Reflecting on 27... planning for 28.

Today is my 28th birthday.

What a year this has been; I feel like I should be turning 30 instead of 28. When I was getting a massage the other day and talking with Diane (the best masseuse I have ever met) and we were just reflecting on the last year and the journeys we have both been on. When I look back at who I was a year ago and where I am now I see so much growth. I feel so different than I did a year ago. This year has brought me many things emotionally, spiritually, physically, and I honestly feel like my childhood is over and I'm a legit adult now. There's no escaping it or tricking myself into thinking "I'm still young." No, I've moved into this space in my life where I make my own happiness and I'm 100% responsible for all of my choices. I can't blame anyone for anything that happens because I call all the shots now. It's liberating, scary, and wonderful.

I think as you grow up you go through all these stages. First your a child - learning and growing and wanting to be on your own so badly and then you hit those teenage years where everything is new and you get your first taste of freedom. You start making your own decisions and learning from them good or bad depending on what path you choose to take. Then you're in your early twenty's. You turn 21 and you can drink legally and walk into any bar you want. Then you have your own apartment and you start really taking care of yourself by paying for more and more things. You move away from depending on your parents and a few years later you graduate college and you get your first real job. Then things like insurance, cars, and toilet paper have to start being paid for and you struggle. It's that time when you really learn to budget - you learn what it takes to actually LIVE your life. Gradually, you get the hang of things and hopefully you start saving and planning and working even harder. Then you wake up one day and realize that you're actually an adult. You have created your own life and you either love it or hate it. I see so many people wish to be young again, to go back to high school and not have responsibilities but I personally have never felt that way. Instead I'm enjoying every moment of "adulthood." I love being married to my best friend, I love being able to pay my bills and still have money left over. I'm so thankful for the opportunity to move across the country and then back again 3 1/2 years later. I'm thankful that this next year will be one where my dreams really do take off. I feel completely grown and not for one moment do I wish to be "young" again.

If I've learned anything in 28 years it's that life is hard work. Relationships come and go and you learn from each one of them. I'm not the same person I was one year ago and I'm happy about that. I finally put away being angry with my younger self - health wise I finally gave up the excuse that it is anyone else fault and instead I now accept that I am the only one in control of my life. I don't depend on my parents at all anymore... if anything it's now me that can help them when the time arises. It's so strange how roles in life can reverse but I think that is the ultimate sign of growing up. I feel like this big revelation would normally be reserved for the big 30th birthday but I just can't help but feel that this is what it would be like. Instead of looking back and determining things I should have by now or should have done I'm just looking forward at what's next in life. I am happy. This year was a really good year...

Aging isn't as scary as I used to think it was. Some years are better than others and I have to say... 27 was a great one. I will take the lessons I learned and keep them with me forever. I promise to keep working hard and to create the life I've always wanted. God really blessed me by giving me the tools to do this - by bringing the right people into my life. Thankfully I've always had my eyes open and waiting for these things... I trust myself and listen to my gut when it tells me "these people are good for you" "these people are bad for you" etc. Make the right choices, pick the right people to surround yourself with, work hard, and watch your life turn into everything you have ever wanted it to be. Oh and give all the Glory to God. He will continuously bless you and guide you forever. I have no delusions about where my blessing come from. I am nothing without him.

I hope to never stop growing... to never stop learning. I plan on making 28 an even better year filled with firsts and lots of love. It's already the best birthday I have ever had. If I cry this year - it will only be tears of joy.


XOXO

Bettybbite Dreams

Today I ran across this article on Facebook and I couldn't stop laughing. I hate my birthday... I always cry and I'm just not one of those people who send out announcements or do stupid countdown texts the entire month. (Kill me) I was born on the last day of the year (Yes, that means December 31st not January 1st which is in fact the first day of a New Year.) and that just happens to be six days after Christmas; which sucks. If you have a December birthday you know what I mean and you should get a laugh out of  22 Truths people with December birthdays will understand.

Yes, that is also two Lauren Conrad GIF's I have used in less than a month. I've been in a Hills mood lately and God granted me a gift of reality gold when I found out that E! was doing a Heidi & Spencer catch up special called AFTERSHOCK: Heidi & Spencer. Now, I'm really ashamed to admit this but I kinda feel bad for Spencer. I mean he almost got in a fight with a random guy at a fast food restaurant for how he acted on a TV show three years ago AND he gained 50lbs from stress eating pie. Seriously, he loves blueberry pie and I have a soft spot for stress eating Reality TV men. (Rob Kardashian I'm talking about you.) I have no idea if anything they said was the truth but I like them for the first time and the ONLY reason is because Spencer seriously admitted to hating himself and how he acted. Man, I love a good slice of Humble pie served up hot.

However, in more important news one of my artsy fartsy friends has something to share with you today and I am so excited so I'll just let her take over now: Meet Bettybbite Dreams

When I was a little girl I inherited 2 large trunks of jewelry and bobbles from my grandmother, Cubina Mahota Hamm Prater. I would wear them around everywhere and have worn them up into my 20s now, to which vintage has become exceedingly popular. I carried around one of her suitcases full of broken bits and missing earrings from moving out of my parents, through college and out of college. One day I just started stringing them together and thought what could I do with these, and then it hit me: Dreamcatchers

 

 My grandmother has Chickasaw in her blood, her name is Cubina Mahota. So I started making dreamcatchers from the strung beads, brooches and doilies she left me. From there it moved to repurposing necklaces, earrings and collar clips. I started collecting all kinds of antique and vintage things from other antique stores, estate sales and thrifted finds. It started as something to do with her stuff and moved onto giving them out as presents to the family and close friends.    

More people started to take interest in my spin on dreamcatchers, which are created from vintage finds. They would give me family heirlooms and jewelry from their own grandmothers that have been passed down and I would create dreamcatchers for them. I found this to be a great way to display these pieces that would usually just sit in an old jewelry box collecting dust. I add vintage laces and ribbons to them, to give this great delicate fullness feel and I can work in all kinds of different colors and sizes. I have an art and design background so each piece to me is a piece of artwork that I give to someone. Every piece placed on a dreamcatcher is well thought out and the idea that people can add to their own jewels to them really makes you a contributor to the art as well.  

 

I recently started an etsy account as I have started to collect an overabundant amount of supplies the last few months and I really enjoy making something others will cherish forever. Here are a few of the dreamcatchers I hold so dear to me, some are sold, and some are still up for grabs. Check out my Etsy Shop & Follow me on Instagram @bettybbite_dreams for special sales.

Also, starting RIGHT NOW I am offering all of Terri's readers a 20% discount valid until 12/31/2013 on my Etsy site with code: CRAZYTHOUGHS  !
*For custom orders email me at bprater.design@gmail.com
 

How beautiful are those dreamcatchers! I have always loved Bridgets style and she is so freaking crafty I can't even handle it. One time she made a bikini out of bubble wrap and SHOULD have won a bar contest for it. Or maybe she did... I can't remember college was blurry but the point is: The girl has got skills. Fun Fact: She was also with me the night that I met Chad for the first time and she just recently got ENGAGED! Congrats girl, you are going to be a BEAUTIFUL bride!
 
2007

 

2013

 

Umm, I just realized that's over SIX years of friendship... crazy. 

I just can't wait to get my grubby little paws on one of these babies. My husband BETTER be ordering me one for Christmas (Hint number two darling) and you guys should shop small and get a one of a kind gift for a one of a kind person this year! I stalked all her current ones on Etsy and I'm in love with the following:




I don't even like pink and that one is fabulous. I'm thinking a custom rose gold & sparkly white/flesh tone one for me... a big one with crystals. (Hint #3)  Is it too much to want fifteen of these on my walls? I mean you can't ever have too many things catching bad dreams right?

PS. This was the most enjoyable blog post I've written in awhile and I just want to say I'm thankful for all of you that keep up with me and enjoy reading about my crazy life. 

 

Birthday Madness

At the beginning of August my husband decided to kill me with events for his birthday. You see he is unlike any other man I know and gets really excited about his birthdays. Normally, he likes to do a few things but this year we had so many events that just happened to fall during his birthday week that Chad scammed me into all of them.

 

Now, if you know me... I have limits. I like alone time... I like staying in my house all weekend and not seeing a soul. So, mentally prepping for the mass amount of social interaction was pretty intense. Chad didn't really have a great birthday last year so this year I really wanted to make sure he had a blast and I can say without a doubt I think this was his best birthday ever.

 

I'm going to (try) and do a short recap of events: 

 

Thursday (Aug. 1st) we kicked off his birthday week with a Pepper show at the Showbox at the Market. Chad had a gig at Hard Rock that day as well for happy hour so since we were already going to be downtown and Pepper (one of our favorite Reggae bands) was playing right next door we decided to make a night of it. The show was AMAZING. Pepper did not disappoint but the photo booth at the venue did. Our pictures came out wet and blurry - how rude. If you go there save your $4 and give that machine a kick for me.

 

Check out my Instagram to see a kickass video from that night and don't forget to follow me to keep up with all my adventures in real time.

 

We had a little down time that weekend but Chad requested my special Stromboli pizza on Friday night and a dinner date to Outback (his favorite) on Saturday. Sunday we had plans to go to our friend Terras and have a movie marathon in her complexs private theater. I got really excited about this movie event and pretended that Chad was really turning 5 instead of 31. Que the ninja turtle plates, movie candy bar, popcorn, Mexican food, and a jumbo cookie cake.

 

All of which you can see on my Instagram.

 

All of our friends suck because they are all healthy and junk so hardly any cookie cake was eaten and we ended up coming how with 90% of all the candy. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?!

 

Seriously, only the bottom half was eaten. Chad's name was still pretty much intact. Weak people WEAK. Needless to say I made him take it all to work with him so I couldn't eat any.

 

The next night was the BIG event. Chad opened for Long Beach Rehab at Rooney's in Woodinville and a ton of our friends came out. He got to meet Q-Ball from Sublime fame and play with Patrick and ex member of Bad Brains. For Chad... it was getting to play with some of his idols and he was smiling from ear to ear the entire night.

 

 

 

The next day (Aug. 6th) was Chads actual birthday and I took off work so we could spend the day together. We woke up, went to the gym, and then went to Denny's for his FREE Grand Slam breakfast that you get on your Birthday! (Just bring your ID to prove it at any Denny's location)

 

The rest of the day was spent playing video games and watching movies with a Sublime and Iration concert later that night. I kinda sorta punked out on the concert... I just couldn't deal with having to go stand in a field for 4 hours so Chad went with his bestie Jarred and had a great time.

 

His Birthday week was officially over and when it was all said and done I asked him if he had a good one. He point blank said this was the best week of my life so, I'll take that as a nod for wife of the year.

I love you Chad. Every one of your birthdays is the best to me because if you hadn't been born I wouldn't have my soul mate. You are my everything. My world. When your dreams happen mine do too and I'll always be there supporting you. You have a heart of Gold and I feel so lucky that you gave it to me. I cherish you, my sweet sweet Chad.

 

 

 



HBD CHAD KNIGHT

It's my boo thangs birthday today!

 

We are out celebrating but here's some pictures of his cute little face:

 

 

You rock my world.



In the midst of a party

Things are busy over here.

It's day 5 of Chad's birthday celebration and I have to keep this short so I can go sneak his cookie cake into my car so he doesn't see it.

Here's a quick photo... I was panicking he was going to catch me.

 

Now we are off to get a spray tan because you always have to be tan on your birthday.  

 

The Holidays in picture form

So, I didn't get to post anything the last 2 weeks of 2011.

Why you ask? We were traveling, eating, busy, and I was just plain lazy about blogging.

But now I am going to speed through about 3 weeks of fun by showing you pictures, Enjoy:

Before we left to fly home to Mississippi we had our Christmas!

eeek Tiffanys Blue Box!

I didn't force him to write that...swear.

Oh I have longed, waited, and yearned for you K!

Best Christmas Ever!

Then my stocking: full of JUNK.

Funny thing though, we both got each other the same stocking stuffer!

Now that's love.

The Next morning it was time to wake up and go to Mississippi - by way of public transport

On the bus... then the light link...then the planes.

However, before the planes CK had a little run in with TSA

I went through security with no problem, but they thought he had a weapon so he had a full body cavity search done. Just kidding they went through his entire book bag filled with tshirts and cds to find his Capo that they thought was a weapon. No ladies, hes famous didn't you know? That's for his guitar not for killing.

I can see how they were confused it looks like this:

Totally a gun.

CK refused to let me eat on the plane rides either so all I survived on were these little babies for 9 hours:

Delta has the best cookies.

But then we were back and I got to spend lots of time with this pretty face!

I also got to spend time with Amanda... and I didn't even get a picture with her BUT we did hang out and help her with her newest art project:

How cool is this!? Curtains with a cool pattern that she decided to have people color in!

Then my Gran tried to get my fashion up to speed with 2011...

Scarfs around the waist is totally popular right now. Thanks Gran for bringing me up to speed!

We stayed in Jackson, MS for the first few days but then it was time to head down to Laurel to see the rest of our friends and CK's side of our family. This time was filled with Lots of the following:

Morgan my sister-in-law took 700 picture on my phone using CAMWOWs Crazy face maker thing...

Morgan in all her glory

Me as a Cone Head... More to come later in the post

CK helped his mom finish decorating their beautiful tree by putting only his homemade childhood ornaments (the ones with pictures of him) on the entire top of the tree. This sparked the conversation about him being the favorite in the family while Morgan cried helplessly in the corner and his Mom giggling that CK is/was the best child ever. Haha that might have been the funniest conversations I have ever heard in my life.

I was sure he was going to pull a ELF and hop onto the tree at any moment.

We did have to stay in Morgans old room... which is entirely pepto bismal PINK. The sheets, the walls, the pillows... I was in Pink Hell.

I got to see Marley and Matt and Baby Lucas while we were there! I didn't take any pictures with them but I did get CK holding a the baby and it is the sweetest thing I have ever seen. Now I want a child even more haha

So handsome! (Both of them!)

We also ate nothing but junk food and SUGAR the entire week... I felt like crap.

Can't a girl get some broccoli!?

We kissed under the Mistletoe

And then Morgan took more crazy pictures at EVERY family event we attended:

Cousin Maribeth who Loves Justin Bieber... (sorry about that last post girl lol)

Cousin Andrew

MIL & Morgan

My turn

Did I mention that there were Nutcrackers everywhere? My MIL loves them and has about 80 different once all over the house and no telling how man on her trees (yes, trees she has her very own nutcracker tree)

Even on the napkins

Morgan made the coolest Gingerbread house I have ever seen too:

She's a genius even if she isn't the favorite (haha)

We also went to Church several times and took pictures of ourselves

I also got to see my father while home

My Step Mom and him drove down to have Christmas with us one day so that was a lot of fun!

CK also had a CD Release party while we were in Laurel and he got some press from a local news station that did a piece on him - which you can see HERE -

Filming the show

Congrats on the Engagement to our amazing friends Harvey and Nicole!!!

Yay for my girlfriends!

After the show we went back to the MIL's house and had a S'more party!

We didn't even burn the house down this time.

Baby S'more!

We cook s'mores with balance and strength!

And now the rest of Christmas photos that I'm to lazy to put in order:

At Grandmothers house for Christmas

My sweet girls

And the rest of Morgans Crazy photos:

She is never allowed to have my phone again, but these pictures where the Hit of Christmas- everyone was dying out laughing at them.

Going home was great, we were exhausted and ready to get back in our own bed but overall I just can't imagine not going home for Christmas. I think moving away makes it an even better holiday!

Then it was time for NYE and My 25th Birthday... yea I'm old as dirt. Blahhh.

My mom and uncle drove up just in time to celebrate with us (my mom just moved here if you missed that in a previous post) and it was great having them around to try and keep me from crying on my 25th. (I usually always cry on my birthday- I just hate that day... I try to get excited about it every year but I just usually end up crying and wishing for the day to pass. Very sad)

They tried to cheer me up with Cheesecake and presents... smart people.

CK decided he wanted the brownies and Ice Cream.... I told him it wasn't his birthday but he didn't care.

I got this monster Cake-Cheesecake-brownie thing. It was stellar.

I got this as my present from the hubs and It is HUGE and just what I wanted!

Good Job hunny bunny.

We finished the night up with a trip to the casino where they GAVE me $70.00 bucks in cash for being a new member and some other perks.. should have just left right then but we gambled and I lost all $70 Oh well, wasn't ever Really my money right?

Then we went shopping and completed my mission of making my bed the most comfortable and prettiest in the world. Olive is modeling the new down comforter below:

She thinks she owns everything. Skank.

Thanks to my Uncle Eddie for driving with my mom across the country and being with me for like the first time ever for my birthday!

It snowed a little that day too!

Mom under her rainbow!

The holidays (like this blog post) are exhausting but well worth it.

I hope everyone had a great one like we did!