current reads

 I finally decided it was time to read the Harry Potter series.

I know. What took so long?

The thing is.... I love the movies. I've seen them so many times. 

But a week ago I finally picked up the first book of the series and I CANNOT STOP reading now. 

I'm also reading this book (below). The teacher nerd in me is so excited to have this perspective and I can't wait to finish it and put it's ideas in place in my classroom. I have a feeling it might be tough to keep implementing, but I know it will be worth it!!

What are you reading?? 

I love book recommendations!

xo, kel

those times i failed at life....

*I started writing this a couple of months ago. I'm not entirely sure why I am just now posting it. Perhaps fear, or self doubt, or one of the many other common feelings in sharing something so personal. But I decided to post it. If nothing else, at least as a reminder that yes there are times when we feel like this, but we don't have to be stuck in those times....... It's always darkest before the sun (thanks Florence and the Machine!)

I'm currently reading Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson (who is one of the funniest people/writers/bloggers ever!!) and while reading it, I've come to the conclusion that I'm totally not alone in feeling like a failure. That sounds kind of awful.... Okay, so let's back up... Jenny has an array of mental illnesses that hinder her from feeling "normal." And yes, normal deserves a " " because really, what is normal? However, as I'm reading I keep thinking to myself, YES - THAT IS HOW I FEEL!!!!

Right now I'm on a chapter where she is writing about how she feels like there are a rare amount of days where she feels like she is good at life, where she has accomplished something in her day that is worthwhile and she doesn't feel like she is a day behind.
It struck a chord.
Do we all go through this? The responses to her seemed to be that perhaps its an American way of life because how we measure being a success in life if what we do, not how we feel. In any case, I can't help but feel the exact same way.

I've gotten so stressed lately and instead of putting on my big girl.....shoes..... and getting things done, I freak out and panic and then spend the rest of the day under my covers. I don't like being like this. And I think in reading this book and seeing that I'm not the only crazy one, I can admit my faults. But it's terrifying. I hate letting people down and I despise not being on my game. One of the worst feelings for me is that panic of being a day or so behind, but there are just never enough hours in the day to get everything done.
This past week I felt like I was finally ahead and it was great, but then the next day I realized that I had forgotten to do so many things it would take me days to catch up. So I ended up panicking and lying in bed trying to figure it out. Then I started getting angry at myself. Why can I not act like a regular adult and just deal with it (because let's face it, that's what we're told or made to feel)? But how do you explain to people that aren't like you that it's hard to just deal with it?

As a Christian I have taken this to God and I have tried to relinquish my anxiety, fear, and feelings of incompetency, but it's hard to let that go sometimes. It's a struggle because I don't want to feel this way, but I also have control issues and it's hard to let someone else be in charge.
When reading Brennan Manning's book, The Ragamuffin Gospel, I again saw someone else talking about how we beat ourselves up after failing. How there are times when we feel beat up and burnt out, and struggle to give ourselves the grace that God so freely gives us. Reading his book made me also realize that this way of feeling is not only normal, but okay. It is in these times though, that we need to rely on God and know he has our backs- "[God] loves us as we are, not as we ought to be, because we will never be as we ought to be." - Brennan Manning

Sometimes though I just wonder if that is just how my brain is wired. Like the machines that get overheated and so they turn themselves off- my brain gets overwhelmed and turns off, so I turn to sleeping.

Does anyone else feel this way? If so, you are not alone. You've at least got me on your side. (And if that actually makes things worse, I've very sorry!!!)

xoxoxoxo, KR

PS If you ever feel like this... this is also a good read. 

our disney honeymoon

I can't believe that we not only got to spend an entire week in Disney, but also that it's sadly over. It was so incredible!!!

We managed to go to all 4 parks (and a water park) and then we ended the trip by visiting Universal and Islands of Adventure, because you know....Harry Potter!!!!

 By far, one of the best moments was meeting Chewbacca. Austin had no clue how much of a dork I was when it comes to this lovable wookie. The video he took of me right before we met Chewy is hysterical and he kept playing it all weekend. 

 We stayed at Animal Kingdom and our view was the savannah, where you could see animals out all the time. Our first day some zebras were playing and chasing a gazelle. Waking up and having giraffes outside your window is just absolutely insane. 

 This photo below cracks me up every time I see it. All the dads are laughing and having fun, some kids are freaking out while others are hiding.... and me? I'm screaming bloody murder. I was just as afraid as I look. 

k. robywonkaonbi

Gilmore Girls// list 5

The last list.... 

The wonderful traditions of Gilmore Girls:

Friday night dinners.

The first snow (a BIG deal) and something wonderful always happens for Lorelai.

Rory’s birthday- Lorelai crawls into bed with her at 4:03 and begins her shpeel.

The breakup box. A way to keep things that remind you of loves past so that one day when you are old and gray you can look back on it and remember all those memories.

The winter festival.

The Stars Hollow Picnic Basket Auction.

24 hour dance marathon

Festival of Living Pictures

Firelight Festival

Weekly town meetings

Luke’s dark day

Revolutionary War Reenactment when the first snow occurs

Miss Patty’s Annual Graduates Recital

Troubadour Community

Knit-a-thon (even though it’s not technically a tradition, raising money for the bridge is one)

Spring Fling 

Gilmore Girls// list 4

Best Lines of each Gilmore Girls episode:

Are you ready???

Season 1:

Episode 1: Are you my new daddy?? –Rory

People are particularly dumb today. I can’t talk to any more of them. – Michel

Episode 2: Drug dealers take the bus.”- Emily

Episode 3: I’m sure you could borrow your mother’s golf clubs that are upstairs collecting dust like the rest of her potential.” –Emily

He says he’s your father, but why he’d volunteer that information willingly, I don’t know.”- Michel

Episode 4: “…or Il duce as he is more commonly referred to in your home.” –Max.

Episode 5: I don’t think Claudia is planning on dying a second time. – Emily

She looked like she was sleeping. I thought she was asleep, so I nudged her and she didn't wake. I gave her a push and she fell off the couch, and since I'd just waxed the floor, she went shooting across the room. And then she knocked over the lamp and she still didn't move. I knew it was over. –Babette

Episode 6: Because of the pudding. The pudding!

Episode 12: I want to be the girl. –Sookie

But you are the girl, that’s why we’re having this confusing conversation. – Lorelai

You know the one great thing we all learned from this? I’m a babe. – Lorelai

Episode 15:  Charles Manson is completely freaked out by you right now!- Lorelai

Episode 16: What have you done now? -Richard

Nothing. I’m putting the bunny back with his friends and I sort of, uh, massacred them a little bit, but that’s life in the jungle isn’t it?- Lorelai

Just sit with your hands in your lap. –Richard

Episode 18: I need the hat rack. -Emily

The fish flies at night. – Lorelai

Episode 19: My first complete sentence was big head want dolly .- Lorelai

But let’s be honest- the entire opening conversation is just absolutely amazing!!!

Episode 21:  Look, I’ve made my peace with the fact that everyone that calls here is a notch above brain dead and that the pennies I am thrown each week are in exchange for me dealing with these people in a nonviolent manner. And usually that is fine, but today, sorry lady, I have ennui. - Michel

So you’re sleepy? -Lorelai

It’s a metaphysical angst. - Michel

So you want to go to beddy-bye.  – Lorelai

Season 2:

Episode 1: You should walk down the isle with something that smells really good. –Rory

Pot Roast. – Lorelai

Episode 2: Your head is much too big for a veil. -Emily

Episode 6: The wrong one [lipstick] and I’ll look like a hooker…or teacher. – Libby

Episode 7: If you want to eat outside, find a gazelle. Make up your mind and I’ll be inside. – Emily.

Episode 8: Lorelei would you like me to put a mirror in front of you while you talk? –Emily

There was a phony murder? - Mia

Yea, the town’s too dull for a real one. – Lorelai

Episode 9:  Sookie: Swear. Raise your right hand and say, ‘May Destiny’s Child break up if I count these blueberries.’

Michel: Pick another group.
Sookie: Nope.
Michel: I hate you! Hate you!

Episode 12: How tall are you? – Richard

Why, want to dance? –Dean

No, but thank you. - Richard

Episode 13: I think we should get married. – Jackson

Are you pregnant? –Sookie

Episode 15:  This isn’t about the fascists, who, by the way, had their faults, but their parks were spotless. –Taylor

Episode 16: That’s a pretty color, what is that? -Emily

It’s called vicious trollop. – Lorelai

Oh stop it. Now why would you name a lipstick something like that? -Emily

Because dirty whore was taken? – Lorelai

Episode 17: I four fourths don’t care. –Lorelai

Episode 19: Hey why isn’t Jackson here?- Lorelai

Oh, he’s singing to his persimmons tonight. They’ve been a little sour lately. –Sookie

It’s really fun to say- “hey I know that person. I see him every day and so far, he hasn’t bitten me. – Lorelai about Kirk

Episode 20:  – If we were gazelles, we’d be the first ones eaten at the watering hole. –Rory

Episode 21: Hey, how many margaritas is too many margaritas? Lorelai

When you can’t find the living room anymore. - Rory

Okay- I’m still good!- Lorelai

Episode 22: Oye with the poodles already.

Remember it’s really wrong to gossip, unless it’s true or way too good not to tell everyone you see, whether you know them or not. –Lorelai

Season 3:

Episode 2: I’d like to have a good illness. Something different, impressive. Just once I’d like to be able to say, “Yea I’m not feeling so good, my leg is haunted.” –Lorelai

Episode 5: Come here you have dirt on your forehead. Oh- just kidding, it’s the mark of the devil.- Lorelai

Remember only one or two crackheads at the most over. They eat all the good cereal.- Lorelai

Episode 9:

But he [Kirk the cat] doesn’t have apposable thumbs.- Rory

He’s beyond them. He’s smart. He knows things sometimes before they happen. –Kirk

Get ahold of yourself man. – Lorelai

You haven’t even heard the worst. When the attacks got particularly brutal, I had no choice but to strip naked and hide under water in the bathtub. I read that cats are afraid of water. Kirk isn’t. He found me. He seemed to derive greater power from the water. That’s the when the bulk of the scratching happened. – Kirk

Episode 12: Bad seed of Nixon. – Rory to Paris

Episode 13: It’s from my mother…..it’s heavy. It must be her hopes and dreams for me. – Lorelai

I thought she discarded those years ago. – Rory

Dear Mom and Dad, I’m in labor. See you later, Lorelai. – Emily

Episode 17: Very weird vibe in here. Very Poe. – Lorelai.

Episode 22: We have flying deer? -Luke

Season 4:

Episode 2: Copper Boom. – Lorelai and Rory

Episode 3: My mother’s been here. It smells like guilt and Chanel Number 5.- Lorelai

Episode 13: It’s a complete disaster!!- Emily

My existence? –Lorelai

Episode 15: Why is Kirk talking to his man purse? –Lorelai

Episode 16:

Smell my eggs.- Kirk

Not today Kirk. – Lorelai

Episode 20:

I stop drinking the coffee. I stop doing the standing, and walking and the words into sentence doing. –Lorelai

Every day that you breathe you make my life harder. – Michel

Episode 22:

Tom, I love you like a $2 whore. - Lorelai

Great- I’ll tell the wife. – Tom

Season 5:

Episode 1: Only prostitutes have 2 glasses of wine at lunch. –Richard

Episode 3: No Rory, the great man was not brought down by my vagina. – Paris

Episode 9: Who is this? –Lorelai

This is you in 20 years. WHO IS THIS? – Emily

Episode 10:  Rory Gilmore, you should be ashamed of yourself. Toying with these boys like this. They used to have pride. They use to have dignity. They use to have balls.  Dammit, Gilmore, give them back their balls. –Finn   (the epic scene (and my favorite) where Colin and Logan pretend to fight over Rory and Finn pretends to be a Bobby and breaks up their false fighting while Rory’s in class.

Buttface miscreant. -Rory

Episode 11: If I run into any moderately weighted whores in my travels, I’ll let you know. –Luke

Lorelai, how would you like to play our woman of easy virtue? – Taylor

My girlfriend is the whore!!!! -Kirk

Episode 13: When a woman gives birth to a crack baby you do not buy her a puppy. –Emily

Focus please. -Richard

I am a camera. –Lorelai

Season 6:

Episode 1: Whatever you do, don’t tell the maids [the panic room code]. They tell their kids and then they grow up and rob you. –Emily

Episode 4:

He’s snarky.- Lorelai

And sarcastic.- Sookie

He’s snarcastic. – Lorelai

Episode 5: I bet the Romanovs never RSVPed either. They got theirs. - Paris

Episode 7:  Go find your psychotic dog and I’ll set the table.- Luke

Hey, you can pull link sausages out of me if you want. – Luke (great end of the episode line)

Episode 11:  We leave the tv on, even when we’re not here. Rush Limbaugh, so the neighbors know we have guns. – Paris

I’m am not your mother or your hugger. If you need some love, get a hooker. If you’re having a bad day, find a ledge or a way to deal. – Paris

Episode 14:

What is this feeling? This tightness in the chest, this anger mixed with paralyzing weakness? – Luke

You’ve been Gilmored. – Lorelai  

Episode 19: Which one says “Hi I’m not a whore, enjoy your day.” –Lorelai

58 seats. 62 Koreans. –For Lane’s wedding (Rory and Lorelai and Miss Patty)

Episode 21: Normally I don’t like men’s hair so short. It makes them look like a convict or a masseuse. –Emily

Season 7:

Episode 2: Shut up loinfruit.- Lorelai

Episode 3: Gilmore do you see any of my students falling in love with me? No. And you know why: Because you don’t fall in love with people that make you want to crap your pants. –Paris.

Episode 6: My system is I open the mail once a month. –Lorelai

Episode 7: Mom, I’m pregnant. We waited until after we were married. If you don’t believe us, we have a note from our doctor, which doesn’t prove anything but it does firmly…….- Lane

Hit me, hit me, hit me! It’s my fault!- Zack

Episode 15:

I swear, moths are like the loser butterflies that couldn’t get laid if they tied a $100 bill to their…- TJ

I am kayak, hear me roar. – Lorelai (meaning she is independent)

Episode 16: God knows my mom and I have differences. –Lorelai

Yes, God does know.- Mrs. Kim

Would you be their Lorelai Gilmore?- Lane

Episode 17:  I mean, I’ve got my mom, but she’s not so much a family member as a patrol officer.  – Lane

Episode 21: I have to lean. This woman in front of my keeps rocking back and forth. It’s like sitting behind Ray Charles. - Emily

Gilmore Girls// list 3

Emily Gilmore is awesome.

 Okay, okay yes she can be a bit much (and rude, hateful, and cold) at times, but she also is such a wonderful and pivotal character. She actually makes valid points a lot of the time, but is just overlooked. 

After my friend Kelly and I talked about it one night after some binge watching, I decided that I would watch this entire series looking for times when Emily should have actually been high-fived (or at least given some credit). 

So here it is, the list of times that Emily Gilmore totally nailed it!

Episode 1, Season 1:

Right off the bat- Emily is standing up for Richard against Lorelai. Yes, Emily is very traditional, but man she has a point…. She had no chance to have a relationship with Rory. And Lorelai needs to calm the hell down. “You’re too proud….”- Yup Emily. She is.

Episode 2, Season 1:

Emily makes fun of Lorelai’s outfit. Kind of amazing. Then reminds her to leave her “spurs at home Friday night”. Love it.

Episode 4, Season 1:

Ok, so Emily is joking about knowing Nazis.  Lorelai should really give her more credit!

Episode 7, Season 1:

Okay so it’s Rory’s first dance. When I use to watch this episode I thought that Emily was just a stick in the mud, but the more I watch it being older the more I realize that she’s just protective (maybe a bit too much) but in this episode she has a point- Dean should have come to the door to pick up Rory. Instead he honks (ummm manners!)

Episode 16, Season 1:

He’s not my type. –Lorelai

Why? Because I like him? - Emily

(I think she nailed it.)

Episode 2, Season 2:

Lorelai tried to apologize and explain that it’s hard to tell Emily things and then asks for her opinion on what type of veil to wear when marrying Max. Emily responds with “Your head is too big for a veil” but then gets emotional and tells her that she should wear a tiara, like she did for her wedding day. Is that a tear I feel coming?

Episode 11, Season 2:

When she made a joke…. That was actually funny!

Are you actually sitting there?- Lorelai

No, it’s a hologram, life like isn’t it? –Emily

Episode 13, Season 2:

Emily tells Rory that if he mother said to not hang out with the boy (Jess) then she should listen to her mother. Wow- trusting that Lorelai is making a good mom move…. Let's just not talk about what she says a few minutes later. ha

Episode 21, Season 2:

Emily goes all out to celebrate Lorelai graduating business school. She has a camera crew, a corsage, and even cries when Lorelai walks. Adorable.

Episode 8, Season 3:

The Gilmores go to Yale. Lorelai gets pissed. Emily sticks up for her husband and makes the point….if she goes to Yale, she’d be close to home. Emily knows how applying to colleges works and tries to tell Lorelai, who is so annoyingly stubborn.

Episode 9, Season 3:

She goes out of her way to go to the Independence Inn to convince Lorelai to join for Thanksgiving dinner. So sweet. And then proceeds to tell Lorelai that she will not accept a doctor’s note, but will need the doctor himself to excuse her… LOVE.

Episode 6, Season 4:

Emily hires Sookie and Lorelai’s catering company for Richard’s launch party and then has to cancel because Jason (Digger) changes the plans. She apologizes and says it would have been the best party she ever threw. So she backed Lorelai and was upset for Lorelai. Sweet!

Episode 21, Season 6:

Emily finally tells Lorelai that she and Richard are looking for a house to buy for she and Luke because while Lorelai’s house is cute, it doesn’t have enough room for Luke and his things, or for kids if they want kids. Then Lorelai breaks down and tells Emily they’re not going to get married and Emily actually doesn’t say anything sarcastic or mean. She just puts her hand on Lorelai’s back to comfort her.

Episode 9, Season 7:

Emily plays back the voicemail that Lorelai leaves for she and Richard letting them know she and Chris got married. Then gives her a hard time about it and how she will never delete it, but treasure it forever. “Hi Mom, we’re back from Paris. We got Gigi all settled and uh……. We, uh… yea… Chris and I got married. Ok see you Friday, bye.” 

our wedding// reception

 Our cake was absolutely amazing. My friend, Annette has a cake business and was the one that we asked to make ours for the big day, We picked red velvet and banana pudding ass our flavors. 

The leftover flowers that weren't used for centerpieces and bouquets, Austin's aunts used for the cake. It turned out so amazing.

 Another bouquet that Austin's aunts made for us. They were stunning.

I love how our seating arrangements turned out, We had 10 tables, so I bought 10 gold frames (from the dollar store) and used the same font that I used for our invitations. 

 I wanted to include the family and friends that either couldn't make the wedding or had passed away, but we wanted to still be a part of our day. Austin and I contemplated different ways that this could be done and I came up with a couple. 

1- I had specialized pins made (which I talked about in a previous post) of my dad and his grandpa, My picture pin was on my bouquet, Austin's was on his tie.

2- I had white roses in our bouquets, as boutonnieres, and in our centerpieces (this was one of the last gifts I got from my dad, white roses).

3- Austin gave his grandma a wooden ball that sound "toit" on it. Standing for "when I get round to it", which is a phrase (and similar ball) that his grandpa used to have,

4- The last thing I did was create the above album that had pictures of family and friend in it. I tried to incorporate everyone from the wedding because they had all been a part of our journey together. One of the best parts of making this book, was going through dozens of old photos. 

 The above giant R was our "guestbook". One of Austin's amazing aunts found it at a garage sale and painted it for us to use for guest signatures. 

 (above) This gift was so sweet. My friends in Pensacola made it for us. I can't tell you how much it made me gush. So in love with it. And them.

 I loved having some of my bridemaids' parents are the wedding. They were a part of my growing up and are like second parents to me. It was so special to share this day with them~

 My amazing family. My aunt is one of my all time favorite people. She's a rockstar and I love her.

 We have the most amazing friends and family. Not only are they so much fun to hang out with, but they were so wonderful to us at our wedding. A couple of them even stayed late after the wedding to help us clean up and box things up. I am forever grateful for these amazing people. 

 The speeches were amazing. My girls made me laugh and then cry like a baby. Kim even included my dad and had us toast to his memory. Gah-I want to cry just thinking of it now.

The guys were awesome. They made us laugh our butts off. And they were so sweet and sincere. 

We couldn't have picked better people to surround ourselves with.

 Yes, we had a candy bar. We couldn't get married at a candy factory and not (seriously, they have a candy limit that you have to meet... lol). But sooooo good.

 One of the absolute highlights of the entire night (for all of us) was when Austin surprised me (and most of the guests) and took out his guitar and serenaded me with "Suit and Tie" by Justin and Jay-Z (which is one of my all time favorite songs!!)! It was such an amazing moment. 

 Our first dance was to Vance Joy's Fire and the Flood. Quite a long song, but we had so much fun going back and forth between lovey dovey and funny during this time. 

 Austin dancing with his grandmommy is one of the sweetest moments that I hope never to forget. 

 For our exit, Austin's family got us Auburn shakers. Because yes, we are HUGE Auburn fans.

The table pieces came together so wonderfully. 

I bought music paper from etsy, gold mercury votives from Joanns and Michaels, candlesticks from all over (and even painted some with glitter), found the numbers from Michaels, borrowed vases from my mom's boss and my matron of honor (from her wedding), and of course the flowers were put together by Austin's family. 

To top it all off, my stepdad ordered champagne flutes decorated especially for the wedding as gifts for the guests.

 Everything looked exactly how I hoped it would. 

It was the most amazing and perfect day. The day I married my best friend, while surrounded by family and friends.

xoxox -k.roby