Twenty-Five Facts

    I’ve been seeing something on Facebook quite a bit lately where people post a status with a list of things their friends may not know about them. Instead of doing it there, I figured it would be fun to do it here and let you guys get to know me a bit better. The way they do it on Facebook is assign a number to people that like their status. I’ve decided on the number twenty-five, which I think will allow you, my lovely readers, to get to know me pretty well, but still allow that tiny bit of mystery. So, here it goes:

1. My first and middle name together, Pésla Sahiela {Pay-shla Sha-hee-ayla}, means “thick-haired warrior.”

2. I’m the oldest of five children. (That includes me [26], my sister [22], brother [19], and two half-brothers [17 and 11.)

3. I have pretty bad anxiety, which sometimes holds be back from doing things that I want to do. (I may do a separate blog post on that if people are interested)

4. I’m half Puerto Rican (on my Dad’s side), but I don’t speak Spanish.

5. I’m terrified of flying.

6. I’m not a very good swimmer. I do alright under water, but I can’t swim above for some reason.

7. I have the worst buyer’s remorse, so much so that I’ve gotten to the point where I feel it even before I purchase something. Sometimes I will walk around the store with something in my hands and at the last minute put it back, then I usually end up regretting my decision and ordering it off of the website later. Can you imagine how frustrated the Mister gets while shopping with me?

8. I’m a massive Harry Potter, Doctor Who, and Star Trek fan (Picard FTW!!)

9. I get really into vlogs on YouTube, so much so that I start to feel as though I actually know the people and get emotional when good/bad things happen to them (get hurt, have a baby, etc.)

10. I’ve actually wanted to start a blog for a few years, but I was far too nervous to do it. This course has pushed me to finally do it, and I’m absolutely loving it.

11. I love all things beauty and makeup related, and watch a lot of tutorials and reviews on YouTube so I can always be trying new things.

12. I’m a list person. I make lists for everything. My problem is, I almost never follow that list. Silly me.

13. I thought my husband (Chris) was cute when he first came to my school, but was discouraged once he started hanging out with people I didn’t fit in with. I had a friend tell him I thought he was cute once, and he responded with “She’s weird.” It turns out, that was a compliment and my friend relayed the message back to me incorrectly. Chris actually thought I was cute and thought about “chatting me up” in High School, but he had a girlfriend at the time. Now, ten-ish years later, we’re married. = D

14. I can’t cook…Trying to put together a good meal makes me nervous. Chris is the chef in this relationship, but I really would like to learn.

15. My husband truly is my best friend.

16. I secretly (not so secretly anymore) want to become a couponer, but I’m afraid I will take it too far and become a crazy coupon lady.

17. I really don’t like talking on the phone, mainly because it makes me uncomfortable (I’m not a small talk type of person.) Texting was invented for people like me.

18. I’m really bad at small talk. (Another reason I dislike phone conversations.)

19. Within the past few years I have fallen in love with sci-fi literature, my most favorite so far being Ender’s Game.

20. My favorite book of all time is The Rum Diary. ( I have yet to see the movie even though I own it and am a huge Johnny Depp fan.)

21. Movies based on books scare me. I was very surprised by how much I loved the Harry Potter films because I am never happy with film adaptations.

22. I love horror movies. It gives me a type of nervousness and anxiety that gives me a rush and counteracts my normal everyday anxiety. I know that probably seems weird, but oh well.

23. I talk A LOT!! Sometimes I talk so much that I get ahead of myself and can’t complete my sentences fast enough to keep up with what I’m thinking about saying next.

24. When I find something that I really like, I want to do it all the time. I’m hoping that happens with a career.

25. I love reading, but I will put off reading a new book for a long time because I hate when they end and that adventure is over.

 Woo, that was fun!! I hope you enjoyed learning a bit about me.

Stay Tuned for some fun projects withing the next week...I have most of my supplies so I shall be starting some Christmas crafts/gifts. Are you getting excited for Christmas? I'm not really there yet, but I'm hoping some gift crafting will get me in the spirit. 

xo

Mrs. Huyck

A Very Crafty Christmas

    It’s that time of year, loves. The holidays are approaching, which means the stress over what to buy for my loved ones is looming over me.  Every year in the month or so leading up to Christmas, I get way stressed out and my anxiety takes over. I’m such a people pleaser, so I overthink gift-giving a lot. I shall attempt to make it easier on myself this year. First, the husband and I have talked this week about it, and we’ve made a decision to have a set Christmas budget that we absolutely cannot exceed. That alone should hopefully take away some of the stress because we’ll have to plan ahead. Secondly, I have decided that I will attempt to make the majority of the gifts as well, which I think will make our money stretch further.  I feel so crafty, yet I almost never follow through on my projects. That’s about to change…I am fully committing this time, I swear (Ha, like I haven’t said that before.) I’ve been scouring Pinterest for fun ideas for homemade Christmas gifts and have found so many easy ones and a few challenging ones to try.

    So, here’s the plan, guys: I’m going to buy supplies as soon as possible, and attempt to make some fancy DIY gifts. I will post the original tutorial/idea here, as well as my finished product. I’m going to try to get Chris involved in some of the projects too since he got really into it while crafting for our wedding. I hope some of you will present people with some crafty gifts this year as well. I truly believe that it will be more meaningful for everyone than a store-bought gift.

Wish me luck!!! = ]

Xo

Mrs. Huyck

Procrastinating and A Beautiful YouTube Family

    As you guys may know from my Twitter and Facebook, Chris and I had quite a busy October. We had to pack our insane amount of stuff, I had surgery on the 18^th, my birthday on the 24^th, two Halloween parties on the 26^th (We’re so popular...Ahahaha), and moving day on the 30^th. Holy smokes!! Since there was so much to do, and Chris was busy working extra hours, I had to do a lot of moving prep myself. Obviously, that meant I would procrastinate quite a bit and get way too into YouTube videos, both on channels I have watched for years and some new ones. I would like to diverge from our lives for a moment and introduce you to some lovely people I have enjoyed watching while avoiding packing/housework.

    Although they have been on YouTube for about five years, I have only just discovered the Shaytards. The Shaytards are made up of, Shay Butler, Colette Butler, and their five children (they are better known as, ShayCarl, Mommytard, Sontard, Princesstard, Babytard, Rocktard, and the newest addition, Brotard.) They are a beautiful family that has allowed the world to get a peek into their busy life since 2008. I watch a lot of YouTube videos, beauty videos and vlogs mostly, but nothing has really resonated with me the way Shay and his family have. In just twenty minutes or less a day you get to see that the Shaytards are hilarious, sometimes inappropriate, and one of the most loving families you’ve ever seen. I have thought about having child(ren), not any time soon, but eventually, and they have shown me the type of parent I want to be. I think that they are fantastic role models. Shay also co-founded Maker Studios which produces videos for YouTube; he’s a YouTuber, great father and husband, AND a successful business man…Jeez Louise!! I feel as though I can’t even really express in words how amazing these people are, so instead of rambling for pages and making no sense at all, I’m just going to post a video and let you see for yourself. I’m warning you though, you’re going to fall in love and become completely addicted to their videos. You can thank me later.

    This is their most recent video.…Why not start off your Shaytards experience with a Disneyland vlog, right? Enjoy!!

 

    

    Did you love it? Are you hooked? = ] 

    If you’re into them, also check out their other channels: ShayCarl, ShayLoss, iPhoneTard, WhenTheKidsGotoSleep, and MommyTard’s lovely chit-chatty channel, Katilette.

   

xo

Mrs. Huyck

 

Atheist: It's Not a Bad Word

    I know I said I would post about becoming godparents, so here we go. Chris and I aren’t what you would call “god-fearing” people. We don’t attend church and don’t believe in god or any religion. We’re atheists. Now, so many people hear the word ‘atheist’ and just cringe. It’s not a bad word, and it’s certainly not a bad thing to be.

 

  Chris and I were raised much differently when it comes to religion. My mother raised my brother, sister, and I to believe in whatever we felt was right for us. We were all baptized non-denominational, because she wanted us to make our own decision when it came to religion. My father, being a Catholic, didn’t like that too much, but I’m so happy my mother is open-minded enough to stand her ground and do that for us. So, never having really attended church, I didn’t really think about a god very often, and came to my own conclusion early in high school that I was definitely an atheist. This was after attending a church service with a friend and her family one mother’s day, and feeling awfully uncomfortable. I just sat there wanting to scream, “Give me some proof, and I won’t argue anymore!!” It frustrated me more than anything that all of these people were sitting in that church buying all of this stuff that didn’t sound even remotely sane to me. Chris, on the other hand, was raised in church. He would attend many different Christian churches and even attend church camp. He loved it when he was small, but he began to question it all at around the age of thirteen. He realized that a lot of what he had been blindly following didn’t make sense to him. That was his start to becoming an atheist.

   

    Then comes this year, when Chris younger sister approached me about becoming her daughter’s (our niece) godparents. I was struck with fear right away. How could I say no to my beautiful and perfect niece, but I feel so strongly in my stance against religion. What do I do? I had no clue what to say to her, so I said I would talk to Chris about it before we make a decision.

    He didn’t even think twice about it. He immediately said “Yes, I would do anything for that little girl…Anything.” This obviously made me feel like a crappy aunt because I didn’t respond the same way. I went ahead and agreed though. I really would do most anything for my niece, even make myself extremely uncomfortable.

    You’re probably wondering by now if Chris’s sister knew how we felt about religion. She did, one hundred percent. She says that’s the reason she chose us. She wants her daughter to have role models with all different opinions, and she wants us to teach her that there are options outside of religion as well as the many within. This reason is a huge part of why I agreed to go through with it.

    So, I would do anything for that gorgeous little girl, but let’s makes this situation a bit more uncomfortable for me now. The day of the baptism, Chris can’t get off work. Now, I’m in an unknown Lutheran church, full of people I’ve never met, and I think it’s safe to say I’m the only atheist in the place. Then I have to stand up there in front of everyone and repeat words back to the pastor that I completely disagree with. I was terrified to say the least, absolutely terrified. I’m normally an anxious person, but put me in front of a church full of people and make me say things I don’t believe, and I will shake like a leaf. Five minutes up there felt like five hours. But I did it, and I did it for my niece, no one else. I just hope that now that Chris and I are “godparents” or as I like to say “godlessparents,” that we can show our precious Olivia all of her options in life, religious or otherwise, as well as help mold her into a good person. After all, that’s all we really want for our children, nieces, nephews, etc., to grow into good and happy people. Whether that means they are religious or not is completely up to them. I want her to learn from me that you don’t HAVE to be religious or go to church in order to be a good person.

    I hope that this post has enlightened some of you, although the way I rambled, you may just finish and say….”What?!?”  I want more people to understand though what it’s like outside of religion; that it’s not a place full of hate at all. There’s so much love, I don’t need Jesus or The Bible to have and share that love.

xo

Mrs. Huyck

Tweet, Tweet!!

Newly Huyck is on Twitter, guys!!! Go check out the page and follow us. = ]

https://twitter.com/NewlyHuyck

xo
Mrs. Huyck

The Date Night Jar and A Headbanging Good Time

    Let's talk date nights!! I'm pretty sure it's safe to day that every couple plans to have them, but if you're anything like Chris and I, you plan to actually go out on days off together, and then end up lounging on the couch watching comedy specials or whatever ridiculous horror films Netflix has added this month. We're total homebodies. This Date Night Jar is something I came across some time ago on that Siren-like website, Pinterest. Most of the ones I've seen use popsicle sticks, but I like the change in this one with the toothpicks and rolled paper. It makes for a little extra work, but the outcome is absolutely adorable (though I could do without the little hearts, that's just not my style.) The Date Night Jar would be so helpful for us and I think most couples, married or otherwise. It seems as though it would take some of the stress out the equation as well as add some spontaneity to date nights.



    Extra, Extra!!: The Husband and I had our very first date night as an 'old married couple' last night. Earlier in the week, Chris's grandparents, Mema and Papa (The Captain), gifted us with tickets to see the musical We Will Rock You. As huge Queen fans, we were so excited to go, but really had to drag ourselves out because, well, we're lazy. The show was amazing and beautifully done, and we're so grateful for those gifted tickets. First date night: Check. Now we actually have to plan the next one ourselves. Eek!! I suppose it's time for me to get crafting and make us our very own Date Night Jar, and hopefully some of you will do the same. I considered posting a clip of the musical that I found on YouTube, but I wouldn't want to ruin the excitement for anyone who may want to go see it (Unfortunately, if you're in the Utica area, it only played here this weekend.) If you're interested though, here's where you can find tickets for other locations:  http://www.wewillrockyou.com/site/tickets )

If you have any fun date night ideas for us, leave a comment and we can add it to the list I've started, Please and Thank You. = ]   

xo
Mrs. Huyck

Newly Huyck is on Facebook!!

     We have a Facebook page now. I kind of feel like that makes me a real blogger. I promise not to get a big head over this...Maybe. Go check it out and feel free to "Like" it if you want, no pressure. I've also posted about something that you didn't know about me, and that can be a very touchy subject. I ask you to please go into the subject with no judgement and feel free to ask me any questions. I do plan on writing a blog post about it in the future to elaborate. I will also have some wedding photos on the Facebook page for you to flip through. I don't hate compliments. ; )

https://www.facebook.com/NewlyHuyck

The Knot: Calming Nerves and Preventing "Bridezillas"

    When I started planning the wedding, I knew right away that I didn’t want a wedding planner. Not only would that save money, but I had to face the fact that I am an anxiety-filled control freak. I could see myself having a “bridezilla” moment already, although lucky for me, it wouldn’t be televised. Since I wanted to save my money, my sanity, and  my pride, I figured I would use the internet as my wedding planner. 

    Not long before the husband and I got engaged, I had discovered TheKnot.com via StumbleUpon. So, when the time came to start planning, I remembered that gem of a website and got straight to work making it my main wedding resource.

    

     The Knot is fantastic. It’s organized and has all of the resources a bride-to-be could need to plan that perfect day. The two I took most advantage of were the checklist and wedding website. The checklist breaks down all of the things that need to be done before the day, on the day, and after the day, even down to the smallest details. It really helped me stay organized, and that’s saying something (my idea of organized is a pile of papers and notebooks full of lists that never get completed….organized chaos.) Not only is the checklist customizable, but it can also be accessed from your smart phone. As you tick off to-dos it shows on a counter at the top of the page how many tasks have been completed, how many you have left, and how many are overdue. I would highly recommend this checklist and corresponding app to anyone planning a wedding. It will save many a hair from being pulled from that beautiful head of yours.

    

     Now, I know that wedding websites aren’t really news to anyone at this point, but it was an extremely useful tool for us. There’s so much etiquette in wedding planning, and I am far from a debutante. What do I know about etiquette? Zilch. The website helped me avoid those wedding faux pas (putting registry information on shower or wedding invites) as well as allowing me to put directions to the venue, room reservation information, blurbs about the bridal party, and my favorite, the story of our engagement. I put the website on the bridal shower and wedding invites so that our guests could access all of our information in one convenient location.

    

      The Knot isn’t only The Knot either. Just a few days ago I received an email congratulating me on getting married and inviting me to one of their sister sites, The Nest. I didn’t think it could get any better, but The Nest is just as informative and fun-filled as The Knot, with financial advice, sex tips, recipes (Chris is most excited about that section…I’m no cook…I sure can make a mean sandwich though,) and even a “Pre-Baby Bucket List.” Thanks to The Nest, I am no longer having The Knot withdrawals. It’s everything you would ever need to know for after the nuptials.

     

    Just when you think, “Whoa, two sister sites that want to help me make my wedding planning and post-nuptial life easier, there’s no way it can get any better.” Well, that’s where you’re wrong, my dears. They have another sister site for when that baby-making time comes. It’s called The Bump, and yes, I’ve been on it enough already to know how absolutely perfect it is. Although that time isn’t now for Chris and me, I know that when it is, The Bump will be my home base for baby information. It’s got a guide for everything: trying to conceive, maintaining your health, deciding whether or not to breastfeed, and choosing baby names that aren’t fruits or a directional point on a compass. Yeah, I’m talking about you Kanye.

     

    I’ve been loyal to these sites, and they certainly deserve recognition and praise. If it weren’t for The Knot, our wedding would not have turned out the way it did. I wouldn’t have been calm enough to plan anything. You’re Welcome, in advance. I know you’re going to love it, and your nerves will thank you.

   

http://www.theknot.com/ 

http://www.thenest.com/

http://www.thebump.com/

 xo

Mrs. Huyck