Life Lately (Happy Friday)

Life lately has been a blur of travel, spreadsheets, to-do lists, and weddings--lots and lots of weddings. 

Last weekend JT and I traveled to Savannah, Georgia, to see Kelsey Jo tie the knot, and tomorrow we go watch one of my sister's good friends do the same. OH, and I said 'yes' to the dress! It's an exciting time! Between planning my own wedding, going to my friend's, taking on extra responsibilities at work, and freelancing more, I'm excited to hopefully slow down a bit in the coming weeks. But, then again, maybe I won't, and that'll be wonderful, too.

MOH, Bride, MOB.

Captain and Mrs. John Hawkins!

our best "wait 'til you see the bride..!!" faces

pre-wedding kickball bridesmaids v. groomsmen

my very first item with my future monogram :)

#merica

Sweet Robby is growing like a weed! Those cheeks... #swoon

our fur baby, lilly, is pretty excited about JT's shift change

My latest "sweating for the dress" experiment .... eek...

And the reason I endure lemon juice with cayenne pepper... this stud of a wedding date.

So there you have it, life lately. Bonus: I think my Friday will be spent watching this and the Robster. #winning

Comeback Queen: LiLo

Ok, confession: I had an entirely different post planned for today (granted even it had origins with Lindsay Lohan and a phrase she says in Parent Trap... I'll get to that next week), but after watching a few clips changed my mind. I can't resist the possibility of a LiLo comeback. 

First, I watched this preview for her new docu-series on OWN, and y'all, call me crazy, but I actually have empathy for her (it's as shocking to me as it is to you, I promise). She's had "yes" people in her life for forever, and been thrown into every kind of situation I can't even begin to imagine (yes, I'm still that sheltered, and proud of it). It makes me want to watch it, which granted, it was supposed to do, but more than that, I'm rooting for her.

Then, this clip of her on Jimmy Fallon (who's amazeballs alone) solidified the fact that she's a pretty okay gal, and deserves another shot as much as anyone.

In sharing that clip, I got to chatting with Bekah about if she can really truly make it back after everything she's done. My assumption is yes. And here's my reasoning:

-our generation is rooting for her, like we did for Brit Brit (who is now flawless w a Vegas show)
-If Brit can have a public meltdown, shave her head, attack paps w a 'brella, and lose her kids to KEVIN FEDERLINE, and still come back, LiLo can too.
-So she has a few lot of driving infractions. Nicole Richie (who I also love) drove up an exit ramp on an interstate and is now basically a fashion icon goddess who can do no wrong in the eyes of Hollywood (including dyeing her hair purple.. they say it's chic).

So, while the jury is still out on if LiLo can make it back into the hearts of millennial Americans, my vote is absofreakinglutely.

Happy Friday!

Happy Doppelgänger Friday

Okay so I cannot be the only one watching the Olympics and wondering when the girl from The Notebook (Rachel McAdams) learned to skate? I swear I kept thinking it was a modern day remake of Ice Castles (which sadly already happened to lackluster reviews) or The Cutting Edge.

I get that there are oodles of celebrity doppelgängers but c'mon people, these girls look IDENTICAL. Can I get an amen?

Left: U.S. Olympic Figure Skater, Ashley Wagner // Right: Rachel McAdams

Happy Friday!

Happy (flashback) Friday/Valentine's Day!

Today has already brought on so many happy emotions and it's not even noon. I'm a huge fan of holidays in general, but this one is exceptionally lovely. 

{Meemaw and me in my favorite spot}

For starters, I went to the gym with my dad and used my early Valentine's present from JT again, and yep, I still love it. So the endorphins weren't a bad way to get things going. I got the sweetest card from my mama along with some valentines happys, and watched my dad sneak to the garage and get mama's present out of his toolbox (how stinking cute?!). 

While I was getting ready, I thought about my sister, and how very different this Valentine's is from last year. Then, she had just gone through her second miscarriage and was feeling particularly blue, as anyone would imagine. I purchased this happy (she's the one with the ring and pale nail polish, I'm the one with the lipstick-stained mug and dark nails--it really couldn't be more fitting for us) for her as a reminder that we'd always have each other and that I was (and am) so thankful for our bond as sisters. This year, she's mere weeks away from giving birth to her first bebe. God is good, and I can't help but smile when I think of how far we've all come since last year.

{at Mary Jane's wedding in what she called her "wedding dress" 

since she wore it to all her kid's weddings}

Next came the group text from my mama to my aunt, cousin, emily and me saying how this day is always kind of bittersweet because it's filled with so much love, but is a vivid reminder of my wonderful Meemaw who would've been 88-years-old tomorrow. It's beyond crazy that she's been gone over a decade. In some ways it's easier, but in other ways the void is still very apparent. We've chosen to dwell on the positive: her life, her love, and her powerful legacy of strong women in our family. Today, I'm wearing two rings that were passed down to me; subtle things like that always make me feel closer to her. 

{Left: JT's tiger ring, and my Meemaw's band-Ashleigh has the other :) // Right: Purple was her favorite color as amethyst was her birthstone, and she collected tons of amethyst jewelry.}

To top it off, JT sweetly agreed to go visit my Papaw with me tonight for Valentine's. I've got a good one, and today I'm especially thankful for his kindness and strong family values. 

So however you spend your day, I hope it's filled with crazy, stupid amounts of love. God is great, God is good, and God is full of love for you and me. 

Flashback Friday

{look at this picture and know that we have changed quite 

a bit from the ones that follow... thank God}

This one goes out to the one, the only, best roomsiepoo for lyfe. While chatting today, she mentioned what she really wished we were actually doing (instead of being 24, at work, in separate but equally frigid cities).

{one of the many fun times in 1014}

As she began her scenario, it wasn't difficult to completely transport myself out of my cubicle on Tennessee Street to the warm, sunny patio of 1014 Oaks Drive, Birmingham, Alabama circa 2011. 

There we were. Two college girls, completely unaware of the luxury of having absolutely nothing to do in the middle of the afternoon, we ate at O'Carr's, grabbed baby bites, and ate them on our porch while drinking wine at 2 p.m.

{our very first picture together in feb/march 2009... we'd known each other hours at this point, so to say we're freakishly linked is an understatement}

It was one of those times we both remember, but aren't quite sure why. We didn't talk about anything super specific that we can remember, but we do remember it was fun. Which is what I think of when I think of my time at Sammy U with quite literally the best friends a gal could dream of. 

So today, I'm flashing back to my wonderful college experiences and the smile those memories bring. Road trip anyone?

{circa spring break 2009... the dreaded ride home from the beach.}

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday!

TGIF. I've been dragging this week and getting my days all out of order (Wednesday felt so much like Tuesday I nearly forget my scheduled appointments, and yesterday was a definite Friday...or so I thought). Thankfully, tomorrow really is the weekend, and this calls for some fun!

Happy things:

I went to bed last night singing this for some reason; so there's that.


This newly caught my eye since the ladies of PLL (while annoying because after 4 years you'd think they would've learned to not venture into a dark alley/wooded area/basement/ or warehouse alone) display excellent fashion sense while hunting for clues. Now you, too, can find their wardrobe pieces. 

Speaking of fun wardrobe pieces, how fun are these bright blazers (here, here, and here are my favs from GMG's blog post today)?! I'm always looking for ways to make my work wardrobe reflect my youth/fun side while still being appropriate.  

February's InStyle mag has the "15 Best Beauty Apps" listed in their print issue (with the fabulous SJP on the cover), so please excuse me while I download and try them all. 

Happy weekend, y'all!

Happy First Friday!

{leave it to GG to say it perfectly}

Happy Friday! Starting off the first Friday of 2014 a little braver, and a little more resolved to fulfilling my resolutions:

-To be more consistent with reading my Bible, the gym, and keeping a clean house.

-Be kind. Show unconditional love to others so that my faith is seen in my actions.

-Learn to make clean eating/healthy recipes. (I newly crave veggies, as a result of my cleanse, I'm sure.)

-Stay up to date on changes and developments within industries I'm passionate about. 



  

Happy Friday

Thank goodness it's Friday! There's so much to look forward to -- not only is Christmas time in full swing, but my weekend calendar is turning out to look pretty darn festive.

{Peabody Hotel Christmas tree lighting, 2012 via here}

For starters, the CMi company Christmas party is tonight complete with drinks and appetizers. Tomorrow (after my not-so-festive oil change in the morning) JT and I are going to the Peabody Hotel to grab a cocktail and enjoy the fabulous tree (Memphis' equivalent of the Rockafeller Center behemoth) and atmosphere of the lobby while we wait for our reservation at Majestic Grille on Main Street with my whole fam jam. I'm so excited my aunt put the family dinner together, a great reason for everyone to get together and enjoy a yummy meal downtown. Another bonus is that (for those that don't know) the Majestic used to be a movie theatre and kept it's charm by leaving a giant movie screen up on the far end of the restaurant. During the holidays, they play Christmas classics (without sound) to enjoy while you nosh on the deliciousness. As if all that wasn't festive enough, we're having our annual cookie baking session (2010 session seen here) on Sunday after church (3rd Sunday of Advent). Oh how I love this time of year!

{baking Christmas Cookies circa 2010}

Happy Friday, my little elves!

Happy Friday

Maybe it's the ice storm outside, or maybe it's my love affair with metallic polka dots and Taylor Sterling, or maybe it's just plain old procrastination of me not wanting to transcribe interviews from this week and proof and rewrite drafts. Whatever the reason, I find myself currently lost in a whimsical daydream of sparkles, sequins and pastel-colored furs. I can also blame New Years and the rapidly-approaching holiday rush, but honestly I think it's just where my mind settles lately.

As a result of pondering the question of my last post, I made a trip to good ole Barnes and Noble to focus my wandering mind. What I stumbled upon is a happy blessing I'm excited to share. 

I made four purchases: a hot pink "inspiration/mood board" book, a black and gold prayer journal, a gold metallic 2014 planner, and a book on entrepreneurship (specifically how the founders of the shopping site Gilt turned their passion and knowledge into a wildly successful business).

There is a method to my madness (aside from the fabulous color palettes I was able to find). I've been feeling a bit restless as of late, and wanted to stop dreaming and start doing. The prayer journal is specifically for my career goals and aspirations. It reminds me to pray about the wanderings of my mind  as much as (or more than) I talk about them (which lately has been a lot). The inspiration book is already filling up with clippings from magazines and quotes and tidbits that send my mind off in a million directions. It's a mood board of sorts that allows me to feel like I have a creative outlet aside form my writing and 9 to 5 job. The calendar is (duh) to make order of my hectic schedule, and the book, By Invitation Only, is already challenging and teaching me in ways only a business degree sprinkled with fairy dust would.

I'm sure this isn't the last of these ideas I'll share, but I'm excited to focus my scatterbrained-self into realizing what exactly I want out of my degree in journalism and what possibilities might be around the corner, praying about it every step of the way.

Stay safe if you're out and about in Memphis today,

 and as always, Happy Friday!

*photos courtesy of Pinterest and myself.

Happy Friday

You made it; it's finally the weekend. I'm ready to sleep in and.. oh wait-- we're providing food for the Ole Miss tailgate tomorrow. Welp, I guess I'll sleep next weekend...?

Things that made me happy this week (besides my birthday festivities/surprises and all the well wishes):

 

{this banner over Beale St.}

I get that everyone's excited about the Justin Timberlake concert on Monday (me included!), but there was something super hilarious to me about pretending it was up for JT. I couldn't stop laughing. JT, on the other hand, didn't find it as amusing. 

I'm also excited for this movie. Don't judge me. Anyone have a bambino I can borrow to pretend I'm seeing it for them?

Then there's also Thanksgiving yumminess and Christmas decorations to look forward to... it's been a good week.