DIY Ohio State Buckeyes Racerback Tank

My husband loves to go to a local bar every Saturday to watch his beloved Buckeyes play and I love to go with him. The bar we go to is FULL of other Ohio State fans. Of course, everyone is dressed head to toe in their scarlet and grey. This left me feeling the need to "blend in". Those of you who know me personally already know that I refuse to pay $30 for a shirt just because it has a team name on it. Here's my solution.



You Will Need:
- T-shirt (I found a boy's t-shirt at a thrift shop)
- Pair of scissors

How To:

1. Cut away the neck, cut off the sleeves, and trim off the seams at the bottom. For the sleeves, start at the shoulder (you decide how thick you want the strap to be) and cut straight into the chest area. Then curve. If you curve the whole way, it’s gonna look weird on.
2. Cut the back of the shirt into a racerback shape. Cut a deep V shape into the racerback.
3. Take the bottom edge of the shirt that you cut off and cut the seams off so that you’re just left with fabric.
4. Stretch it out.
5. About an inch or two above the bottom of the V tie a knot with one edge of the string.
6. Wind it around and around, then double knot it at the other end too. Cut off loose ends.

That's it!

If you want to, you can pull at the fabric to make rough edges go curly and to make your tank longer.

Ohio State Buckeye Rag Wreath

As many of you know, my husband is from Cincinnati and he's a die- hard Buckeye.

Yesterday, i made this for him. I'm trying to embrace his love for scarlet and grey.

It wasn't difficult but it took the longest time ever.

I bought several different patterns of fabric in his team colors. Then,  I cut small slits about 1 1/2 inches apart and ripped  the fabric into strips. Next, i tied the fabric strips around the twigs of a grapevine wreath in every different direction until I liked the way it looked. Voila!

Girly Project: High Heel Hideaway!

This was such a simple & fun little project! Today, a friend and I decided to create a little more storage for my ridiculous collection of shoes (which i previously had piled in a giant metal tub in a corner).  This was a great idea, very inexpensive, and simple!


First, we measured the space in my closet to find out how long each heel holder could be. I have about 27" free on the side wall, so we decided to go with 25" holders with 1 free inch on each side. I have pretty small feet but we decided to make the rows about 10" apart since my house is a rental (in case the person who comes after me has bigger heels). 


Second, we went on a field trip to Home Depot for supplies. 

They have a little station set up where you can measure the wood & cut it to the size you need right there in the store. If your store is anything like mine, you will attract a crowd of menfolk when you walk down the aisle and they will all be eager to help you with anything you need. We thought it would be fun to do it ourselves but we definitely could've gotten out of there without cutting anything if we wanted to.

We found the molding I liked, measured it and sawed it into 25" sections. I bought 5 pieces but only ended up needing 3. 

We also bought some nice looking nails and a sanding block to smooth the edges of the molding where I had sawed them. 

My grand total for all the supplies was $12.58. The 5 pieces of molding were only $8.30, so it could've been an $8.00 project if I didn't need the nails and sanding block

 When we got home, we just put a nail into the end of each piece and a nail in the middle (and made sure they were level and 10" apart) and we were done! Simple, cute, and fun! 

 

Even the cat had fun playing in my old shoe holder!

Card Creation for Wedding Wishes!

As most couples probably do, we received several wedding cards when we got married. My hubby hates clutter but I can't bear to throw all of these sweet mementos in the trash. What to do? Today, I created a little booklet using our wedding cards. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out & my guy seems to be pleased as well. It was really simple to do so I thought I would share it here. 


All you do is buy those metal rings (i got a box of 8 at wal-mart for under $2) and punch holes in the cards. Then, you put the rings through the holes. Voila! 


Check it out & let me know what you think! 

Should I Marry a Paramedic or Fireman?

Recently, a close friend asked me whether my husband and I know any other paramedics or firefighters that we could introduce her to. Another friend who was with us at that time said, "everyone knows you should NEVER marry someone in EMS." There I was, smiling between them. And, the discussion continued, of course, to whether it's a good idea to marry someone who works as a paramedic, firefighter, etc. As I listened to the two of them debating the subject that neither of them really had any personal experience with, I thought to myself... "well, what would be my answer?" 

As mentioned in earlier posts, when my husband & I met, I knew very little about his career. All I knew was that he had an erratic schedule and he always seemed to be working at 3:00 am. At first, I assumed he was a bartender or working in a dance club. As we got closer, I learned that he is a paramedic and was working overnight shifts for a private ambulance company contracted with our county. Prior to all of this, prior to his move to Florida from Ohio, and prior to me, he was a firefighter for 10 years and worked as a paramedic with a fire department in Ohio. When he moved to Florida from Ohio, his fire certification didn't transfer but his paramedic certification did. Despite his 10 years of experience, there was no way to challenge the fire exam in Florida without going all the way through fire academy again. So, he went to work for a private ambulance company until he could take the time to go back to fire academy. During our dating life, I met several girlfriends & wives of his colleagues and friends who I had the chance to get to know a bit. From these friendships, I thought I had an inkling of what life would be like married to his career but I was wrong. I had no clue.

We have been together for 2 years & 7 months and we've been married now for 7 months & three weeks (thank you google widget!). Of course, we're still technically newlyweds, so take my ramblings for what they're worth. Clearly, I'm an expert! Haha ;)

Yes- marry a paramedic or fireman if you want a man who is steadfast & dependable. Their nature is one of allegiance and loyalty. If they say they will get something done, they will do everything possible to make that happen. Sometimes that means it won’t happen right away- it may be after their shift, on their next day off, or after they’ve had some time to relax. It will get done. My husband tries to remember that, even though I’m not a first responder, I’m still at the mercy of his schedule. He knows that it takes a little more understanding, a little more stress, and a little more trust for me than if he were sitting behind a desk for 8 hours each day. For this, he tries to keep his promises. Now, as I said earlier, I know a lot of my guy’s friends too. I have to say this- what I’m saying does not automatically apply to all paramedics & firefighters. Obviously, there are exceptions, just like in any group of people. But, for the most part, the paramedics & firemen I know are wonderful people who are ridiculously loyal.

N0- Don’t marry a paramedic or fireman if you are looking for a spouse who will always be around, has a stable schedule, and will make sure you’re never lonely. Trust me on this one, I’ve learned the hard way. He will have to work on Thanksgiving and you will spend the week entertaining his family from out of state. He will work on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and you will spend the holidays alone in your house with your dogs because you don’t want to go out of town with your family and abandon him. He will work on your anniversary, your birthday, his birthday, mother’s day, father’s day, fourth of july, and just about every day of the year that you desperately wish that you could be with him. Usually, he won’t work every holiday in the same year (although it’s happened to us one year) but eventually, he will work every one of these days. Trust me. If you can’t live with this, don’t date anyone in EMS.

Yes- marry a paramedic or fireman if you want a sexy, hot husband! Also, if you like a man in uniform, you’re in luck!

No- don’t marry a paramedic or fireman if you don’t want every other woman in the world to think your husband is hot too! They will ogle your husband and if he’s anything like my husband, these girls will not be subtle about it! He will be smiled at, gawked at, winked at, hit on constantly, and even flashed by random women! It will never matter how inappropriate it is or where he meets these girls. Sometimes, it won’t even matter if you’re standing right beside him when it happens. Oh yeah, and every nurse within 100 miles will give him her phone number, even if she knows he’s taken. Please see above. You’re not the only woman out there who will recognize that he’s sexy, looks great in that uniform, and that he’s a hero. I’ve met girls who actually chase fire trucks & ambulances in their cars so that they can flash them when they get beside the truck, it will happen.

No- Don’t marry a paramedic or fireman if you hate going to bed alone at night. You will sleep alone probably more nights than you will sleep with him. There will be nights that he isn’t home and you have no choice. There will be other nights when he is home & you still go to bed alone. These night are harder for me than the night when he isn’t there at all. It’s hard to go to sleep knowing that he’s out in the livingroom but doesn’t want to go to bed with you. I’ve heard a lot about sleep schedules. He doesn’t want to go to bed too early on his nights off so he stays up all night in the livingroom while I have to go to sleep. I understand it, but understanding doesn’t make my nights any less lonely.

No- Don’t marry a paramedic or fireman if you think all he does is answer exciting emergency calls & “play the hero”. Yes, he will save lives, deliver babies, give parents another chance at life with their children, and give children another day with their parents. Some of his time will be spent driving patients from one hospital to another. Some of his time will be spent trying to exhibit patience when people call 911 for reasons that are clearly not emergencies. Some of his time will be spent checking trucks and helping to clean up what my husband so nicely describes as “buckets of blood”. Every year or few years, there will be days and weeks that he’ll be angry about contract disputes and union meetings. You won’t be able to fight these battles for him, no matter how much you want to, even if you’re a lawyer. Some days he’ll bring home stress and frustration about work that he won’t even tell you about. You’ll ask him “what’s wrong?” or “what’s on your mind?” and the answer will be “I’m fine.” or “don’t worry about it, it’s nothing.” For me, no matter how many times I ask, I’ll never know what’s bothering my best friend. Who knows, maybe it’s for the best that I don’t know.

Despite the fact that there are more "no" than "yes" paragraphs above, I assure you that I am very happy to be married to my hero. I am blessed beyond measure to be his wife. In all my rambling, I still haven't come to any conclusion about the initial question of whether it's a good idea to marry someone in EMS. When I asked my husband what he thought about all of this he said "it's probably not different than marrying anyone else." I beg to differ. He is right on some level though. No matter who you want to be with, it's always going to be a lot more about who the person is, and whether you want to spend the rest of your live living with and loving them. If you do, none of what I wrote above will matter to you. Every marriage requires sacrifice. If you join this family, your sacrifice will be different than if you were to marry a banker or an accountant. It's not a decision that will make your life more simple. It's not always an easy life, but it's a life, and it's with him- that's the part that counts.

hello my name is autumn & i'm an inconsistent blogger.

okay, as i've admitted before, i am a very inconsistent blogger. this is my first update since august, 2010. a lot has changed since then. Adam proposed to me on October 7, 2010. we got married on October 14, 2011. more details on all that stuff here:
Our Engagement Story & Wedding Website
 
Here's a quick photo:

obviously, since i suck at updating my blog, i can't recap everything that's happened over the past 16 months. plus i'm sure that would be no fun to read. so, i'll leave it at this: the end of 2010 & the entire year 2011 were jam packed with exciting adventure. that being said- i am ready to start anew in 2012. here's to a new year full of new opportunities to be better than we have been in all aspects.

being thankful

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
Psalm 100:4

2009 has been a tough year on all accounts. Today is Thanksgiving, and thankfulness has been weighing on my mind recently. As most people i know, i have so much to be thankful for each day but do not always find the peace and presence of mind to appreciate these things. Today, I will try to remember some of the things that I appreciate and I will make an effort to take more time to be thankful every day.
 

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." 

~John F Kennedy

Here are some of the things that i am thankful for today: 

-despite and because all of the hardship that i've encountered this year and last, my relationship with God has grown incredibly. I am thankful for Him and everything that He is, has been, and always will be. He is everything to me.  

-i have the most incredible family a girl could ever hope for. we've been through a lot together in the past year or two, but we always pull together when times get tough and we get through everything... together.  

-even though i'm not doing what i had hoped to be doing, i am thankful that i have a job. i feel fortunate to have a job at all, especially in such a a tough job market. i count that blessing each morning as i drive over the bridge on my way to work.  

-i am thankful for the breathtaking views i get to see each morning on my way to work and each evening on my way home, watching the sun come up over the water and then watching it sink into the water on my way home.  

-i am thankful for the opportunity to stand beside my baby brother a couple of weeks ago as he married the girl of his dreams. seeing how he loves Kelly the way Jesus loves us is inspirational. I am so blessed to have such a brother, he is a wonderful man. Kelly is a lucky girl.  

-i am thankful for the precious time that i was able to spend with the rest of my family while in Lousianna for Adam's wedding- both sets of grandparents, my uncles, my aunt, and my cousins.  

-i am thankful for my health  

-i am thankful for my sweet and loving dogs and that Sonny (the oldest cockatiel in the world) is still alive and healthy.  

-that i have the ability to help the people around me and be giving when i have an abundance to give from and continue to give even when i have little.  

-i am thankful that i was led to a start attending a new church this year and for the awesome church home that i have found at Calvary Chapel St. Pete. i love going to church every week and i look forward to it. i really learn a lot of new things there and have met some awesome people through the 2 ministries that i've become involved with. i hope to have the opportunity to get more involved there this year.  

-i am thankful for my roomate, Toya.... in college, i lived with some awesome guys- Pat, Martin, and Adam.  we were friends, got along great, had fun together, and laughed a lot. it's hard to find good roommates... but i am lucky to have Toya. she's awesome. we have fun together, we go places and do things together, we talk a lot, and our house is always filled with love and laughter. we were friends before we moved in together, and we were both nervous about how living together would affect our friendship, but it has really turned out great. she has been an awesome friend to me and living with her makes life much more full and fun. i am thankful for her.  

-my friends. when your life isn't perfect anymore- that's when you find out who your true friends are. the people who stick by your side no matter what, the ones who make you laugh when you forget how it feels to laugh... i am so lucky to find myself surrounded in the company of a few of the most amazing people in the world, who i am blessed to call my friends. i could never put into words how wonderful they are and the difference they have made in my life. for them, i am truly thankful.  

-Glee & One Tree Hill, the two TV shows that i am shamelessly addicted to.  

-Music... enough said.  

-i am thankful that i was able to graduate law school this year.  

-i am thankful that i was able to have the opportunity to travel to Costa  Rica this summer, it was eye opening to travel out of the USA for the first time. And, since then, I have had a thirst to travel more and more... i want to see the world, or at least a lot of it. Also, while in Costa Rica, i was fortunate enough to meet a new friend, Mark, whom i am thankful for.  

-Yoga. In a time in my life when things can get stressful, i'm grateful for yoga. tell me, ya'll, what other form of exercise includes going to class with flip-flops on and finishing with a nap- separated by a good butt-kicking in between?