Sad Start to a New Year

This post is a little late, but I have pictures... so it is worth posting!

Before December 31st, 2010 I didn't even know there WAS a Cincinnati Arkansas. But a deadly tornado struck through the town, just West of Fayetteville and it was all over the news. There were three elderly people who died in that tornado. And the pictures they showed on the news of the tiny farm town were so devastating. It was a terrible way to bring in the new year for the people who live in Cincinnati.

One Saturday in January, my dad had the idea to go volunteer with the tornado clean up. I will admit, it was not the way I had imagined spending one of my last Saturdays before school started back up. But we loaded up; My dad, mom, sister, me and Dylan, and we drove out to Cincinnati.


The town is so small... so there were only a handful of houses we saw that were "untouched." But most were torn apart, and left us speechless.


We had to sign in at a church, and they assigned us to a chicken farm that had been completely torn apart. There were four chicken houses that were swept away into a huge... ditch, for lack of a better word. Actually, I think there was a creek at the bottom of the "ditch"


But we couldn't see it because of all the debris. When I heard "chicken houses" I didn't know what to think. I thought there would be dead chickens everywhere. Thats a problem for me, I can't even look at a Tyson's chicken truck pass me in traffic. I can't even look at road kill. Luckily, all the chickens were gathered and buried weeks before. Dylan got that information from the owner of the chicken houses, and I was thankful.




The things we saw in the trees were amazing. It made the severity of the storm so real.


This is where the chicken houses use to be


And there were many piles of trash bags full of debris by the time we left.

If you live in the NWA area, I want to encourage you to volunteer for the people of Cincinnati. I hope they're staying warm and surviving the snow storm.

(((On a lighter note, don't forget to check out my stories on Dylan in the post below! )))
STAY WARM!

Snow Day Traditions, Dylan's Other Love, and Some Tattle Tales.

I know now I couldn't live in the North where snow is constant. There has been Idon'tknowhowmanyinchesofsnowontheground since Tuesday morning, and a layer of ice under that. I HAVEN'T DRIVEN MY CAR IN 4 DAYS! I HAVEN'T BEEN TO SCHOOL IN 4 DAYS!

I have, however, been out of the house. So I can't say I'm sick of being stuck at home. Every time it's snowed since Dylan and I have been together (minus the huge storm last year when he was in Afghanistan and I really DID get to complain about being stuck at home) we've driven around town, sometimes really late at night, making "donuts" in empty parking lots and climbing snowy steep roads in his truck. He loves it. It is kind of a tradition. Last night on the way home, I told him I probably felt safer riding with him in the snow than I do my own dad, but that he couldn't ever tell anybody I said that... since I'm a daddy's girl and all... nobody does anything better than my dad :)


(In front of the beloved truck ;)

He came to pick me up one night this week, and when I got in the truck it was FREEZING. I asked him why it was so cold in there and he said (no joke,) "I rode over here with the windows down so I could hear my tires crunch the snow." THE TEMPERATURE WAS IN THE TEENS!! HE DROVE 10 MINUTES TO MY HOUSE WITH HIS WINDOWS DOWN! Crazy guy. He does love his truck.

A little tattle tale on me...
Dylan has "drill" this weekend for the AF in Fort Smith. Because school has been cancelled so much and because I won't be able to see him this weekend because I'm house/dog-sitting, I decided to go down to Ft. Smith with him on Wednesday night. While he was at work yesterday, I decided to drive his truck (which I had a few minor panic attacks about and I'm sure he did too :) to a grocery store and get some things for him to snack on for the next 3 days that he would be there. 15 minutes and 17 dollars later I climb up into the truck (in the 20 degree weather) and try to start it.. and it wouldn't. I left the lights on. It was SO cold and I couldn't get a hold of Dylan because he was working. So I call my daddy :) Luckily, he reminded me that I had an AAA card. PERFECT. I call the 800 number on the back of the card and give my information to the kind lady on the other line. And then she says "Ma'am it's currently 8:35am and a service person will be at your location around 9:50am." WHAT?! I know I could've gone back inside the store, but my PHONE WAS NEARLY DEAD and I found a charger in the truck and sat out there with it while it charged. Everything turned out fine, and it didn't even bother Dylan :)


So he drove me back home last night after we ate dinner at a little Indian restaurant when he got this idea in his head that his breaks aren't working right. Side note- he worries about his truck like I worry about my health. Obsessively. So what do you think he does? He goes to a carwash. Spends 4 bucks in quarters and literally stands out in the 20 degree weather with a hose, washing off his car. The kid is crazy. But he's cute. So we get back to my house and he stays for a bout 45 minutes. Sits on the couch with my ipad, looking up 50 different websites that could possibly tell him whats wrong with his breaks. (this is the same as me looking at WebMd for every possible explanation of each "symptom" I have) And before you know it, he is on the road again to Ft. Smith, calling me to tell me he's really worried. Just like I call him to tell him I'm really worried that the bug bite on my arm is cancer. His breaks are fine. He made it there and he'll make it home on Sunday :)




That's all for now, folks. It just started snowing again... Ugh. Off to get some studying done, I suppose!
Happy Weekend!

Proud of Myself! And a Snowball Fight!

Well, it may have taken me two days to figure it out... but look at my new header! I'm SO not into technology. I quickly lose patience over trying to figure things out. Which is why my blog ALWAYS looks so simple. But that's ok. Simple is good.

So here are some pictures of last week snowball fight between me and Dylan.
















We've had a BEAUTIFUL weather weekend the past couple days. 60-70 degree weather. Too bad it is going to be sandwiched in between two snow storms. Those pictures were taken last week and there is supposed to be more snow on Tuesday! Eeek! I do love snow days. I don't feel so stranded because Dylan isn't afraid to drive in the snow and we get out and about and go on adventures!

Happy Sunday!

And So It Begins...

School started last week. I'm sorting though each syllabus and planning out each week for the next 4 months. I have been working on 5 different graduate school applications since 2011 hit. And I'm excited to say that I've completed one and mailed it in. I just have four more left.. and they're all sitting there - complete - waiting to be stamped and mailed. Except I'm too nervous. I've got to have someone else look through them and double check my work. Ha. Then I'll hopefully be finished! YAY! I should know if I'm accepted to any graduate programs by the end of March/beginning of April. That's the hard part, I suppose. Having to wait so long and then to open up each envelope. Ick.

More to come soon. With pictures, hopefully. I have some memories to share!

My Amazing Cousin, Kristin.

This is one of my first times to link up to Kelly's Korner "Show Us Your Life Friday" and I'm so excited because I have someone special to share!


(more pictures at end of post)

This beautiful girl is actually my second cousin, but we grew up together and we're actually more like sisters. She's lovely inside and out. Here are some facts about her:

-She lives in Northwest Arkansas
-24 Years old
-Graduated with a degree in Communications from the University of Arkansas
-Works at a local, trendy boutique in town.
-She's quiet, but fun.
-She's short (I'm not sure of exact height.) And has brown hair and BEAUTIFUL blue eyes!
-She loves to make other people happy and is constantly doing things for others.
-SHE'S GORGEOUS. She is so stylish and has the brightest smile!
-She has one younger brother and they're very close.
-She has a little yorkie, Zoey.
-She is all about family (because we're so stinkin' fun to be around!)
-Some of her hobbies are: going to church, working out, going to movies and out to dinner, she loves to be outdoors and go to the lake in the summer, etc. She has also lived on a farm her whole life. This girl knows how to drive a tractor, bale hay, bait a hook, and drive a four wheeler. She amazes me!

She is honest, trustworthy, and believe me when I say she's got the biggest, softest heart. She's ready for a guy who is willing to have a good time, to sit back and enjoy a drink with her, and enjoy the things they have in common. She only deserves the best. I would love to see her with someone who brings out the absolute best in her and someone who is willing to take care of her and love her. She's an awesome BEAUTIFUL person inside and out and if anyone out there thinks they're willing to be that guy for her, please email me at Emargaret14@aol.com

MORE PICTURES!

This is her recently at a baby shower for one of her cousins:


At the beach a couple summers ago:

See, I told you she could fish ;)

And with Zoey dog!

20 Years.

\Yesterday, my little sister turned 20 years old. And that is so hard for me to believe. It feels like just yesterday she was in middle school and we were fighting daily. Ok... we still kind of fight daily. Ha. People always say, "one day she'll be your best friend." And I keep waiting. Will it be when we're both adults? When we're both married? When we're both having babies? Regardless, I still love her and I'm still very proud of the young woman she is. She's far better than I am inside and out, and sometimes I think she teaches me more than I teach her.



Happy Birthday, Katelyn Marie!

Bike Rides

One of my very favorite things about Dylan is that he takes me out of my comfort zone. I'm not the "outdoorsy" girl. Don't get me wrong... I do love to be outside, but adventurous? No. Since I've been dating him, I've swam in more than one river, been canoeing (and even saw TWO snakes in the water, which I swore I'd never go again after that. But I really will.) We've been hiking, etc. etc. etc. But recently, we've been into riding bikes. The last bike ride we went on was ELEVEN MILES. Needless to say, I was sooo sore the next day. But we had so much fun. There is a bike trail that goes all through our town. We stopped to take pictures at the duck pond by the county hospital, and Dylan got a little silly....











Happy Saturday, friends!