50 Years

Today I was honored to get to photograph a surprise 50th anniversary party.  The couple have 3 boys and the boys wanted to do something special.  They enlisted the help of some of their mom's friends and they all pulled off an amazing surprise.

Day 210

I think my favorite part of the day was seeing how excited everyone was to surprise them.  It was a true testament to how special they really are to so many people.

Champ loves Corn

I think this shot of Champ (my sister's dog) eating corn is pretty funny.  He was holding the ends eating it off the cob.

Day 209

Welcome

I finally got a little table for my entry.  I had my heart set on one from Hobby Lobby but when I went back to get it, it was gone.  So I settled for this one. The other one was a lot prettier but this one gets the job done!Day 208

Cheer Dog

I ordered Ally a new cheerleading outfit for football season.

I think it's pretty cute!

Day 207

I heard it's your birthday...

Another year older (and wiser?)

But apparently no more coordinated.

Day 206

I've had a great day.  I have the best parents in the world.  They came by my office to bring me a gift including The Help and the cake shown above.  Which I did get a piece of.  The piece on the floor was Patrick's piece.  Babo also stopped by to wish me a happy day!  Finally I came home and Patrick threw some steaks on the grill.  His gift hasn't arrived yet.  I felt bad for him cause he was so excited about surprising me but it didn't get here on time. 

All in all it's been a pretty good day.  I can't believe how fast the years are going by. 

TakeAPicturePhobia Strikes Again

Bathroom photo shoot from karaoke night.  My Babo, me and my mom.   We took about 7 or 8 photos.  These are the best of them.  They really make me laugh!








Day 205

Gameday Fashion

With kick off less than 40 days away, it's time to start shopping for some gameday outfits.  Now i'd be lying if I said I didn't shop for football season 365 days a year, but in June and July I really start focusing on football.

In true Southern style, we "dress up" for the ball games.  Sundresses are a must for the heat in Alabama.

It's hard to find dresses that are truely Crimson so I mostly settle for red.

link

the Blue Door Boutique

I got this one a couple of weeks ago and I love it.

Forever 21

I've ordered this one, I'm waiting on it to arrive!  I hope it's cute!

**Updated it arrived.  It's not cute.  Totally going back! :(**

Etsy

I love this dainty little ring by Michelle Chang.

 It's subtle and sweet!  With a $98 price tag, it'll have to wait.

link

Another Blue Door Boutique find

I really want this one but I can't justify spending $78 on a gameday dress!

Adabelles

I thought this was cute too with same style as the red one only $40 cheaper.  Not sure I could pull off the stripes! 

Some other cute sites...

Dress for the Game

Tru Colors

Natalie Kim

Pop of Color

In addition to the pop of aqua in the pantry and laundry closet, I'm working on a little project to bring the whole look together (hopefuly).  I'm painting these bottles to put above my cabinets.  I'm hoping it looks as good as I'm envisioning it! 

Day 204

Birthday Dinner

Tonight we kicked off my birthday week with dinner at my in-laws.  They are they sweetest people.  The cake was really yummy too!

Day 203

Kitchen Sneak Peek

The blue is brighter in person.

I can't wait to show everything.

Day 202

So Southern

I love a good koozie.

When I saw this in Better Homes & Gardens I laughed out loud. 

I always carry one in my purse.  You never know when you're going to need one.  I'm glad to see that I'm apparently not the only one.

Day 201

Floating Head

I wish I had a better shot for the 200th day but I don't.  Ally looking like a floating head will have to do!

Day 200

Oh Happy Day

As you all know my beloved Gigi's Cucakes opened near us yesterday.  To say I was excited is an understatment.  You may remember when I was first introduced in Gigi's way back in January.  Later I learned that my favorite city in Alabama would be getting it's very own Gigi's.  I was estatic and jealous.  I made my sister stand in line to bring me some home.  It was then that she realized I was not as crazy as she once believed.  I'm also guilty of convincing my boss to drive 20 miles out of the way to grab some cupcake gold.  So to have one that I could drive to after work is like a dream come true. 

Since yesterday was the Grand Opening, they were offering a free cupcake to all their facebook friends.  When we arrived the line was out the door and down the sidewalk.  It didn't take long to get inside where we watched people purchase what seemed to be the last of the cupcakes.  Then they started bringing more out.  I got Cherry Limeade, Red Velvet, Wedding Cake and Birthday Surprise.  I only ate the cherry limeade I got the others for my boss since today is his birthday! 

Yes, they were every bit as delicious as they look.
and Yes, I am every bit as dorky as I appear on my blog!

I love cherry limeade in drink form and also cupcake form.  Who knew! Moral of the story, if you've never been to Gigi's, find the closest one and get there fast. 

Grand Opening

Gigi's opened near us today.  I had to try it out, you know, make sure it was up to par.It was!  Full recap coming tomorrow.Day 199

Sweetness

Day 198

Neglected?

You'd think she never gets any attention.  No one ever plays with her.  She has to sit and beg with her toys. 

I'm totally kidding.  But she has no idea how good she's got it!

Day 197

Splash Park

Today Mom and I took Drew, Ava, Porter and Harper to the Splash Park.  It was a nice day.  Not to hot or sunny and the kids had a ball.  I got some cute pictures of the four of them.

Day 196

Luck of the Draw

This morning Carla and I hit up Pepper Place for some fresh peaches.  I was excited!  Carla had never been.  We decided to watch the food demonstration and they were raffling off two Le Creuset stock pots. 

{Side note, I used to be really lucky.  I won raffles all the time.  The two most impressive wins would be a trip to the beach and a trip to Disney on Ice where they picked me and my family up in a limo and a guy followed us around all night and filmed the whole thing.}

I told Carla that I used to be really lucky but I was afraid my raffle luck had run out.  Well after the the food demonstration they did the drawing.  I said I really wanted to win the blue pot and when then they called my name.  I laughed out loud.  I thought it was funny.  I was really excited.

This is the photo I sent my sister.  She proceeded to tell me she hated me. I don't think she thought I deserved the pot seeing as how I never cook.




Here it is out of the box.  Isn't it pretty.Day 195

Feeling Blue

My pantry needed a coat of paint. I wanted something bright but struggle to commit to color so I decided I could paint the inside of the pantry bright and so far I love it!



Day 194
-Maggie

Baby Brother

I have a confession.

These photos are from about a month ago.

I just found them on my phone so I decided to use them.

My little brother is so much fun and he is constantly making us laugh.

Day 193

Fresh Trim

Kristen and I went and got our hair cut today.  We started going together because we figured when life started to get crazy and we don't get to spend as much time together at least we'll have this girl time.  I know we're crazy.

Day 192

Blow out

I'd been hearing a weird sound coming from underneath my car since yesterday.  I mentioned it to Patrick tonight before I left for bootcamp I told him it sounded like a helicopter. Well on the way it started to sound a lot worse.  So bad that I called him to see if he could hear it through the phone.  He couldn't hear it but told me to come back home, since I was already closer to the civic center I decided to keep going.  They're doing some scraping and repaving of the highway so I didn't really notice if my car was driving different. 

 I was on Main Street about 4 blocks from the civic center, when a group of teenage boys started yelling and pointing at my car.  So I decided to pull over.  The tire was flat, treads were flapping.  It looked rough.  I immediately called Patrick and he'd already gotten in the shower.  Luckily one of the sweet boys came over and offered to help me.  I was kind of embarrassed that I didn't know how to change the tire.  After watching him I totally could have done it.  ( I learned how to do it once, but it's one of those things that if you don't do it often you won't remember!)
I am so thankful that the young man offered to help me when none of his friends would.  I am going to try to track him down so I can send him a thank you note.  I also want to thank his parents for raising him to help people.
(And judging by this photo the spare could use a little air)Day 191

A Fond Farewell

Today was Bella's last day with us. I think Ally misses her. I took this at work while they were sharing the bed.

Day 190

Pierced Ears & UNO

How did this girl get old enough for pierced ears?  Yeah, I don't know either but I don't like it.  Isn't she beautiful with all those freckles! 

Where does the time go?

 She's also quite the UNO player.  She beat my mom and I approximately 472 times this afternoon.  Mom and I did manage to team up and beat her a couple of times.  Yes, I'm aware how sad it is that my mother and I had to team up to beat a 7 year old. I'm also aware that we are very sore losers.
She was very proud of her UNO win column.
Bella needed some attention.
Finally the babies came to see us and had to have some ice cream.Day 189

Cute Shoes

I love these sandals Kristen gave me for my birthday last year.

Still get so many complements on them.  They are so cute!

Day 188

Welcome to the Jungle

This is the view from our deck.  I think we need to trim the bushes.  Although I do like the privacy.  They're starting to interfere with the satillite dish. 

Day 187

Need a Lift

This little guy hitched a ride home with us.

I could hardly drive for watching him.
Day 186

BFF Bracelet

I got my really cool BFF bracelet this week.  You order one and they send one to a member of the armed forces serving over seas.  I think it's such a neat idea. You can check it out at www.BFF.tvDay 185

Porch Light for Caylee

I've stated my opinion on the trial in the previous post.  With all that being said, there is still a poor little girl that was the victim here.  We may never know who or why.  But we do know one day justice will be served. Until then...

Day 184 http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=237189926299700

Who am I to Judge?

I have a few opinions and thoughts surrounding the Casey Anthony trial and verdict and I want to put the thoughts on paper.

• If i'd been on the jury I would not have been able to convict Casey on the evidence presented. 
• That's not to say that I believe Caylee drown in the family pool.  I just wasn't completely convinced based on the evidence presented that Casey Anthony murdered her child. 
• I do believe the child was murdered but I can not say that it was Casey beyond reasonable doubt.
• All the evidence presented pointed to someone at the home.  Not one thing did Casey alone have access too.  It could have been any of them. 
• I think the whole family is nuts.
• I've had flashbacks to 5th grade where we were given permission to watch the OJ Simpson verdict being read live.  I had not watched much of that trial (I was in the fifth grade, I had better things to worry about.)  I do remember how everyone was very divided.  People thought strongly that he was guilty or he was innocent.  There was no real in between. In my opinion, this case was pretty much made of grey area.  All the evidence led to the Anthony home but not one piece could pin Casey. 
• I pray that justice will be served to all involved.  I have faith that if Casey is guilty she will pay the price.  After watching this family I can honestly say that I feel sweet Caylee is in a much better place where no one will hurt her. 
• It breaks my heart that there are women in this world that would give everything they own to have just one child and here this child was taken for granted.  Death is not the answer.  Ever.

I know this is one of those where were you moments.  So I was at work watching on the TV.  Patrick texted me two words, "not guilty".  I sent him one back that said, "I've seen people get off on more evidence.  OJ Simpson for example" I immediately went to Twitter and Facebook to see what everyone was saying.  People were mostly shocked.  I just want to scream "Beyond Reasonable Doubt" to some people.  I won't.  Everyone is entitled to their opinion.  Honestly I wasn't all that shocked.  I really didn't think they would find her guilty.  It was to high profile of a case with not enough evidence. 


*Boring Stuff I just want to remember, because I'm a dork*
I tweeted "140 characters isn't enough to describe my feelings".  Facebook status said, "I hate to say it but if I'd been on the jury I wouldn't have been able to convict her either."  It was received with mixed reviews.

Yankee Doodle Dandy

I love fourth of July weekend.  It's always been one of my favorite times of year.  Maybe it's all the patriotism, maybe it's the fact that it kicks off my birthday month, either way I look forward to this weekend every year. 

We headed up to the lake for the long weekend.  Let me start by saying that I have a tendency to get so excited about things and build up expectations that no one can achieve.  I've been getting better about this especially when it comes to family events and the lake.  I get so excited about the possibilities of the weekend that I tend to forget the fact that the house doesn't have air and it's 90 degrees in July (at the coolest).  I forget that there are 25 people in the "family" that will be there on any given holiday and there are beds for approximately 16 people.  I forget that there is only one bathroom for the 25 people.  I can't recall the fact that Ally is never the only dog, in fact there were 8 dogs this weekend (three of which did not get along at all). 

So yeah it can get a little bit overwhelming at times.  But floating on a raft in the water and sitting on the deck in the shade somehow make you forget all those things.  I love that we can take the boat out and all cram on the tube like were are 10 years old and laugh till we cry. It's these things that make me giddy with excitement when summer rolls around.

Ally was snuggling with Patrick before we left Saturday morning.

Dad and Harper 

Ava, Me and Drew riding the new tube.  I didn't take my camera out on the next trip.  That trip my little brother John, his girlfriend Hope, my cousin Mark and me all rode it together.  We could barely hold on for laughing. I know we could have gotten some great shots.  Oh well you live and learn I guess.

John playing the part of "Beverage Boy"



John and Jeremy serenading us during the thunderstorm

Dad shining the spotlight for the concert.

All in all it was a pretty good trip.  Now at 3:30 Sunday morning when I couldn't get to sleep because it was 87 degrees in my "room" I was wishing i'd just stayed home, or at least driven my own car!  As I was getting ready for bed Saturday a dog peed on me.  Not a little dog that was scared but a big lab that walked right up to me lifted his leg and peed.  It's funny now but at the time I was shocked.  Not long after I cleaned up my leg from that incident my mom cam to make sure I didn't need anything and moved the box fan so that it would be blowing on me.  Well the fan was probably made in the 50's and when she moved it the plug arced and filled the room with smoke.  Needless to say, we retired that fan. 

I'm glad I can look back on these things and laugh because at the time I just wanted to cry.