In-N-Out

Well, it has taken a few days, but I think I have finally recouperated from my trip out west last week. It seemed every time we made it "in" to a state, we were turing around and heading "out." All of the plane rides were worth it when we finished up our photo shoots on Thursday and found ourselves with a day and a half before we had to catch the flight back to Atlanta on Saturday.

We didn't have tons of time, but made our way to the Hollywood stars and Disneyland. Another highlight of the trip was our dinner at In-N-Out! As you'll see from the pictures...it definitely lived up to all of the hype!

Yes, we stood outside in the drive-thru lane to get this shot...

There are only three options at INO....#1, #2, #3...We all got the #2

Kat and Cason getting ready for their first bite :)

I'm trying to help a friend elimiate sweets by cutting down on my intake...but I don't know when I'll get a chance to have anothe INO shake again. :)

Off to Hollywood to walk it all off!

Christmas, Christmas Everywhere

I'm so excited about my new Christmas-themed blog. Thanks to my roomies, my house is super-cutely decorated as well. I'm out west for work right now, but when I get back on Saturday I'll make sure to take some pictures for everyone.

Off to catch a plane--4 states in 4 days is a little tiring--but the work and travel part will be over tonight. That leaves us some time to take in the sights of Hollywood tonight. Guess what's on tap for tomorrow?? DISNEYLAND! I can hardly wait! Definitely more pictures to come.

Half-Way Trip with All-the-Way Friends

Most of the time, I enjoy living in a big city...but holidays are always hard. During the holiday season, you want to have your family and friends around. November was great because I got to see family and friends pretty much every weekend...and some week days. Though the visits were usually brief....a coffee date, Alabama tailgate, movie night, Zoes lunch...they were still visits with some of my favorite people.

Then Thanksgiving came...and Thanksgiving went...and the visits came to a halt. I'm not going to lie. I didn't like it. Not one bit. I had grown used to seeing the people that I loved. Don't get me wrong...it's normal for me to go weeks, even months without seeing family and friends from my college and high school days, but seeing them so much reminded me of how much I enjoy that time.

Thankfully, there is one friend...and a super sweet fiance'...that always just seem to sense when I'm missing home the most, and they always come through. Sweet Natalie called last week and told me that she and Scott wanted to meet me at our half-way spot for lunch and shopping on Sunday. She set it up like it was her plan, like she was the one that was missing me, but I know she was really doing it because she knew I needed a little pick-me-up. Thanks to Natalie and Scott...and Scott's friend Dan...for making the half-way trip. I want you all to know that even though we meet half-way, y'all are definitely all-the way friends!

Here are a few pictures before we had to part ways at one of our favorite places...defintely Scott and Natalie's favorite place...Starbucks! Please note that I realize I look like death warmed over. There was really nothing I could do about it, as this was before I was introduced to the wonders of Mucinex D.

I know I've said before that they are the cutest couple...and my favorite couple of all time! However, I think I failed to mention that Natalie has the cutest little website that tells the story of their past year...you've got to check it out!

He's a lifesaver...

Well, maybe not a lifesaver....but most definitely a weeksaver.

I started getting a cold last week and things took a turn for the worse after I spent a few hours in the cold last Saturday.

This is not the time for me to be sick. I left early this morning for Texas, and before I make it home on Saturday I'll be in Arizona and California. Thanks to Scott's recommendation to try Mucinex D....my week has been saved! I took my first dose on Sunday, and two days later I'm completely better!

I encourage you to try it if you are feeling sickly yourself...you won't find it on the aisles though, it's so good they have to keep it behind the counter! Thanks, friend!

Mission Accomplished

Goals are important. After all, if you don't have something you're striving for, you will never know when you reach it. I like to cross things off my list, so I find myself making goals daily. Some people call them to do lists, but I don't...they are things that I'm setting out to accomplish...so, they are goals. Sometimes they're small...go to the bank, get a new phone, return the shoes, exercise, check out library books. Other times I find myself sitting and getting really intentional about my goals.


For the past few years around my birthday, I have taken time to think about the year past and set goals for the year ahead. Part of that includes finding a Bible verse and quote to frame the year. After much though, help from friends and family and lots of prayer...I've finally found them. I know this upcoming year is going to have a lot of changes. That helped to narrow down the options somewhat. Still, it was harder than years past because I'm so excited about being 24. I've never been so excited about a new year of life. I had to find a verse and a quote to live up to the excitement.

I won't keep you any longer...here they are...the Bible verse and quote for year 24...

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" --Isaiah 6:8

Change can be scary, but I pray that I will always be willing to go where the Lord leads. This year, I will strive to trust the Lord with my life...not just my salvation.

The journey between what you once were and who you are now becoming is where the dance of life really takes place. --Barbara Deangelis

I love to dance! Now, I may not be really good at it, but I sure do enjoy moving and grooving to some of my favorite songs. I don't know what kind of woman I'm going to be a year from now, but this quote makes me think that it's going to be a fun journey!

Do you have a verse or quote for the year...maybe even a life verse?? If so, please share!

Thankfulness Project

As I said in my last post, things have been busy lately, so all the posts that I've been wanting to write have been stuck in my mind. These next few thoughts should have been posted Monday, December 1...so just pretend that from this point on, it's Monday, December 1 . :)

My sweet friend Ashleigh has this little project going on called the Thankfulness project. She is pretty much blogging each day about something, someone, or really anything that she's thankful for. I was catching up on some of her most recent posts today and noticed that on November 21, my birthday, she had written the sweetest post ever about how she is thankful for me...ME folks. It was most definitely one of the sweetest things that anybody did for me this year. I printed it out so fast...and put it in a safe place so I can reread it on those yucky days. :)

So I'm borrowing her idea for the day (remember it's December 1) and doing a little thankfulness project of my own. You see, today is a really special day because 28 years ago, my older sister Cile was born.

I have so many reasons to be thankful for my sister...here's the short list

• She is many things to many people, but first and foremost, she is a Christian. While others can search for years for a strong Christian influence, I have been blessed with a sister who trusts the Lord in each situation. Life doesn't always turn out how we thought it would, or how we want it to, but she never complains. She is such a great example of someone that doesn't allow the circumstance to dictate her actions. She just trusts the Lord and looks for his plan.
• She is a wonderful mother! I don't know of any person that is more calm and patient than Cile, and being a Mom has only magnified those traits. My niece is one of the sweetest little girls, but she is 2, and every 2 year old has their moments. Even during those trying times, my sister NEVER raises her voice. Watching her interact with her little girl brings me so much joy. She recognizes that life is short and takes every opportunity to bring elements of fun to everyday life. If I'm blessed with children one day, I hope that I can be half the mom that she is!
• She is really good at paving the way. When I was growing up, I may have said that I didn't like it when people said that I reminded them of my sister, but that was just a ploy. I absolutely loved it...and still do. Even though I may have talked a big game and acted like I wanted to do my own thing, looking back, I did so many things just like her. Same classes in school, same clubs, same college, same sorority...even the same major and minor. All that sameness, and 4 years age difference, meant that whenever it was my turn to do something, most of the time people remembered my sister. I was never embarrassed to hear people say, "that's Lindsey, Cile's little sister," because I knew that the legacy that she left was a good one.
• She always makes time. Now that we are older and life is busier, we don't always have time to talk like we used to, but every time I need her, she is always there. She listens intently and always gives sound, Godly advice.

So, Happy Birthday, big sister. I hope that this next year brings more smiles and less tears, more faith and less doubt and more love than you can even begin to comprehend. I love you so much!

Praying for an Interruption

So I've been a bit behind on my posting...or a lot behind. Whoops! I've had so much going on....Thanksgiving travel, baby-sitting, Christmas parties...and any extra time I've had in the past few days has been devoted to watching, and rewatching, and rewatching the Alabama/Auburn game. Roll Tide! Ok...no more gloating. :)

If it's any consolation, I have a lot of blogs built up in my head, and I've got some free time tonight, so maybe I'll have a chance to blog dump tonight. :)

But, I just couldn't wait to share this with y'all. I'm actually stealing the idea from my wonderful roomie...check out her blog and be sure to click over to listen to and read about the song Glorious Interruption

Praying that the Lord will invade my plans and dreams this Christmas season, and every season after, and that I will REJOICE in the Glorious Interruption that He gives!