SHOW US YOUR LIFE: WEDDING FLOWERS AND WEDDING PARTY

SHOW US YOUR LIFE Friday! Today over at Kelly's Korner is show your wedding party and wedding flowers! I am so excited because I love, love, loved my flowers! They were exactly what I wanted! Each bridesmaid carried a bouquet of roses that were all one color but each bouquet was a different color. I carried all the colors plus white. This was inspired by the arrangement that my dad send my mom the day I was born!The arrangement was roses that were all different colors. Mom says it was the most beautiful arrangement she'd ever seen ( I don't really remember seeing as I was only a day old!). On my 21st birthday my parents sent me 21 roses that were all different colors. Which got us talking about the day I was born! My dad was telling the story of the flowers from when I was born and my mom chimed in with "He had to get them all different colors because it as Saturday and none of the florists had 12 of one color!" Then my dad, a little taken back by her statement, said "Actually I ordered them that way!" So I knew that I wanted all different color roses for my wedding!
I chose black dresses for the bridesmaids because we have red carpet in the church and all the colors I wanted would have clashed very badly! I don't have any photos of us all together dressed! My sister was my maid of honor. Two of my bridesmaids were my roommates from Alabama. The 4th was my sister-in-law. One of my bridesmaids got married in July of 2008 so we chose a simple black dress for the bridesmaids so that we could wear them again in her wedding. It worked wonderfully. She bought a green sash and had them monogrammed for us to wear in her wedding so the dresses looked a lot different!
I wish I had more photos on my computer from the big day but I don't :(!
I wanted a "timeless" looking wedding. I didn't want to look back in 20 years and be able to tell that we got married in 2008! I think with the black and roses it really gave the whole wedding the "timeless" feel I was going for!
Thanks for stopping by!

Back to School...

As I walked from my car to my first college course in almost 2 years I couldn't help but be excited! I love that feeling of not knowing what to expect as you walk in to meet the teacher! I am currently taking a photography class at Samford University and so far I love it. I missed the first class last week do to a faulty planner...okay it's probably not fair to blame the planner when I didn't consult it to double check the day the class was on! Anyway, last night was my first class and I don't think I missed much last week and I knew exactly where to pick up! We were supposed to bring in photos that we had taken and of course the jump drive I used didn't work in class. I was sad that I didn't get to share my images. I think I am going to get a lot out of this! Photography started as a hobby but as I learn more I just want to do it all day, everyday. If anyone need some photos taken let me know I am always looking for new subjects to shoot! (My nieces and nephews are cute but I think they are getting tired of me!)

And the Winner is...

Ed Swiderski

I have to say that I am a little bit surprised! I really thought she would pick Kyptin. (Except for the fact that I read the spoiler and knew she picked Ed!) I just thought she and Kyptin were right on the same path in life. I thought they were more suited to each other! I think what sealed the deal for Mr. Ed was the fact that daddy obviously loved, loved, loved him! Which daddy knows best I suppose! I felt so sorry for Reid! I loved Reid but it was painful to watch him propose. I am excited to watch yet another installment with Kyptin as the Bachelor! I don't' know why I am so addicted to this show!!!

What did yall think of her choice?

Birthday Bucket List: Year 24

This is my Birthday Bucket List. These are the things I wish to accomplish before I turn 25!

• Lose weight! I would like to lose 20 pounds through diet an exercise. I want to really stick to the plan I know works for me!
• Find a hobby!
• Organize our basement. (It's probably going to take me all year to tackle this task!)
• Be a better wife! By listening, being less selfish, and not nagging!
• Find my purpose in life!

These are my "birthday resolutions"!

Happy Birthday to Me!!!

Today is my 24th birthday. I can't believe that I am 24 years old. It was been a special weekend spent with my family. Friday night my mom and sister came over the watch The Curious case of Benjamin Button. My sister and I had already seen it but my mom had not. We enjoyed watching it again and just spending time together.

Saturday we got up early and went shopping. It was a short shopping trip but we had a blast.

Sunday was church and my parents cooked lunch for my birthday! We had Parmesan chicken, green beans, lima beans, broccoli casserole, coleslaw (my favorites) and bean salad for my little brother that came home from college to spend the weekend with us. Notably absent was my husband! I was very upset. I got up and went to church and woke him up before I left so he could get ready to come to lunch. He never showed up. When I got home he was still asleep. I know that it is hard to work nights, and it's hard to be on a completely different schedule but sometimes you just have to put forth a little effort to do things you might not want to do but you know you need to do. Anyways, this should have been something he wanted to do. As a sat there with Ally and my homemade dirt cake, that Drew and Ava helped mom make, with my family singing Happy Birthday to me I couldn't help but have big tears in my eyes because I wanted Patrick to be there. I was so hurt. I just felt broken.

I am also working on another post for today. I have decided that instead of making "New Years Resolutions" I am going to make birthday resolutions. I am still working on my "Bucket List before I turn 25"! I will have that post later today I hope!

"Show Us Your Life: Wedding Dresses"

This is my first week to participate in "Show Us Your Life" over at Kelly's Korner. I am so excited to show my wedding dress. I got married a little over a year ago, March 28, 2008. It was the wedding of my dreams. I felt like a princess in my dress. I tried on about a hundred dresses and narrowed it down to three. Once I narrowed it down my mom came to pick her favorite. She hated all three I had chosen. So she went searching and found the perfect dress. What is funny is just a couple of months ago I was cleaning out my nightstand from college and I found a picture of the dress that my mom had chosen folded up and dated about 2 years before. I guess it was my dream dress! ( I don't remember choosing the dress out of the catalog!)I don't really have a great picture... These are the ones that were taken with my camera. My photographer shot in digital but I didn't get them on a disc or anything!

My sweet nephew!

Our First Dance!

Thanks for stopping by!

My two loves!

Patrick tries to act like he doesn't like Ally that much! When I decided that I was going to get her he was like that is fine but don't expect my to like her or take care of her! Now he takes her out every morning for me. They curl up together and watch tv. He even lets her sleep in the bed when he is home. He totally loves her but will never admit it! I have the photos to prove it!

They were watching Sportscenter together!

He was smiling because he knows that I caught him!

Bella was jealous so she had to get up there too!

Sweet Kiddos!

Impromptu photo shoot at Nana and Granddaddy's Sunday afternoon!

Lake Day

Friday night Mom, Sister, Ally, Bella, Drew, Ava and I headed up to the lake. My aunt and uncle were there with their German exchange student from a couple of years ago. He was here visiting with his friend. It was good to see our "German Cousin" again! He was here the Christmas that Patrick and I got engaged he was able to share in such a special time in our lives. Before he left he asked if we could move the wedding up so he could be there. I always thought that was so sweet. My cousin, Mark, and I drug them all over the lake trying to teach them to ski, wakeboard, and kneeboard. I can do all three but none of them very well, so the fact that I was the teacher is pretty hysterical!

Bella had never been to the lake before so she enjoyed sniffing every square inch of our property. She never got in the water but had a blast anyways! We had the most incredible weather all weekend long. We had an unusual cold front to push through that had the overnight lows in the upper 50's low 60's. The highs were in the high 70's low 80's with little to no humidity! In Alabama that just doesn't happen in July! It was wonderful!

Bella in her bikini getting ready to go to the lake!

Beautiful sunrise Saturday morning. I was up with the dogs!

Drew and Ava in their goggles!
Me on the wakeboard!
Traditional picture on the wall. I have both Ally and Gracie's first trips to the lake on the wall!

Bella was tuckered out!
Cousins! I think they are going to be life long friends!
Aaron and his friend Moritz. ( I think that is how you spell it!) Ally in the sunset! It was a full day! Sunrise to Sunset!

Look who's here for a few days!

Ms. Bella is staying with us for a few days while her big brother is playing in the World Series! Bella is Patrick's brother and sister-in-laws toy poodle. She is 6 months old a one big ball of energy! Patrick and I were trying to remember Ally when she was this age but we don't ever remember when she had this much energy. I guess having a 6 year old "big brother" and a 4 year old "big sister" to play with will give you lots of energy! Ally is exhausted. They have played and played and played! It is so funny because when we watched Bella back in May she was smaller than Ally, now she is about an inch taller and longer and 2 pounds heavier! Here they are playing! It is so entertaining to watch them play together. They are just like children in the way that they get along!

Good Luck Gardendale 6 year old Maroon Team! Go Rockets!

Bachelorette

I have only one thing to say. Ed your swim trunks (I can't remember what he called them) are not, I repeat, are not attractive. I don't care how hot or in shape you are. Those will never be attractive.
Reid you will be missed. I think you would make a fun bachelor if Jake turns down the offer!
I'm not sure I like what I've been reading on the spoiler sites. We will have to see how it all unfolds!

Memories of my Granny

On July 3 my great-grandmother, "Granny" as we called her, passed away. It really didn't seem reality until her funeral this weekend! I hadn't seen her in a few years. She lived in Texas and was unable to travel. My dad got up and spoke at the funeral. We didn't know he was going to speak. He read a letter that he had written to Granny a few years ago while she could still remember the things he wrote about. The letter was simply titles "Memories of my Grandmother"and it was the sweetest tribute to such a wonderful person. He spoke of meals she cooked that noone could recreate! He spoke of toys and trips. She was such a special person. That I thought I would creat a list of some of my favorite memories of her!

• Lima beans! She made the best lima beans and my dad tries and tries but they are not the same!
• The Hot-Wheels track. She had feet and feet of track we would build a huge ramp and watch them fly.
• Cherry winks!
• Bubble lights on the tree at Christmas!
• My sister and I spent the night with her at the assisted living home (she lived there before she went to Texas) and she told us we'd better bring our own breakfast because she wasn't getting up early enough for breakfast in the dining room!
• Her sweet little laugh. I can still see her smile when I think of her!

Her service was so personal and sweet! She was an avid gardener so my dad felt it fitting that he go and cut flowers out of his yard, he learned his gardening tips from her, for the blanket and it was beautiful!

Fourth of July Lake Photos finally!

Ally is all packed up and ready to go!Dad and Porter swinging!

Sweet Baby Harper enjoying some bubbles!
The only picture of her red, white and blue bathing suit!

"Good Morning!" He is the sweetest child in the morning! He would come out of his room and start waving at Ally to play with him! It was the cutest thing!

Our view at sunset. (This is actually the east sky but it was still so beautiful! )

Drew and Harper!

She was checking everyone out while they were riding the bicycle!

Probably trying to escape!

After she went swimming. She didn't enjoy it too much!

Getting ready to swim!

Harper's first swim in the lake! She loved it!

Sweet Ally!!!

My big brother, Patrick, riding his little bike!

"I'm on a boat!"

Ava Jane on the boat!

Drewster!

Mark on the wakeboard!

I think he was trying to hide from me under his hat!

Mark and Porter!

A random peacock we saw on the way home. It apparently doesn't like to have his picture made because he started squaking at us when we stopped!