Just Another Manic Monday!

Greetings, you gorgeous people, you!

Last week was quite a fun and eventful week! As I told you before, I had a Phi Beta Lambda conference that I attended over my fall break. It was nice to get back into the swing of things with PBL. We had a break off session that consisted of taking a couple tests dealing with business. I took a Business Marketing skills test and jokingly thought I'd place. Low and behold, I ended up getting third in the test! It was a good time! :)

Such a fun group of people!

Ashley and I at dinner! Love this girl!

Ashley and Cody got married this past weekend. Not only was the weather beautiful, but the wedding was absolutely amazing. There was so much love in the air, it was just great! I am so blessed to have had the chance to stand by Ashley on her wedding day and witness a sacrament full of love, joy and happiness that brings so many people together.

I had the great pleasure of attending grade school with Ashley as a young lady. There are so many memories between the two of us. From fighting to being that shoulder to cry on, we've been through it all. Who knew there could be so much drama in grade school? At a little Catholic school for that matter, haha. ;) Ashley is one of those friends where we can pick up exactly where we left off, even if we don't see one another for a couple months. I have definitely been blessed to call this girl one of my best friends since Kindergarten. 

What's really cool about this is that I also went to school with Cody! Our friendship wasn't as close Ashley and I's, but we always kept in touch throughout high school. When Ashley first told me her and Cody were dating I said, "Cody Williams??" I'm sure she thought I was crazy for saying that, but I am so happy that they found each other and are happier than ever! It's been an honor getting to see them grow as a couple and now as one! I am entirely grateful to be a part of this amazing journey God has paved out for her and Cody.

 

All the bridesmaids during rehearsal dinner! Cody's family made the hall so beautiful!

Who knew a bridal party could be so close? Such gorgeous ladies!
Just a couple hours before the bid "I do!"

A classic pic with my amazing parents! I love these folks! :)

During the week, Suzanne and Brandon came up from Dallas to visit for the whole week. I am so glad we got to see them two and had a full week to spend time with them. I also got to meet the newest edition of the Reischman family last week! Christian is a little over two months old. It was so nice to finally give him some snuggly wugglys! :D

He's a teenage mutant ninja turtle! How adorable?

The family also took a nice day trip to Six Flags for Rolen's birthday. I found out the next morning that my body is too old for the coasters... ;/ haha. We did have a great time and I think Rolen enjoyed the fact that everyone got to spend his birthday with him at SIX FLAGS! That kid is something else! :) Check out the pics from our adventurous day!

These two never fail to bring a smiles and laughter to anyone. I wonder who they take after? ;)

Had such a fun time on the American Thunder ride! One of my favorites!

This weekend I get to Becca, Josh and the little rascal (Isaiah.) It's been too long! :) I can't wait to see all the nieces/nephews dressed up for Halloween! I hope you enjoyed catching up with me and what's going on in my life. For now, that's all folks!

Have a blessed rest of the week!

With love,

Rachel <3

Life is a huge rollercoaster, ya might wanna hold on....

A lot of great stuff has been happening in my life right now. The past month has flown and I cannot believe fall break is already here. My midterms didn't really consist of exams, but a lot of papers. I have so many papers to write in the next week, my brain might blow up.... :( On a more positive note, I have a Phi Beta Lambda Conference this weekend! And next week is one of my best friends' wedding! I can't believe it's almost already here. So much to do in so little time! Haha. :)

Homecoming Week was a little over two weeks ago and for those who know, I was the President of the planning committee. As much stress I had the few weeks prior to Homecoming I could not have been more blessed with such an amazing group of college students to help plan and implement the events throughout the week.

We hosted a karaoke night along with a trivia game night to kick off Homecoming week! Both of these events were fairly new to Homecoming and they turned out to be a success! Definitely look forward to bringing these two activities back.The committee also held events like the talent show, field day and the spirit rally along with the traditional Homecoming parade the morning of the football game. Let's just say it was a blast! Go Redhawks! :)

In the Admissions Office, one of my main duties is to help coordinate Show Me Days. Assigning duties, tours, etc. are the fun things I get to do! It can be super stressful, especially when you have 60+ student ambassadors to match up in perfect order throughout the day. :)

If you didn't know, Southeast Show Me Day gives prospective students the opportunity to see the campus, speak with faculty/staff, eat free food and much more! Overall, it's a nice way for high school students to see what college is all about and what Southeast can offer them.

My boss also brings donuts in the morning for the tour guides to eat.....anddddd I kind of sort of have a crazy obsession with donuts. They are so disgustingly fattening, but I could eat them for breakfast every single day. Fortunately, I don't eat these every day or I'd be huge!

Since life has been so busy here lately, I've been trying to take time for myself. Whether it's reading a book, enjoying some coffee or even taking a short nap (which rarely happens any more) I try and do a little something for me throughout the day! It's important to slow down and take in what is surrounding you. This brings me to the quote below. The older I get the more I realize how true this statement is and how important it is to let God do His thing and be OKAY with it. :) I'm super stubborn, so this isn't easy for me! I'm learning though, haha. 

I hope you enjoyed the read! I'm sorry I've been neglecting you all, that's not my intention. :) Enjoy the rest of your week and remember, let God do His thing....He's got it under control, I promise!

God Bless,

Rachel

Try Something New Tuesday!

I know I've been pretty absent in the past month, but I'm still here, no worries! I have been extremely busy and I'll catch you up later about everything. :)

For now....I've got a new recipe that you should try! It's super simple and super yummy!

Granola Bites! They're to die for. :)

I'm a huge stickler for trying new recipes, especially when I'm in desperate need of something sweet. I've been looking for healthy, on the go snacks I can take with me to work and class. I went Pinterest crazy and found a couple recipes to play with and granola bites is one of them! If you're looking for something easy that isn't time consuming you should try these:

No Bake Granola Bites:

1 1/2 cup oats

1/2 cup peanut butter (I used both crunchy and creamy for more texture)

1/2 cup rice crisps

1/4 cup honey

1/3 cup dark chocolate chips

Salt - just a pinch!

Yummy goodness!

 What's so awesome about this kind of recipe is you can literally do whatever you want with it. Like cranberries? Put those in there! Sunflower seeds? Throw those in there too! Literally people, you can put anything in these bites and it becomes magical!

I've already thought of other ways to make these different and even a tad bit healthier! Flax seed and possibly dry peanut butter would add a nice touch!

We All Have Pet Peeves....What's Yours?

I have composed a list of my top five pet peeves. To say the least, this was actually difficult for me. I find myself a pretty easy going person, but certain things just drive me crazy! These aren't in any particular order either, but here goes!....

#1: People who lack communication.

I'm not talking about people who don't care to be around other people. I am referring to the kinds of human beings who literally do not know how to communicate. Whether it's via email, text, verbally or even snail mail it is not that hard to communicate with others. In order to survive in this ever-so-fast-paced world that we live in, we have to learn how to communicate and converse with one another. People who 'talk around' issues or avoid conflict drive me bonkers. Or even when people can't have a simple conversation like, "How are you?", "I'm great, you?" On a side note, I miss the simplicity of a phone call or even a coffee date to talk. Nowadays I feel like it's socially unacceptable when I call my family just to catch up and talk to them for no reason...the struggle is real.

#2: Leaving sinks/tubs dirty.

Whether there is hair at the bottom of the tub, toothpaste dried up on the side of the bathroom sink or food particles stinking up the sink/drain, I can't stand it. This has got to be one of my biggest pet peeves. No one wants to take a shower with hair clogging up the tub or brushing their teeth in a filthy sink. It's disgusting. Just clean it up.


#3: People who treat others like they're stupid...

Giving someone advice or simply asking them if they need help with something is not that hard. I can not deal with people who make others feel dumb...all. the. time. Instead of saying, "You know, there's definitely a better way to do that," you could say, "Hey, could I show you another way to do that? I find it easier." Life is all about learning new things, whatever they are...so think before you approach someone with a snooty comment.

#4: Snooty people.

Speaking of making snooty comments... People who constantly have their nose in the air. Ugh, it's the worst. How does your neck not hurt from profusely having your nose sticking up to the glorious high heavens above?! Are you sniffing for air? There's plenty to go around. Get your nose out of the air, your neck is going to snap. No but seriously, I will never understand people who walk around like others owe them something. I came from a background where you treat others as you want to be treated, and that you're just as equally awesome as everyone else. There's not need to trot around like you're soooo fannnnc-y.

#5: Laziness.

Our world is split into thirds.... You've got people who are just flat out lazy and don't care about their life or where they're headed. Then you've got people who work their tails off to get what they want to be happy and successful. And then you've got people who don't lift a finger because everything is handed to them because they know somebody who knows someones uncle who golfed with someones boss who knows a man from England who used to dog sit for a family that owns the most successful car dealership in the world.... Okay, but really...it's not that hard to get what you want by working hard. I realize not everything is peachy-keen and may not work out exactly the way it's supposed to, but being realistic about what you want in life and working hard doing it will get you far!

This may have come off a little strong, but I am passionate about a lot of things and pet peeves are one of them. You get me going and I'm not stopping! ;)

Since I threw my pet peeves out there, I want to hear about yours! Comment below and let me know what drives you up the wall. Remember there are no hard feelings as to how we feel, we all have our own pet peeves.

Let your craftiness break freeeeee!

Hey everyone! I hope you've been enjoying this beautiful weather we've been having! I wish it was sunny and breezy all year round. I have been pretty busy with work the past couple days, so I have been slacking on my blog...I sowwy :/

But, I have some cool things to show you! In my last blog I talked about a bachelorette party I went to in Memphis. Did I mention it was a BLAST! ;) We had such a great time which brings me to tell you what I did for the girls who went that weekend.

I made 'Hangover Survival Kits'. They were too cute and fun to have! I think they enjoyed them, or at least I hope they did. I wanted to give a little insight about how I pieced these together and how you can too! (You never know if you'll need to make them.)

For a total of seven hangover bags, it cost me about $30 which I thought was pretty reasonable for what was included. I am a huge bargain shopper, so most items were on sale and others I already had around the house. Check it out:

**Keep in mind, this is something that you can make with your own twist. Get creative!**

Materials needed: 

Cute Bag (I bought mine at Michaels. Two for $1.50)

Bottled Water

Band Aids

Candy

Ponytail Holders

Mouth Wash

Sleep Mask

Tylenol

Gum

Breath Mints

Paper (multiple pieces, whatever colors.)

Nice Felt Pin

Ribbon

Stick Glue

Instructions:

1. Buy materials needed. 

2. Make cute cut-outs for the name tags. I used a corset cookie cutter. ;)

3. Write out the names on the name tags. Make sure to spell everyone's name correctly!

4. Cut pieces of paper (make sure they're big enough to list all items.)

5. Write the list of items on the second piece of paper.

6. Place items in bag...no particular order necessary!

7. Tie the name tags onto the bag with ribbon and place the listed items into the bag!

Voila! Hangover Survival Kit

I thought this was a pretty neat idea! I obviously got it from pinterest, but it was fun to put my own personality into making them.

I hope you too, can find inspiration in whatever it is you're crafting, baking or just trying to achieve! May God bless you on this beautiful (late) evening. :)

And I Think to Myself....What a Wonderful World. :)

God has truly blessed me these past couple weeks. With becoming an aunt again, to spending a weekend in Memphis and much more, I would say I am one lucky gal in this huge world we have. So I apologize for my absence, I have just been so busy with work, class and everyday things life has thrown at me since my last post. I will try to make this short and sweet, but with so much going on and having so much to tell you that may be hard to do. ;) Plus, if you know me well at all, you know I don't mind talking a lot, hahaha. :D

I got to see my sister Becca and Josh along with baby Isaiah. It was so nice to see them! Although it had only been a couple weeks, it felt like forever, haha. I'm so glad to know they're settled into their new home and can't wait to visit (hopefully soon). :)

I also got to enjoy the arrival of the newest edition to our family. Sarah and Gabe had their first baby on July 31st. Her name is Gwen Cheryl Seabaugh! She is nothing but precious and spoiled already. Ekkk I love babies. :)

I can't get over how beautiful she is! She's definitely
her mommy's baby. She reminds me of Sarah so much. :)

I also got to enjoy another getaway to Memphis for a bachelorette party. I'll be a bridesmaid in a friends' wedding this fall! Ashley and I have been friends for quite awhile now - since Kindergarten to be exact. We've had so many ups and downs and 'twirl-arounds' the past 15 years. We may not see each other much, but when we do we're right where we left off before then. I think those kinds of friends are the best to have in life. :)

Such a lively place on Beale Street!

The infamous 'Coyote Ugly' bar. We had so much fun in the place!
Lots of dancing, drinking and riding the bull!

We headed to Memphis Saturday afternoon and stayed until Sunday afternoon. It was such a blast! I made all girls 'hangover survival kits' (I'll blog a 'how-to' later). Along with that, I made a picture frame for Ashley with a great picture of us girls. (I'll post later too!) We got to enjoy the fun and energetic atmosphere of good ole' Beale Street and all the glory it brings with it. We enjoyed going to Wet Willie's, Coyote Ugly, a karaoke bar and more. :) We probably had too much fun!

Most of the bridesmaids (some weren't of age so they didn't go ;)
T-shirts say "Something borrowed, something blue, partying hard, before she says I do!"

On the back it says "Bridesmaid" and the number
is how many years we've known Ashley! Such a cute idea!

These past couple weeks have made me realize just how lucky I am to have the people that I have in my life. God really does know what He's doing, regardless of the questioning and fear we throw at Him. Although situations may fall into place at an inconvenient time, He shows us day after day why things happen the way they do and I couldn't be more blessed because of that!

I hope you enjoyed catching up with what has been going on in my life and I can't wait to post again soon! As always, thanks for reading up on my blog and my life. It makes my heart all warm and fuzzy inside to know people receive comic relief, inspiration or whatever the case may be from my blog! 

God Bless!

- Rachel

Try Something New - For the Love of Organizing...

I love organizing. Organizing events, my desk at work, the kitchen, anything honestly....except my room. As detail-oriented as I am, I seem to always have a semi-messy room. I have had a stack of papers piled in my room for quite some time now. They vary from receipts, to pay stubs, to high school papers. You name it, it's probably in my pile of...stuff.

My challenge for you this Tuesday or hopefully sometime in the near future is to get your life organized. Whether that is organizing your everyday routine, the pile of clothes on the floor or whatever the case may be, motivate yourself to do it. I had told myself almost a month ago to either get rid of the stack of papers or actually do something with them (a lot of them were important.) So I finally bought a clear storage bin and folders to file away these materials. I realize this is extremely simple, but it is something that anyone can do to make the little things in life like keeping track of that bill or saving that receipt 'just in case' so much easier.

I realize that this blog post is short and simple, but I love it. It's a nice reminder to anyone that accomplishing a small task enables life to run much smoother.

Materials needed. So simple!

Materials:

Clear file bin with lid - $6 (Purchased at Big Lots)

24 pack multi-colored file folders - $6 (Purchased at Target)

Black Sharpie

Lots and lots of papers, receipts, bills, etc. :)

Make sure to label each folder.

Alphabetizing makes it much easier to find!

The finished product! There is plenty of space and folders for more!