the bright side to long distance

I think its safe to say that its not secret around here that I'm in a long distance relationship. But if you're new (welcome) or if you've been living under a rock or something: I'm in a long distance relationship. Sometimes it really sucks and I complain about it. I mean, who wouldn't, right? But in the spirit of staying positive I want to share with you some reasons that long distance relationships don't suck.

you appreciate each other a little more. I'm not saying that if you're together all the time you don't appreciate each other, don't get me wrong. But being away from each other eight months out of the year makes you realize how much someone means to you. It makes you cherish your time together and not take the little things for granted. Being in a long distance relationship ended up building such a strong foundation for my relationship with Handsome.

it keeps things interesting, exciting, and fun. Living away from your significant other means you get to travel a lot. Traveling is fun. I got to go all the way to Europe to visit my sexy hunk of a manfriend. And now I'm in Montana where its snowy and cold and you can't go outside without your nipples waking up to say hello. Even better, when you're together you always get to do something fun. When you're only together a few months a year you don't spend your time together sitting around doing nothing. Well, Handsome and I do but I feel like most people do fun stuff. We might go snowboarding tomorrow so that'll be interesting. Lastly, you have to be creative. Its hard to show someone you love them when you never see them, so you have to think of creative ways to express your love!

i don't have to shave my legs. Self explanatory.

the anticipation. Every time we say goodbye, I immediately start a countdown until the next time I'll see him again. Sometimes that sucks (when the countdown is at like 60 days) but once it gets close, it's so exciting to see that number start going down. We always have something to look forward to. Then, when that beautiful day is finally here, we have the sweetest reunions. I love airports. I love walking off the place and freaking out hoping I look okay. I love the butterflies I get in my stomach. I love turning the corner and seeing his handsome smiling face for the first time in months. I love the way kissing him for the first time in months feels. The thought of it makes me so excited to come back already again! Airports can also be the devil though because that's also where we say our goodbyes. Which I'm not looking forward to on Monday. But hey Brianna THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A POSITIVE POST. Sorry.

we get "me time." Some people that see their boyfriend every day only see their boyfriend every day. They neglect time with their friends, and they neglect time to focus on themselves. I am 100% totally completely one of those people. And I'm okay with that. But I know that I need to focus on school and myself, so sometimes its good I don't see him every day. I would literally skip class every day if he was here. Yolo.

Well, there you have it. Being away from the one you love sucks but sometimes its not that bad.

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planning a wedding long distance [a guest post]

Well, it's no secret around here that I am in a long distance relationship. We're going to get married shortly after I graduate, so most of our wedding planning will be long distance as well. 
Today I have a guest post from a woman named Monica. Monica Nolan, a Texan at heart, has recently moved up north to conquer the big apple. With a passion for writing and all things that pertain to love, she has become a relationship and wedding expert. She has some great advice today for planning a wedding while enduring a long distance engagement!

A long distance relationship is not an easy situation for a serious couple. When this long distance relationship turns into a long distance engagement, the challenges are even more evident.  However, be reassured that the planning process is indeed doable. There are several steps you can take to ensure that your wedding will turn out just the way you want it to, no matter the miles that separate the two of you.

Choose the location

Choosing the location is one of the most important parts when planning a wedding, especially with a couple divided between two different areas. You must first decide if it will be more beneficial to choose a neutral location or to have the wedding in your area or his area. Consider the costs associated with the locations (for instance, getting married in Maine is a lot less expensive than NYC), the mobility of those key guests that have to attend, and whether one locale experiences warmer weather than the other.

If you settle on an area that neither of you live in, this will require some traveling efforts to check out the lay of the land, as it is crucial to get to know specifics of the destination. Once decided, the guest list and budget become the next important determining factors when choosing a venue. With your fiancé, determine how large you would like your wedding to be and then find a venue that can accommodate your guests and your budget.

Get a Wedding Planner

If you have chosen a location that neither of you live in, it would be extremely beneficial to hire a wedding planner, especially one that is familiar with your chosen point. You want to choose someone who understands your vision for your wedding, your style and everything in between. Connecting to this person on a personal level will help for the two of you to work together towards the same goal; an amazing wedding. Thumbtack.com is a website that allows you to search for wedding planners in any area and also compare quotes between those wedding planners, letting you get the best deal.

Bridal Party Apparel

Choosing the bridal party apparel can be tricky if everyone is not located in the same area and can go to the same store. It might be best to choose a bridesmaid dress from a chain store, like David’s Bridal, so no matter where each person is located they can go in and get the dress you chose. Another option is to give your bridal party several colors they can choose from and allow them to find a dress that matches the criteria; mail them swatches of fabric, as simply telling your favorite ladies “light pink” might result in a rainbow of different interpretations.

Choose Travel Days

It is important to make at least two trips together to visit the location of your wedding and the wedding venue. The first trip should be made right in the beginning of the planning process so you can be sure that you are choosing the best venue for your wedding. The second trip should be made two or three months before your wedding to finalize plans with vendors and photographers. It is important to make sure you are able to meet with everyone you need to before you make the trip.

Utilize Technology

You most likely use options like Skype to keep your passion alive despite the distance, and you can definitely do the same with wedding planning. Dropbox will allow for the two of you to share large amounts of files free from hassle, and start a Google Doc that you two can continually build upon together for brainstorming ideas. Therefore, you two won’t have to wade through dozens (or hundreds) of wedding-related emails, or spend your precious time on the phone together talking solely about species of flowers.

Balance Decisions

A marriage is about compromise and trust and, when you’re planning your engagement across great distances, the wedding involves much of the same. If one of you is fifteen minutes from the caterer and the other is thousands of miles, it may make your life easier if one person simply has faith that their partner will make the right decision. However, it is important if the person that is far away from the location gets some say on the matter, especially so one person doesn’t feel overburdened while the other feels like they’re being left out of the loop; items that can be picked out remotely include invitations, the DJ and, perhaps with a little bit of assistance “on the ground,” the flowers, centerpieces and color palette.

Planning a wedding for a long distance couple requires a different kind of effort compared to couples located in the same area. However, with a little bit of patience and a lot of communication, your dream nuptials are entirely possible!  

positively positive

Why do I always get randomly inspired late at night when I really need to be sleeping? Not good when I have to be in class in the morning. I also told myself I need to wake up early tomorrow and run before class. We'll see if that actually happens.
I wanted to talk about something that's been very important in my life lately. Positivity.

Staying positive is something that I struggle with sometimes. I mean generally, I'm a positive and happy person. But being in a long distance relationship, sometimes its hard to be positive. Not that I doubt my relationship- I completely 2000% know that being in a long distance relationship will be worth it once I'm with Handsome forever. But sometimes its so hard to embrace suck and see past these tough times without sulking.
Sometimes I let the negative thoughts flood my head.  Why does he have to be so far away? Why can't I just leave school and be with him? How am I supposed to get through these next few months without him? I feel sorry for myself, and I wish that Handsome and I were together.
I think about the amazing times we share and while it fills my heart with complete and utter happiness, it makes me sad because I want it every single day. Some days, I focus on the fact that I'll get to see him again in [47] days. But other times, I miss him so much and it hurts so bad. I want him here with me while I'm doing everything, and I want to be there with him for everything too. All I can focus on is the fact that he is there and I am here. 
I'm officially done with that, though. I'm focusing on the good. How can I be sad when I get to share my life with the most amazing man I've ever met? Sure, we're apart now, but soon I'll be spending my forever with him. Why dwell on the fact that I'm not with him when I should be counting my blessings and appreciating my fairy tale relationship- one better than I always have dreamed of? How can I resent the fact that were apart when it has been an essential part of making our relationship so strong? Although it can be rough at times, and I miss him more than anything in the world, being in a long distance relationship has made us so incredibly strong. We don't take the small things for granted. We appreciate each other, and our time together, so much more. Of course the goodbyes are so unbelievably hard (we end up sitting in the airport crying for like 45 minutes each time), the hellos are always that much sweeter.

So, for the past few days, I've been focusing on the good, and I feel great. Partly because I'm proud of myself for not drowning in my own sadness, and mostly because thinking positively = being happy.

When I feel down, the one thing that makes me feel better is talking about it. When I'm sad, I tell him, and he makes me feel a million times better. Sometimes all it takes is for him to tell me everything is going to be okay, and sometimes I need more than that. But either way, when I express how I feel, its a million times easier to get through it. 

People always say you shouldn't keep things that are bothering you bottled up. Handsome and I are very fortunate, for our relationship has been so easy and fun. We understand each other and appreciate each other. But if there's ever something that bothers me, I always tell him. Right away. I was afraid at first- I didn't want to burden him with my problems and insecurities. But when I have something weighing on my heart, and I tell him, it literally feels like that weight has been lifted. I don't know how to explain that overwhelming feeling of comfort I get when I talk to him, but it amazes me. He amazes me.

So here's to being positive and finding that special someone that can make you feel better with even just a smile!

Who is that someone for you?

handsome's care package

Handsome got his house in Montana today! He's been staying in a hotel for over a week now (almost 2) and I'm so glad he has his house and doesn't have to spend a bunch of money for lodging and stuff anymore. So, as a little 'congrats on the new place' present, I'm sending him a package! I wanted to share what I'm sending (He doesn't have wifi yet so I'm planning on him not seeing this...) It's nothing big or special at all, but it's just a little something so he knows I'm thinking about him! :) First, I got him a long sleeve shirt from Sears, because I know as soon as it gets cold there he's going to be miserable. He definitely doesn't have enough long sleeve shirts!

And then I got a tiny journal from Target. 

I split it into four categories: 

Why I fell in love with you

you were sweet, you had an amazing sense of humor, you had so many incredible stories

Reasons I love you now

you treat me like a princess, you make me happy when I'm sad, you support me no matter what

Some of my favorite memories

our trip to Germany, California

What I look forward to most

marrying you, starting a family with you, waking up to you every day

So I just filled each section with little things that fit into each category! The little notebook really needed more pages. I could've written forever :)

Then, of course, something for his sweet tooth!

So there it is! Simple, but meaningful. I love sending him packages and its SO much easier now that he's back from Germany! I get to visit him in 51 days! I can't wait :)

Oh, also, I mentioned in this post that I'm a bad driver. Well, turns out I'm even worse at parking than I am at driving...cool.

I suck. 

saying goodbye.

Saying goodbye sucks. Handsome left today. He picked me up and dropped me off at the shuttle so I could go back to school and he could head to Montana. We may or may not have sat in the car for like 30 minutes just crying. I tried so hard to hold it together! But we both knew that wasn't going to happen.
I'm happy for him though. He gets to embark on this new adventure- starting over somewhere completely new is pretty scary, but I know he's going to love it there. He's stopping by the Grand Canyon on his way and staying in Salt Lake City tonight before he makes it to Montana tomorrow. I'm so jealous! I wish I could be there making the drive with him. I can't wait to go visit him this December. I have my countdown started already :)
I hate having to say goodbye to him, but I know that someday we'll never have to say goodbye again. I had an amazing month with him, and its the times like this that we get to spend together that make all of the waiting worth it.
I'm so thankful for him and the time I get to spend with him. He's such a gentleman and he's way too good to me! I'm so lucky.
Speaking of being thankful... Don't forget to get your posts ready for the next Ten Favorite Things link up on November 2! This month's topic is ten things you're thankful for. See you there!!!

keeping busy.

People always ask me how I do it. How do I handle being away from my handsome man for months at a time. So many of you go through this as well, and I'm sure you know we all have our little tips, tricks, and methods of staying sane when our loved ones are away. I already did a post here on some tips for keeping a long-distance relationship strong. But this is different. That post was more about what to do as a couple. This is how to cope when you're alone.

Sometime, the loneliness and the longing to be with my handsome man is overwhelming. It's hard when there's nothing you can do. There have been so many times I wish I could just drop out of school and go live with him. But needless to say, that's not an option. I hate that we can't be together, but at the same time, I'm so proud of him for everything he does. He's so good about doing everything he can to make it easier on me. But sometimes, when I'm just sitting around, it's so hard to not just think about how much I miss him- and it hurts. Isn't he sweet?! I love him. So anyway, I try to stay busy.  Right when I came home from Germany (read about my trip here), I knew that it would be really hard. I went from spending every day for two months with him to not seeing him at all. So like the day after I came home, I went to Michael's (my favorite store on earth) and bought scrapbook materials. I LOVE scrapbooking, and so I thought it would be a fun way to display my trip!  I just used pictures and items that I collected throughout the trip and made it super cute :) I also put some of these in there. Before I was in Germany, I ordered these "I love you because..." notes from Paper Doll Printing. Aren't they the cutest?! So every day while I was in Germany, I wrote him a note- a reason I loved him- and stuck it somewhere in his house so he would find one every day :) They made him so happy, and he asked me to put a few in the scrapbook! He's so cute. So I've done about six pages in that scrapbook, and he wants to help me with the rest so we'll finish it when he comes home! (Hopefully soon- we still don't know) You can see the other scrapbook I'm making here. I also just started watching Army Wives. I'm addicted! I think I cried like 6 times in the first three episodes. Its a little dramatic and overwhelming, but I definitely think everyone should watch it :)

I can already tell this is going to be one of those shows that I lay in bed and watch all 7 seasons in like a week. Oh well :)

I also love to craft. You can check out the painted and distressed mason jars I love making, as well as LDR coffee mugs here.

School also helps keep me busy. I'm taking 18 credits this semester and it's a lot of work.

 

And it's only the first week. You can read about how my first week went here!

 A little wine never hurt, either. I LOVE this Barefoot Moscato. MMM:)

I also really love to cook. This is a green chile omelet with rosemary potatoes! It was so yummy :)

Cooking, crafting, school, working out, or whatever it is- I just try to stay busy. These past few weeks have been the hardest, especially because I don't know when he's coming home. It'll be in the next couple weeks for sure, so it might seem crazy that I'm so upset, but it doesn't feel real. Not having a set, for-sure date makes it seem like it's not going to happen.

But, I'm trying my best to keep my head up and stay strong- for both of us. I know it kills him that he can't make it easier on me, and sometimes I wish I could be stronger.

I know so many of you are going through the same thing, so does anyone have any suggestions? What do you do to keep your mind off of missing your loved ones?

[Linked Here]

first week of school!

My first week of school is finally over! Thank goodness. I only have class on Tuesday and Thursday, which is seriously so nice!

 This is what I saw while I was sitting in my Spanish class early Tuesday morning. Can you tell I really love pink?!

When I got into class at about 7:45 am Tuesday morning, I was the first one there. Kids started coming in (the class started at 8) and we were all just chit-chatting until the professor showed up. The guy sitting next to me was a little older which isn't too uncommon in a big university. He was asking if this was Spanish 330 (yes) and if we thought the class would be difficult (hopefully not). Anyway, so were all sitting here talking about the class and how much we hate speaking Spanish, and the guy next to me stands up and says, "Hola clase! Soy su profesor. Bienvenido al español 330.." Hi class, I'm your professor welcome to Spanish 330.  Cool. He tricked us and I ended up telling my professor how much I hate speaking Spanish. Solid way to start off the semester! Haha. He ended up being pretty cool though and the class seems easy. Which is good :)

I live in an apartment about a mile and a half from campus. They have a shuttle that goes to and from campus and the university because parking at school is crazy expensive. So Monday I had to go on campus to turn in some paperwork and I was waiting for the shuttle after. 2:00...no shuttle. 2:30...still no shuttle. 3:00 where the hell is the shuttle?! I met up with my roommates and we called the apartment to find out that it had broken down. Awesome. Thanks for the heads up. Luckily, my uncle was in town so he gave us a ride home! There's no way we could've walked in the 120 degree weather!

I got home and I was so exhausted so I had a yummy iced coffee in a mason jar :) Mmm!

Tuesday, the Kindness Club had a table on the mall (our big grassy area) and I had to sit outside for like two hours. It was SO hot. And I got a sweet farmer's tan. On one arm. Cool.

Can you tell its been a good week?!

Tuesday afternoon the shuttle didn't come AGAIN. It was about an hour late. Double awesome.

On top of allll of that, my handsome man still hasn't gotten his orders. Hopefully he'll get them Tuesday and he'll be home in a couple of weeks. It's so frustrating because they've been saying "Oh you'll get them Wednesday" and on Wednesday..."Oh tomorrow for sure" Now it's Friday and no orders. It's so hard to stay positive and realize he's coming home so soon when there's no date and no certainty. 

Sorry that this is such a negative post, it's been a crazy hellish week. On the bright side, Pretty Little Liars was SO INTENSE. That was the highlight of my week for sure.

Isn't he cute?! I make him watch so many girly shows with me...poor guy! He's such a trooper

Anyway, I'm just trying to take things day by day and each night I go to bed thankful for what I have and thankful that I'm one day closer to being in my handsome man's arms. 

I hope everyone's week went well! Enjoy the weekend :)

quick crafts

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a great Saturday :) I can't believe tomorrow is my last day of summer! It flies by so fast! I just wanted to share a couple super quick things I'm really excited about!

Painted and distressed mason jars! I'm so in love with these! You can use them for literally anything! Flowers, pencils, make-up brushes, whatever! They're so easy too. You can buy them at my etsy shop. These ones here I'm about to ship out. It's hard to see the colors in the picture but they're mint and coral and they're so adorable! :) I made a couple extra for myself!!

I went on a Michaels run, and I found these plain mugs. 

I've always seen cute ideas on Pinterest about writing on a mug in Sharpie and then putting it in the oven. So I wanted to give it a try :)

 So I drew Montana and Arizona, with little hearts where our cities are and our initials in them.

(Yes, my handsome man is in Germany right now but he's going to live in Montana soon)

And the saying, "Distance means so little when someone means so much" On the other side.

I can't wait to give it to him :) I'm going to make him a 'Welcome Home' basket when he comes and I'll be putting this in there!! 

[See this post on]

long-distance lovin'

So by now you know that my handsome man and I are in a long distance relationship. You can read our story here. He is in the Air Force and currently lives in Germany (boo!) . I recently visited him and it was the most amazing two months of my life! He's the best thing that has ever happened to me and I love every single thing about him! I just wish he was closer. It's hard on both of us being apart, but it also has made our relationship very strong and very special. We're getting pretty good at this long distance thing, and so I wanted to share a few tips!

But first another picture of my honey because I just can't get enough of him!

mmm! :)

Alright so first of all, there are a few benefits to a long distance relationship.

• You don't take anything for granted. I believe that when you are with someone you care about every single day, you forget to appreciate the small things. Whenever my handsome man is away, I miss the small things the most. Holding hands, kisses, going out to dinner, cuddling on the couch watching TV, falling asleep together, cooking together...all that good stuff! It's always the things that we don't think twice about when we're together that I end up really missing. So I've learned to appreciate them much more when we do get to spend time together. I am thankful for every kiss. I never get bored just being in his arms on the couch. I hold his hand whenever I can! Being apart sometimes is a good way to not take each other for granted. If you are with your loved on every day, make sure you do your own thing sometimes too! It helps.
• "The longer the wait the sweeter the kiss." We love this saying. It couldn't be more true! Being apart builds up so much anticipation. We talk about kissing and being together all the time, and when we finally are, it's always far beyond our expectations! That first kiss after being apart for months is probably the most amazing feeling in the world. The first moment that I am finally in Dj's arms makes every hard second of waiting 100% worth it!

[Note: Check here for a super cute "The longer the wait the sweeter the kiss" shirt and many other military-related clothing!]

Now for some tips.

• Skype often. Even when I've had the hardest of days, being able to Skype my honey and see his handsome face really makes everything better. We text all the time and he calls me often, but nothing really compares to being able to look at each other while we talk. It's the closest thing to being together, and it definitely makes being apart much, much easier!
• Still do things "together". A fun way to connect with your long distance lover is to still do things together. See the same movie, read the same book, play the same games. That way you can talk about it and still share the experience. My love and I are currently watching the TV series Prison Break together right now! It's so good! We're on Season 4 (the last season) and I don't know what I'm going to do when it ends! We're thinking about watching Breaking Bad next, I've heard its great! Any suggestions? :)
• Send things to each other. There's nothing more exciting than getting something special in the mail! Whether its for a special occasion or just because, I think it is important to send your special someone something they can physically have from you. My handsome man has sent me care packages, a 20 pounds stuff animal (crazy!), flowers, and all kinds of goodies. My birthday was a few days ago and here's what I got!

Aren't they beautiful?! And the note was so sweet! He makes my heart melt ♥

• Always remind them. Remind them how much you love them. How much you miss them. How much they mean to you. Dj constantly tells me all of this, and it definitely helps. Sometimes when you're away from your loved one it can be hard to feel their love across the distance! It's definitely an adjustment going from showing someone how much you love them to only really being able to tell them. So never let them forget it!
• Use Couple. There's a great free app out there called Couple. Dj and I use that since we can't text (he's in a different country). Couple allows you to text, send voice messages, pictures, videos, drawings, and all kinds of great stuff! You can even enter important dates and it'll remind you when they're coming up (so he won't forget your anniversary!) My favorite part is the "thumbkiss." You and your partner both enter the thumbkiss and wherever you touch the screen, your thumbprint shows up. When you align your print with your partner's, the app vibrates, and you've just thumbkissed! Some of you might think it all sounds so cheesy, but I love cheesy! Here's the promo video for the app:

Basically, when you're so far away from your significant other, the best way to handle it is to do everything you would do together, just differently. Still talk about the same things, give each other gifts, show him how much you love him, do activities together, and all that fun stuff! Keep yourself busy. I've been crafting a lot to help keep my mind off of missing my handsome man. And most importantly think positive. Dwelling on the bad and the fact that your apart can only make things worse, so try to focus on the positive! Plan activities for when you are together and think forward. It really makes a difference!

If anyone has other advice, feel free to comment below! To everyone that's missing someone tonight, remember that you're a day closer to being together, and remember that you're not alone!