Sounds of Laughter Shades of Life

Super Bowl Sunday!

2012-02-12T20:00:00.000-06:00

Every year the staff in the dorm I oversee hosts a big party Super Bowl party with food, a giant screen, and stadium setting. This year was perhaps our best yet!

Check out our set up!

Best food I've ever had at a football game

And our stadium seating

My incredible staff and students

What did you do for the big game?

Quitter Conference

2012-02-11T19:13:00.000-06:00

This weekend my friends Laura, Craig and I were fortunate enough to attend Jon Acuff's Quitter conference.

And, no, it doesn't have anything to do with smoking cessation, just to clear that up.

Based on Jon's book, Quitter, the conference was chock-full of practical and inspirational information that is all about helping you "close the gap between your day job and your dream job."

This Wall Street Journal bestselling author encourages us to pursue our dreams and passions, but not to quit our day jobs... at least right away.

I thought this was a really creative way to do nametags!

In the course, Jon covered topics like figuring out your dreams, facing your fears, getting started on your dreams, fueling your dream with ideas, social media, and knowing when it's time to jump on your dream.

Each topic was helpful and exciting for me, but perhaps the biggest takeaway for me was about facing my fears and then practical suggestions for planning and implementing the steps it will take to pursue that dream.

I really enjoyed talking with fellow dreamers (Shout out to Monique, Jon, Lindsey, Chrystal, Vinny, Rob and David if you read this!) about our passions and what it means to execute following through with pursuing them.

One of the biggest takeaways for me from the whole weekend was the necessity of conquering fear. The fear of failure, the fear of starting, and the fear of success.

For those of you who have been following my blog for a while, you know that conquering fears is something I'm very passionate about. Yet, although the negative voices in my head often keep me from doing what I feel called to do--write.

Now some of you may say, "Wait a minute! She's a got a blog, she's working on a book and she's getting her Master's in English Writing! She definitely writes!" Well, yes. I write, but I often find myself holding back because of these fears.

Great advice, huh?

Therefore, this conference really inspired me to reclaim my original purpose for this blog. Originally, I started it to simply write and to share my writing. But, over time, that changed. Some of it was due due to a desire to have some more personal writing time and create a space to document my life. But after time, it became easier to share my pictures than it is to wrangle words onto a page for the whole world to judge.
Lame?
Yeah.
But can you relate?

Jon reminded me that everyone has those nasty voices in their head saying things like, "Who are you to say that?" "Someone smarter probably has already said this and said it better," and my all-time-favorite, "What do you think people are going to say about that? Maybe it's better if you keep quiet."

But whether your dream is like mine, to write, or to be a nurse, a mom, an actor or a bee keeper, I hope that you can take some time to check out Jon's book and get started on pursuing that dream!

What's your dream?
What's standing in the way of your dreams?

Giveaway: My Memories Suite 3 -- Digital Scrapbooking Software

2012-02-09T22:00:00.006-06:00

Do you love scrapbooking?
OR

Are you like me and do you wish you were good at scrapbooking, but can never seem to find the time or money?

Well, we're all in luck!

The wonderful people over at My Memories recently contacted me and wanted to help me thank you for being a reader of my blog by hosting a giveaway!

The winner of this giveaway will receive one downloadable copy of their digital scrapbooking software!!

I got the program myself and started playing around on it and I love it!

There are tons of pre-made and customizable layouts, which makes it fast and easy!

Right now I'm in the process of making a book of our dating relationship from the first date to our engagement and it's turning out beautifully!

My Memories:

Is lots of fun and is very easy to use
Has lots of cool ready-to-use templates for entire albums
Comes with lots of layouts, embellishments and you can purchase more online if you're interested
Allows you to custom design pages
Allows you to insert digital media into your scrapbook like videos and songs

Want to win?

You must:

1. Be a follower of Sounds of Laughter, Shades of Life

2. Go to the My Memories website and tell me which layout of paper design is your favorite

For extra entries:

1. "Like" my new facebook page

2. Follow me on twitter

Please be sure to include your email in your entry comment so I can contact you easily!

Can't wait to find out who wins! It's tons of fun and I know you'll all like it!

Wedding Wednesday: Must Take Wedding Photos

2012-02-08T16:24:00.004-06:00

Not sure you and your photographer are on the same page?

My good friend Stephanie recently offered a very helpful tip to ensure that you're happy with the pictures you get...

Make a list of "Must Take" photos and share them with your photographer before the wedding.

Here are a few I found on Pinterest that I really liked, but the sky is the limit!

(Cute for engagement pictures, but would also look great in wedding attire!)

In the next few weeks I'm planning on taking a break from W.W., but fear not, it will return in good time!

Until Then,

Nicole Jeannette

Manage Stress by Managing Your Time

2012-02-06T22:18:00.003-06:00

I've recently come to the conclusion that is not easy to simultaneously:

Work a full-time job

Be a full-time grad student

Plan a wedding

Have a social life

Work out

Keep my apartment clean

Prepare healthy, home cooked meals

Keep up with my writing and my blog

I've been balancing them decently well so far, but I'll be honest, when I'm doing one thing, I'm feeling guilty about not spending that exact moment on the all of the other things I have to do--and it's starting to stress me out!

Sounds crazy, right?

How can anyone do more than one thing at once?

Sound familiar?

I'd love to hear what tips and skills you've developed to improve your time management and maintain a low stress level, but in the mean time, I wanted to share something that I hope will be an encouragement to all who have plates that are simply too full!

One thing at a time

Many of us have bought into the delusion that we can do it all. The bad news is we can't, but the good news is it's okay. At the beginning of your week and beginning of each day, write out a list of tasks--be sure to include things you want to do and not just what you have to do. Then, prioritize and when you're completing one task, be all in. If you're going out to lunch with a girlfriend, put the project you have next out of your mind and enjoy yourself. If you're working on a project, don't worry about what's for dinner tonight. By allowing yourself to do one task at a time you'll be simplifying your process and therefore eliminating wasted time.

Learn when to say no

Hi. My name is Nicole and I'm a people pleaser. Oh? You too? Stinks, doesn't it? Our inner approval addict yearns for nothing more than to make sure everyone is happy. But having little to no time to ourselves and to complete the things that are important to us just isn't cutting it. To remedy this, create clear boundaries at work, at home, and with your friends. I've tried it an learned that if you don't cater to the needs of everyone else, before your own, you'll not only will you live, but you'll be healthier, happier and better able do the things that are important to you and those you love.

Learn when to say yes

Just like it's sometimes hard to say no when we don't have time, the other side of the coin is fear of overcommitment. Whether it's coffee with a girlfriend or attending a concert, I often find myself worrying that saying yes to anything other than the "essential work" will force me to fall behind. However, it's important to remember that cultivating meaningful relationships is even more important than getting items checked off of your to-do list. It's all about the balance.

Take mental health breaks to just breathe

Even if it's just five minutes, sometimes taking a break to stretch and slow down your breathing throughout the day can make all the difference. Taking these little breaks allows your brain to temporarily disconnect and reboot. You'll return to your task/work a little bit more relaxed and better able to focus. Try doing two or three of these a day and you'll be amazed how much they help!

Cut out the non-essentials

This takes discipline, but after you evaluate the ways in which you spend your time, start cutting out small things. I did a time audit recently and I found that I was spending quite a bit of time on Pinterest and facebook... both websites I enjoy, but don't further my future. In fact, wasting time on either of these leaves me feeling stressed out. Now I "treat" myself to checking Facebook and Pinterest for two ten minute periods (total) a day. It's remarkable how much time I have to do other things.

Ask for help when you need it

If you're truly swamped, make small adjustments to be smart about your workload and ask for help if you need it. Whether it be carpooling, hosting a potluck instead a four-course meal, asking a friend to do a guest post on your blog or have a friend help you with something you really need, there is no shame in asking for help. While you may or may not get it, and you certainly shouldn't take advantage of people, it never hurt anyone to ask for a helping hand! When things slow down you can always repay the favor!

Hope these help!
What are some things you do to help eliminate stress?

i heart ice skating

2012-02-04T22:29:00.000-06:00

The weather in Nashville has been uncommonly pleasant for January and February this past week! Even though we've all had the ability to enjoy the great outdoors, sometimes a visit to the skating rink with your friends is the perfect way to spend an afternoon.

Becka and me reenacting our first trip to the rink almost five years ago


One of my oldest and best friends. I love Becka.

How has your weekend been?

Wedding Wednesday: White Cakes

2012-02-01T17:21:00.001-06:00

The bottom two are my favorite, but the bird's nest is growing on me...

What's you're favorite?

What would you like to see on Wedding Wednesday next week?

Adventures in Wedding Planning

2012-01-30T12:50:00.000-06:00

It's been a little over a month and a half since J. L. and I got engaged and wow is it flying by fast!

We've been so productive!

Church? Booked!
Reception? Booked!
Photographer? Booked!
Website? About 90% done and almost ready to be published
AND
We started our registry!

Registering is fun, but a little tedious so we decided to have fun with it

Fun Fact: We did not, in fact, register for this timer.


To celebrate coming so far in our planning we visited a new BBQ place in town, Eddley's.

After our delicious lunch we're considering having an authentic Southern affair and serving BBQ at the reception. We shall see!

Cheers,

Nicole Jeannette

Sh*t People Say

2012-01-26T13:19:00.000-06:00

In case you've been hiding under a rock for the past few weeks, I'd like to share with a new wave of youtube videos that I think are, for the most part, pretty hilarious

... and if you haven't been hiding under a rock, just enjoy!

I'm pretty sure this is the one that started it all!

(Correct me if I'm wrong!)

This guy is one of my former students!

I'm a Residence Director and for any of you who were RAs will appreciate this:

and this:

annnnnnnddddd

one of my favorite TV characters:

There are so many more, but these are my favorites :)

Wedding Wednesday: Cake Toppers

2012-01-25T00:10:00.000-06:00

Remember back to the days of Adam and Eve when cake toppers looked like this?

Yeah. Not my favorite either.

Check out these cute options I found:

For the couple who loves to read

I bet these came from Etsy. Very cute. Birds are very in this season, apparently!

Very casual and pretty

Isn't this pretty?

LOVE the flower on top!

Look how cute this is!

I think for my wedding I'm going to do a flower topper and then put this next to the cake. So tender.

I love how fun these look!

Mr. & Mrs. Birds

Love this with the last initial

Which one is your favorite?

Next week we'll have white cakes on...

MLK Weekend

2012-01-22T12:46:00.001-06:00

Last weekend, J. L., a few of my students, and I celebrated the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by doing service projects at the American Red Cross.

Together with students from other local universities, we prepared emergency comfort kits. Whenever there's a natural disaster, a home fire or anytime where people need basic comfort the Red Cross brings these bags with tooth brushes, tooth paste, wash clothes, soap, combs, etc.

Afterwards we had a little reflection on the service and on Dr. King's teachings. It was a great event!

We made 3,000 bags in 45 minutes!

The comfort kits!

Our congressman came to speak!

A few of my girls representing our university

Did any of you do any service projects for MLK weekend?
What's your favorite Martin Luther King Jr. quote?

Wedding Wednesday: Centerpieces for Spring and Summer

2012-01-18T08:00:00.001-06:00

I think the only thing I may possibly love more than a wedding is a reception.

Centerpieces can make a bold statement and whether they are ornate or simple.

Hope you enjoy some of my favorites for Spring and Summer weddings:


Simple, yet vintage. I love these mason jars with floating candles, glass beads at the bottom.

Carnations? I believe?

For the bride who loves sunshine yellow

Candle lit ceremony with a late night reception is would be perfect for these luminous centerpieces covered in lace

I think these would be so pretty at an early reception

Look at this beautiful arrangement!

More yellow

Love the clean, open feelings these give

Simple, yet I love the bold colors

Babies Breath

Look how classic and clean this looks

More nighttime centerpieces

Love this for the more traditional party

I think these would look great any time of day

Simple and clean single blooms

These are more winter colors, but I love the babies breath again!

Love these eclectic bouquets that could totally double as centerpieces.

Hope you got some great ideas from these!

400th Post!

2012-01-16T20:04:00.002-06:00

I have a nasty habit of missing important milestones for my blog...

Every now and then I see bloggers saying, "Today my blog is two years old!" or see people tweet "Six Millionth Tweet!" However, I usually look at my stats and see that I'm about to post my four thousand and eleventh tweet... talk about anti-climactic!

However,

I caught this one!

So to celebrate this milestone and to celebrate the blogging as a community as a whole,

I'm going to give a whole month's worth of free advertising to the first four people who email me with 200x120 ads!

Bloggers, Etsy shops, photographers, one and all are welcome!

{ nicolejeannette87 @ gmail . com }
EDITSponsorship spots are full. Thank you!!!

Thanks for reading and being a part of

Sounds of Laughter, Shades of Life!

-Nicole Jeannette

Vegan Cake? Yes!

2012-01-15T14:37:00.000-06:00

I think I exude some kind of hippy vibe because people are often surprised when they find out I am not, in fact, a vegan.

However, I recently discovered that vegan food is not only pretty good (I was surprised!), but it's sometimes very simple to make when you're in a pinch!

On NYE I was about to head out to a friends house empty handed...

UNTIL

I discovered a box of cake mix, a can of frosting and a can of diet 7up.

Thankfully I happened to learn, also recently, that you can combine 8 ounces (one cup) of any diet soda with a package of any cake mix and it comes out perfectly!

I baked the cake according to the regular instructions and it turned out very well!

And... tada!

It's a little chewier/heavier than regular cake, but it's still delicious!

Do you have any easy vegan recipes?

Wedding Wednesday: Bridal Makeup

2012-01-11T11:17:00.000-06:00

So many details go into planning a wedding! We can't forget that the bride's makeup is the perfect compliment to the rest of the event and can add the finishing touches to the the whole bridal party's look.

Most women like a natural look that compliments their natural skin tone.

Love the shading with her blush/bronzer

Pink lips, in any shade, are always romantic and simple

Bright, bold red lips for the more daring bride

Want to add some drama to your look? Love the use of color in this look with the nude lip.

And of course there's always the smoky eye!

Keep following with Wedding Wednesday's at Sounds of Laughter, Shades of Life!

What would you like to see next week?

Bridesmaid dresses?
Color palates?

Centerpieces?

Your wish is my command!

The Aim of Art

2012-01-09T08:00:00.000-06:00

"The allotted function of art is not, as is often assumed, to put across ideas, to propagate thoughts, to serve as example. The aim of art is to prepare a person for death, to plough and harrow his soul, rendering it capable of turning to good."

- Tarkovsky

Naptime Dachshund

2012-01-07T12:00:00.001-06:00

While I was home over Christmas break Oliver cuddled with me every night! I loved listening to his little snoring and waking up to his sleepy little face. However, one day I couldn't find him around the house and started to freak out... thankfully I saw a bump under the covers and was instantly comforted--he wanted to take a nap! How cute are these picture of him waking up??

Quelfs on New Year's Eve

2012-01-05T08:00:00.000-06:00

I had so much fun on New Year's Eve!

I had a wonderful time with my dear friends Laura, Craig, Jennifer, Jason and his girlfriend Wendy!

We played a new game called Quelfs... and it was really fun!

We had to do all sorts of crazy tasks like find an egg, play hide and seek, and tons of other crazy tasks!
I even had to ask every player to tell me the truth about my grandmother and explain that there was a football, rubber ducks and a piece of bark stuck to my forehead on EVERY TURN!

Craig had to balance shoe on his head and later tied it around his neck!

We all had to mess up Jason's hair!

I can't believe I didn't get any pictures of the girls, but we had such a great time eating, paying and hanging out as we rang in the new year!!

Happy 2012!

Wedding Wednesday: Creative Guest Book Ideas

2012-01-04T08:00:00.002-06:00

We've all done it... we've gone to a beautiful wedding and signed a guest book, hoping the bride and groom will look back on your signature and well wishes with fondness for years to come. When the reality is that this poor guest book will really spend a lifetime on the bottom of a box in a state of complete neglect.

Thankfully, however, there are a few lovely options out there that, hopefully, won't suffer the same fate! I love these:

My friends Laura and Craig did this (they used two of them) and I love it!

A nice bottle of wine for you to open with your husband or wife on a special anniversary and look all of your friends will be with you! :)

My friend Micah did something like this and I think it makes a great coffee table book for years to come!

Not sure who "Queenie" is, but I love the idea of this! I've seen it where the bride and groom ask their guests to "leaf" their mark on the tree and then sign their name on it. Super cute, right?


I would love to hang this on my wall!

What's your favorite??

Next week: Bridal makeup

Tennessee Winter Wonderland... except not really

2012-01-01T19:28:00.000-06:00

This Christmas season was a pretty warm one and I thought I'd share some pictures from a walk we took around the farm on Christmas!

Our neighbor's house

Oliver loves watching the horses but is a little afraid of them so he keeps his distance!

There are buffalo on the property... yup.

This is Ellie Mae and she's the daughter of a famous Tennessee trotter named Out on Parole. She's having a baby! Jenny and she are friends.

Love this little horse! She's growing up fast!

Goodbye 2011!

2011-12-30T19:27:00.002-06:00

I must say that I've really enjoyed 2011, but I'm looking forward to 2012!

Mostly I'm looking forward to marrying my sweet fiance, but excited to work on my book, get fit, take students on a mission trip to Manhattan, and to spend lots of quality time with wonderful friends and family!

However, 2011 was one of my favorites so far!

Here are some of my favorite highlights:

Made my first fondant cake

Met some of my cousins! Love the White brothers!

Broke a (personal) bowling record

Made an ice cream cake for my students

Visited Radnor Lake for the first time

Saw The Civil Wars again

Celebrated Valentine's Day

Went to Mobile, AL for a conference with Ileia

Tried gumbo for the very first time

Went to Atlanta for our 2 year anniversary!

Atlanta Aquarium

Saw an awesome dog contest in Atlanta

My parents moved to a ranch!

Stayed up all night watching this with a bunch of my students!

Fell in love with this little guy! I wish we could have come home with me!

Did a "make your own meal" breakfast at the PFunky Griddle with my mom and dad

Played a bunch of disk golf

Baby Jennifer graduated!

Look at her!

We bought Oliver a new pool since he missed his old real pool!

Made fast friends with these two!

Attended several Sounds games!


Tennessee Arts Fair

Got EIGHT feet away from Bono! U2 was awesome!

U2 stage!

4th of July with J. L. and family!

Had my first time hosting potluck dinner

Went to Holiday World

Holiday World with Jenny and J. L.!

Got to see all of my mom's family in Wisconsin!

Went to my aunt's surprise 70th birthday party!!

Went to Chicago

Saw THE Oscar Mayer wiener car!!

My new students arrived in August!

Music City Roots Festival

My 24th Birthday!

Saw Maya Angelou

Titans v. Broncos game!

Halloween 2k11

Church lunch at a farm!

Culture Fair

My sweet Jenny turned 22

Annual Turkey Trot 5k

We got engaged! Hard to beat that!!

I'm saying goodbye to 2011 and hello to 2012 with some of my dearest friends!
What are you doing?

Cheap Sponsorship for January

2011-12-28T20:54:00.002-06:00

Hello!

Are you interested in becoming a sponsor for Sounds of Laughter, Shades of Life?

I have over 5,000 monthly unique visitor and over 280 subscribers--and even more on Blog Lovin!

For the month of January introductory rates are a special price!

Rates last for a one-month period and are as follows:

200x200
$5 a month

200x50
$2.50 a month

Payment is accepted by Paypal.
Please email me and I will send you an invoice!

nicolejeannette87 @ gmail . com

Please don't hesitate to email me if you have any questions!

Wedding Wednesday

2011-12-28T08:00:00.036-06:00

Now that I'm engaged, I feel like I'm officially allowed to share how much I love weddings.

Because I do.

Mind you, I think that a marriage is far more important than a wedding, but that doesn't stop the seven-year-old in me from jumping up and down in celebration over the thought of being a bride.

So, if you're anything like me, hopefully you'll enjoy the newest feature to my blog:

Wedding Wednesday

If you love weddings as much as I do and want to see my beautiful, unique, colorful and classic wedding findings as well as glean from my lessons learned, please join me here every Wednesday!

My Own White Christmas

2011-12-23T13:21:00.002-06:00

I feel like Christmas really snuck up on me this year. With wedding planning, which, let me tell you is already harder than I thought it would be, work, and several of my family members getting sick, we've been so focused on other things, the Eve of Christmas Eve came as a surprise to me!!

This is how I've spent most of my evenings... relaxing with good book.

That said, I have still been enjoying my favorite family tradition, simply spending time together. To me it doesn't matter if we're making cookies and caroling or cleaning up the living room and running errands; I cherish every moment I have with my family because I love them so much.

J.L. is in Illinois with his family and today while I was looking through the window, observing the weather outside (definitely frightful, but sans snow, mostly dark, windy and dreary), it really hit me that this is my last Christmas as a White--next year I'll be a Phillips. I'm so excited to marry my best friend, but it's a strange and almost bittersweet feeling to think of the change that will come as I embark on this new chapter of life. It will be good change, but change nonetheless.

I know I won't cease to be myself and I won't cease to be my sister's best friend or my parents' little girl, but, like every year, things will be a little different. So this year, as our last year as a family of four, I'm so grateful just to have the ability to spend time with my family and enjoy them as they always have been. I tend to be a bit nostalgic around Christmastime and I can't help but reminisce over the sweet memories I have with my family. At the same time, I'm curious and excited about this time next year! I know someday I'll look back on these days, and even next year, with the fondness I feel as I remember my Christmases as a child, but for today I'm going to do my best to live in the present and relish in the beauty of every moment of this Christmas.

May your days be merry and bright

And may all your Christmases be white

What's your favorite family tradition?

Does Christmas make you nostalgic?

Merry Christmas to you!

-Nicole Jeannette White

We're Getting Married!

2011-12-19T10:03:00.003-06:00

Yes, yes! It's true! As of Monday night I am officially a fiancée and J. L. is my fiance!

I had a sneaking suspicion something was up, but I didn't want to ruin our date by thinking it would happen and getting upset if he didn't propose. So, I made up my mind to relax and enjoy a beautiful holiday date with my loving boyfriend. But my heart, rebel that she is, kept beating like crazy the entire night. I kept thinking to myself, "Surely it's tonight. This has been so perfect... How could he top this?"

We went out to dinner at a very nice restaurant and then to Gaylor Opryland Hotel to walk around and enjoy the lights--our Christmas tradition.

As we walked around the hotel and admired the beautiful artwork and lights, we talked a lot about our relationship and things we wanted to do together in the future--kids, homes, vacations, and what kind of dog we want. It was so romantic dreaming out loud together and stealing kisses as we walked under the twinkling stars.

We were going to take a carriage ride around the hotel, but we found out that a)they were sold out and b)you had to ride with six other strangers anyway so we happily scrapped that idea and just decided to take a stroll outside instead.

We walked out past the trees and the manger scene set out outside until we reached this "tree" made only of lights.


(It was so tall, I needed to take two pictures)

"Let's go inside of the tree," J. L. said, rather abruptly, with a big smile.

Once inside, as I was looking up at the lights, J. L. tenderly wrapped his arms around me from behind and told me how much he loved me. He brought up our song, "Here, There and Everywhere," and began to tell me how his whole life he had wanted to feel so in love with a someone that he would want to spend the rest of his life with her. He told me how thankful he was that God had brought me into his life and without a doubt, he was sure that I was the girl of his dreams. He pulled a bright blue box out of his pocket, got down on one knee and asked, "Nicole Jeannette White, will you be my wife and always be here, there, and everywhere in my life?"

I was so exited/shocked that it took me a second, but of course I said, "YES!" We walked around like two little kids giggling over our excitement and after a little while called our families and a few of our closest friends because we couldn't wait to share the news!

The ring, the moment and the evening were all perfect and I couldn't have asked for a better proposal!

I'm so excited to marry my best friend!!!

Thanks for the Reminder, Coke!!

2011-12-08T11:48:00.001-06:00

Sometimes when I watch the news I'm convinced we live in a world full of crazy, mean and lazy people. But my day was brightened a little bit when I watched this social experiment conducted by Coca Cola.

Apparently, there was a huge soccer match in Portugal recently and tickets were really expensive--not to mention the most coveted item in town. However, when Coke left a wallet with $200 cash (enough to pay for a ticket) and a ticket for the game in it lying out on the ground, 95% of the people who saw it tried to figure out who it belonged to and turned it in without taking a thing.

As a reward for their honesty, Coke gave a free ticket to every person who turned in the wallet. During the game, fans gave these people a standing ovation when the tape was played showing

Goodness and honesty still exists among the majority of people, regardless of what the news tells us.

Thanks, Coca Cola, for reminding us of this!

almost done with the semester

2011-12-07T18:27:00.001-06:00

The last few weeks have been an endless stream of papers and coffee dates...

I'm very happy for the latter, and in a twisted way the former, but I'm more than ready to be done with the semester! Just a few more days!

Good luck to everyone else counting down to Christmas!

To my future children

2011-12-01T10:40:00.001-06:00

Dear Future Children,

Right now I'm 24-years-old, in graduate school and not married yet, but when I think about you, I want you to know that I am so excited for God to bring you into my life! I really hope to be the kind of mom you deserve, the kind that teaches you reach your highest potential and how to go out into the world. Sometimes that means that I'll have to be strict and maybe make some decisions you don't like, but when push comes to shove and if things get hard for you, always remember that I am you greatest advocate.

Last night I spoke with someone who is dealing with some pretty tough issues and, among other things, one of the things he told me was that he was afraid to tell his mom about a failing grade. He said that no matter what he says, how hard he tries and even if half the world would vouch for him, she still will think he's lazy and his best efforts wouldn't be good enough.

That broke my heart a little. More than anything, though, it made my thoughts rush to you. I hope you know that I already love you more than you can ever imagine and no matter what, that love won't go away. My mother, your grandma, once told me that no matter what I did or how I messed up, I could always talk to her and she would never judge me, but only love me and help me. I hope you know the same goes for you. I want for you to do good things, love God and to excel in all you do during your time on this earth, but while I may have high expectations and hopes for you, I never want you to be afraid to tell me anything or feel that you can't for any reason whatsoever. You're going to make mistakes, you're going to stumble and fall in life. Trust me, I certainly have made my fair share of mistakes. But please know that no matter what you do, where you go, or who you are, I will love you for you and there will always be a place for you in my home and in my arms.

Love,
Mom

The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness. ~Honoré de Balzac

French Party

2011-11-29T13:01:00.002-06:00

My lovely friend Becka and I cohosted a lovely french-themed party.

Every other month or so we attend a wine class and our first one was wines from the Loire Valley and we loved it so much we wanted to host a party, so we did!

The spread! Lots of homemade jams (my favorite was strawberry balsamic), brie cheese, french bread and croissants.

I wrote out cute little sayings on cards in French and we placed them around the kitchen. They were a hit!


I have the most handsome boyfriend

Jenny and AJ

We had an awesome time and next month we're going to try to do another country themed party!

Can't wait!

Thanksgiving

2011-11-26T12:01:00.000-06:00

This Thanksgiving may have been my favorite Thanksgiving so far. My dad, Jennifer and I got up early for our annual 5k Turkey Trot. This year the race benefited Grace Works Ministries, an organization that is very near and dear to our hearts.

Waiting for the race to begin after the a prayer was said and National Anthem was sung! It made the race feel like an official sporting event!

Dad and I crossed the finish line together

How cute is my dad?

We were very proud of ourselves after the race!

Team White 2k11

After the race, J. L. came over and we all worked together to prepare our meal while watching a little football. After eating we had planned to watch The Sound of Music (J.L. has never seen it and I'm not sure how we've been dating for almost 3 years and I didn't know about this travesty), but the DVD player wouldn't work, so we watched James Bond on TV instead. I think we all fell asleep at one point or another in the movie, but we did manage to get out for a walk around the farm to look for tinder before it got dark.

It's never a real trip down to the house unless we visit the twins!

We ended our night eating pumpkin pie around the fire pit and enjoying the beautiful weather.

I'm thankful for so many things, but I think I'm most thankful for all of the love and significant relationships I have in my life. This Thanksgiving really reminded me of that.

What did you do for Thanksgiving?

6 Crafts I'm Dying to Try

2011-11-15T13:21:00.000-06:00

I may ~~or may not~~ be ~~mildly~~ addicted to Pinterest.

That said, if you have an account, you're probably like me and pin a million crafts, but struggle to find the time to do them.

Over the Christmas break, I'm going to do my best to do these six projects:

This may be a stretch, but I'm HOPING I can do this

Tada!

Acceptable Gender Behavior?: A Rant

2011-11-13T16:01:00.001-06:00

The last few weeks I've seen this traveling around the interwebs with captions like, "So true!" "This is spot on!" "See? Calm down ladiez!" "This happens all of the time in my house!" "Awesome."

I'll be honest and tell you that this royally pisses me off.

Yes, I am aware that this may be how the two different genders operate internally and that this does happen, but let's really analyze this. What I'm reading is a story about a totally insecure little girl who never graduated 7th grade and a guy who is too ignorant to consider anything beyond his own scope of understanding--I feel this is far more pathetic than it is funny.

Before you dismiss me as another crazy feminist, just humor me for a second. Should we really be laughing at this display of stereotyped gender miscommunication? Or should we learn from it? I vote the latter.

Men: I'm fully aware that of the two sexes, you're less in touch with you feelings and have a more difficult time expressing your thoughts. But I have only this say, if you want to be worthy of being with a woman who is your partner and not just your mother part II, stop acting like a glorified toddler. You have words. Use them. A few simple words of reassurance is all it takes to let your girlfriend or wife know that you care about her, but that you're frustrated about your motorcycle (or what haveyou), not her. Clearly she's upset, realize she's a human being worthy of communicating with and do it. Now. Was that SO hard? I get that Hollywood extols unintelligent males and it's become accepted behavior, but seriously, caveman, this is the 21st century, man up. The ball is in your court. Share what you're thinking about your wife instead of being withholding and then blaming her for her "psychotic behavior." It's time to grow up.

Women: If your thoughts are this wrapped around your man's every word, thought and move, you need to get a life. True, sometimes I worry unnecessarily about my own relationship, and monthly hormones don't help, but seriously. Take a deep breath and realize that God created you to be your own person and not your husband's keeper. If you're dating someone who is withholding like this, guess what he'll be that way when you get married. If it's too much to handle now, it will only get worse, so turn your gaze to greener pastures. However, if you're already married, it's time to talk to you husband. Don't be a nag. No one likes a nag. But explain to him that you married him because you love him and respect him and because you respect him so much you value his thoughts and feelings. Marriages are only hurt by lack of communication and even if it's unrelated or unimportant, let him know that acting like a pouting child and not telling you what's going on is not going to fly. If he says everything is fine, he's probably telling the truth, but let him know early on that you are marrying a man and not a child, therefore, you expect him to act like one. Then, get a hobby. Let him be a man, step up or not, and don't nag him, but realize your happiness and who you are does not depend on your husband's behavior.

There. Now I feel much better.

A Cure for Writer's Block?

2011-11-10T22:37:00.000-06:00

Writer's block.

It's the worst.

What do you do to cure writer's block?

Ballerinas

2011-11-07T22:28:00.000-06:00

I love ballet.

Too Funny: Why Men Shouldn't Write Advice Columns

2011-11-03T20:54:00.001-05:00

I. Die.

Nobody Knows I'm Naked

2011-11-02T19:49:00.015-05:00

I have had a reoccurring dream for quite sometime--since childhood, really. Sometimes it occurs in places I know and sometimes places I've never been. Sometimes it involves people I know and sometimes, often times, I'm surrounded by strangers. Either way, it's always the same dream.

In this dream, a group of people are always calling to me to come play with them in a swimming pool (last night, it was in Greece overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and it was glorious) and despite the fact that I normally would never just jump into a pool, I do so willingly and happily. We play volleyball or splash around a bit, enjoying the refreshing, cool water until I realize I have a ~~little~~ huge problem.

I'm naked.

Disrobed.

Unclad.

Leafless.

100% au naturel.

I momentarily freak out trying to remember what happened to my clothes. I had my clothes on when I got into the pool, where did they go?? I wrap my arms around my body doing my best to cover the essentials and hope that the ground swallows me up. However, when I look around, no one seems to notice.

What?

I splash around a little and even keep playing and no one... and I mean not a soul, seems to notice my appalling display of public nudity.

I'm always curious to know if when I reemerge from the pool if I'll be clothed, but I've never made it that far... stupid alarm clock. Anyway, it really got me thinking about what this could mean and if I'm right, I think a lot of people experience this same issue:

To me, the water signifies a new environment and the fact that I always dive right in without hesitation implies spontaneity, which, as a planner, sometimes stresses me out.

The absence of my clothing evokes a feeling or fear that an insecurity or vulnerability will be revealed before I'm ready and I could possibly be ostracized for it. To me, the whole dream is a metaphor for a subconscious fear that while I'm enjoying life and continually moving out of my comfort zone, I may encounter some element of the unknown and won't know what to do when I'm thrown into a new environment. What's worse, I'm apparently terrified that someone will figure out that I don't know what I'm doing and call me out. But, like I said, no one ever even notices.

While as a child I couldn't get over the fact that Dream Nicole was exposed in public, as I've matured I've come to realize that it's not the actual nudity that makes this dream so memorable. It's the fact that even when I feel most vulnerable and afraid, people probably won't notice if I'm just confident enough to realize that I belong there just as much as anyone else, regardless of my feelings about myself. I bet the same goes for you!

Maybe you spend time actively thinking about your fears, rather than dreaming about them, but so many of us are afraid of looking like a fool in given situation that we're afraid to leap and end up spending our lives poolside.

Dive in. The water is perfect.

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T20:49:00.001-05:00

I've never been much of a Halloween person.

I don't like being cold, I hate being scared and I really don't like chocolate (shocker, I know. Take a minute if you need it.)

(Ready?)

Tonight I'm at my favorite coffee shop doing homework, but I don't really mind.

Besides, this year J. L. and I dressed up for my boss's annual Halloween party and actually had a bunch of fun!

Also to celebrate Halloween/Fall we went to an awesome pumpkin farm:

I always have fun with Jenn, J. L. and A.J.!

Check out this pumpkin launcher!

I even painted a pumpkin with my students:

This was mine:

This is the most Nashville pumpkin I've ever seen :)

Cute, right?

Hope you're enjoying your Halloween however you celebrate!

i heart kate spade

2011-10-13T22:34:00.000-05:00

Happy Place

2011-10-10T17:25:00.000-05:00

This is my happy place in Franklin, Tennessee.
Where is yours?

Celebrate Nashville!: Cultural Festival

2011-10-08T19:25:00.001-05:00

1. Happy Couple at Celebrate Nashville Cultural Festival
2. Me outside of a teepee. I know you're jealous.
3. Crazy cool hippy bus 4.Crazy cool... umm... other form of transportation
5. Hungarian dancers 6. Plantain chips
7. Chinese offings 8. Beautiful statue 9. East African chair, drums and basket

One of the reasons I love Nashville so much is the amount of festivals we have. It was FREEZING this weekend (okay, it was 50 and sunny, but it was WINDY and I was wearing shorts!), but we had an awesome time at Celebrate Nashville sampling food, listening to music, learning traditional dances and checking out the traditional items produced by countries around the world and citizens of Nashville originally from those places.

Climb Every Mountain

2011-09-27T10:52:00.003-05:00

Right now I'm in the middle of writing an essay and I'm reflecting on the last few years of my life as well as looking towards the future.

Do you remember the movie The Sound of Music? It's one of my favorite movies. Maria is a young woman who wants to commit her life to the church, but falls in love with a man who is already involved with another women and has a houseful of children. When she realizes her feelings she becomes ashamed and goes to her Reverend Mother asking to take her vows, but the Reverend Mother reminds her that sometimes we must explore every path, and pursue what we love, to find out where God wants us.

Can anyone else identify with that?

There's so much to be said for being with the people you love and doing the things you love--and taking your time figuring out what and who those are.

Climb every mountain,
Search high and low,
Follow every byway,
Every path you know.

Climb every mountain,
Ford every stream,
Follow every rainbow,
'Till you find your dream.

A dream that will need
All the love you can give,
Every day of your life
For as long as you live.

Climb every mountain,
Ford every stream,
Follow every rainbow,
Till you find your dream

A dream that will need
All the love you can give,
Every day of your life,
For as long as you live.

Climb every mountain,
Ford every stream,
Follow every rainbow,
Till you find your dream.

Love God. Love People.
Have a lovely day.

Dining Ettiquite 101

2011-09-23T20:10:00.000-05:00

When I was a young lady my parents made me attend cotillion. I have to admit that while this hippie-child hated it then, I did learn a lot and gained some very useful life skills.

I found this and I thought it was a great cheat sheet!

Strawberry-Marscepone Filled Cupcakes

2011-09-18T14:17:00.004-05:00

Yesterday was my birthday!

Last night a bunch of my friends and I went out for dinner and had a GREAT night, but I'll do a separate post about my actual birthday next.

THIS POST
is about what we had for dessert...

Strawberry Marscepone Filled Cupcakes

These are too delicious not to share the recipe! So next time you have some friends over or have a celebration, I hope you'll try these out.

They're much easier than they look.
Here's what you need:

1 box of white or french vanilla cake mix (I like Pillsbury/Betty Crocker)
1/2 cup fresh strawberries
8oz mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1tsp lemon juice
Vanilla frosting

Directions:


Bake cupcakes according to directions on box

Cut out the centers like so.
If you have a cupcake corer, go for it, but I just used an old fashioned knife.

Next, take the ingredients listed above (sans frosting) and blend in a food processor until it looks like this:

Put mixture into a piping bag or a plastic bag if that's all you have.
Push it down and snip about 1/4-1/2 inch hole out of the bottom with a pair of scissors.
Twist the top and squeeze from there.

Fill cupcakes to top, like so:

Don't worry about making them look pretty, they're just going to get covered with frosting.

I recommend piping the frosting onto the top because otherwise the frosting and filling smear onto the cupcake, but it's a delicious mistake if you want to risk it!

Here's your final product:

Enjoy!

Music City Roots Festival

2011-09-15T11:24:00.001-05:00

Last night my beautiful friend Becka and I went to the Music City Roots festival at the Lovelace Cafe.

With the exception of Nickel Creek (I LOVE THEM), I'm not a big bluegrass fan, but the bands who played were SO talented and we had a blast just watching them perform.

We went initially to see Becka's friend's band, Shotgun Party, and they were fabulous.

The night ended with all of the bands jamming to some old Carter Family and Buddy Holly songs.
Afterwards we hung out with Shotgun Party for a little bit and we got free CDs--always a plus.

I love Nashville and all of the cool things always going on here.
:)

Living Social Deal: Whole Foods

2011-09-13T15:08:00.000-05:00

I'm all about Groupon and Living Social deals, but I think this might be the best one I've seen in a long time:

$10 for $20 of Groceries at Whole Foods Market.

We all know that Whole Foods can be a little bit expensive, but getting $10 off your purchase sounds good to me!

Check it out!

Dream Home

2011-09-12T22:53:00.000-05:00

I can't wait to have a house of my own someday and try some of these great ideas:

Love this office

Giant kitchen? Yes. :)

Functional!


How sweet is this :)

10 Years Ago Today -- September 11th

2011-09-11T09:20:00.001-05:00

I can't believe it's been ten years since the morning my family and I sat around the TV with tears in our eyes and knots in our stomachs, unable to speak. I remember feeling terrified and trying to understand why or how anyone would ever murder innocent people like this and I still don't.

Right now I'm in tears watching the History Channel and looking at people covered in ashes, lost, confused and dazed after the buildings collapsed. It's very overwhelming.

Now every time I hear the national anthem played I think about seeing that second plane crash into the tower when I hear:

"The bombs bursting in air

Gave proof through the night
That our flag was still there."

The terrorist attacks on September 11th launched us into a new era that changed our world, but not our resolve.

Praying for peace and love to those who lost loved ones both on that horrible day and in the war against terror. Today especially, may God bless America with peace.

Fall Treats

2011-09-10T06:00:00.000-05:00

More than anything, I'm excited that this guy is back in my life:

Being Extraordinary

2011-09-08T20:28:00.003-05:00

Virgina Wolfe

Virginia Wolfe wrote of her need to kill her "angel in the house." As she wrote, this little angel whispered to her to calling her to write, say and do what only "good" girls should. A good girl does everything that is expected of her. This prevented Virginia from doing the work she felt compelled to do and therefore this angel needed to die.

Over the past few weeks, I've been working on smoking out and killing own my angel.

Like most women, unfortunately, I get this crazy idea in my head that my life needs to be entirely acceptable, if not agreeable, to everyone... ever. I sometimes find myself basing important life decisions on what I think other people would think and not on what I know is right for me. My angel whispers doubts into my mind ears, "What if you fail?" She then reminds me of every person I've ever known that has treated me poorly and suggests, "What would they think? Perhaps you're better off taking it easy and not causing any waves."

But I say, enough with that! I'm ready to make waves and be who God always created me to be, not what my house angel, or any other critic, has to say. Hope you'll do the same and be an extraordinary person no matter what anyone expects of you because that is what you, and I, were meant to be!

Always Oliver

2011-09-07T10:32:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago my dad texted me this picture of our dog, Oliver.
Sweet buddy somehow got into the bathtub, but couldn't get out!
It made me smile and I thought it was too cute not to share!

AND THE WINNER IS... Shabby Apple Giveaway

2011-09-06T06:00:00.037-05:00

I used random.org to help me choose a winner and the second person to comment is the winner!

So...

CONGRATULATIONS TO

for winning the Shabby Apple giveaway!!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS CAROLINE!!!!!

Nashville Sounds

2011-09-03T17:08:00.002-05:00

1. First Inning 2. Nashville Score Board

3. Sweet Sister 4. Wonderful Boyfriend

J.L. and I wanted to go to a game with our friends Brandon and Stephanie, but I was feeling a little under the weather so we went a few days later to, what we found out was, the last game of the season and Jennifer got to come to this one!

Bye Summer Games!

Sponsorship & Have a Great Weekend

2011-09-02T11:38:00.001-05:00

I hope you have a LOVELY Labor Day weekend! My dad spent most of the week in the hospital, but he's out now and I'm so glad! I'm looking forward to a long weekend to relax with friends and family and I hope you can too!

Don't forget, the winner for the Shabby Apple giveaway will be announced on Tuesday!

Autumn Dreamin

2011-08-31T20:43:00.000-05:00

Today is the LAST day of August (and the last day of my Shabby Apple Giveaway) and I couldn't be more pumped. I love the 4th of July, swimming and other fun things about summer, but I'm just sick and tired of being hot all of the time!

As a result, I'm so excited for my favorite time of year which is, of course, autumn.

So looking forward to pumpkin lattes, cinnamon desserts and the smell of crisp leaves.

More than anything, though, I'm just excited to wear a coats again! I would LOVE this Burberry, but who wouldn't?

1st Day of Grad School

2011-08-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

I took this for my mom to add to the collection of "First Day Of ___ Grade" pictures.

Who says it's just for kids!

Hope you all had a lovely weekend!

Don't forget! Time is running out to enter my Shabby Apple Giveaway!!

Money Saving Ideas (DIY CRAFT)

2011-08-27T21:45:00.000-05:00

Do you often find yourself staring into the fridge wondering what to eat? Then when you can't decide on anything you either end up eating junk food or decide to eat out because you feel like you deserve a decent meal for once?

Yeah, me too.

A few months ago I watched my boss' dog while she went on vacation and saw something like this at her house:

(I swear I'm not a creeper, I found this on Pinterest and didn't take a picture of it at her house!)

I decided this was a great idea to help me eat healthier and less expensively!

(I'll let you know how it works...)

Here's how I made mine:

Items Needed:

Letters for "MENU" and days of the week

Large frame

Fabric

Final product:

Total Price: $8

Final product:

Tada!

Mark Twain Does It Again

2011-08-26T12:00:00.000-05:00

I have found this to be so true.

Don't forget to enter my Shabby Apple giveaway below!

GIVEAWAY: SHABBY APPLE

2011-08-24T13:52:00.004-05:00

(CLOSED)

Guess what?

The lovely people over at Shabby Apple apparently found my blog and liked it so much they wanted to give my readers a little something-something! Check out this gorgeous dress:

This lovely style, called "Lighthouse," has a MSRP of $89.99 and it's yours absolutely FREE... if you win this giveaway!

To enter, you can choose any of the following options, but please leave one comment for each entry you submit.

To enter:

1. Follow Sounds of Laughter, Shades of Life

2. Blog about this entry

3. Tweet about this giveaway
4. Post on Facebook about this giveaway
5. Follow me on Blog Lovin

You can enter until September 1st and the winner will be announced on September 6th!

Good luck!

Bonus:

Any of my readers can receive 10% off of their total purchase at Shabby Apple when entering "soundsoflaughter10off" in the coupon code.