Slumber Party with Joshua

My mom is driving Joshua back and forth between Conway and Little Rock three times a week (what a champ)!

We offered to let him stay the night with us 1) because he's Joshua & there's never a dull moment, 2) because it was convenient for my parents, 3) I'm not working right now so I loved having the company! 

Also because we just love Joshua and thought it would be fun :)

Tuesday afternoon I drove to LR to pick up Fred. 

*Incase you didn't know, Joshua = Fred, Ferdinand, and basically any names similar to that, don't ask me why.*

We drove back to Bryant and stopped off at WalMart to pick up cookie dough because I thought it sounded good and Joshua agreed. :)

We went home and watched ESPN (guest choice) while the cookies baked. 

He was TICKLED TO DEATH when I offered him a Cherry 7up and let him eat his cookies on the couch in the living room....it was so funny!

After Aaron got home, we decided to let Joshua pick where he wanted to go out to eat. Eventually it came down to Chili's and a local mexican restaurant that I was crossing my fingers for. Joshua picked Chili's. Of course. ;)

After Chili's we decided to go back to the house and make a fire in the fire pit.  We made s'mores and did Joshua's favorite activity, we TALKED. 

We talked about life and love and memories...

if you know Joshua, a visit with him isn't complete until you take a trip down memory lane. Ha!

The next morning, I woke up Joshua and after Aaron left for work, we went to Chick to have a brother-sister breakfast date. On the way there, I asked Joshua if he slept okay and he said "Yes, but the bedding is a little too girly for me..." 

law..

I'm converting him to coffee slowly.

Speaking of this coffee picture...on the way to take him to Therapeutic, he kept yawning and I asked him why he was so tired. He said he didn't go to sleep until late (no telling why) and so he was just a little sleepy. He then proceeded to reach down, grab my coffee out of the cup holder and take a big swig. 

Joshua is NOT a coffee drinker so it was hilarious to see him voluntarily drink it.

That afternoon, I went to pick him up and we met my dad at our house so that he could take Joshua back to Conway. 

Joshua said he had the most fun staying with us that he has ever had in his entire life. 

He also said that next time he comes to visit, we should probably get a real refrigerator. 

Side note- we have been using a dorm-size refrigerator since the move because we haven't been able to purchase one yet because we haven't found one we like and also it has to make financial sense.

But Joshua doesn't realize things like this, which resulted in him saying that...

just so Joshua.

;)

HOLLY

Few & Far Between

Well....here at the Nicholson (temporary) home, we have made it through another week and are bravely starting a new one!

I'm going to attempt to play catch-up!

Two weekends ago, Aaron and I attended a benefit for one of his co-workers in Fayetteville on Friday night, which we made into a day trip to Fay since he had a few meetings.

I went and got a mani/pedi done to kill some time. Plus the weather was cold and drizzly and the nail salon sounded like a good escape.

That night we went to the benefit and DID NOT TAKE ONE SINGLE PICTURE.

(I know...what is WRONG with me?!)

Here are the other, non-important pictures that I did take...

new hog @ Hog Haus Brewery

my "old" name! how funny!

We drove back from Fayetteville and decided to stop at my parent's house in Conway. After visiting with them Saturday morning, we headed back to Bryant to get ready for a tailgate/watch party hosted by one of our couple friends. 

a good time was had by all, even though we lost!

Then this week happened....

it was painfully slow and we are so glad it's over.

EXCEPT

Joshua came to stay with us on Tuesday night and that requires a post of its own! :)

This weekend was a lot of lounging and studying (for me) and sleeping (for all) so needless to say, we feel well rested and ready to tackle this week!

Sorry for the few & far between posts,

but I have a feeling it will probably be this way for a while until we are more permanently settled.

-HOLLY

Moving Mayhem Part 2

Our moving story in pictures...

sort of...

This next one makes me want to cringe. 

first time movers...YIKES.

yes he did push the couch up that closer to the tv...law

Another cringe-worty photo.

What happens when you find out you suddenly have to move within a limited number of weeks.

moving is exhausting

hot & sweaty after unloading the uhaul

chit-chatting with the Uhaul man

first lunch in our new/temporary place...on the floor :)

too many clothes

the freaking tv had to stay until the last possible minute. we slept on the floor. the dog actually had more of a bed than we did. it was fun :)

bye-bye first home! 

Sorry for the no make up photo :\

Moving Mayhem Part 1

I'm ALIVE!

You know when you have been underwater for a considerable/uncomfortable amount of time and you finally break through to the surface and gasp for air?

Yeah..that has been me for the past few weeks. 

I have felt like I have been so limited lately and now I can finally post about life again!

I'll hit the highlights for ya:

1) We have moved and are currently living in my parents house that is for sale,

so we can save and find a place of our own.

2) I have started nursing school and Aaron has started his new job! :) YAY

3) We FINALLY have internet.

4) We STILL don't have cable.

5) We may or may not be using a dorm room sized refrigerator until we find one within our price range.

6) Marley is a terrible dog and won't even spend any time out in the wonderful backyard he now has, which aggravates his parents to no end. ;)

I think that's about it for now...except for the fact that half of our stuff is still packed away because we don't know when the house will sell which means we have to be ready to re-pack and move again when that day comes.  

I'm trying to keep this place cute for when the realtor brings a prospective buyer by. It's SO strange living in a place that my family lived in previously for 5 years. But it is such a blessing that we are able to do so and save some money in the meantime.

I am loving this new adventure in our lives.  We aren't really home owners, but we have a "place of our own" for now and don't have to deal with annoying barking dogs or crazy neighbors that have parties until the wee hours of the morning all of which are one, thin wall away.

Aaron and I are having so much fun. It has been so great to be back closer to friends and family. Moving was quite an adventure. We each had our ways of wanting to do things. My father-in-law and brother-in-laws helped us load the UHaul in Fayetteville. My mother-in-law sat inside and watched Marley while we all went in and out of the doors. I am grateful for our families and all of their help. 

Here's our short moving story:

We got the UHaul early on Thursday (the 17th) night and loaded it up and took it down that same night. We spent the night in Bryant and unloaded the UHaul the next morning. While returning the UHaul, my husband befriended the UHaul man and they talked about real estate/buying and selling farms for literally 30-45 minutes while I sat in the car and watched the clock impatiently. Once they were done, we grabbed lunch in the car and headed back up to Fayetteville.  We loaded up my car and Aaron's car and decided to spend the night in the townhouse one last time because we were already exhausted. Saturday morning we got up, took both cars down, unloaded and went to Conway where we picked up my parent's suburban and drove one last trip up to Fay. We spent the night in Conway that night after getting the final load of stuff from the townhouse and then drove back to Bryant Sunday morning where we unpacked and slept because we were absolutely drained.

Long story short, moving STINKS. 

We also have different theories on loading and unloading cars. Aaron just wants to unload it all and then once it's all out, start taking things in. I want to take thing inside as I unload them because it just makes more sense in my mind. :)

Let me see if I can find any pictures of our moving adventure and I'll post them as "Moving Mayhem Part 2" 

I feel tired just recounting that story for you.

Maybe it's time for a nap.

(Just kidding)

Have a lovely day,

HOLLY

It's Official...

IT'S OFFICIAL...

WE are MOVING!

I got into nursing school at Baptist Health in Little Rock!

After 3 months of discussions, Aaron got the job offer we had been praying he would get! Happiness is an understatement. 

It was driving me nuts keeping everything secret, but I finally decided to tell my friends a few weeks ago. We had already told our families but that was all we wanted to tell until we knew more!

 Now there is some pressure to find a place to live. This has been a regular conversation in our home over the past month:

"I think we should just get an apartment and save for a little bit longer until we find a house in an area that we really want to live." (the most logical, right?)

"...okay."

"I think we should just go ahead and get a house since we know we want to live in LR for a long time!"

"...okay."

"So...I have decided that a house is probably not the best idea for us right now..."

"...okay."

"I've decided we should get a house. Maybe even a fixer-upper!"

(excuse me, what?!)

"...okay."

etc. etc.

So if you haven't figured it out, Aaron is the indecisive one. I have gone into super supportive wifey mode about all of this. I know that buying a house right now is probably not in our best interest. I also know that he is sick and tired of living in an apartment where we have to deal with maintenance men, loud neighbors and their annoying/always barking dogs, and the occasional hood rats that like to bump their bass systems in their pimped out trucks while sitting in their driveways. I also understand why paying rent each month is a pain and with a house you are at least putting your money towards something that *YOU* own. 

I told him the other day that if we had to live in a mobile home to get by, I would, because at least we would be together. I know that sounds cheesy but it's the truth. I just want him to be happy and I know that I'm happiest with him. I also know that he would never make me live in a mobile home. ;)

(not that there's anything wrong with that)

 The most recent update is that my parents GRACIOUSLY offered to let us move into their house in Bryant (which is currently for sale) for the time being so that we aren't rushed into a move that we aren't ready to make. 

Perks: only would have to pay utilities and keep the house nice for viewing, & Marley would have a yard :)

Downside: wouldn't be OURS and I wouldn't be able to decorate anything because we would potentially live there for 1 month or 6. You never know.

Aaron and I have decided that we think that's the best option. We could really save a lot and Bryant is actually closer than North Little Rock (where we had previously been looking). 

I just have to say that even thought it's not MY ideal situation, God has definitely provided. I literally had nights where I got 4 or less hours of sleep because my mind was racing about the "What Ifs". I am so thankful that things have worked out the way that they have. I am also so thankful for my parents, who have been SO helpful and supportive this whole time, for friends that are encouraging, and for all those who have sent up prayers for us.

Thank goodness for family and friends. 

We are THRILLED!

Have a happy weekend!

HOLLY

Miss Arkansas 2012

Last week I traveled down to central Arkansas to hang out with my family and help them during the moving/new house ready-ing process. 

But, one of my main reasons of visiting was to attend the annual Miss Arkansas pageant with my mom.  My mom, Mrs. Sherri Phelps, her daughter Blair, and I have made it an annual get-together. I think this is our 5th year to attend together. It is so much fun and I have had friends in the pageant every year. PLUS, the OBU girls always make me proud! 

My mom and Mrs. Sherri have been life-long friends. They were young married-couple friends in college and they have stayed close friends throughout the years. My dad and Mr. Billy are basically "brothers from another mother" as it goes. They are two peas in a pod, cut from the same cloth....the jokes go on and on! When I first visited OBU (my senior. yr of high school) for an event for incoming students, my parents arranged me to stay with Blair (who was a freshman) and ever since we have become great friends. She and her husband Eric are some of our favorite couple friends and Blair is one of my best friends. 

I had two pledge sisters in the pageant and both did a great job and made Top Ten! There were 8 OBU girls in the pageant and SEVEN of them were EEE's! Blair and I were such proud OBU/EEE alumni! 

Night 1.

me & Blair

Night 2

(after) Night 3. 

Clark had his finger over the flash.

Night 4.

I have such a cute mom :)

Blair & I.

mom & Mrs. Sherri

I had such a great week with my family and seeing my friends! The new Miss AR 2012 is Sloane Roberts. She has been in the pageant before and was also Miss Teen AR one year. She is adorable and will do a great job. My friend/pledge sister Bethany got in the top ten and was 2nd runner-up. My other pledge sister Abby made top ten as well. All of the OBU girls won different awards! I was proud to know them! 

The other purpose of my trip was to help my family move and ready their new house in Conway. We moved boxes, furniture, appliances and were road warriors all week. My grandparents helped us take some things over on Friday while my mom got up at 4:30am and drove to get Joshua at camp in MO. She got home at 4pm and still got all cute for the pageant. What a trooper. But, back to my grandparents...We loaded up the trailer with a bunch of different pieces, random pieces LIKE A SKEET SHOOTER (lawd) while their truck bed held the refrigerator, washer, and dryer. 

I FELT SO REDNECK!

Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, stared at us barreling down the highway at 7 in the morning. :/ 

Talk about being mortified. 

Here's some proof:

YES. This happened. 

I love my family despite the fact that I wanted to wear a paper bag over my head during that seemingly LONG drive to Conway from Bryant. I am thankful that they will show up at the door at 6am willing and wanting to help my parents move.

They sure do keep my life entertaining. 

:)

-HOLLY

Playing Catch-Up

OH.MY.WORD.

I reeeeallly need to post more. I feel like we have been going and going lately and so when I have time to relax, I don't want to do ANYTHING, including post about my life on le blog. 

Let's play some catch-up, shall we?

Aaron got us tickets to Lady Antebellum in LR for a "belated" anniversary present. SO SWEET. It was so much fun even though we were in "The Pit" and had to stand the whole time. It was a great night!

Thompson Square

Darius Rucker

Lady A

hot & sweaty but we had a blast!

some great friends/old college roomies.

love these girls!

It was a great concert! We had a blast despite having to deal with all the redneck drunks making fools of themselves (which is as to be expected at a country concert)! 

Also, I ended up staying a few extra days in Bryant/Conway helping my mom paint and take stuff over to the new house. I will post pictures of that later because I really want to post pictures after they "officially" move in.

I am so excited for my family. They finally found a house in Conway and I believe that when it is finished (painted/decorated/etc) that they will LOVE it. I am pretty sure they have already gotten their money's worth out of the pool. Hopefully one day when Aaron and I get a house, we will be able to afford a pool because: 1) Aaron is a huge kid at heart and loves the water and 2) Marley LOVES pools now. ;) Whoopsies.

We also spent 4th of July with my family in Conway at the new house. Although it was just a day trip, it was so fun. I didn't take my camera, but I got some cool shots of the boys doing "tricks" on the trampoline, diving board, and off the trampoline into the pool. It was nerve-wracking but they were being safe and having a blast. 

One last thing, Aaron's grandfather had a minor heart attack last weekend.  He went in to the hospital for some testing and they found 4 blockages. He will have to have bypass surgery in about a month. If anyone is reading this, please pray for his family and especially that his grandfather (we call him "Poppa") will get lots of rest and be strong enough to go through with the surgery. 

Hopefully I will have more exciting news in the near future....

like about a potential move. 

BUT

we will just have to wait and see.

:)

lovelovelove,

Holly