Home Sweet Home?????

I have really dropped the ball lately with blogging. Things have been so hectic lately, but not with anything fun. I am currently trying to finish up my last Masters class and it is kicking my butt! This is partly my own fault because I have procrastinated and am now struggling to get everything completed and turned in.

My best friend lately seems to be stress! Stress is everywhere I go and has begun to consume me! If any of you know my parents you know where I would get this personality trait! (Sorry Mom and Dad - I love you - but it's true) Rob and I are currently at a crossroads in our life and are trying to figure out which way to go. Since we got married, Rob has always wanted to live in Oneonta to be near my family. I, on the other hand, had no desire to live in small town Oneonta until the last year. Once we started talking about having children of our own, I realized how much I missed my family. I absolutely love the area we live now because it is so convenient to everything, everything that is except the people that mean the most to me (other than Rob of course)! Yes, both of our jobs are in Huntsville! The plan is that I will find something closer to Oneonta and Rob will continue to commute to Huntsville. Of course, the job market right now isn't very promising so we'll see how that pans out.

Our next issue is whether we want to buy a house or build one. There aren't many houses in our price range in Oneonta and the ones that are just aren't our style. Therefore, building would be a smarter choice. However, I don't handle stress well and really don't know how well I would handle building a house! My mom is stress-prone and she and my dad handled building a house very well! She assures me that I can do it and she will help! Rob and I have never built a house so we have SO many questions that we have to ask family and friends. We actually drove down and spent the day in Oneonta with my dad and Jacob. We drove around Oneonta looking at subdivisions and neighborhoods to get some ideas. I'm not sure if we are more confused or less confused after actually looking at the lots! Any advice would be greatly appreciated! We are just so confused and unsure of what the future holds so we will be doing a lot of praying! :)

I'm a Blog Stalker! ;)

I absolutely LOVE looking at other people's blogs and have found some really great ones. One of those is Lolly Jane, who does home decor and vinyl lettering projects. I found her site and absolutely LOVED so many things. I saw these "Live, Laugh, Love" plates and had to have them for our kitchen! I got them in last week and finally got them up in the kitchen today! I LOVE them!

Lolly Jane is on maternity leave now until July (I think). But when she gets back, I will definitely be ordering more from her. I can't wait to see her Christmas stuff! Check out her website because she is super easy and sweet to deal with and her prices are great too!

Godless Liberals, Really?

This morning I read a comment from someone on Facebook that said "Godless liberals." Let me just say "Wow," while I step up on my soap box. First off, let me say that I am a born-again Christian who is walking with Jesus the best way that I know how. I am FAR from perfect! In fact, I'm working very hard right now at giving all of my worries and problems to him (which is my biggest daily challenge). So NO, I'm not perfect and never will be!

Now, I'm also blessed to have been born in the United States and absolutely love my country. I do tend to lean towards liberal political viewpoints. That being said, here I go! I have always been taught and always believed that we, as Christians, are supposed to lead by example. Other people, non-believers, are supposed to see our lives and how we live and want to have that sort of life. This is the way we can witness to non-believers without having to shove religion down other people's throats. When we act as though we know it all or have all of the answers, this does not turn people on to Christianity. In fact, it kind of does the opposite! We don't have all of the answers and we absolutely do not know everything! According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, a hypocrite is a "person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings."I think we need to think about this when we are making these crazy accusations and assumptions! Christians who sit up on their high-horse and judge others really are not doing other Christians or non-believers any favors. Who are we to say that Republicans are Christians and Democrats are not? This is one of the most absurd statements someone can make! Guess what...I'm a Christian AND tend to lean liberal! Who are we to say who is a Christian and who isn't? It is our place to live like Christians the best way we can and be witnesses for non-believers, not to tell people what they are doing wrong or that they are making bad decisions! "Judge not, that you not be judged. For with what judgement you judge, you will be judged; and with the same measure you use, it will be measured back to you." Matthew 7:1-2

Okay so I'm climbing down off of my soap box. On to more pleasant things!

Newest Member of the Akins Family!

Yes we got another dog. Her name is Minnie and technically she is a dorkie (a dachschund/yorkie mix) but she looks more like a dachschund. We picked her up tonight and so far all three are getting along really well. She has already established herself as the "alpha female," chasing Buster and Sam around the house. I'm not sure how she will do tonight but hopefully she is too exhausted to whine all night. It has been a LONG time since we had a puppy in the house but you can't help but love her. Here are a few pictures of our new bundle of joy and a video of her playing with her new toy! Look at this face:
Here she is playing with her new toy: Lounging with one of her new big brothers Buster: Seriously, how cute is she:

It's a Grand Ole Flag

Rob and I spent this past weekend in Oneonta. Saturday we cooked out with my parents and brother and spent Saturday night with the Smiths for my cousin Brett's birthday. Sunday we went to lunch for my grandmother's birthday. As a novice blogger, I didn't even pull out my camera to get pictures of any of it. I will try to get better!

My mom saw this flag and had to get it for me. I mean, it combines 2 of my favorite things - polka dots and monograms. There aren't many things that make me happier! ;) Isn't it GLORIOUS? I hung it outside as SOON as I got home! Thanks MOM!

The Bachelor or should I say "Schmuck"

First off let me say that I stopped watching The Bachelor a few seasons ago when it just got too far fetched for me. The older I get, the worse reality TV is to me. Such an example would be MTV's The Real World. A few years ago I watched that show religiously and now I cannot even stand to be in the same room with it on. However, this season I have caught a little of The Bachelor and really liked Jason who was looking for his soulmate. He really seemed like a genuinely nice guy who was looking for a great girl that would also be a good step-mother for his son. I haven't watched much of this season, but I have seen him on a few talk shows and kind of got sucked in that way. Tonight was the season finale and it literally was the "most dramatic rose ceremony (and follow-up) yet. After proposing to Melissa and vowing his true love for her, he decides he made a mistake and breaks it off with her on national television during the "After the Rose Ceremony" episode. Now, he has broken her heart and then asks the girl whose heart he broke (Molly) to give him a second chance!! And we all know what she says! She is actually going to do it! I'm actually BLOGGING about this...that's how upset I am! Girls, have you no shame!!!!

What is really sad is that I will probably continue to be sucked into this reality show along with others even though I know how ridiculous they are and how disgusted I get at them!

Is anybody as upset about this as I am?



Photo courtesy of ABC

Dog Days of Winter!

Yes, we finally got snow in Madison County! As much as I'm ready for Spring it was nice to see a little of the white stuff. The dogs were a little unsure at first. Sam never got into it, but Buster had fun eating it and trying to catch the snowballs that Rob threw at him. As you will see in the video, there is a child's plastic swimming pool in our backyard. Yes, we have a pool for our dogs because Buster loves it! Maybe this summer I can catch a video of him splashing around in his pool! I told you guys he's rotten!


After playing in the snow the dogs came inside and relaxed for the remainder of the day. They relaxed at the front door and admired the snow from inside!

My Latest Projects

I have not had a lot of time for many crafts lately but I did squeeze these in. I have finally mastered the polka dots, so this is my latest picture frame:

I have also been trying to find some mats to put the dogs' bowls on but I haven't been able to find any that I liked. So, what is a girl to do? Make her own of course! So, I pulled out some old scrapbook and laminating supplies and went to town. They ended up being really cute and they match!