My $20 Tattoo

Considering we've spent about $600 on one tattoo {Will's sidepiece}, we understand the importance of investing in something that will be on our bodies forever. You most definitely get what you pay for, so normally I would run from someone that offered me a $20 session, however, when you throw the word charity at me...my interest is piqued.

I heard Prodigal Son Tattoo was raising money for the Wiregrass Children's Home, so I immediately text Joel, my most tattoo'd friend, and said "Let's GOO!"  {You can feel bad for Will because he had to stay home and study. Such a good boy!}

We put our names on the list and before we knew it we were on the tables. I'd be lying if I didn't feel anxiety like an uptight Aubrey from Pitch Perfect, but it was totally worth the adrenaline rush. Even with a limited list of tattoo options, I knew I was going to love it if for no other reason than the badass story we were going to have.

On top of it all, Chilly our artist, added color to my anchor and put the heart on my arch fo' free! I had a tiny little heart there from many moons ago, and he just dove in and updated it. If you include the free shirts they gave us and door prizes, it's almost like they paid us to get tattoos, AND it was all for a good cause. Anywho, normally I recommend RUNNING from anyone who offers you a $20 tattoo, but I guess sometimes it's okay.

Wish me luck on the Bazaar! We're gonna need it.

Let's Play A Game

And let's call said game 'Blog Comment Love'. Although it should really be called "I've stretched myself too thin, and can't keep up with my life."

The rules are simple. You comment on this post, and I promise I will comment on your blog within a week. If you know me, you know that means I will catch up on your blog and comment at least a few times. I know this probably seems like a shameless request for comments, but I really just need an easy way to catch up on blog reading, and I'd rather read the blogs that I actually have relationships with. Those of you that read and don't comment, this could also be a chance to speak up too. Say hi, ask questions, tell me your favorite Christmas tradition, share a link to a post you want me to read- whatever your little heart desires.

Just don't forget to check if you are a 'no-reply commentor', so that I actually can reply/find you, and know that I will comment more if you don't have word verification on. Otherwise I get frustrated and click the red x. If you don't know what these things are, you are probably guilty. I will forgive you if you fix them ;) Ahem Carrie cough you are guilty of both.

You live and learn!

My Three Favorite Words

If you've ever been or ever will be around Will and I, you will probably hear us say 'I love you' ten-fifteen times...in an hour. Well maybe not that many, but we do say it quite often and in spite of people claiming that it cheapens the meaning by overusing it.

NEWSFLASH:

YOU CAN'T OVERUSE I LOVE YOU.

The trick is that each time you say it, you have to truly love the intended more than the last time you said it. For me that's easy, because every day I wake up and am surprised to find my heart harboring more love than it did they day before. I know it sounds like a fairy tale, but after four and a half years of  marriage I'm starting to believe that fairy tales are real. With love, compassion, and humility anything is possible.

We also use it as a sort of love language. Sometimes we say I love you at the end of a conversation, with a question mark at the end to ask if everything's okay, definitely before we go to bed, and most importantly...when we are in a fight. Those three little words really are the most powerful in any language and can reduce a fight to nothing in the blink of an eye. I guess you could say it is an implement for peace in a world full of sticks and stones.

"Be a best friend, tell the truth, and overuse I love you." Tell your family, your friends, tell a stranger by simply sharing a smile. Just believe that it is impossible to overuse I love you as long as you mean it, and in case no one tells you today...I love YOU! Mean it ;)

Holiday Bucket List

+ Put up a REAL tree. We don't need it to be all Rockefeller Center up in here, but we've never had a real, honest to goodness tree. 

+ Decorate the exterior with lights, which would be another first for us. It may happen this weekend, but it's pretty frigid these days. I'll just have to ply Will with lots of spirits.

+ Make it through our Annual FRCSC Hollyday Bazaar. I mean, it's going to be Ah-Mazing, but considering I'm in charge of publicity, I'll be happy when it's over and I know I didn't fail. Hope, hope I didn't fail. I'm doing the best I can, but a month is not enough time to promote one of the biggest Bazaars in this area.

+ Visit the local Holiday Spectacular Park.

+ Christmas movies until my eyeballs fall out. My faves:
Miracle On 34th Street
Love Actually
One Magic Christmas
The family Stone
It's a Wonderful Life
...And every other sappy, lovey dovey, holiday movie there is.

Most Importantly...We want to soak in every joyous moment with friends and family. Our time here is going to be over before we know it, and we most definitely won't be here for the holidays next year, so it's time to party like it's our last holiday season ever.