treat yourself.

i am obsessed with cards!

i think they are the perfect way to share kind words with others, to thank someone, send congrats, to remind a loved one your are thinking of them, sending a happy birthday shout and most of all christmas cards! 

i am a sucker for cards. 

my mom always stressed the importance of how far a kind card can go!

the hardest thing for me is getting to the store and going through rows and rows and rows of cards.

well, not need to freat.you have all heard of shutterfly...fabulous cards, photo books, calendars...the list goes on and on...well, treat - shutterfly's news greeting card brand has created a ridiculously easy way for people to make personalized greeting cards. 

they are fabulous and darling and adorable and so easy to create it is wonderful!

so, because they are so awesome...treat is giving one FREE....that's right FREE card just Monday 11/19 & Tuesday 11/20 to each of you! Can I get a Hallelujah! And who doesn't like free?!

to take advantage of this awesome deal - please use promo code: TREATBLOGR at checkout! So what are you waiting for...scoot and start designing your heart out!

i NEVER thought i'd see the day....

i never thought i would see the day this man would be captured.

i remember that horrific day so clearly. i remember where i was, what i was doing, my every thought. i remember what took place as if it were yesterday. how i hope and pray all those affected by the awful attacks on 9/11 will sleep sound tonight.

how proud i am to be an AMERICAN. how proud i am of our troops who fought so courageously for our freedom.

If tomorrow all the things were gone,
I’d worked for all my life.
And I had to start again,
with just my children and my wife.

I’d thank my lucky stars,
to be livin here today.
‘ Cause the flag still stands for freedom,
and they can’t take that away.

And I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘ Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.

From the lakes of Minnesota,
to the hills of Tennessee.
Across the plains of Texas,
From sea to shining sea.

From Detroit down to Houston,
and New York to L.A.
Well there's pride in every American heart,
and its time we stand and say.

That I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘ Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.

And I’m proud to be and American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘ Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.

summer is almost here!

i have a new lease on life!

i found this on a blog today and am TOTALLY loving it! such fabulous reminders of ways to improve our lives & to live each day to the fullest! xo

Handbook to Life

Health:

1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
4. Live with the 3 E’s — Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.
5. Make time to pray.
6. Play more games.
7. Read more books.
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minute walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:

11. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Don’t have negative thoughts over things you cannot control. Instead, invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don’t overdo. Keep your limits.
14. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake.
17. Envy is a waste of time. Be grateful for what you have been given.
18. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
20. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
21. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away (like algebra class) but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
22. Smile and laugh more.
23. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

Society:

24. Call your family often.
25. Each day give something good to others.
26. Forgive.
27. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
28. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:

31. Do the right thing!
32. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
33. God heals everything.
34. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
35. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
36. The best is yet to come.
37. When you awake alive in the morning, thank God for it.
38. Your inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

we are a FAMILY!!!

i love family & i might be biased, but johnny bear and i have one killer family! we have had the time of our lives the past couple of weeks…first, we had my precious aunt and uncle in town for the week…i just love them. they are hip. they are rad. they are pretty tight if i do say so myself. we went to baseball games and shopping & who can forget all the yummy food we ate! it was a blast spending time with them and can’t wait for them to come down again soon…this is their third time visiting us whoop whoop. 

 then, the bowers crew came into town…now let me tell you a little about the bowers. they don’t do things half way…go big or go home is their motto and i like it. they are SO much fun to be around…(i joke that i married Johnny for his family, but it’s kind of true…i love them!) we rode four wheelers all over the place, went go-kart racing…i was driving like a bat out of you know where…which isn’t any different then what i usually do…drilled poor mama teri. she had no idea what was coming for her! ate at a bazillion yummy & delish restaurants, ate way too many carmel apples, got the yummiest frozen yogurt ever…shopped ‘til we dropped…marci officially beat me the shopping department…i never thought i could meet anyone that could outlast me shopping, but today boys & girls…it has been accomplished by the one and only marci teri bowers! cruised around in the jeep…and may or may not have gotten a mouth full of bugs!  got attacked by the lunatic ducks we have here at our apartments…went to see rango (ps. don’t go see it! it was so BORING! i am never allowed to choose the movies ever again!) and so much more! we had a ball with them & miss them already (pardon the no pics, they are coming shortly!)

…and wait for it….the cockrell clan will be headed our way in no time…next Saturday to be exact to help me celebrate MY BIRTHDAY!!!…the fun never ends down here! we just can’t wait to spend time with them too! my fun tickets are definitely not used up because i can feel momma shauneen has got plenty for us to do!!!

we are a family....

so sorry!...one more thing...

i absolutely, positively, cannot WAIT for these guys to come down and visit (well, a portion of them)! we sure have been missing them in the bowers' household!!! so, in just a few short weeks and we will get to spend all day every day with them!

i seriously cannot wait!

i'm so happy today.....

 
boy, am i a happy girl!...sometimes it is just the littlest things that make oh so happy!!

i'm happy because today has been SO great!
and these are the reasons why:

1) on my way to work i had the most delicious, the most bubbly, the most wonderful LARGE diet coke i have had in a LONG time! maybe because i decided to give it up for my new year's resolution which clearly did NOT last...and no thanks to this girl (she tempted me with one & ever since i can't stop. bless my heart)...so, i just had to stop off for a swig!

2) found out that my most awesomest (new word), studly, all-star of a husband did a killer job this semester...ps. which was the hardest yet! and found out some super fabulous news to go along with it (med school related...don't get any thoughts!)...more on that later. :)

3) loving every minute of my job, the peeps, the never ending yummy food & just the pure joy & satisfaction it brings!

4) fell in love with chipotle...let me make something clear...it has NOTHING on my cafe rio!!!!!!

5) cadbury eggs are FINALLY for sale...every year i have to stock up. it makes johnny want to puke, but i could eat these little morsels of pure joy for every single meal...morning, evening, and night! i will not stop, i cannot stop! is there an AA program for addictions to cadbury eggs?

6) date night with hubs since it is his spring break...dinner & movie...sounds pretty lame, but oh boy am i looking forward to it!! i love having him home, not stressed, and able to giggle with me all night long!

bring on the day...because i am so happy today!

All You Need Is Love….

All You Need Is Love….

I am in love with love. I love every second of love. I love the way it feels, I love the way it looks, I love how happy it makes me, I just love…LOVE.

1 Corinthians:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love is…

Having nightly sleepovers with my honey…

Staying up WAY too late watching my reality shows…

Sunday naps….

A great hair day….

The tingly feeling you get from the man you love…

Awesome pack of bubble gum…

The sunset on a warm summer’s night…

Frozen yogurt covered in yummy fresh fruit…

Darling, precious, cuddly babies…

Sleeping in way too late….

Making cookies and eating way too much cookie dough…

Laughing until your stomach hurts with good friends…

Causing major damage to your credit card on a well-deserved shopping escapade…

Diet coke which fizzles on my tongue….

Rainbow sprinkles from a delish cupcake….

The comforting voice of my mom….

Random texts from my hubby telling me he loves me….

Throwing fabulous parties…

Words of wisdom from caring grandparents…

Leftovers in the fridge…

Packages in the mail and random surprises…

Undeserved success and recognition…

Chirping birds when spring arrives…

Laying out way too much and getting fried…

The excitement of Christmas Eve & Christmas morning…

The joy that comes from overcoming something and the smell of sweet success….

Singing in the shower….

Growing spiritually, mentally and emotionally…

A very successful workout…

Staying out on the lake all day…

AZ and the warm weather…

This makes me smile....

“You had me at hello.” [Jerry Maguire] 

“I do know that if I don’t ask you to be mine, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life”
[Runaway Bride]

“I love that you get cold when it's seventy degrees out. I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get a little crinkle above your nose when you're looking at me like I'm nuts. I love that after I spend a day with you I can still smell your perfume on my clothes, and I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night.”
[When Harry Met Sally]

“I think I’d miss you even if we’d never met.” [The Wedding Date]

Love is a many wonderful things….but, what I love even more…is that now more than ever before…I actually know what love means. I have a husband, best friend, partner in crime, soul mate, my everything…by my side. I have a man who loves everything about me…the good, the bad, and the ugly! :) I have a man who I adore and love endlessly. I have a man who is my knight in shinning armor. I have a man who will laugh with me until our tummies hurt. I have a man who will still build forts with me and let me be a kid again. I have a man who makes my hurt go away. I have a man who makes my heart flutter and makes me weak in the knees. I have a man who makes me a better person each and everyday. I have a man who I look at every single day and think…”how did I get so lucky!” He is my everything. I love that I can tell him “I LOVE YOU” a bazillion times a day and he never gets sick of it! Most of all I love that I can dedicate this post to him, because if it weren’t for the love he shares with me I would never truly know what love is. I can’t wait to be that old couple walking hand in hand down the street…I can’t wait to have a family with him….I can’t wait to grow old and still not take my eyes off of him…I can’t wait to spend forever and ever with him. As Winnie The Pooh said, “If you live to be a 100, I hope to live to be 100 minus one day, so I don’t ever have to live a day without you.” I love you with all of my heart my Johnny Drama.

Whether you are young or old, brunette or blonde, tall or short…I wish you the very best Valentine’s Day ever!!! Spread a little love…get down right (you know :)) because aunty Callie says so…and let everyone around you know how much you love them…Never let a day go by without letting those you love know how much they mean to you.

XOXO-

Callie

The Medical School Life & Wife

Oh my goodness…I officially win worst blogger of the year! I have been M.I.A. for months now…so, here is to a “bring you up to speed” post!

ARIZONA-We have been here for almost four months now (holy smokes! I can’t believe it!) and we are loving every minute of it! Upon our arrival to this blessed sun-filled city, all I heard was how miserable Medical School will be for both Johnny & I. I was a tad scared to say the least. I came down here not knowing anyone except for a few family members, no job, & pretty much a husband who I thought would be taken by the Medical School Gods…boy was I wrong! Here is a glimpse of our complex....

The minute we got down here we knew this place would far exceed our expectations! The time is just flying by! Johnny is loving his classes and has made some wonderful friends! He is one hard worker and I just love and admire him for all the effort he puts into everything he does! He goes to school until about 3 or 4 in the afternoon and studies all evening…no ESPN and sometimes forgets to eat?! What? Who just forgets to eat?! Crazy! Anyway, He typically has tests every Monday and sometimes Fridays, so I bet you can guess what our social life looks like!  He is doing so well and I am so proud of him! He got his official white coat when he first started….he will be a Dr. before we know it!

As for me, I am so overwhelmed with gratitude. What pleasant surprise Medical School has been for our little family! After a couple of weeks of visiting a few news stations in Phoenix, I was blessed to find a fabulous position at FOX 10 News. I just love it! I love the people, the environment, my position, pretty much everything! Johnny loves it too, so I don’t bug him and go stir crazy all day! It has been such a wonderful opportunity to work for such a great station…I can’t wait for what is to come!! Another Medical School bonus has been my wonderful friends. Heavenly Father is watching out for us! I have some of the best girlfriends a gal could ask for…they have taught me so many great qualities and make me want to be a better person every single time I am with them! I have learned how to cook (mom, don’t pass out!), I am attempting to be craftier….(I will let you know how the homemade Christmas presents turn out after I get some reactions!) We call ourselves the Housewives of Glendale (would you expect anything less of me?)…we have girl’s nights, go out to eat, watch movies, go running, stay up way too late laughing way too hard, but I LOVE IT! It has really been such a blessing to have such a great group of girls, especially when our husbands are hard at work all day long!

Johnny and I are really looking forward to going home for the holidays and spending some quality time with our family! We miss everyone so much and can’t wait to eat way too much Café Rio, ski, see new additions to the fam, pretty much just do whatever we want…with no school and no work! Hip hip hooray!

TWENTY SIX!!!

Ok, so I realize I have be absolutely HORRIBLE in keeping everyone updated on our lives, but that is about to change!

But, before I get to the big move, show pictures of our new place and our new lives...I just had to tell my best friend, my better half, my love, my little stud muffin HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Johnny turned 26 on August 4th. I honestly don't know how I survived the first 22 years of my life without him. He is my everything and I am so happy to be on this adventure with such a good partner in crime! I love, love, love him! I am so lucky I get to spend forever with him! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

ps. does anyone know how to fix our picture when you open the blog? HELP!

the bowers crew...let the journey begin!

This precious blog has been created to keep all of our loved ones and darling friends...up-to-date with our ever changing, wonderfully, fabulous new little life!

My greatest accomplishment has been marrying my AMAZING husband...he is my everything...and I can't wait to spend forever loving him more and more than I already do.

A day in the life. Johnny and I have been married a total of a month, 11 days and just under 23 hours!! Can we get a booyah for that! I love that I get to take him home each night, snuggle, say prayers, I love you's. I love waking up to a kiss and I love you, talk about starting your day off right! I love eating breakfast together...I get my yogurt and granola (yummy yummmy yummy) and he has his honey bunches of oats. We say our goodbyes and then rejoin either by making dinner together with little june bug at our side. (In case you don't know...we live with my beautiful grandmother who brightens our day! She is a ball to be around and definitely isn't your typical grandma. We love her with all of our hearts and are so grateful for her.) We love movie nights...cafe rio...diet cokes (ok, well I do.), football Saturdays (ok, he does)...road trips...Friday and Saturday date nights...pretty much just spending time together! He is my love and I thank my lucky stars he is mine....forever!

I have always promised myself I would start a blog when I got married...that's when you know you are grown up and need to share you're new found "wifey talents" as I like to call them! I seem to be completely enthrawled and somewhat obsessed with blogs...I think they are such a wonderful creation...so here goes nothin' and let's hope this little joy in my life will last! Here's to being madly in love and to life's crazy adventures! Enjoy!

Ps. I'm going to be posting "a bright spot in our day" moments...today's: spending the evening with our best friends...dinner at the train place. movies, treats and games! Just like the good ole' days! Can't wait to catch up and spend time with them! Yay for good friends!