Live~Laugh~Lewis

I've got a feeling...

2011-04-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

That it's a boy! I've had 4 dreams and Mike has had one that it's a boy. We really have no preference....beside healthy. So, there you have it....my "feeling".

March Madness

2011-04-05T19:38:00.000-07:00

We had an exciting March!

~First off, Mike's best friend, Daniel tied the knot! Daniel was the best man in our wedding and Mike had the honor of returning the favor to Daniel. He married a gorgeous girl....inside and out, Jill. She has 3 beautiful children....2 girls and a boy. Everything was perfect!Congrats Daniel & Jill!

And now for the Lewis List....

~$14,500 and 2 1/2 years later...we are credit card debt FREEEEE!!! WHOOO-HOOOO! Thank you Dave Ramsey!

~We said goodbye to Mike's Toyota Tacoma. :0( He sold it for a good cause....BABY LEW! He needs a vehicle that can carry a carseat!

~We paid off my car! (with the sale of the truck!)

~We bought new couches! We have been looking for so long....3 years probably. Annnd we love them!
~We bought a 2006 4 door Tacoma for my baby's daddy! It's pretty and Mike is LOVING it! :0)

Room progress...

2011-04-04T20:00:00.000-07:00

Baby Lew's room is off to a beautiful start!

We (and Baby Lew) were blessed with this beautiful set by Mike’s parents and grandmother.

We picked up the furniture several weeks ago. Our neighbors to the left helped Mike get the boxes inside. After we opened the box and dumped the 227 nuts and bolts on the floor, our TOTALLY AWESOME neighbors to the right (Crystal & Joe Knight) walked over to check it out….and then so graciously offered power tools, their time, and of course good company to put it together!

What's on your plate?

2011-04-04T18:00:00.000-07:00

The most common question I get asked after "how are you and Baby Lew?" is "what are you craving?".

I have had quite the journey with food and pregnancy. Before I knew I was pregnant, I had a sudden (intense) aversion to sweets. I typically packed a cosmic brownie or gummies of some sort with lunch. It was so weird to me. Around this same time, I weighed myself only to find that I had dropped 6 pounds...for no good reason to my knowledge. Mike swore it was because I had gone to the gym twice in one week, bahahahaha. That was so funny to me! :0)

Anyway- it wasn't long after those noted changes that we found out we were expecting....and about a week after that.....HOLY ROLLER COASTER! I woke up one morning, made my cup (because I eat in the car) of cereal and took one bite and thought I would spew Lucky Charms or whatever I had that day. If you know me at all, you know that I LOVE LOVE LOVE cereal. LOVE IT. Every kind...minus the one with cinnamon. I was in total disbelief that such a thing would or could EVER happen to me! ha! I tried Saltines. Disgusting. I tried Wheat Thins. Gross. I tried Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches. Never felt so sick in my entire life. Looked at eggs. They all of the sudden had down feathers in them. Graham Crackers...with ginger ale. PERFECT. Now, these weren't just any graham crackers...they were Great Value graham crackers. I bought the name brand next grocery trip....barf. SO, for the first 10 weeks.....from 6am to 12 noon....graham crackers and ginger ale. I went thru approximately one box every 3 days...much like cereal. :0)

At my check up, the doc asked me if I had any concerns. I didn't really....other than my eating. For the most part...I ate pretty healthy. I have always been very conscious of my carb intake as my body is very sensitive to them. Welp, let me tell you how quick that went right out the window.... I (still) cannot stand the thought of any cooked veggie. And fruit cravings come few and far between. The only way to get me in a room with those and from my plate to my mouth is a salad. The doc assured me that I was ok. :0) YESSSS! To continue to eat what I craved, as that was obviously what I had deprived my body of for so long and it was now in desperate need of....until 20 weeks.....FOLKS, that is next week. EEEEEEEK!

In the mean time, I really haven't had "cravings" necessarily, but strong aversions and only a few things that sound really good everyday. I guess that means it's a craving?!? My first bizarre craving was original corn nuts (I think I just felt the baby move just talking about it!) and a coke mixed with cherry slurpee from 7-Eleven. Haven't given up the Slurpees since. My Corn Nuts craving turned into salt and vinegar chips. And that has since changed to Funyuns....and avocado. I know, I know....weird, disgusting, gross....I have heard it all and all I can say is, I'm pregnant. :)

Cereal breakthrough! FINALLY, I was in the grocery and wanted some good junk cereal. So, Trix and Cookie Crisp were the picks for the week. The following week I made a healthier choice for a bit....Frosted Mini Wheats. Now in the pantry.... Corn Pops and Rice Krispies (I like those with a teaspoon of sugar).

So, there you have it....that's what's on my plate! :0)

Bubblegum, Bubblegum in a dish...

2011-04-04T10:26:00.000-07:00

I must say....I am getting the hang of this whole throwing a baby shower thing! I had a blast throwing this bubblegum themed shower together for a coworker and friend, Bernadette! She had her baby last week...welcome Aaron James! Here are a few pics from the luncheon.

Bernadette & I

Bubblegum machine mini cupcakes made by Erin

The invite...by me :0)

Favors

Centerpieces...my favorite!

punch table

Love Letters

2011-02-22T14:11:00.000-08:00

I just LOVE to get mail! ...not bills, but letters. :) Since I have been pregnant, I have received a love letter from Baby Lew each month. They each are absolutely adorable and it seems everytime I get one, it's just what I needed to hear. I hope you enjoy them and think they are as neato as I do!

Month One "You Just Found Out About Me"

You Just went to the doctor to find out if I'm for real
So now that you know, here is the deal
I'd first like to introduce myself as your baby
You can be certain now, there is no more maybe
Soon I will be sharing with you my new trick
It is to change moms sleeping habits and make her sick
Sorry Mom about making you queasy
But life in the womb is not always easy
The next time I write mom will start to show
Right now I have some growing to do so I must go

Love, Your Baby on the Way "Baby Lew"

Month Two "My First Photo Shoot" (Although, we at this point have had THREE!)

Hi, it's little ole me with message number two
My first photo shoot, what is a baby star to do
I was minding my business just getting some rest
Then a flash came, they didn't even give me time to get dressed
At first I was wondering to myself why
Then I said "who cares, I am not shy" (<-- already taking after it's mom!)
So show me off if you must
Don't worry, I won't fuss
I hope it was as good as you thought it would be
Do not forget to hang up the first sonogram picture of me
Very soon I will write you again
Just keep telling me that you love me as often as you can

Love, Your Baby on the Way "Baby Lew"

Month Three "God Checks On Me Every Day"

I figured I would write just to say hi
I also wanted to tell you I met an important guy
Meeting someone here can sound a little odd
But He is everywhere, his name is God
He told me that it does me no good to scream and shout
It takes nine months to figure my way out
He said "I know not seeing your parents is tough...
Be patient my child, first you must grow some more stuff"
This God guy is pretty o.k.
You would be happy to know he checks on me every day
So as you wait for me to write you the next letter
Just remember that I am not alone, it will make you feel better

Love Your Baby on the Way "Baby Lew"

ps- the little angel behind the love letters is Mike's Aunt Pam. :0)

Baby Lew (WARNING: SMALL NOVEL AHEAD!)

2011-01-30T14:09:00.000-08:00

Mike & I are ECSTATIC to announce (to the whole ENTIRE world!) that we have a little on the way! "Baby Lew's" expected time of arrival is August 27th!

The news of Baby Lew definitely made an entrance .... a bumpy road to start us off, for sure!

Our story/adventure/roller coaster/vallies/mountain tops...and GO!

Mike & I tried for about six months to get pregnant....not very long considering the average couple takes about a year. However, if you have ever "tried" to get pregnant and didn't on the first or second try....any length of time can become frustrating. We knew this chapter of our lives had the possibility of being difficult as I had endometriosis and scar tissue from surgeries to work against. Much to my surprise, at first, it wasn't either of those things to begin with. For some unknown reason (at first), over the past year, I would go 3 and 4 months without a cycle. This did not change after stopping birth control.....after 5 months, I made an appointment with my doctor.

The doctor prescribed me a 10 day pack of Provera to jump start my system again. After completing it, I started my cycle 5 days later. I honestly have never been so excited for it to come in my ENTIRE life! My mom & sister had arrived the night before and I greeted them the next morning with "I started my period, whoo-hooooo!". I think they were a little confused, as we had been trying to get pregnant, and a period would obviously indicate the opposite. I broke out the calendar and marked day 1!

There is so much to know about your body and your cycle when you start trying to conceive. 28 days never in my life meant a thing to me until now. My body showed no signs of ovulation when on the calendar said I should...around day 12? I think. So, I just sighed and went on with life. Honestly, at this point, I was sort of over it. I started looking at "the brighter" side....the longer it takes, the more money we will save before the little one arrives! Who knows if that's really how it goes, but for me then, it sounded good.

Thursday, December 2nd....Mike & I had plans to attend the infamous Lakeland Christmas Parade with our small group. It was that day that I, for the first time, showed signs of ovulation. Jenny DeAngelis joked that we should skip the parade...but there was no way we were missing out on that! :0) Besides, I wasn't sold on the fact that this was "it"....after all, my body was slightly off course.

Thursday December 9th...the day I should have started my period for a typical 28 day cycle. I had instructions from my doctor to take a test on the first day of my missed period and if it was negative to take another on day 7 of my missed period. If they both were negative, I would be seen again to possibly do another round of Provera in hopes to get mother nature back on track. Well, the impatient person I am, called the doc as soon as I got my first negative. I really wanted to get in before Christmas if I was going to have to go through this 15 day process again. She pleaded with me (basically).....just wait. Call me back on day 7 if it's negative. I TRIED to convince her that I was not pregnant...I was even a little crampy.

Saturday December 18th....Liz, Rebekah, & Stephen were in town to have Christmas. I woke up because I was cramping so terribly bad. I got up expecting my period. Nope. So, I peed on the stick (only because the nurse told me to)....left it on the toilet and joined Liz for a cup of Santa's White Christmas coffee (my FAVORITE!). Sleeping beauty (Mike) wakes up, comes to the bedroom door....and here is how it went.

Mike- "ummmm, babe, i think you need to come here."

Me- "ooooook."

(Mike leads me to the bathroom....and seriously, I have NO CLUE as to what he's gonna say)
(Mike holds up the stick)
Mike- "I think you're pregnant"

(I laughed it off....no really, I did)

Me- "nah, it's just been sitting there ENTIRELY too long and all the lines showed up"
Mike- "wellllllll, don't you think you should take another one?"
Me- "I guess, but I only have 4 drops of pee in me"

Mike- "well, try it anyway"

INSTANTLY, both lines appeared. Mike and I hugged, but I honestly was in so much shock, I didn't know how to celebrate. I called Liz in, held them both up and she agreed that I was pregnant, haha. I wasn't convinced, apparently. I threw on some clothes and headed to wal-mart to but the most expensive test I could find and took two more that afternoon and one again the next morning. It was true. We were having a baby!

Monday December 20th....Liz and the siblings headed back to Madison. That night around 10:30 I was cramping so bad I was in tears. I woke Mike up and told him we were going to the ER. I felt like everything in me was going to come out (gross, I know). Mike's mom came over quickly and we headed to the ER. We were taken back almost immediately. They pulled blood and did an ultrasound.

Tuesday December 21st....Weeee hours of the morning.....the doctor comes in and explains HcG (human chorionic gonadotropin..how's that for a big word?) to Mike and I. It's the hormone in your blood that turns pregnancy tests positive. They dated my pregnancy from my last cycle which put me at 6 weeks. At 6 weeks, your HcG levels should be over 1,000. Mine were 389. He also said that SOMETHING should be seen in the uterus on the ultrasound.....and there wasn't. And after more talking...basically told us we needed to see our doctor because he didn't know if we were having a tubule pregnancy or if we had already lost the baby. Devastated doesn't even touch how I felt....I was disappointed. I was mad. I was scared. I was confused with the fact that I was SO devastated about something I had only known about for 3 days. I could talk to NO ONE without absolutely losing myself. The support from our family and close friends that knew already was unbelievable. I got texts all day long with words of encouragement and prayers. We even had a few people visit just to share a hug and tears.

Wednesday December 22nd....Went in to see my OB, Dr. Lavar in Orlando. He, on the other hand, heard our story and was so very optimistic. I explained to him how wacky my cycle had been and that I was sure I ovulated 2 weeks later than the "normal". He thought that explained everything. I wasn't 6 weeks pregnant. I was 2 weeks and 3 days pregnant! How is that for finding out early? Dr. Lavar told us that he felt good about this pregnancy....that there was hope and we shouldn't be so devastated just yet. He ordered HcG levels to be repeated the next day and expected that they should be doubled if the pregnancy was at all viable. In addition, it was noted that sometime over the past couple of years, I had developed polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Dr. Lavar looked Mike & I both in the face and told us that it was a miracle that we even got pregnant, not necessarily because of my pre-existing conditions, but because of my "newest " one, PCOS. Ok...physiology lesson.....there are 2 hormones that are related to a cycle...FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) & LH (lutenizing hormone). FSH matures follicles (eggs) in ovary...LH tells the ovary to release the egg. If I remember correctly, LH should be higher than FSH. Mine were backward....that explained why I had been missing cycles (the hormone to produce an egg wasn't high enough to trigger the hormone to release it and get rid of it thru a cycle)....what it didn't explain was my pregnancy (REALLY/TECHNICALLY, I should have never ovulated....but, I did) (<--miracle) (<--those come from God) (<--and He answers prayers)

(there will be a test at the end of this BOOK! ha!)

Thursday December 23rd....HcG levels pulled in the morning. I had to wait ALL DAY to hear the results. They had gone from 389 to 1080. Doctor was very pleased, but we weren't out of the woods yet....a tubule pregnancy could not yet be ruled out. He wanted me to come in Christmas morning with an empty stomach to repeat HcG levels and ultrasound. If they had not doubled and there was nothing in the uterus, he would take me into surgery.

Saturday December 25th....Merry Christmas! Mike went in to work...I went over to pick up Mike's mom, Cathy, and Gram to go with me to Orlando. I was so nervous, but knew that God had a plan either way and that was the best plan. Well, on the ultrasound was Baby Lew....and he/she was hanging out in the uterus! And my HcG level was 2625! Dr. Lavar was and I quote "pumped!". 5 weeks here!

Monday January 3rd....We went in for a follow-up ultrasound and first OB workup. Baby Lew had a heartbeat! We were excited until we saw the nurse practitioner and she wasn't so much. She thought 108 was too low. She suggested that it may be because the heart hadn't formed completely orrrrr that it could be a miscarriage in the happening. Sigh. I honestly was speechless. As if the past 2 weeks were not the longest weeks of my entire life, we had to wait another week. 6 weeks 2 days

Monday January 10th....Baby Lew grew a lot! And so did the little heart! 142! Dr. Murvis was extremely happy and sent us on our way! I wanted to stand on a roof top and tell everyone right then, but my husband hid the ladder! 7 weeks 2 days

Wednesday February 15th.....Hellooooo second trimester! How I have been waiting on YOU! :0D We had an ultrasound....and I won't lie, my heart was TOTALLY guarded. I had prepared myself for the worst. Little faith of me, I know. I almost couldn't help it though with all we had been through. However, almost instantaneously....jelly on the belly....BABY on the screen! OH MY GOSH....ELATED! Mike and I have ONE....never been so relieved! TWO.....never been so amazed! THREE...never thought that the entire baby would be FORMED....like then, that week.....AND he/she was MOVING ALL OVER!!! I mean, flipping, rolling....hands in the air....in the face! We saw 10 fingers and a nose! She asked me to cough one time and it appeared I woke a giant sleeping BEAR! The baby threw it's arms in the air and push it's legs out.....can you HEAR THE EXCITEMENT through the screen here? :0D For the first time, we both ARE so extremely excited! Mike has lost sleep over what to do with tax return money, selling the truck, etc.

Reflecting back on this all...I see God's hand all up in our business! ....and I am so grateful. I am a child of little faith. I was unwilling to accept His confidence....so, what did he do for me? He instilled His confidence in everyone around me. Jenn Stiverson visited the morning after the ER. We just cried at first. She went on to tell me that she had been praying so hard for Mike and I and every time she prayed, she kept seeing the star of Bethlehem over us. She said that she just felt like that was God saying He had us taken care of. There were many others....and all were right. And prayer...I didn't know what to pray....or how to pray, but I didn't have to. My family, my small group, my friends near and far.....they all did it for me. And to all of you who did, thank you for letting God use you to minister to me during a time when my faith was almost gone.

last few months...revisited!

2011-01-29T10:34:00.000-08:00

Oh my goodness, it has been so very long since I have blogged! Ok, so here is a recap of the last 3 months!

October....remember the owl baby shower I hosted for Jenny & Mike DeAngelis? Well, on October 30th, we welcomed 9 pounds and 5 ounces to the best small group EVER....Isaiah Joseph! He is so friggin cute....and growing up SO fast!

November...Happy 26 to me! Mike got me THE BEST birthday present EVER. I'm really concerned about the years to come because I can't imagine what could top this year! My all time favorite theme park is SeaWorld....and my all time favorite exhibit is the Penguin Encounter. I LOVE those little guys....their waddle, their wittiness, their loyalty to one another.....they are just a whole lot of fun to watch! So, back to my birthday....Mike got us backstage passes to the Penguin Encounter! It was SO much fun! It lasted about an hour. We actually got to step into their (quit chilly) world...and the best part was touching a REAL King Penguin. Not only are they more beautiful than I ever imagined up close, they are so very soft.

I continued my birthday celebration with a visit from Momma & Karah. Along with shopping, cooking, and hanging out....a good friend of mine from work, Erin, got us all in to all of the Disney parks for a day. Of course, we had a blast! We ended the night at Rainforrest Cafe!

At the end of November, I completed my first half marathon! I crossed the finish line hand-in-hand with 3 girls that played a major part in my accomplishment....Megan, Rhonda, & Holly. On the sidelines cheering us on was my mother-in-law, Cathy, and 2 good friends, Bonnie & Breanna. All 13.1 miles were SO MUCH FUN! I would TOTALLY do it again! The half marathon was held in St. Pete. We ran along the water, on the pier, and inside Tropicana Field! We stopped along the way to take pictures...and some stopped to take them for us! I was so grateful to Holly & Erin for the inspiration and to Megan & Rhonda being such dedicated running buddies. We trained together, stopped together, laughed together, and crossed the finish line together.....

December....Christmas season is my absolute FAVORITE! We, again, were very blessed this Christmas season! Mike & I both are so grateful for the family and friends that support and love us through thick and thin! One of my favorite gifts, tho there were many....is my new Cannon EOS camera! Gram also threw in the bag and a 50 mm lens! I am excited to learn more about how to use it! Here are a few things I have captured.....

January....new things (not necessarily by choice)! I was washing a load of clothes just before new years and the washer was making a noise similar to what it what sound like if you were to wash a load of kitchen knives. Well, I continued housework in denial that anything could possibly be wrong with the piece of crap set that we bought off craig's list. I heard the spin cycle click in and then it filled itself with water again, so I really thought nothing of it after that. Later, when I went to put the clothes into the dryer, I opened the lid only to find the clothes still sitting in a full water bath. Hmmm. So, I tried to click the different cycles to make it spin....I got nothing, not even a click...just the smell of wires burning. Awesome. So, my WONDERFUL husband cupped the water out and off we went to find a new set. Now, the dryer worked....you had to put a load of clothes on two 90 min cycles for them to dry completely, but it worked. But, I am a little funny about things matching, soooo we just got a new set. :0) Last week, Mike's xbox got the "red ring of death"..... so, we got a new one of those too! HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY MY LOVE!! :D

Welp, there ya go.... :0) I won't be a stranger long .... more to share in a couple of weeks!

my bEsTiE is engaged!

2010-10-10T15:19:00.001-07:00

Meet my bestie!

Natalie Louise Branch!

(she is going to kill me when she sees I put her middle name on here!)

She has always said she is going to steal my middle name for her little girl (one day)....so I have always said I would steal hers for mine and call her "Weezie" for short....hehe! Of course, Nat, cringes at that statement!

Natalie (or as I have always called her, Nally) met when we were at the tender age of 11. I don't really what to say next....haha.....something along the lines of inseparable would probably be sufficient! We did everything best friends do....sleepovers, shopping, burning things in candles...and then holes into the carpet, best friend puzzle necklaces, 3-way calls to our crushes, bonfires, beepers that looked alike....to outfits that looked alike.

High school....changes.....new people.....new places.....different classes. We were here and there and everywhere....our schedules didn't match at all. It was sad, but we did what we had to do. After we graduated, I started working at the cancer center at tallahassee memorial and she worked at the coffee shop there.....you know a best friend when the second you lay eyes on her after a years time has passed, you pick up right where you left off. And we did just that. And again.....inseparable would be the only appropriate word here.

And we continued to do what best friends do....late night drives just to talk, sushi dates, beach days, dacing & drinkin, HILARIOUS pictures in the car, concerts, movie & junk food because our latest fling broke our heart.....or we broke theirs.

When I moved to jacksonville to finish radiation therapy school....i wasn't alone much....nally hit the interstate for the first time ever to come spend the weekend with me.

then, i got engaged....and of course (after the rents & my sis) she was my first phone call! I could hardly wait to ask her to be a bridesmaid! I was SO EXCITED to get the very same phone call 2 weeks ago from Nally! She made sure to let me know that I was the first phone call after her parents & brother....and with her excited and oh so squeaky voice, she asked me to be her matron of honor! Her and Austin were attending a friend's wedding in St. Augustine. After the reception, Austin set up a horse & carriage ride. They made a stop under the historic Love Tree and he proposed. After the "yes", Nally returned to the carriage to find roses and bubbly to celebrate! How romantic was that?!?

We have walked together on this crazy path we call life....we didn't always walk to the beat of the same drummer, but we always picked up right where we left off....because that's what best friends do!

I can truly say that I have never seen her happier....ever. I know that she feels like she is living a fairy tale....I can see it in her face, I can hear it in her voice. And I couldn't have hand picked a better man than Austin Capers for the girl that means so much to me!

(the four of us at ICE for nally's birthday last year)

the 'lil hoot!

2010-09-26T19:00:00.000-07:00

I had the honor of throwing a baby shower for a set of my groupies Mike & Jenny DeAngelis this weekend! They moved here a couple of years ago from Memphis, Tennessee and started attending TBA last November. The DeAngelis' decided in January to visit our small group....in one night they went from newbies to family! Jenny & Mike are so fun to be around...and FUNNY! In small group we exchange prayer partners for a certain amount of time. Jenny & I were prayer partners one week about a month ago......and have been ever since. I am so thankful for her friendship & faithfulness in keeping me in her prayers....

Since they found out they were expecting, the baby got the nickname "'lil hoot". So, I planned a couples night "owl" shower for her & Mike. We had a big turn out....21 of us to be exact! We grilled burgers & brats, had all the fixins, and cake! Jenny's mom surprised her by coming all the way from Memphis to attend her & Mike's shower!

These are the letters that I made for Isaiah Joseph DeAngelis' room. Yes, they are out of order. I think I arranged these at approximately 3am Friday night! Hahahaha!

The cake....

The favor bucket

...and tags on the rice krispie treats

with the help of my new Cricut...I made these goodies!

the trees with handmade felt hoot owls :0)

Isaiah's gift from the Lewis'

Looking forward to meeting little Isaiah!

a HoUsE iNtO a HoMe...

2010-08-31T03:39:00.001-07:00

Mike and I have officially been home owners for a year! Again....WHERE HAS TIME GONE?!?! ...annnnd where did all the EXTRA room go?!?!

I had no idea how I would ever fill the house with what little we had from our apartment. For the first couple of months, our house echoed! Well, thanks to sales at Kirkland's, randomness from Ross, frames from all over, and my gracious family....it is really starting to feel "homey"! It is neat to look back at the pictures that were taken when we first moved...our home has taken on a theme and a color scheme that I never really planned for!

Anyway- a few of the majors.....the kitchen/dining room is no longer mint green (or whatever that was). I decided, after 15 hours of shopping on black friday, that I wanted to paint the kitchen. With Cathy's (Mike's mom) help, we knocked it out in approximately 4 or so hours! I also painted the laundry room a deep red....it was that mint green too. We got a new dining room table and a rug to go under it and fancied up the entry way and walls a bit. :0)

before: (so ugly looking back! haha!)

and to the left of the pic, you can see there was nothing in the "entry way"....

after:

the entry way after:

this is in our laundry room...before:

after:

the plant shelf & walls before:

after:

our dining area before:

and after:

LoOk WhO iT iS!!

2010-08-15T16:49:00.000-07:00

Remember the shower I threw for Bryan & Jennifer Stiverson back in July?!?

The little blessing has finally arrived!

Jason Paul Stiverson

Born Thursday August 12th at 8:27 am

7 pounds 9 ounces

(How cute and BIG is that yawn?!?)

The Stiverson Family of FOUR!

....I WAS IN HEAVEN! HE IS SO STINKIN' ADORABLE!

Ellie celebrates her birthday next Sunday, August 22nd. She will be a whopping TWO! I made a bag and adorned it with her name and stuffed it with a pair of SUPER COOL lion sunglasses and a bouncy ball! She, too, is so STINKIN' CUTE!

Ellie shares her shades with Dixie! :)

Ellie loving on Jason....

hAnDs DoWn....

2010-08-13T08:05:00.000-07:00

THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE...AUGUST 16th, 2008!

I can recall the day's events like it was yesterday! For breakfast I had a chocolate peanut butter protein bar and watermelon....for lunch I had McDonald's chicken nugget meal (say what you want, I STILL LOVE it!)....and for dinner I had a bottle of Riesling Relax and a bite of wedding cake.....oh, and the 2am snack with most of the groomsmen...wait fooor it....WAFFLE HOUSE! Of course, that isn't all I recall.....

I was just ECSTATIC to marry Mike...I TRULY was the HAPPIEST girl EVER!

It amazes me to look back on our journey and see just how much God has had His hand in our relationship. I LOVED when Dean Inserra, our officiant (Pastor at The Well), said in our ceremony that it was no coincidence that Mike decided to attend college in Tallahassee or that we both (by different people) were led to First Baptist Church of Tallahassee....it was no coincidence that when I graduated radiation therapy school the only job openings were in central Florida...where Mike was born and raised and where he had just accepted into the police academy.

Now, two years later....I feel the exact same. Now, don't get me wrong, LiFe has happened, but it has been through those times that Mike and I have grown closer together. It seems like the funks most often arise when we both are slipping spiritually. I LOVE the triangle illustration when dealing with relationships and God. Mike and I (or any two people or groups) being the 2 points at the bottom of the triangle and God being the point at the top.....as each of us grow closer to God, we ultimately grow closer together. So far, it hasn't failed.

Second to #1 in our life (baby Jesus), Mike and I have surrounded ourselves with amazing counsel from friends (namely, our incredible small group) and family! Without these people in our life......well, I don't want to think about that. :)

Happy two years to the incredible man that loves me through and through!

ps- I am STILL OBSESSED with my INCREDIBLE wedding photographer!

(obviously, I rotate her pics of us as my profile pic on fb...even 2 years later!)

...and how could I EVER forget my trash the dress session?!?

visit her at:

www.foreverbykylene.com

Day 5 & 6 ::: DESTIN, FL

2010-08-12T18:51:00.000-07:00

I know, I know! You are ITCHING to know what we have been up to these past two days! Wednesday, Megan and I hit the beach pretty early. I rented an umbrella, as I was still a little pink from Mr. Sun! There was a storm a brewing in the Gulf, so the winds were high, the current was strong, and the waves were HUGE...AND it was BeAuTiFuL ALL day!

For dinner, Mike and I went to dinner to celebrate our two year wedding anniversary (early).....he even got me flowers! :) We had to put them in this pitcher because there wasn't a vase to be found! Hehe. While we were eating...well, all we could think about was where we were going to get dessert. We called Megan and Mike and told them we were picking them up, we had reservations at the Melting Pot for dessert ONLY! :D It was SO FRIGGIN' delicious! (I cannot BELIEVE I didn't take pictures) :(

Thursday....the weather man had his predictions all wrong. We mentally prepared ourselves to be inside all day due to the stormy conditions the tropical storm would bring....so, we slept in. Meg made and AMAZING breakfast and we headed out to do some shopping. We went to Old Time Pottery....never been there, but I would LOVE to go back! If you recall, we only could buy something if we could wear it home! Haha! When we got back to the penthouse (i giggle when I write that) we ate lunch and then dove into our books (Meg and I). ANNNNND.....it only rained approximately 10 minutes. But, it was nice to truly relax in the AC!

After our taco dinner, we relaxed in the hot tub for a while, cleaned up and went to AJ's (my most favorite place). They are located on the water.....live band...dancing....GOOD TIMES! And we had just that! A good time! We stayed out waaaaaay after bedtime!

Day 4 ::: DESTIN, FL

2010-08-10T14:01:00.000-07:00

Since I got a little too toasty on Monday, we spent MOST of the day out of the sun. There is a restaurant in Tallahassee that I never got the chance to eat at, but always wanted to, called Another Broken Egg Cafe. There is one at Baytowne, so we started our day off with a hearty breakfast there.

Mike and I split the Floridian...it had cream cheese, real crab, and scallions. It was good, but I just couldn't get my mind wrapped around seafood for breakfast. The potatoes that came with it however....THOSE were delish! We also ordered a belgian waffle on the side that was also great!

Mike Blicher ordered a crab stack that he said was REALLY yummy.

Meg ordered a veggie style omlet.

Their coffee cups and creamer jars I LOVED! I wanted one, but I couldn't bring myself to pay what they wanted for them.

We walked over to the infamous, over sized, Baytowne Wharf chair.

....where there are fish, there is Mike!

We hit the outlets after breakfast and when we got back to our place we made our way down to the beach....only this time, I brought an umbrella. Hahaha, I was the ole lady under the umbrella on the beach.....I CLEARLY was afraid to let the sun touch me, as I was barely in the shade!

Random birds....on the beach....they looked out of place....like, snowbirds.

Random BeAcHnEsS.......

We made fajitas for dinner and then went in search of go carts and mini golf.....found both, but the line for golf was rediculous, so we rode go carts on the wooden track. For dessert, we grabbed starbucks and took a walk on the beach.

Day 3 ::: DESTIN, FL

2010-08-10T10:13:00.000-07:00

WeLp, after an eventful Sunday Funday..... we had a pretty laid back day on Monday. We hit the beach for most of the day.... there was more of a breeze and I did not reapply sunscreen as often as I did Sunday ANNNND I got a little toasty! We grilled hamburgers for dinner and went to Cold Stone & Starbucks for dessert.

Day 2 ::: DESTIN, FL

2010-08-08T16:58:00.001-07:00

SO, SO, SO MUCH FUN!

We had AN AMAZING time on Sunday! Meg and I woke up super early.....so, we sat over coffee....she read her book, EAT PRAY LOVE and I blogged our first day. My sister, Karah, drove over from Pensacola for the day. It was SO, SO good to see her.

Meet kArAh: She is 24. We are a year an a half apart. Karah moved to Pensacola to be with the one who swept her off her feet about 2 years ago. His name is Ryan :) She is the secretary for the state attorney there. Karah also works part time at a prestigious salon, STYLE, as a receptionist. She is planning to attend cosmetology school in January. Karah & Ryan have one little boy, Brody (their dog)! Brody is a Yorkie. She recently vacationed in the Bahamas and brought me back the cutest purse!

When Karah arrived, we all hit the beach for the day! Other than a little bit of seaweed in the water, it was GORGEOUS! No oil here! We swam, we talked, we walked, and we threw bean bags! After beachin' it for 4 or so hours, we headed in to get cleaned up....the girls hit the outlets and the guys hit the couches! We didn't spend all their money... Meg & Karah found something at Old Navy and I got these cute sunglasses at the Gap!

We stayed in for dinner tonight and made spaghetti (well, actually, Mike Lewis, made the entire dinner)! It was yummy...always good talks around the dinner table! After dinner, we said our "see you laters" to Karah and she headed back to Pensacola....we tried to get her to stay the night, but she didn't want to sleep with Mike and I. :) hehe.

Meg, Mike, Mike, and I thought that it would be fun to go back to Baytowne to Rum Runners, a piano bar. When we first got there, it was the karaoke bar that was bumpin', so we bounced around in there for a bit. Meg and I sang to THE TOPS of our lungs....EVERY song! The one thing about a karaoke bar that's better than a piano bar is you have the lyrics to every song....however, it is QUITE amusing to tunefully make up your own words.... :) Megan & I decided that we sang to well to just be part of the crowd, so we put our ticket in to sing Deanna Carter's "Did I Shave My Legs For This". After our debut, we walked over to the piano bar....we were a small crowd, but a ROWDY one, none the less. I'm pretty sure we were the pianists faves! The only song we requested that didn't get played was "I Wear My Sunglasses At Night"....and Meg & I totally gave them hints ALL night by taking on and off our sunglasses!

How about this photo shoot?!?

Day 1 ::: DESTIN, FL

2010-08-08T05:11:00.000-07:00

Mike and I haven't been on a "real" vacation since our honeymoon cruise in 2008. Last year we bought a house and we were so excited (and broke) that we didn't want to leave! :D We were due for a week away and Destin would be the place! Growing up so close to Destin, we went there often and we always had a blast! We asked our friends, Mike & Megan, if they would like to join in on the fun in the sun....(and of course, they did!) We made reservations for a 7 night stay at TOPS'L Beach Resort in a ...... wait for it ..... PENTHOUSE! Hahaha! It was BEAUTIFUL!

We got up EARLY saturday morning to hit the road....there were a couple of "pit stops" planned along the way......and a couple not....the first one being HOW IN THE WORLD we were going to get all of our stuff in the vehicle. I just laughed at the puzzled look on Mike's face. After much loading and unloading.....and loading and unloading.....and loading....we got everything in except the case of water. Megan and I were like puzzle pieces in the back seat! But, regardless of how we looked, it wasn't all that bad of a ride. There was no way we had forgotten anything because we packed EVERYTHING!

....oh and the second bump in the road, we got pulled over. It seemed like we sat FOREVER waiting on this (not so nice word) to run our tag and do what he had to do. We didn't get a ticket, PRAISE JESUS! So, we were off again, but not so fast. :D

When we reached Tallahasee, we swung by Doak Campbell Stadium. Mike (Blicher) wanted to see the "infamous" Bobby Bowden statue. Like the tourists we are, we bailed out of the car with our cameras to capture the moment! LUNCH TIME! I haven't seen my Momma in quite some time, so we met her for lunch at Kacey's Home Cooking Buffet. It was pretty yummy and it was really good to see my Momma!

Next stop....Chautauqua Vineyard and Winery. It is located just north of DeFuniak Springs (really close to Destin). It was planted in 1979 and is owned by a couple in Alabama. Megan and I decided on a bottle of Wild Honeyflower....it is white grape wine flavored with honey.

We finally arrived at our destination, checked in, and unloaded our (houses)....only for the fire alarm to go off, hahaha! They were evacuating all 11 floors of the resort. ALL WE COULD DO WAS ROLL OUR EYES AND LAUGH! It didn't take TOO long to clear. We unpacked and then headed to publix to get groceries for the week....then back to the penthouse to get changed and ready for dinner. There is a little "area" called Baytowne Village right across the street....7 feet away according to mapquest. :D FUN, FUN place! Everything from restaurants, candy stores, boutiques, live music, piano and karaoke bars.....we ate at Poppy's Seafood Factory. It was delish!

You can check out our PENTHOUSE here! http://ambientvp.net/PLATINUM_PENTHOUSE_1110_SUMMIT/index.htm

LOVE LOVE LOVE

2010-08-01T12:44:00.001-07:00

Last weekend some of my family drove down from Tallahassee to visit Mike and I. I CANNOT begin to TELL YOU (get my EMPHASIS here?) what an AMAZING time we had!

Meet Liz.....She married my daddy when I was 4 years old and my sister, Karah, was 2 years old. When Liz married my daddy, she not only committed herself to him, she wholly committed herself to us and accepted us as if we were her own. Liz and I are very close......never the "wicked step-mother" you often hear about. She loves to read and she loves her veggies. While she was down she taught me how to make Ratatouille. Liz also loves her job. She is a supervisor over the biology section at the Department of Environmental Protection.

(she doesn't like pictures :D)

Meet Rebekah....17 years old. The 3rd child.....she was born when I was in the second grade and I gave her the nickname "Bekah Roo", but I often called her Roo. She will be a senior in high school this year! I can hardly believe how time has flown. Roo is full of life and LOVES to be on her phone and with friends....in fact, she brought a friend down, Michelle. Oh- AND while they were here, I got them both addicted to GLEE! (Roo on LEFT, Michelle on RIGHT)

Meet Stephen....11 years old. The 4th child.....Stephen was born on my 14th birthday! AND we were both named after our daddy. (how's that for a fun fact?!?!) He LOVES to TALK and to be moving AT ALL TIMES! (he wouldn't tell you that) He would say that he likes to fish and play the Wii. Stephen has to be one of the pickiest eaters I know....meat, bread, and cucumbers. Yep, that's it! I bought 6 cucumbers on Thursday.....I have 1 left. He is at the age where he thinks his big sister is cool....you know I ate that up! :D Stephen is very much a gentleman....he is going to make an excellent boyfriend!

When they arrived on Thursday we just hung out and caught up. We had chicken casserole for dinner (not Stephen....he had leftover chicken and a cucumber). Afterward, we hit Lakeside Village for some Cold Stone ice cream.

Friday morning I made sausage biscuits for breakfast and then we packed up and headed to St. Pete beach. It was GORGEOUS! Roo and Michelle soaked up the rays while Stephen rode the waves in his blow up boat...oh, and he was a chick magnet....I have never seen girls his age throw game like those girls did! When we got home we grilled hamburgers and called it a night!

Saturday morning I got up for my weekly run with the Gallowayans. I knew that I would be back before anyone cracked and eyelid....and I was. Liz got up about 20 mins after I got home. Her and I chatted over coffee for 3 hours....we laughed, we cried, and we even cussed a little. :D Mike and Stephen hit the lake for some bass fishing and the girls hit the mall for some back to school shopping....MAN! I MISS THAT!!! I did get a few things....clearance items, of course! Saturday afternoon we grilled, and talked and laughed some more.

We said our goodbyes Sunday morning. Our time together was well spent. I LOVED every minute. We thoroughly enjoyed our time together!

...RuBbEr DuCkY yOu'Re tHe OnE!

2010-08-01T09:22:00.001-07:00

Bryan & Jennifer Stiverson are our small group leaders. They have been married for 5 years and have a (sweet) (adorable) little girl, Ellie, who is 2 years old. Bryan is our worship pastor at TBA Church and Jennifer is a teacher.

They are expecting their second little blessing any day now!

His will be named Jason Paul Stiverson after

a best friend of Bryan and Jennifer.

I had the honor and privilege of planning and hosting Jenn's shower for Jason. This was the first shower I had ever thrown and I was ecstatic! Jen's friendship has meant so much to me over the past two years and I could hardly wait to give her a little of what she had given so much of to me.

I was very fortunate to have lots of help from a few close friends of mine (Megan, Erin, Renee, & Jenny) and from Jenn's sisters (Jill & Jaclyn). They helped with everything from decor to food to keeping me grounded. :)

I searched high and low, in stores in town and online for invitations and I just didn't find ANYTHING to suit my fancy. So, I made them myself.

These (amazing) magic water gel beads were ordered for the bulk of the decor. They come packaged in a cute 2x4 inch envelope. You empty the packet into the bowl, add the proper amount of water and after a few hours they turn into these cool, gelly, bouncy, kinda slimy, but beautiful beads! I put them in everything clear, threw a rubber ducky in and VOILA!

To be fun and different, I decided not to have a sheet cake.....cupcakes instead! Friday night before the shower, Megan and Renee came over for cupcake baking and decorating! They turned out SO CUTE! The ducky cupcake picks and pearl sprinkle beads both came from a cake shop on ebay. And, of course, I used the famous cupcake tree to display!

For food, Jenn's sisters put together a cheese tray, chicken salad with rolls, and egg and spinach quiches. Megan brought the veggies and Jenny made a delicious spinach dip. Renee and Megan were ballers Friday night....they made a cute bowl of balled watermelon!

The punch was a hit! It was BLUE and it was DUCKY! It consisted of blue kool-aid, pina colada mix, sprite, and (of course) sugar.....I floated frozen pineapple in it to keep it cool.

On Thursday night, Erin (a close friend from work) and Megan

joined me for a fantastic favor party!

We baked cookies, made the icing, and started decorating!

We completes the cookies with a white "J".

We attached a note to each favor that read.....

"Rubber Ducky you're the one! You made Jen's shower so much fun!"

To display the favors, I bought a cute little tub and painted

Jason's initials on it....I also found a BIG tub for the drinks!

All in all, it was a BEAUTIFUL shower! There were 21 in attendance. Jen's friends and family celebrated and showered her with their love, time, and gifts.

sTaR sTrUcK!

2010-06-21T16:40:00.000-07:00

Last month, Megan and I got the privilege of tagging along with the Diaz's to see Jonny Diaz in concert at Busch Gardens! After he played, we followed right behind the family like little ducklings to go chat it up. It was awkward because of this.....to them (the family) Jonny is just Jonny....but as for Meg and I, well, we were star struck! We were giggly and all! You know.... "those girls" who ask to take a picture and they act as if it isn't a big deal

(but it kinda was) ...... yeah, that was US!

(and look how UNREPRESENTABLE I was! puh! all sweaty and nasty!)

Anyway- yes, and while we were there I was reunited with some friends from First Baptist of Tallahassee, Alyssa & Paulo! It was SO good to see them! Come to find out, they both work right down the road from my work... lunch plans are in the making! ...and did I mention Paulo plays for Jonny?! :D

......one of the cutest babies I have ever seen! Emmett.....

the newest addition to the Diaz family!

Meg & I (before we got all sweaty!)

I long to be as close as she is...

2010-05-17T16:27:00.000-07:00

Beth Moore. A Woman dedicated to teaching other women how to

LOVE and LIVE the Word of God.

I have been in several Bible study groups that used her materials....I cannot say enough about them. Not only do you grow spiritually, but you learn SO MUCH history and reasoning behind the stories we grew up reading in church. They become even more meaningful and applicable.

In April (yes, it's been a while) I had the opportunity to attend Beth Moore's Living Proof Conferences in Tampa with my mother-in-law Cathy) and her 3 friends (Sherrie, BRenda, & Michelle). It was incredible to finally see her in person!

She is SO REAL and so DOWN TO EARTH!

This weekend's topic was "FAMILY". I walked away with a HUGE realization (not that it wasn't right in front of me) that technology has taken over "family"..... basically taken the place of our relationships...We don't sit at the dinner table and discuss life over food; we sit on the couch in front of the big screen (or small)....and if we do sit at the dinner table, the TV is on for background noise so that the silence isn't awkward. When we go someplace in the car, we stay on our cell phones....there again, so that there isn't awkward silence. We crawl into bed and pick up our cell phones to check facebook one last time instead of conversing with our spouse.

I took a quick snapshot of my own marriage. The family we were creating was nothing short of all the things mentioned above. So sad. So true. When I got home that night I spoke with Mike about all these things and we both agreed to be conscious

of when and how we use our cell phones, tv, etc.

oVeRcOmE...

2010-05-02T09:58:00.000-07:00

Monday through Friday I am face to face with people like you and I that are literally fighting for their lives....and each one of them in their own way exhibit and unbelievable courage and perseverance. I find myself reminding them often, that this (their situation) is only temporary, that this is only one chapter in the Book of Life, that there is someone MUCH bigger in charge, that they WILL OVERCOME.....Gee, if I would only take my own advice sometime.

As I get to know my patients, I learn that we all come from quirky backgrounds. We all have scars, hurts, and unpleasant memories that cloud our today.

Over the past year through being counseled and mentored I have learned that we can be whiners or we can be warriors (thank you Beth Moore). We can continually make excuses for our behaviors or we can change them (thank you Kathy Leggett). It sure hasn't been easy....but I can look in your face today and tell you that I have overcome so many little things that have made a real big difference in my life.

Last Sunday in church we sang a song by Desperation Band called "Overcome".... it wasn't the first time, in fact it was probably the 3rd or 4th, but I just never really "got it"....until now.

Because He overcame (the cross), everyone will overcome.

Lyrics:

Seated above, enthroned in the Father's love
Destined to die, poured out for all mankind
God's only son perfect and spotless one
He never sinned, but suffered as if he did

All authority, every victo-ry is Yours
All authority, every victory is Yours

Savior, worthy of honor and glory, worthy of all our praise, You overcame
Jesus, awesome in power forever,awesome and great is Your name,You overcame

Power in hand speaking the Father's plan
You're sending us out, light in this broken land

We will overcome by the blood of the Lamb
and the word of our testimony, everyone overcome

SwEaT eQuItY...

2010-04-21T01:53:00.000-07:00

<--- Bryan & Jennifer (our small group leaders), Me & Mike, Jenny & Mike, Megan & Mike.

(It's no mistake....we have 3 Mikes!)

I know that most of you have heard me talk about my small group in one fashion or another. There is something so incredible about being able to come as you are...something about vulnerability. It's hard to put into words just how close we have grown together in our relationships with one another and in our relationships with God.

I always giggle when someone asks me where I go to church. I giggle even blogging about it. Our name is simple....T.B.A. (or weird) :) But, it is the meaning of that name and THE church that stands behind it that is SO AMAZING!

It first stood for "To Be Announced". That is exactly what we were.....2 healthy churches, with 2 different names united for a greater purpose....to become the hands and feet of Christ. So, for the time being, we were truly to be announced. In the mean time, we outgrew our building (Hallelujah!) and sold it!

At some point we knew we would need to define our name. After almost 2 years...T.B.A. sort of grew on all of us and I don't think we really wanted to let it go. After lengthy discussions, prayers, and planning by our pastoral team....

T.B.A. "TRUSTING, BELIEVING, ACTING"

Unique. And I just love it . :)

Our new building is under construction. Groups of volunteers from church have been out on the grounds cleaning up and such after the workers........."sweat equity". It looks like we will be moving in sometime this summer! (the pic above is obviously from just that....not exactly our Sunday best!)

"I love running cross country....On a track, I feel like a hamster." - Robin Williams

2010-04-13T13:36:00.000-07:00

....I love going to Lake Hollingsworth here in Lakeland to run (2.8 miles), however, I can't seem to get myself around the thing more than once.....and when I read this quote by Robin Williams, I knew why! Ha!

(Holly & I runnin')

Anyway- For the past two years I have ran several 5k's with my besties from work. They are so much fun....and ADDICTING! We participated in the Dash for the Donut (Police Officer Memorial Fund), Miracle Miles (Babies at Winnie Palmer), and the Santa Sprint (Special Olympics).

(Holly, Karah, Rhonda, Me, & Erin after the Miracle Miles)

(Holly & I after the Santa Sprint)

Last month, Holly and Erin went on to race in the Disney Princess Half Marathon. Some other peeps and I were on the sideline cheering them on. Every single time they ran by, it literally brought tears to my eyes. It was SO VERY inspirational. So, on the way home, that was it. They had made up my mind for me....

(Erin & Holly after the Princess Half)

I have recently started training with the Gallowayans.....the group follows the Jeff Galloway training method.....not the ONLY way to run, but it works for me! The official season opens in June ---- we focus on the Women's Half Marathon in November and the Breast Cancer Marathon in February.

Check it out: www.JeffGalloway.com

Sunday, I ran my longest run with Meg..... 10.5 miles. (my body was only a little pissed, haha)

Much love to those in my life who encourage me to be more than I believe I can be. <3

one year ago today, i married my best friend

2009-08-16T04:57:00.000-07:00

the age old question...."where did ya'll meet?" the worst answer..... "a bar." haha. but, it's true, our first introduction was at aj's in tallahassee on a tuesday night. i was there with 12 or so girlfriends celebrating my sister's birthday. a mutual friend (now) of ours, Dave, was there with his buddies running around. when i ran into them, he introduced me to the stranger that was with him....mike. we said "hey, nice to meet you" and we both went our separate ways. never crossed my mind again and i never crossed his again.....until church on wednesday, hahahahaha. cracks me up. the college group was meeting in the smaller sanctuary and mike was sitting up front. when it was over, he stood up and screams, "hey, aren't you the girl i met at aj's last night?". my eyes got really big..."yesssssssss". anyway- so, yep, that was it! he was on vacation A LOT that summer. we kept in touch thru facebook and texting mostly. his dad has a $400 cell phone bill to prove it. :/ when fall classes were in, we were pretty much inseparable.

we got engaged in may of 2007 after dating about a year. we were in lakeland for a long weekend and mike made plans for us to eat lunch with his mom on that thursday. so, we are getting ready to go. i did my make-up and threw my hair in a pony tail. he walks by the bathroom and asks, "are you gonna do your hair?". i answered, surprised that he asked, "it IS done". he stood there and looked at me. then he said, "i mean, are you going to straighten it?". at this point (not out loud) i'm thinking, is he serious? what is wrong with my hair? again, i said, "my hair IS done". we get to mike's mom's office and he tells her that he wants to take me to Hollis Gardens sometime. She said, well why don't we run over there before lunch? i was upset because i had not brought my camera. no worries. mrs. cathy whips her right out of her purse. haha. ok. so, we go moseying on over. she says, want me to take a picture of you? sure. it was in front of the most random weird shaped metal thing ever. i didn't say a word. she takes it, i look over and around and then to mike and he is on his knee. i had to take a second look because he did that ALL the time with his cell phone! the first thing out of my mouth was "are you serious?". haha, i tried to give him a way out, just kidding. so, the wedding planning began.

everyone told me that the first year was the hardest year of marriage and if you can make it thru that year, then you'll be fine. to be honest, it wasn't sooo hard. of course, now, they are changing their story. today, it's if you can make it thru the first 5 years, then you'll be fine. ah, who knows. i don't, but i do know that we are both as happy today as we were a year ago when we got married...we still laugh and grin ear to ear when we talk about our wedding day. we truly had a blast. it was sooo much fun!

I want to (again) thank our friends and family for being who you are. we couldn't have done it without you! The next big step in our lives....a house. we have been in the process of buying (in case you haven't heard) and it has been just that, a process. i realize that things could have been worse, but dang, buying a house is stressful! our scheduled close date is friday august 28th at 3 pm. we are sooooo excited! here is a sneak peek! :)

princesses don't turn into pumpkins...

2009-07-28T16:00:00.000-07:00

mike and i have been attending tba church (formerly known as epic...we have since merged with church of the highlands...long story, but a Christ filled one) for a little over a year now. bryan legg, our pastor, and his wife, cheri, were our small group leaders at the time. we got to know them and their 3 girls, alyssa, avery, and addyson, very well. their family is a LOUD HOOT! :0)

alyssa legg, one of the little princesses in my life, turned a whopping 7 this week! to celebrate her birthday, she invited 10 of her friends to a sleepover at her house. (yes, i said 10 and yes, i said sleepover). i wanted to do SOMETHING to crash the party...i stewed over it all day at work.

i finally decided that i would dig my wedding dress out of the closet and attempt a princess surprise. well, 11 months and 10 pounds later, mike squished me into the dress. the first comment out of his mouth after he got it zipped was as follows: "man, babe, you got a butt". he was referring to my fluff that was pushed up and in towards the center of my back! how dare he!oh, but wait, it gets better. as he runs his hands from the center of my back to my sides he said, "there, i smoothed it out." mmmm, huh. yes, he did.

the next task was to squish me into the car. HILARIOUS! i DID drive myself. now i know why we had someone take us to the reception and hotel! there was a dress and a ittle head on top. haha.

obviously, me getting back into my wedding dress and showing up at the sleepover wasn't going to be as impressive to 13 little girls as it was to me. so, i grabbed a HUGE pack of DOUBLE roll toilet paper. we split the girls up into groups of 3. their task was to turn one of their group members into a princess/bride by creating a wedding dress using one roll of toilet paper. it was a blast. there was mostly paper on the floor and on bryan!

and, how could i forget, the infamous cupcake tree! this is the 2nd year cheri has used it! all the girls decorated their piece, placed it on the tree, and gave it a spin! (yes, it spins, just not on it's own) i got this tree as a wedding gift from my mee-maw. i wasn't sure when i was going to get to use it, but i have several times and so has cheri!

i left only a few asleep at midnight. the rest of them were either giggly or hot, haha!

.....about the princess/pumkin thing. maybe they don't turn into a PUMPkin, but a PLUMPkin, yes! :o)

25 mph

2009-07-23T16:54:00.000-07:00

funny story.

i leave for work before the bars close and Jesus gets up. i was on the parkway wednesday morning with just one other vehicle. the air was blasting, radio jam'n to the tune of God is great, beer is good, and people are CRAZY as i sipped my iced coffee (which is another story). not long after being on the road, the sheriff's office flew by, running lights and sirens. (this about a mile before the toll closest to I-4...the one that doesn't have a sunpass dedicated lane). i SWEAR that officer never slowed going through the toll. i didn't expect him to, i'm just saying. the truck ahead of me passes thru the toll, hesitating only a little as he anticipated the infamous sunpass beeeeeeeeeeeeep! i was thought to myself....man, the S O didn't hesitate at all and the guy ahead of me barely hesitated....those yellow and black arms MUST go up faster than i think. so, i unintentionally did not hesitate passing thru the toll booth...and the arm didn't move...until it hit my windshield with a thud! it scared me. i clinched my teeth and made an "eek" face as i peered in my rear view mirror. after everything seemed to be ok, i laughed hysterically until i cried!

this morning, i hesitated going thru the toll. i had time to waive at the toll booth worker, which i didn't do yesterday. only today, she didn't waive back. :/

Voila!

2009-07-20T15:24:00.000-07:00

Okay... My sister-in-law, Samantha talked me into this thing called blogging. I was hesitant at first because I wasn't sure anyone but her would stalk me. :0) Well, I gave it a whirl...actually, it gave me a whirl. Templates, settings, titles, fonts, profile, colors, buddies, links, followers....yeah. mmm huh. Computer-literate, I would say yes. Blogger-literate, nope! So, I first emailed Heather (her blog is AMAZING...) and invited Samantha over for "dinner" (she just got roped into this as well, so set-up...fresh on the mind!).

AnD vOiLa....done. :0) Bedtime for now.