loved it! It was the first vacation we had ever taken alone and our first few days as husband and wife!  
(Galena, March 2013, honeymoon)

Saturday, July 6, 2013

Wedding Memories Part 3: Ceremony

When I think about my ceremony, I think about Sean and me. I did not spend a lot of time planning the "look" of the ceremony.  The hall was virtually plain.  My dad and family friend built an arch for us that my mom and I decorated with flowers and drapery.  We lined the aisle with candles and purple vases with daisies.  It was pretty and simple. 
My main focus for the ceremony was that it was special and meaningful.  Music was very important to me because I felt it really set the mood.  My brothers, also groomsmen, played the canon as the bridesmaids walked in.  My brother also arranged a version of "Stolen," by Dashboard Confessional to play as I walked in and as everyone left the ceremony.  It was extremely special to have my brothers a part of this part of the ceremony.  

Like I said in part 2, my walk down the aisle was still incredibly special, even though I had seen him beforehand.  


My uncle and two aunts each did a reading.  I loved our readings and loved having my family members a part of our ceremony.

(Ecclesiastes 4:9-12- Two are better than one,because they have a good return for their labor.  If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.  But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.  Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.  But how can one keep warm alone?  Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.  A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.)

(When I say I Do
Matthew West
There must be a God, I believe its true. 
Cause I can see His love, when I look at you. 
And he must have a plan for this crazy life. 
Because He brought you here and placed you by my side

You see these hands you hold, will always hold you up
When the strength you have just isnt strong enough 
And what tomorrow brings, only time will tell
But I will stand by you in sickness and in health

Take my hand and take this ring
And know that I will always love you through anything.

And as the years march on like a beating heart
I will live these words 'til death do us part'

Cause I have never been so sure of anything before 
Like I am in this moment here with you
And now for better or for worse 
Are so much more than only words 
And I pray everyday will be the proof 
That I mean what I say when I say 'I do.)


(May your mornings bring joy and your evenings bring peace.
May your troubles grow few as your blessings increase.
May the saddest day of your future
Be no worse than the happiest day of your past.
May your hands be forever clasped in friendship
And your hearts joined forever in love.
Your lives are very special,
God has touched you in many ways.
May his blessings rest upon you
 And fill all your coming days.)

 I do not like being in front of a room full of people, being stared at, or being the center of attention.  A blog is about as much as I can take, nice and safe behind a screen.  When I was standing there with Sean, I would start to feel everyone watching me and start to get nervous.  I would get that awful feeling in my stomach but then I'd look at Sean and I'd feel him rubbing my hand with his thumb (he did this the whole time), and it would ground me.  It was just us there, Sean and me, getting married.



 I researched a lot of different things that can be done during a ceremony and one really stuck out to both of us.  We did not really like the idea of lighting a candle or doing a sand ceremony because it held no meaning for us.  When I came across the love letter wine box and showed it to Sean we both agreed it was perfect!  We both wrote letters to each other explaining how we were feeling leading up to our wedding day and how we got there and sealed them and placed them in the box with a bottle of wine. During the ceremony we locked the box.  The box is to be opened when we are going through a very difficult time and need to be reminded why we got married, or on our 5th anniversary.  We should have practiced locking it beforehand because we both had a difficult time! =)

Right after, our pastor joined us at the table and we signed our marriage license.  My pastor suggested this and we loved the idea of signing it during our ceremony, in front of all our family and friends.  While locking the box and signing the license, a song called Unity played.  This song was written by my brother and prerecorded by both my brothers.  It was so amazing and special and I love that I have it to listen to whenever I want!
 

My absolute favorite part, "I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss your bride!"




Stay tuned for part 4: PARTAYYYY!!!!


 Look back at Part 1, and Part 2.  


For my married friends, what did you do to make your ceremony extra special and memorable?

For my unmarried friends, what is a tradition you would like to incorporate into your ceremony when that day comes?









Friday, July 5, 2013

Tuesday Topics: 3 favorite quotes

Life. Love.Lauren
This week for Tuesday Topics I will be discussing my 3 favorite quotes.  I am not too much of a quote person, so this was kinda rough for me, but here we go!

1.)"Pooh," Piglet whispered. 

"Yes, Piglet?" 

"Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's paw, "I just wanted to be sure of you."

If you know me at all, then you know my love for all things Winnie the Pooh.  Now I have so many favorite Winnie the Pooh quotes, but this one is by far #1!  It makes me feel happy.  

2.)  Psalm 46:10, "He says, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

This bible verse gets me through so many stressful and worrisome times!  "Be Still and know that I am God."  This is something I repeat to myself over and over.  I am a worrier by nature, emotional, and tend to get stressed easily and this verse grounds me and reminds me who is in control of my life.

3.) "I'm not clumsy. It's just the floor hates me, the tables and chairs are bullies and the walls get in the way"

Silly but true! Again, if you know me, I am clumsy!! This quote pretty much sums up my life =)

Wedding Memories Part 2: First Look

Time for part 2 of my wedding memories!  I wanted to use this post to explain why we decided to do a first look.  This is a new and popular trend that couples are participating in and I think the people who are against it and support it are pretty much split down the middle!

Sean and I were leaning towards "first looks" from the beginning for practical reasons.  We were having an evening wedding- ceremony starting at 6- and it made sense! We wanted time to take pictures in day light and without it running into our reception time.  In the end, this ended up being so unbelievably helpful!  We got all of the bridal pary pictures done, as well as most of the pictures of us as a couple finished. We barely had to take any pictures after our ceremony and were able to enjoy being married and time with our guests!  For this reason alone, I strongly suggest first looks! It made things so much less stressful!



A lot of people who are against first looks say that they want their walk down the aisle to be special.  Well, the walk down the aisle will still be incredibly special! Not to mention, it allows your soon to be hubs to enjoy the moment without the pressure of everyone he knows watching him! Also, if you are anything like me, you will enjoy the lack of an audience as well! Even though I had seen Sean and spent 2 hours with him taking pictures, when I walked down the aisle towards him, it was incredibly special and emotional.  It felt like I was seeing him for the first time all over again!  Nothing can take away how incredible that moment is- not even pictures before. =)


Seeing Sean before felt right.  It felt like us.  We rarely successfully surprise one another, we are basically in constant contact, and  we share everything.  First looks fit us.  They were perfect for us.  It was a moment I will remember for the rest of my life.  It was amazing, incredible, and beyond special.




Don't let tradition or other peoples' expectations scare you away.  If first looks are not for you, of course that's okay! But, look into it, learn about it, and give it a chance! A moment is special if you make it special.  And every moment from my wedding.. was immensely perfect. 





Don't forget to follow my blog by doing 1 or all of these things:


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Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Tuesday Topics: 4 Things I Learned Outside of School

Life. Love.Lauren
Time for another round of Tuesday Topics!   I am supposed to write 4 things I learned outside of school.  Obviously this is difficult, but I am going to give it a try!

 1.) The importance of family and pets.  While in school, generally middle-high school, it seems like your whole world is your friends.  My experience in particular was one that had me consumed with fitting in and never being left out.  As I left school, I quickly learned that while friends are important, family is everything.  I included pets in this because I consider pets a part of the family unit.  Truthfully, a home feels empty without a furry creature to love.



2.)  Just be yourself.  This sounds so cliché but it is true!  I went through way too many years of forcing myself to be someone else to fit in.  I wasn't happy, I didn't truly know myself, and my relationships weren't real.  Someone may not like something, they may talk about you, they may judge you, but you need to be yourself to be happy.  Now, that does not mean YOU should be judgmental  rude, unkind because it is "who you are," but if you are someone who laughs at nerdy jokes, LAUGH! If you are someone who likes alone time, be alone for a bit!  Be yourself!

3.)  It doesn't matter what other people think about you.  This is closely connected with just being yourself but I wanted to keep it separate because while it is something that I learned a long time ago, I still need to remind myself 10 times a day.  Other people's thoughts are my weakness.  It is why I just now am starting a blog; I was so worried what other people would think and their judgement. I second guess my decisions, the things I say, the things I do.  So many times a day I need to stop and remind myself, "It doesn't matter."  If you are happy, if you are doing things that would make God happy, then who cares what others think! I struggle with this, so help remind me every once in awhile! =)



4.)  Things are always better with God in the center.  Relationships, careers, free time, EVERYTHING is better with God in the center.  Sometimes I forget this and think that I can do just fine on my own, but when I remember, when I open up my bible, open my heart to God, and start talking to Him and living for Him again, my world brightens up even if I didn't realize it was dark.  Everything is better with God in the center, EVERYTHING!

(My Baptism, 2010)



Well, that's all for Tuesdays Topics! Next Tuesday I will be blogging about three of my favorite quotes!

Some things to look forward to:

-Wedding Memories Part 2
-Photography is a hobby of mine and I am excited for 2 "sessions" coming up- toddler and engagement! Whoo Hoo! Expect a blog post about those =)


One last thing, there are a few different ways you can follow my blog:
1: Wait until I post an update on facebook

the next 2 are located on the left side bar of my page

2.) follow me by email- type in your email address and get an email update when I post
3.) Follow me on bloglovin- this is a great way to show me you are a fan of my page.  This is really great if you read multiple blogs, it is almost like a facebook newsfeed for blog posts!