Shiny.

A few reasons to GET EXCITED

1. It's spring (ish). The highs this week have been in the 60s, which makes my heart happy. Seriously... I went to the park this week when it was in the 50s and I saw: hula hoopers, puppies, roller bladers, bikers, puppies, corn hole-players, puppies, babies in strollers, puppies, people with inappropriate displays of affection, puppies, skateboarders, hackey-sackers, and even more puppies. Seriously, Nashville is ready to get out and play!!!
2. Because of the spring-ish weather I have walked to work twice this week. Amazing!!
3. DOWNTOWN NASHVILLE IS GETTING A CHUY'S. No need to say more.
4. Doug has been on a few exciting internship interviews lately. He flew to Atlanta for an interview with Delta (free flight benefits for BOTH of us, holla!) and he's been interviewing with the U.S. Environmental Defense Fund for summer opportunities.
4. I started my own business.
5. Number four still surprises me! But yes, I am now working as a stylist for Stella & Dot. (Which, if you haven't heard of them before, is the most fabulous jewelry EVER!) I hosted my business launch party last night and it was FABULOUS! I had the support of good friends here in Nashville to introduce and launch my business. If you ever need a piece of jewelry for an event or need a great gift for a friend or your mom... I'd love to help you! In fact, for the rest of February, if you comment on this blog what you want to order I'll give you 10% off your entire purchase! www.stelladot.com/stephaniemidkiff
6. I ran a half marathon on Saturday and beat my current fastest time.
7. I still get excited about Stella & Dot. I am the epitome of girly girl!! I'd be lying if I didn't have Doug take my picture in front of my display the morning of my launch...

Happy Heart's Day!

I love Valentine's Day ... it reminds me of all the roller skating parties I would go to when I was little and passing out little Valentines to all my friends. My mom would make these candy bouquets out of shortbread cookies and gummy jujube hearts that I loved! This year, Doug gave me a pair of Ugg slippers/house shoes since I always manage to steal his in the mornings, and he was up at the crack of dawn to start on an extra-special dinner for tonight. All I know is, at one point he was toasting hazlenuts and the apartment smelled amazing. He is wonderful. :) We have lots of updates, I will be posting more soon! Enjoy the day and tell someone you love them. :)

Lastly, to my wonderfully amazing husband, I love you! I can't imagine life without you and I am so blessed to call you mine.

Smile

The Year of Doug (err, the Rabbit)

When I started working at Vandy I signed up for a program where I'm matched with a student who came from a foreign country. It's sort of a friendship exchange program. I was matched with Sophie, who is from Taiwan but did her undergrad at Purdue. I went into it thinking I would teach her all about America but not only is she totally at home here, she's taught me TONS about Asia! She's in a one-year master's of finance program at Owen, sort of like what Doug's doing but sort of not really. Anyway, Sophie is awesome! We had her and her roommate Wei over for dinner one night (I hope I'm spelling your name right!)


Sophie invited me to the annual Chinese New Year's Celebration which was last night on campus. It was awesome! They had an amazing dinner of Chinese food and while we ate they broadcast the New Year's Show, sort of like Rockin New Year's Eve here in NYC. I learned this is the Year of the Rabbit, which is what Doug's mom has called him since he was tiny. (He had more energy than the energizer bunny, still does!) So ... it's the year of Doug. :) Anyway, after dinner came the performances, singers, student films, tiny kiddos doing cultural dances, ballerinas with swords, it was all very entertaining! I have learned tons about the Chinese/Asian culture and have made a new friend too. :)

Doug and I at the New Year's Celebration

Sophie and some of her friends (terrible picture quality, I know!)

The tiny dancers. What could be cuter than little girls dressed as bunny rabbits?

Mid-Afternoon Style Break

Today I discovered that O.P.I. (the experts in nail polish)released a spring line based on Texas!! I love the names of these fabulous colors!

I am really digging Big Hair, Big Nails, Do you think I'm Texy, and San Tan-Tonio!

Lone Star Weekend

Last Friday after worked I hopped a plane to Dallas and was greeted by my wonderful friend Stephanie who I first lived with in Dallas. We both moved from Lubbock to Dallas and were roomies for the first few years. I. Just. Love. Her. She stood beside me on my wedding day - friends don't get any better than that! Steph was just getting off her night shift at the hospital in Plano when she picked me up and we had a 45 minute "speed date" while she drove me to my brother's apartment downtown.

We didn't take any pictures so I am posting this one - this was us having breakfast the morning of the day I got engaged! Anywho, then I stayed with my brother one night and the next morning I got up super early and went for a run down Greenville Avenue. I laughed to myself counting the number of amazing Tex Mex restaurants I ran by in just a 5 mile span... there was a lot. Good Tex Mex is hard to find in Nashville for obvious reasons! Randy and I met up with his girlfriend Janice for breakfast at Cafe Brazil (one of my personal favorite breakfast spots). She is super sweet and it was great meeting her!

Then I hopped back on a Southwest plane this time headed to Midland. I was greeted at the airport by my parents (fresh off their own plane from Hawaii) with a orchid lei straight from Maui. These things seriously smell amazing. The first thing we did when I got in the car was drive straight to Rosa's Cafe (West Texas peeps, you know what I'm talking about! It's the BEST Mexican food!)

It was good being home, which consisted of a lot of good home cooked food, waaay overdue mani/pedis, watching lots of Iron Chef, wine, and playing with Duke, our tiny little chihuahua! Saturday night one of my dearest friends from high school had an couples shower. It was like a mini high school reunion all in itself. I was actually quite suprised at just how many people in our class have moved back to Midland. Anwyay, it was a blast to see everyone and I could not be more thrilled for Amy and Ryan to get married, they've met and started dating junior year of high school! Their wedding will be in San Antonio in March and I'm super excited for another upcoming mini vacay in Texas. I didn't take many pics at the party because there was a photographer snapping tons of shots everywhere, but I did snag Amy for a photo!

Sunday was going to my parents church and again seeing tons of people - mostly my friends' parents which is also fun! Then Amy had a bridal shower that afternoon. Another fun time!

Monday was a little bit of shopping, a dentist appt (courtsey of dear old dad) and lunch with my mom. Then I headed back east - had my plane been ANY later I would have been grounded due to all the crazy weather the nation's been facing. Luckily, my flights were perfectly fine and I even was on the same plane as Ben Stein!! (I resisted making any jokes about winning his money. Although I seriously had to bite my tongue.)

All in all the weekend gets two thumbs up!!

Time for LOVE!

It's February, and that can only mean one thing! (Are you holding your breath?) Time to pull out the "Love Wreath!" This thing only gets pulled out for one month out of the year and the other 11 it sits and takes up waay too much room in our closet (according to Doug, anyway!) But I love it and this colorful wreath makes me so happy! Midland peeps, this is a Miss Cayce's creation! I had a fabulous weekend in Texas, post and pictures coming soon!