the best day of my life

Today I kicked off the first official day of Spring Break by going to the dentist. Yea me. I got a lecture on my lack of regular flossing (apparently 3-4 times a week is not enough). Then, the really cute (but of course, married) dentist who was filling in for my usual one found two cavities. He told that soft drinks were probably the culprit. Thank you Dr. Bishop for trying to take away one of the simple joys in my life. (p.s. I found it highly ironic that one my pastors posted a blog on cavities today-check it out here)

While the hygienist went to town on my gums, I tried to focus my attention elsewhere since the word "gentle" apparently wasn't in her vocabulary. The term "dentist office music" wasn't coined for nothin'. The songs were horrible. And then came Dido. There is only one of her songs that I can tolerate and it's only because it's in one of my favorite movies, "Love Actually". This was not the song playing, but rather, it was the one about "I want to thank you for giving me the best day-ay of my life.". So, I started thinking about what would make up my "best day". I decided that Tuesday March 17, 2009 would be a Best Day for Stephanie Shuler.

Here's what I plan on doing so far:
1. An early morning run
2. A bubble bath
3. A spa pedicure
4. Coffee/journaling/reading at a random coffee house (TBD)
5. Laying out and catching some sun and possibly taking a nap in the process
6. Eating whatever the heck I want for dinner without concern for caloric intake
7. who knows what else?!!?!

It probably won't be the best day of my life, but it should be pretty good.

desert song

This song pretty much sums up where I'm at right now. I have had this album for a while but this particular track has been on repeat for the past few days. Just when I think I can't love Hillsong anymore, they create something else that encourages me beyond belief. It also features Brooke Fraser and you know how much I love love love her (:
Enjoy.

Let's go, GNO!

Anyone who teaches middle school or has been around kids in general is singing a Miley Cyrus song after reading my title ;)

Last Thursday, Tara organized a fun night for us girls at 'Color Me Mine'. It's such a fun place. You get to pick out a pottery piece and then paint it, put designs on it, etc. Thursday night is 'Ladie's Night' which means that ladies get 50% off studio fees and it's BYOW...fun for all! All of us made mugs except for Rachel. She was brave and branched out to do a little plate. Here are some pictures of the befores:

Tomorrow, I will post pictures of what they look like after the glaze process AND after being in the kiln. Ashley, the girl who worked at CMM, assured us that they would be darker when they were done...and she was right! I picked them up today and they all look great. But, since I don't have a camera, I will have to rely on someone to document the reveal of the final products. For a more detailed account of our evening, check out Tara's blog!

sneak peek of my future etsy store inventory

Ok. Here are some of the onesies that I have been making. Any of these appliques can be put on onesies, tshirts, dishtowels, burpcloths, canvas bags, etc. They are fused onto the fabric and then handstitched to ensure that the applique is secure. Click on the pictures for more details! Anywhoo, these are some of the things I want to sell in my Etsy store. I have a whole list of other designs, in addition to monograms (thanks Mel!). Maybe these photos will help inspire y'all to help with a business name ;)

A Pear
Cupcake

the name game

Hello again! Wow...two posts in one day. What a treat for my readers {insert sarcasm here}.

Anyway, I am making some aprons for Melissa and she thinks I need a designer name. Since I plan on starting an Etsy store in the next few months, a cute & catchy name would be great. So, shoot me some suggestions please (: Oh, and if you want to include my name in there, we decided that steph was catchier than stephanie.... :)

7 things do to before I turn 30

One of my friends and former roommates, Claire, told me about this list she had made with 30 things to accomplish before she turns 30. When Claire told me about this, she was 23. I was 28. Darn it. I loved the idea but felt like it was too late to make a list of 30 things with less than two years to do it. Fast forward about 18 months. 30 is almost a mere six months away. Whoa. It's definitely not happening now.

Well, I was watching a Lifetime movie (shocking, I know) a couple of weeks ago called "7 Things to do Before I Turn 30". Now, the girl had made the list when she was in high school, but I thought that I could adapt it so that I could list 7 specific things to achieve in the next six months.

Here's the List:

1. Start an Etsy store. I would love to figure out a way to combine my new love of sewing and crafts with a way to make some extra money.

2. Learn how to serve a tennis ball. I took lessons for a few years but I've always had trouble serving. I am going to take some lessons and maybe even join a league or something. Tennis was such a fun part of my childhood and I didn't realize the other day how much I missed it!!

3. Take the GRE and start applying to grad school.

4. Run a 5k in 24 minutes or less.

5. Skydive.

6. Finally redo my fireplace!!!

7. Purchase a Roth IRA


I am bound and determined to cross all of these off of the list by Sept. 12 (:

thankful thursday

I thought I would revive this tradition again, just for today. The best way to get out of a funk is to focus on all of your blessings. So here goes....


1. My little (not so little...he just turned 27!) brother, Matthew, is back safely from India. He will be in Dallas this Monday for about two weeks. My goal is to get him some dates...any takers ladies????

2. I have great people to work with. Honestly, I don't always enjoy teaching, but I am so thankful for wonderful colleagues who are great friends. That keeps me going each day.

3. Curly hair. Once again, I am reminded of how nice it is that I can just put some product in my hair and go to work while it dries. It may not always look great, but it is fine for work and that allows me some extra sleep. And that is always a good thing (:

4. Tomorrow is FRIDAY!!! I am so pumped for the weekend!! Nothing particularly exciting is happening, but I just need some time to rest. I'm looking forward to sewing a few test products for my future Etsy store. Good times!

help!!

Is anyone watching "The Bachelor" this season? I shamefully admit that I have been sucked into this particular dark, dysfunctional, unrealistic-reality show. I actually care who stupid Jason chooses to be his wife in the "Most dramatic rose ceremony in 'Bachelor' history!" But friends, that is not why I need your help.

I am in a rut. A funk. Call it what you will, but I need to get out of it and start having some fun!!!

The reason I started this blog with a reference to the most ridiculous reality show ever was because last night, Jason 'The Bachelor' got rid of Jillian. I grew to like Jillian because I thought she was a fun girl who knew how to have fun while waiting for the next phase in your life. Additionally, the name 'Jillian' is on my girl-baby-name list(: But I digress. I basically need some ideas for fun things to do that will get me out of the house and allow me to meet some new people...and perhaps a new gentleman caller--haha. Sorry, I love Jane Austen so I had to work that term in there. But seriously, if I want to be living it up while I have the chance!!

My hobbies currently consist of running, sewing, reading, crafting, watching "Reba" (shout out to Tara and Claire), cooking, sleeping, and eating. If you notice the list, it is difficult to work these into social events outside of the 60-80 year old woman circle. When I was growing up, my main interests were sports. I tried the co-ed flag football league and the co-ed basketball league last year and had an okay time. I guess I need some new grown-up interests. It's difficult to get plugged in at church ever since my small group parted ways, but I don't think a new church is the answer (although I daydream about Sunday School classes and a Singles' ministry). My job is kind of limiting as far as meeting new people.

I hope this blog doesn't come across as desperate...because I'm not. But I just need to tap into some other minds because the creative ideas are eluding me. I'm open for suggestions and trying new things. I've thought of helping with Habitat for Humanity, Special Olympics and things like that. Has anyone had experiences with those?

I would love to have some fun adventures to enrich my life. Any ideas are most welcome (:

jumping on the bandwagon

You've seen this all over Facebook, but I thought I would just do it on my blog. This way, I don't have to tag anyone. Pretty sure everyone has personally been tagged about 15 times each. So, Hillary, since you were the first one to tag me, this is for you!

1. I love drinks...coffee, tea, diet drinks, etc.
2. I probably cried about my super-curly hair daily from the age of 13-17. Not
even exaggerating there. Now, I sometimes cry about it for other reasons...
3. I don't think I come across as very maternal or nurturing, but all I want to be in life is a wife and mommy.
4. I love to watch cheesy Lifetime movies while working on other stuff around the house. Shoot, I love to watch just about anything on Lifetime...esp. 'Reba'.
5. I have always had three or four really close friends through most stages of my life. My theory is quality over quantity, which means I've never been popular.
6. I have a crazy memory for trivial things. My dream is to be on Jeopardy one day so I don't feel like reading all of those History books and 'People' magazines wasn't done in vain. I also remember people's names, where I met them, where I was when certain conversations were had, etc. It's borderline stalker-ish. It also makes me frustrated when people don't remember meeting me.
7. I was obsessed with Pete Sampras for about 8 years. I would hang his "Got Milk" ads in my locker at school, in my room at home and other places. I would watch him play tennis whenever I got the chance. I even wrote him a couple of letters when I was in 8th grade.
8. If i eat a bagel, I have to peel the outside 'crust' layer off first. Weird.
9. I played the violin for 5 years and took piano lessons for 6. I regret quitting both of those.
10. I have run a marathon and 5 half-marathons.
11. If I can't check my email several times a day I start to feel cut off from the world. Usually, I have nothing interesting in my inbox.
12. I want to live in the mountains someday.
13. I would like to have 3-4 kids.
14. I love cottage cheese and could eat it at least twice a day.
15. As much as I love cottage cheese and dairy, I am really interested in the vegan lifestyle.
16. My parents threw me a "Double-Dare" themed birthday party for my ninth b-day, complete with physical challenges and an obstacle course. It was AWESOME!!
17. I get uncomfortable when people ask me where I went to college.
18. My favorite movie is "Meet Joe Black".
19. I could read books when I was 4. Thanks, Mom!
20. I've never liked dolls or girly things, however, my bedroom growing up was full of Madame Alexander dolls and handmade porcelain ones that my grandmother made.
21. I need a lot of alone time or I start to feel stifled. It would be easy for me to become a hermit.
22. I've worked at Putt-Putt, Target, Cheddar's and a whitewater rafting shop. If I could make a living working at Rapid Transit Rafting, then I would do it in a heartbeat.
23. I hate looking in mirrors and avoid them after I have gotten ready for the day.
24. I like to drive a stick and don't enjoy automatic transmissions because my right hand doesn't know what to do.
25. I was also the antithesis of a procrastinator until a few years ago. I was the girl who would be done with her term papers at the end of the first week of each semester. Something has seriously changed, though. I don't like it....makes me feel out of control.

i'm just a little creeped out...

....by this:


If you are interested in purchasing a pair of these earrings and learning more about them, then visit here. Sure, I get the irony of it all, but I still find them a tiny bit disturbing.

it's a right-handed world

I have been working on some new crafts lately. One of the things I've been playing around with are little appliques. Tonight, I applied one of my creations to a onesie. To secure the applique, I attempted to do a blanket stitch. It gives it a more handmade look than the sewing machine and I like it. So, I watched a tutorial online to learn how to do this stitch. I watched, and I practiced. The stitch is supposed to look like an 'L'. Mine were not turning out so well. I watched the video again. And again. Then I practiced some more. Then I failed again.
Frustrated, I walked away from the project for a couple of hours. After getting tired of watching the ridiculousness that is "The Bachelor", I decided to turn off the TV and watch the video just one more time. As I watched, I realized that the lady demonstrating the stitch was right handed. Eureka! As a lefty, I as doing the stitch the same way but not getting the same effect because I was coming at it from the wrong direction. So, I tried doing the stitch just like the lady but in reverse and it worked...Hooray!!! Most of the time I love being left-handed. It is one of those things that makes you different from most of the population but without it being something weird like an eleventh toe. But, this little experience reminded me of some painful kindergarten memories. We only had right-handed scissors in that class so my cutting and pasting was always a little sub-par which drove me crazy. I am sure a counselor would pinpoint this moment as the beginning of my perfectionist personality--haha.

But I digress...

I'll try to get a picture of this project. Crafts and sewing have been such a release for me lately. I love love love creating stuff. Ultimately, I would love to figure out a way to parlay this into a side-job. There are a ton of Etsy shops out there, so I would need something really unique and special. Anyone have any ideas or want to go into business with me????

Aprons, aprons, and more aprons!!

Hello friends! Yes, it's 11 pm on Saturday night and I am home blogging. Fear not--I am not becoming an agoraphobic spinster. Although, Paula Deen was agoraphobic for several years and she turned out okay. But I digress....I do have social plans tomorrow afternoon--a movie and dinner--with a boy. So there *grin*
I spent a good chunk of the day making aprons!!! I just love them. And I find sewing and the act of creating something practical so therapeutic. Here is a picture of my very first apron, modeled by the lovely Melissa:

Today, I found this super-cute Amy Butler fabric at a store in Lewisville.
I couldn't believe it--it is perfect for that 'vintage' look! I ended up making an apron out of it and I think I'll keep it for myself (: BUT, I made two more that were also cute so maybe I'll have a giveaway soon.

That's all for today. "Beauty Shop" just came on E! so I might just watch that for a while. I love that Queen Latifah and how she rocks her plus-size body with confidence!!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

no picture yet....

...but I finished my first sewing project: an apron!!!!
Yes, it's true! I really made an apron on my little sewing machine. My mom spent most of last Friday with me and we played around and I watched her make a practice one. It was a fun time with her, but I was a little discouraged and thought that I could never do it. Well, I tried it on Monday and I guess the spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr. helped me along. I am kidding about MLK, but it did turn out better than I had hoped it would. It has mistakes, I'm sure. However, I am hoping that Melissa (the recipient of the apron) will not inspect it too closely (:
Anyway, we took some pictures last night of Melissa modeling her apron so I'll gladly share those as soon as I get them. I am loving to sew....sew (ha) let me know if you'd like to get on the apron list since that's pretty much all I can do right now!

simplify

I am really motivated right now to de-clutter every area of my life. So, I am making some changes and please feel free to ask me how the process is going at any time to hold me accountable. I will need it (: So...I am making some specific goals and breaking them into categories.

Here are my financial goals:
I have always been pretty good with money. Perhaps that is because I grew up with a banker/CPA dad who led by example on how to save and be wise with finances. Lately, I feel like I've kind of been nickel-and-dime-ing a little too much. Those little purchases add up. I want to be fully aware of where my money is going and exactly how much I'm spending each week.

**No more new clothes purchases for the next 2 months. I will mix and match what I already
have and use some creativity with accessories.

**Eat at home except for maybe one meal out per week. I have been getting in a bad habit of
grabbing something at the last minute for dinner. A little forethought will keep this from
happening...like remembering to thaw out some chicken before I leave for work.

**Cash budget. Each week I'll get out a certain amount of money and once that is gone, it's
gone and I'm done spending.

**Use what I have already have. I have a TON of Bath and Body lotions, bath gels, sprays,
etc. I also have a lot of makeup that I need to use up (with the exception of my Bare
Escentuals--I have to replace that!). But, each Christmas my om buys me this little makeup
kit thing from Ulta with so many little eyeshadows and such. I could use these for probably
2 years without having to buy new makeup.

Personal Growth Goals
**Workout at least 5 days a week
**Eat healthy 80% of the time but allow for a few guilt-free splurges
**Train for another half-marathon and maybe shoot to do another full
**Spend less time on the computer or watching tv
**Get better at sewing
**keep a personal journal
**Write more handwritten letters
**Stay organized and know where everything is at all times
**Have more consistent quiet times
**Become more assertive and not care what other people think of me
**Get married (haha)

That's all I can think of now...I hope to look back on this in a year and see that I followed through on some of these things. I guess the title of "simplify" only really applies to the financial goals, but my hope is that I will slow down and take time to enjoy the people and things that are already around me.

a little bit of this...a little bit of that

Yesterday was such a fun day. We didn't have to go to school, so that was the best part! Who would have thought that I would need another break so soon after Christmas? Well, I did (:

I popped right out of bed at 6 on my very own. As much as I wanted to stay in bed, I couldn't get back to sleep. So I worked out, got ready, and started out the day by running some errands. Most of the errands that I had to run were returning items. I HATE to return stuff. Mostly because the sales people kind of suspect that you have been less than honest about why you're returning things. As much as I hate returning things, I hate trying things on even more. Hence, the need to return.

Then I headed over to my mom's and we had a sewing day. ell, I basically just watched her teach me some basics about cutting out patterns, pinning, stitching, etc. It was a fun time with my mom. I do feel badly that I am just now becoming the little girl that she probably always wanted. I was a tomboy through and through and wanted nothing to do with dolls, crafts, sewing, etc. No that I'm almost 30, I am interested in this stuff!! Sorry Mom!

While I was with my mom, my dad called and wanted to take us out to dinner. Yesterday would have been my grandmother's 78th birthday and this is the first birthday since she passed away. So, we tried out a new restaurant in Flo Mo called Agave. It is owned by Tony Casillas, who some of you may remember from the Cowboys' glory days when they would win Super Bowls and stuff. The funniest moment of the night was while we were waiting, my mom and I walked over to Hobby Lobby to pick something up. When we returned, my dad said that they were handing out free margaritas because they don't have their liquor license yet and that I should get one because he was driving. Some of you don't know my parents but this was shocking! My parents have never had anything to drink and for them to suggest that I have one is unbelievable. I mean, I still can't get over it. So, I drank my free beverage with my parents and it was great! I feel like the door might be opening to tell them about a few other little things that I am not ashamed of but have been afraid to share. Anyway, the food was great and it was a fun night.

Today I am running a few more errands and am going to work on a sewing project that I will hopefully be able to post soon if it turns out as it should (:

blogs blogs blogs

hi friends! I hope that no one got too depressed by my lack of posting these past couple of weeks (insert sarcasm here). I am back! And I really don't have a lot of fun things to share, but do have a few little random things.

One of the reasons I decided to take a break from blogs was because I realized that I kept having conversation that started with "Well, I was reading this blog...." or "So and so posted such and such" on her blog". The funny thing is that I sometimes don't even personally KNOW these people. However, I feel like I do because I read about their lives because they are so free in sharing it.

So, here are some favorite blogs from people who don't know me from Adam.

Bring the Rain--This one gets a lot of comments so I am sure some of you have seen it already. All I know is if you read the whole story of Audrey Caroline, you had better have a box of tissues handy.

Kelly's Korner--I found Kelly's blog a little over a year ago through someone else's. She has the cutest posts and I think I am encouraged by her because she was a little older when she got married (: Well, she had a lot of struggles with infertility but finally got pregnant and had her baby girl, Harper, yesterday. Harper is in very critical condition and my heart breaks for this sweet family, but they are praying and staying strong in their faith.

Pioneer Woman--This lady is hilarious! Her posts about life on her ranch are entertaining. I particularly enjoyed reading the story of her romance with "Marlboro Man". It takes a while to read through the whole thing, but it was so fun to read. I hear that her recipes are incredible, but i haven't tried any...yet.

So, go check some of these out. You'll laugh, you'll cry. Blogs are great fun but like everything else in life, moderation is key.

fast

Over the past few days, I've realized that I'm a little too wrapped up in the blogosphere. So, I am taking a week off from writing blogs, reading blogs, Facebook, etc. Really, I want to only use my computer to check email.

I am looking forward to this break to use my time for other endeavors. I will be back soon with something exciting and fun (:

here's to a new year

I don't have a lot that I want to blog about right now, but I thought I should start off the new year with a fresh post. This is just going to be random, but then again, I'm pretty random.

**I did get a sewing machine for Christmas and it's so cool. Now I have to learn how to make something!

**I am still sore from a weight-lifting class I took at the gym on Monday...what the heck?!?!?

**Allison came for a visit this past weekend and it was so fun! We made our annual trip to Starbucks, went shopping, ate at Blue Goose, and went to Pete's Piano Bar. Oh, and she introduced me to this cool website: http://frugal-fashionistas.com/

**I bought leggings. We'll see if I have the courage to ever wear them.

**Went to coffee and to the movies with Hollie O today. Bawled like a baby during "Marley and Me".

**I redecorated a wall in my room. Scrapbook paper is the best stuff ever!

**My Aunt Gina gave me an apron for Christmas...she had no idea about my recent fascination with them.

**I am having a sleepover with Emily and her 4 kiddos tomorrow night...fun!

**Tis the season for engagements. Congratulations to Melissa, Hillary and Brooke!

**I basically accomplished nothing on my Christmas-Break 'To-Do' list.

I am hopeful that this new year will bring a lot of great things. I hope for this every year, and great things do happen. But it's just not usually the things that I specifically hope or pray for at the beginning of each year. With all of that said, I am looking forward to a wonderful 2009 (:

i'm so excited!!!!

I have a deep love for Amy Grant that goes back to when I was about 3 or 4 years old. My Aunt Gina and I would sing "Sing your praise to the Lord" together and it was always a hit for the family! Anyway, I discovered that Amy herself has a blog...yippee!! I know that Amy has been the subject of a lot of scrutiny in the Christian realm, and we don't know all of the details of her situations. And it's not our place to pass judgment. But I treasure so many of her songs, have been to numerous concerts, own just about every album, and I will always love her.

Here's the link if there are any more fans out there!!!
http://amygrant.typepad.com/

waxing philosophically

I'm in search of the perfect skin-care regime. So, after some careful research, I went to Sephora today and bought this kit by Philosophy:

The description on the website says that you need this product if...
**you want to restore your skin's radiance
**you seek skin confidence
**you want to look 100% better wearing 50% less makeup
**you want your skin to look the best it has has ever looked

Um, yes please!!!

It's a little pricey but even having just used it once today, I like it. I will report back in a few weeks to see if I am really able to pull off the "makeup optional" claim (: