prayers for illinois

If you are new to my blog in the past 10 months, you may have missed the fact that I lived in Illinois for a year. This blog started because of mine and Tyler's long distance relationship and it just grew into a regular old lifestyle blog.

You all know that Illinois was slammed with tornadoes this past Sunday. What you probably don't know is that one of the tornadoes hit TWO MILES from where we used to live. Terrifying. My friend Ashley's aunt and uncle's house was completely demolished and it absolutely breaks my heart. Illinois is near and dear to my heart and I just broke down when I heard the horrific news. 

You can read the story and see pictures about the tornado that hit my friends' family HERE.

I just read that 13 Illinois counties are considered disaster areas, including Douglas County where we lived. My heart just breaks thinking about it. We have been in touch with our friends and it seems like all are safe, just very shaken. 

via

Please pray for the families affected and donate to the American Red Cross if you are able.

playing catch-up

I took a little break last week in blogging unexpectedly. With the Sarge drama, I couldn't sit down and play on the computer when my pup was hurting. Luckily, he is almost 100% again thanks to lots of medicine and love. We had some great veterinarians working on him and I am so thankful!

Here are a few pictures that I took over Memorial Day weekend before our poor pup got sick!

Such a beauty king ;-)

Beautiful sunset over Lake Marion

This place is my happy place

Love this place

I cannot believe this was Saturday before Sarge really got sick. He was acting so very normal, playing and having a ball at the lake! We felt horrible that this all happened to him!

Tyler and I were thrilled to see our second family who was our family in Illinois. They were in Myrtle Beach for vacation and we took a trip to see them last Sunday. Scott was too funny and we've decided he has try to become Alan from the Hangover with the glasses, beard, and purse!

Waiting for a few pictures from their family and will share later!

american beautiful.

Last summer I instagrammed a picture of us at a concert... at a county fair.... in Illinois.... in SMALL TOWN Illinois...

It was a concert by The Henningsen's, the writers behind The Band Perry's music.

The Henningsen's are from the "town over" from where we lived in central Illinois. They are a farming family and a family of musicians. They raise corn and soybeans, so it is so cool to see a family with two huge passions! It was awesome to hear their story when they told it on stage. Now they have really hit it big with their new single, "American Beautiful." 

If you haven't heard it yet, check out their new single!

Things I Already Miss About Illinois...

The past few weeks have flown by! I think we are almost settled in our house (well, Tyler since I don't technically live here yet I am just getting things organized because March 31 I don't want to come "home" to a mess!).

There are a few things, though that I am missing about Illinois and *of course* they are mostly food related (oink oink oink). 

1. Diet Squirt

Hello. WHY does the South not carry this stuff? My coworkers always had it at worked and I grew to LOVE IT as a mixer. It tastes like Fresca and it is absolutely delicious. I bought 4 cases of it before we moved and I can't stop drinking it. Hopefully my IL friends will bring a few cases to our wedding!

2. Monical's Pizza

This pizza is amazing, too. They make this "Sweet and Tart" dressing that tastes like a french dressing and I bought 3 bottles before we moved. Too bad they won't deliver from IL to SC!

3. Meijer

The mix of Target/Wal-Mart. I HATE Wal-Mart and of course we have one half a mile down the road! I would do anything to pop in here!

4. Having a J-O-B.

No picture needed. I am rotting away searching for jobs and wedding planning and organizing this house!

What do you miss about somewhere you've lived? Am I forgetting anything Midwestern friends? I definitely DON'T miss the cold!!!!

The BIG Announcement!

I am soooooo relieved that I can finally announce that.....

DRUMROLL....

TYLER AND I ARE MOVING!

to

BEAUFORT, SC!!!!!

Why yes, this is a real Instagram picture I took in Beaufort in October!

OK, this one came off Google images, but still gorg!

I seriously cannot contain my excitement. We have known about this opportunity for an entire YEAR and it has been 50% official since July and 100% official since October. Whew! Am I a good secret keeper or WHAT!?!?!

Tyler accepted a job in between Beaufort and Bluffton and we are thrilled! He'll be doing something similar to what he is doing now. Unfortunately, I had to leave my job before Christmas. Unemployment is no fun, but it has been wonderful to spend time at home and actually wedding plan. I moved some of my things home before Christmas then flew back out to Illinois Sunday after a wedding. He put in his two weeks this morning.

Did you seem thrown off why I was tweeting about being at the gym at random hours of the day and watching an incredible amount of TV and crafting? Yeahhhhh thats why!

We have lots of packing and wrapping things up to do before we fill up a U-Haul and move south!

I cannot believe my time in Illinois is over. I guess my blog name is going to have to change. I really want to incorporate my new last name {Law} into my blog name... I've had a couple of thoughts on it, but really want to hear yours... I'll be moving from the farm to the sea so keep that in mind! I am really excited to get Aubrey to design my blog. I've been holding off since I'll be changing my name (or should I not change the name??).

Ok, now who wants to see pictures of our new HOME! Yes, we already have a house. I am totally sneaky! Let me know if you want me to post the pictures :)

Thanks for reading and sharing in this excitement with us.

Now who has connections in Beaufort and can help me get a job? Not kidding.

Ta ta,

Happy Year 1 to Me!

I cannot believe it! I have officially been in Illinois for one year TODAY!

 

On November 1, 2011, my mom and I packed my car and set out on the 12.5 hour drive from South Carolina to Illinois to start my new life here! You can see that blog post here before I left, here when I got there, and here after a few days in!

 

What a year it has been...

 

Experienced my first road trip with Tyler from IL to PA for Thanksgiving.

 

Lost my white cat Lily.

 

Went to Kansas City and Chicago.

 

Traveled home for Christmas and my best friend's wedding.

 

Took a weekend trip to Chicago in the snow.

 

Traveled to Wisconsin Dells and Minneapolis for work and hit the jackpot at the Mall of America.

 

Finally made my apartment mine.

 

Flew to Atlanta for my friend Mary's wedding.

 

Ran my first 10k race and then started running 5ks.

 

Traveled to Iowa for Cinco de Mayo with friends.

 

Drove to Nashville for a sweet friend's wedding.

 

GOT ENGAGED in Charleston!

 

Lost our family dog Abby.

 

Traveled to Pennsylvania for Tyler's grandmother's funeral.

 

Went back to Nashville for my roommate's bachelorette party.

 

Ran my first Race for the Cure for breast cancer.

 

Flew to Rhode Island for Tyler's brother's wedding.

 

My roommate got married!

 

Took a quick weekend trip home.

 

Started wedding planning!

 

Holy cow. What a list of places, things, and travels.

 

That was an entire YEAR. Can't believe it!

 

Thank all of your for your love and support over this last year! So much has happened, and so much more is in the works! Can't wait to continue sharing my life with you as I document it on my blog. I'm so thankful for the friends I have made on this blog.

 

Happy Thursday!

 

 

It's That Time of Year....

Hunting Season.

WARNING: If you are not a hunter or appreciate hunting or get grossed out-- stop reading!!! (I say this with a giggle and smiley faces!)

 

I loathe/love this season all at the same time. For some reason, every boyfriend I have ever had was a huge hunter... Tyler may take the cake. This boy LOVES some freaking hunting and will go after anything that can be killed. First it was dove season and he and Sarge were always in the front yard going after doves, and now it is deer season. Soon it will be duck season. Lord help me.

Sorry if you aren't in the hunting loop, you don't have to read the rest of this post if you don't want to! It is kind of gruesome.

Illinois is very different than South Carolina when it comes to hunting season. Deer are EVERYWHERE at home, and few and far between here in praireland because there are few trees in central Illniois. They truly track their deer and hunters have a limit to how many they can kill. Tyler is so excited because the house he is renting is on 40 acres.... most is woods... He is thrilled. I'm.. not really thrilled, but thats part of a relationship right, compromise? I shop, he hunts.

This past weekend was youth hunt weekend. Our friend John's son, Cole, is 13 and has been so excited for this weekend. His parents have him decked out in camo and he is asking for a new gun for Christmas. Saturday Tyler and Cole went hunting but came back freezing and empty handed. Yesterday, they went into the woods at about 3pm and 5 minutes later they were back... Cole got his first deer! He came running into the house while I was working on the wedding guest list to tell me about Cole's kill!

We threw on our safety orange and tracked into the woods to find it! They were both so so so so excited! It was adorable (I mean manly...)!

 

Heading into the woods to track the blood

 

We (actually I spotted it) found it!

 

Celebratory man hug

 

Yeah Cole!!

 

Time to clean.. yuck

 

You know I love this dog.

 

We went easy on the blood... when I shot my deer I got more blood on my own face...

 

PROOF:

 

 

So do you think I'm a redneck now???

 

Ta ta,

 



My Roomie Got Married!

It is certainly wedding season! This weekend we got to celebrate my roommate, Audrey, and her new husband Elliot.

While Aud and I have been living together, Elliot has been off on the East Coast (jealous), in training the marine corps. I am so proud of his decision and super excited he is now home to be with Audrey and for Tyler to have his buddy back! They work together and Tyler lived in his house while he was away. It really is an interesting but confusing situation!

But now... they are married!

Doesn't he look so handsome in his dress blues!?

We're getting to be good wedding crashers!

I love their engagement pictures!

Head table

Our table, of course raising hell

Cutting the cake with his sword!

The cake was absolutely DELICIOUS!!!

I love this. So thankful for his service!

Oh just my other roomie and my friend Brittany supplying our table with booze

Ty's best friend Scott and his adorable son! I love Hunter!

Seriously the cutest ring bearer ever!

Also love this cutie pie! He had so so so much fun dancing!

Candy table

Elliot's dad + Tyler's best buddy out here. He's been like a father to both of us too!

Couple toast

Garter toss.. Hi Tyler in the background with his arms up!

Sweet Sabra. I'm learning sign language to sign with her!

Teaching Hunter the Cupid Shuffle

Friends!

It was a perfect wedding and really was so Audrey and Elliot. So glad I got to be a part of their special day and very thankful for their friendship!

Ta ta,

10K Success

I did it! Yesterday I completed the Illinois Marathon's 10K in Champaign!

I ate pasta like crazy and drank more water and gatorade all week than I had in my whole life! When I went to go pick up my packet for the race on Thursday, I was so overwhelmed by all of the people at the University of Illinois. It was one of my real first times on campus and whoa is it huge!

I got my number!

Officially on the list!

Yesterday on race day, roommate, Jessie, and I left our apartment at 5:30 am to head into town. I was up at 4:50, woofed down an Eggo and a glass of water, and off we went! It POURED the entire way there and we were so stressed out because A) we were nervous B) it was cold C) it was raining D) we didn't train like we should have. She did the 10K relay with coworkers and I did the 10K by myself!

Jessie and me

Regardless, it was so much fun!

Getting ready!

I had planned on walking some because I have been having some issues with my achilles tendons and calves. I think I need new shoes (which I ordered Friday) so have more stability. 

Hope they are comfy!

I ran the entire time!! I was so so proud of myself. My adrenaline was pumping like crazy and I was so enthralled by all of the people that I just kept running. I had a great playlist and even sprinted out the last 1k or so! I didn't even sweat much because it was SO chilly!!

I finished and got this medal! Tyler was waiting on me in the bleachers and was able to snap of picture of me at the finish line.

Yikes, puffy and red faced! This picture doesn't even do my redness justice.

Success!

This was by far one of my top 3 experiences ever. I would give it my #2, and #1 being snow skiing in Greece in 2010 which was amazing.  So glad I signed up last minute. I have been icing my legs like crazy to try to beat my soreness.

My next goal is a Half Marathon. Not sure where I want to do it yet. Any suggestions?

Thanks to those of you for the emails, texts, tweets, and facebook messages wishing me good luck. It was SO worth it!!

Ta ta,