Ivory Bodywash

I just want to rave a bit about Ivory bodywash. No, seriously I do. The other day I was at Wal-Mart (due to planning a wedding I have to shop at Wal-mart, a place I loathe---more about that in another post) and I was looking for some bodywash. Usually I buy that stuff from Bath & Body Works, but since I was there I figure I'd check out something a little less expensive. I saw Ivory Body Wash and thought, "hmmm. I wonder what this is all about?" They had a few different fragrances. I went with the Lavendar scent.

It is the best body wash. Your skin feels clean! Your skin feels moisturized, but not greasy. I love the scent. Not too heavy, but it just has that nice Ivory, clean scent with a hint of lavendar. The best part is that it is only $1.97 a bottle! How amazing is that?

nine months...oh my!

so the baby that is my wedding will be here in nine months. Okay less than nine months. Eight months and three weeks. I am getting more excited about it. My goal is not to put any of our portion of the wedding (my parents are funding a large part of it) on our credit cards. Because of this, I've been working like a dog. I subbed for a week of Pre-AP summer school, went to an AVID conference and next month I teach summer school. Luckily, I enjoy these things. I just really don't want to start our wedding with a ton of debt, so pay the wedding as we go and then after the wedding pay off my credit card (or pay it down...I hear it's good to have a balance) and then buy a house! We'll see. Whatever is in God's plan.

So, I have made some wedding related purchases. Today I bought light blue cardstock and opal metallic envelopes. When I get them, I'm going to start making my save the dates! Woo-hoo! This week I also need to purchase stamps. I'm thinking superhero stamps will be cute and Murad will like them.

Last week Christina and I toured Hotel Indigo. So nice!!! It's one of those trendy Dallas hotels, but surprisingly it's not super expensive and the rate their giving our guests is awesome. One main selling point was the location. It's across the street from our wedding location. Some of the other selling points: Aveda hair and bath products, flat screen t.v.'s, free Wi-Fi. Also, it's a small hotel, so they're very accommodating. For example, the hotel bar is only open until 11pm. If we tell them in advance, they'll keep it open until 2am. Almost like a private party! We can also have our rehearsal dinner there. I really hope my future father-in-law likes it. It would be so ideal to have our dinner there.

So, I found the dress....for my girls. There's no way anyone can see my dress. Why? Because it doesn't exist! My mom isn't done with it yet. However, the dress my girls are going to wear is stunning. I wish I could wear it! I think people might be confused if I did. It's a champagne colored gown. The brown band will be sky blue on my girls' dresses. I can't wait to get them.

I am that girl. I am that girl who is obsessed with her wedding. But right now I'm more obsessed with doing my homework. I need to get motivated and off the computer....Adios!

I'm back and actors i loathe

I'm back from Austin! I got back this afternoon. The trip was fun, but it would've been more fun if I wouldn't have been alone. I did make a point to venture outside of my hotel each night. I even ate in a restaurant by myself! I've never done that. It was an experience! The trip was pretty suite...(haha, get it?) I did have a large suite all to myself. I had three sinks, two tvs and three rooms (if you include the bathroom) all to myself. I felt a little selfish! I ate like a queen as well. Embassy Suites provides made to order breakfast each day, and the lunch they provided each day was very filling! Since it was an all expense paid trip, I made sure to eat well for dinner.

No, but seriously the trip was good. I worked with other Language Arts teachers, as well as special education teachers and life skills teachers to review the state assessment for 6-8th grade Reading for students with cognitive disabilities. I learned so much from the meeting. I learned what those teachers must go through each day to provide effective instruction for their students while assessing them. I have so much admiration for them. I also learned some effective strategies for my special education students as well. Most importantly, I got to meet some really cool teachers. We all were from different parts of the state, but we worked together to create something meaningful for students.

I will say that I was the youngest teacher there. That was a little intimidating, I will admit. I got over it though and didn't let it stop me from sharing my ideas.

Okay, so now to the real meat of the post. Last week Murad and I went to see The Hulk. Edward Norton stars in it and after we left I started thinking of how great of an actor he is. Then I started thinking about actors I loathe (I won't use the word "hate." I detest the word "hate."). One actor popped into my head immediately: KEANU REEVES. Oh my goodness, how much does he suck? Murad thinks he's a good actor, but he's not. He's horrible! Name one movie that he enhances....see you couldn't do it! Here's another actor I hate: KIRSTEN DUNST. She needs to quit acting and get a real job. Maybe you'd like to share some actors you loathe, too. Come on. You'll feel better once you share!

Scared and life

So, I leave for Austin tomorrow. I'm terrified. I don't know why, it's just a three-hour jaunt down I-35. I'm just nervous that I won't be what they expected. What if I suck? I guess my appearance makes people think I'm younger than I am (and the fact that I use the word "suck") and I'm afraid they won't take me seriously. For example, today at the bank the kid behind the counter goes, "you're a teacher" (I was depositing a reimbursement check). Flattered at first, but annoyed that I look so young. Oh well, no fears, right?

Since I'm on a roll, I might as well bitch and moan some more...why is everything so expensive?

My car engine coolant needed to be flushed to the tune of $167. I also need to have a new fan belt in six months for another $250. AWESOME! So excited for that!

Today, I was researching vacation bible schools for Abby when she comes down, and I just happened to peruse the pre-school section of the church websites. Even though kids are a long ways away, it never hurts to be prepared, plus I need to find a church home. Murad and I talked about how we want our children to go to a Lutheran pre-school so they get a good foundation in Christian Education (the kids will go to Mosque on Fridays), top notch curriculum and they also have Spanish built into the curriculum. However, never in a million years did I think it would cost $400/month for pre-school. I remember Pre-school. It was a lot of fun, but not $400 fun. For $400 a month my kid better find a cure for cancer or end world hunger. I really hope we don't have twins, "Timmy you're going to sit in front of the TV while your brother goes to school. He showed more potential."

Even though the cost of things is a little disheartening, it did open up some dialogue between Murad and I. We've already talked about the basics of starting the Campbell family. We both agree on three children, although Murad did tell me that if I didn't produce boys we'd have to keep trying until we got one (yeah, right). We both agree that we want to wait five years to have a family, although if the Lord blesses us prematurely we will be happy. However, we had to resign the dream of a home in Dallas, *sigh*

Originally, we wanted to buy a little starter home in Dallas. Something we could live in until we have kids, but then we realized it makes more since to buy our "second" home (aka the one where we'll spend the majority of our married lives). However, a big home in Dallas is just not affordable on my little salary, Murad's tiny salary and his student loans. So, we've resigned to move to the SUBURBS. It'll be good for us and we won't move for a year and a half or so. We'll need to save a little more money because a big home puts us just outside of our price range, but ultimately it's the right decision. Better schools for our kids and that's what is most important. We just really love living in Dallas. Even now it seems like such a drive to go out in downtown or uptown that I can't imagine what it'll be like in the suburbs. The only bright side is that we'll be close to an outlet mall! There is a light at the end of the tunnel....

Speaking of shopping... I found my wedding shoes. I wanted something a little different and funky, but I didn't want a heel that was too high!

What do you think? $46.00 isn't bad compared to the $98 "bridal" shoes bridal salons sell! I guess it is possible to have great wedding style during a recession!

Enchiladas

Murad & SamSampson Lee

Maya Leigh

Me & My Maya

So, tonight I channeled my inner domestic goddess and cooked something from scratch. Okay, so it's about as close to scratch as I'm going to get! Murad and I had been CRAVING enchiladas, so I got really ambitious and made them for us. They were so good! So Yummy!

• Grapeseed oil (or another high smoke-point oil such as peanut or canola oil)
• 12 corn tortillas
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 cup of salsa (Mild prepared salsa or make your own using cooked or canned tomatoes, roasted green chiles, onions, cilantro, oil and vinegar. Do not use salsa made with fresh, uncooked tomatoes for this dish.)
• 3 Tbsp of tomato paste
• 1 cup of water
• 1 lb of jack cheese, mild cheddar or longhorn or any mild yellow cheese, grated

1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2 In a large fry pan at high heat add 3 Tbsp of grapeseed oil. Add a tortilla to the pan. Cook for 2-3 seconds, lift up the tortilla with a spatula, add another tortilla underneath. Cook for 2-3 seconds, lift again, both tortillas, and add another tortilla underneath. Repeat the process with all the tortillas, adding a little more oil if needed. This way you can brown and soften the tortillas without using a lot of fat. You do this process to develop the flavor of the tortillas. As the tortillas brown a little, remove from the pan one by one to rest on a paper towel, which absorbs any excess fat.

2 Sauté up the chopped onion and garlic, then turn off the heat. Add 1 cup of salsa. Dissolve 3 Tbsp of tomato paste into 1 cup of water, add to pan.

3 Put some olive oil on the bottom of a large casserole pan. Take a tortilla, cover 2/3 of it lightly with the shredded cheese, then roll up the tortilla and place it in the casserole pan. Continue until all tortillas are filled and rolled. Add sauce to the top of the tortillas in the the casserole pan. Make sure all are covered with the sauce. If not, add a little water. Cover the whole thing with the rest of the grated cheese. Put the casserole in the oven for 10 minutes or until the cheese melts.

Voila! Tasted just like something from a Mexican restaurant except cheaper and less fattening. I sort of made it as a Pre-Father's Day Celebration! Yes, that's right. We celebrate Father's Day in our house. Even though Abby isn't here, it's important that I do something special for my man. He is such a good father to her even from afar. He is also a great dad to our two dogs. Makes me excited for when we have little kiddos of our own. Not anytime soon though!

So, this week I'm going to Austin! I'm a little nervous. I'm going by myself and I do not know what to expect. My curriculum director nominated me for this position back in the fall. I honestly didn't think I would get it, but I'm glad I did. I will review curriculum documents for English/Language Arts/Reading for students who have some sort of developmental disability that prevents them from taking state assessments. So I am a little nervous because I do not work with this population, so I wonder what type of insight I can provide. Oh well. I guess they chose me for a reason, right?

I'll miss my babies though. They started sleeping with us again. At first Maya slept in the bed with me until Murad came to bed and Sam would only sleep with me if Murad was out of town. This week, Sam started sleeping next to me. I'm not sure how his 67 lb. body does it, but he makes room for himself in our bed. Maya sleeps in our bed, usually at the foot of the bed (although last night she was on my pillow...go figure), but she still ends up on the floor in the morning. That's our crazy life. So different than what I expected. I never would've pictured that I would share two beautiful dogs with the guy I met on at the airport over two years ago. I was such a party girl, but not really. I was going through the motions of being what I thought a "single girl in the city" was, but I longed for something more fulfilling. And even though many of the changes I made in my life were my decisions, I couldn't have done it without his support and love. I do wish I was more confident when I was single, but I have no desire to go back and be single again. I can only be the more confident taken-girl.

Well, this is the point in the blog when I start rattling off wedding plans. It seems that they are consuming my life at this point. This week, I contacted all the vendors, but I still have a lot of work to do.
1. set appointments with the two pastors we are considering. I wish my fiance would just set a day and time for this. He's so picky about when he wants to meet. I wish I could do this without him, but this is one of the many things for which I need him. Our ceremony is the MOST important part of the wedding!
2. pick out tuxes. I guess there is no rush, but I just want to make sure their vests and ties match the sash on the bridesmaid dresses and the flower girl dresses. My bridesmaids need to order their dresses soon and I haven't given them any guidance!
3. book the DJ. We played phone tag all week.
4. call the Holiday Inn and check on our block.
5. Make my save the dates and mail them. I still need to trim the guest list and finish the website.
6. Call my dental hygienist and make sure she is still doing our wedding and groom's cake. (ironic, I know...I wonder if it's cavity-free)

On a brighter note, my mom called today and said she found star soap molds. My grandma is going to make star soaps (for the Lone Star State) as our favors. They're cute,they're simple and essentially free!

I need to let the dogs out and finish some laundry and then to bed, to bed, I said!

I have a cold in June

How the hell is that possible? At first, I thought it was allergies. I spent all day dusting on Friday. But, no. Each day since then I have awoken to a sore throat and a runny nose. So annoyed. Oh well. I'm just sitting on the couch watching TV. The weather outside is bad today, so I'm not missing any quality pool time.

Well, after my mental breakdown last week things have gotten better. I thought I was the victim of identity theft. Luckily, that's not the case, however, I have to go through an annoying process of getting it taken off my report with one of the credit bureaus. Not my fault, but I still have to do all the freaking work. Even though my credit is still good, I don't feel comfortable buying a home until this is all taken care of, so no house just yet! I'm not as sad about it as I used to be.

Murad got a new job! Yeah! It's a job he really wanted. He will be working at a hospital (not my ideal job). This will be so great for him! Woo-hoo.

This week I've been really regretting having a long engagement. We've been to a couple weddings in the last few weeks. While they were each fun and unique, I'm kind of regretting planning a wedding. I thought having a long engagement and the wedding we always wanted would be perfect, but right now all I want is to be his wife. All I want is for somone to call me, "Mrs Campbell." All I want is to proudly say, "this is my husband." I know my mind will change. I guess I'm just getting stressed out with all the wedding stuff. And, I just really want to be his wife.

I practice writing my future name all the time and I just realized I haven't decided what my new name will be. I have four choices
1. First Middle Maiden (99% sure I will not do this)
2. First Middle Last
3. First Maiden Last (maiden would be my new middle)
4. First Middle Maiden Last (no hyphen, I would have two middle names)
Honestly, it's between #2 & #4. I'm leaning more towards # 4 just because I can't imagine Woodard not being part of my name. Ultimately, I will be First Last. I'll probably never sign my name as #4, but it will be on my driver's license. We'll see. I have nine months to decide.

Nine months....eek. Yesterday one of my bridesmaids went with me to look at bridesmaid dress colors. I wanted to make sure the champagne would look good with sky blue. The sky blue they had was more violet than blue, so I decided to go with periwinkle (which is the original color I wanted). So, the bridesmaids will wear champagne dresses with a periwinkle sash. My flower girls will wear periwinkle dresses. The groomsmen, ushers and dads will wear black tuxes with periwinkle vests and ties. I think it will look great! I hope!

This weekend I also got information about hotels, pastors and a DJ. I'm so on the ball! Next week: meet with potential pastors, pick out tuxes and register for gifts at one store. Ask how much I've done on my grad school project this weekend: Notta! Okay, I lied I worked on it for a bit. They moved the due date back and I've been procrastinating since they did that. I'll get it done, but it may be at the eleventh hour!

Okay, well back to TV watching!

Sex and the City

Kind of ironic that my last post was all deep and about God and this post is about SEX and the City! However, that was the only bright spot in my week. I dragged my fiance along with me to see the movie. I absolutely loved it! I'm definitely going to see it again, even if I have to go by myself. Highly, highly recommend!!!!!

Signs from God

This week has been a series of ups and downs for us. I think I cried at least twice everyday this week. Most of it is financial stuff. While it's nothing really major, it just means more work for me to do to straighten out a situation that somebody else created! I hate that. Something that is my fault and I have to fix it. Murad also has had some issues too, but fortunately he knows how to check his emotions. He doesn't resolve to crying uncontrollably and yelling curse words. He just mutters them a few times.

Despite all this, I did gain some insight. I do feel a rejuvenated, if you will. Fortunately, we found out about all this before we did anything major. I really do think these are all signs from God. He's giving us messages about what to do in our lives. Murad and I both said that to each other. We both were like, "Thank God this happened now." Not only are we thanking Him, but we're being proactive and doing his will. Rather than sulking and saying "why me" (like I did all day yesterday), we're taking steps to fix the mistakes....someone else's mistakes, may I add.

I'm just so thankful that Murad and I see things the same way. We both trust in God (we just have different names for Him), but we know that God doesn't want us to let Him do everything for us. He gives us signs and ultimately the tools to do His will.