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

Love is in the Air

Well hello there. Long time, no talk. I've spent the last month on a happy hiatus from MC simply to enjoy all of the exciting things going on. I wanted to fully enjoy all of it and not even think about sharing it. Selfish, I know, but it's true. I wanted to soak it all up and now that I have, my cup runneth over. 

This past month has been a whirlwind to say the least, but absolutely wonderful in every way. I'm so excited to finally share all of the little things.

March 29, 2014: JT and I got engaged!

Right after JT proposed at Shelby Farms Park!

The fabulous family dinner he planned for after the proposal at my fav restaurant, Jim's Place Grille.

So excited bebe stayed put for a few more days so JT wouldn't have to propose in a hospital!

The stunner weighing down my left hand :)

April 3, 2014: Robert "Robby" Benjamin Todd, Jr. graced the world with his presence making me an official auntie.

Emily had to touch up before go time, and I was happy to assist// New dad telling us of his arrival.

We finally found out his name, and Uncle JT and Aunt Anna meet Robby for the first time!

Bringing bebe home, and Allie is smitten with her new brother.

April 13, 2014: I got the letter that my student loans were completely paid off making this girl debt free!

So long, Sallie Mae. I won't miss you at all.

April 24-26: We packed up and headed to Lakeland, Florida for Ashley and Coady's lovely wedding. #CheekPartyOf2

Ashley celebrating her last fling before the ring!

TNBs reunited again!

JT and I before the rehearsal dinner

Besties getting ready for the big day

such a stunning bride and wonderful friend!

The brand new Mr. and Mrs. Coady Cheek!

To say love is in the air is an understatement. It's in everything I do lately. And I wouldn't have it any other way! Can't wait for what's next!

Old School Cool

When JT and I were counting down the days to our first Christmas together, we would give each other clues as to what we had gotten each other. I'll never forget the way he described what I would later find out was a gold necklace with my birthstone pendant. He said some people think you might not like it, but I know you will because it's your style -- vintage chic. I'll interject here to say that he was partially joking because I put "chic" after everything (ie hipster chic); he doesn't use the word unless it's for mocking purposes. But I knew what he meant. He was being genuine, and it was perfection. And it was also one of the best compliments I've received. 

Not long after that, I took one of those buzzfeed quizzes about what decade you belong in. I'm sure it's a shock which one I got. 

Just this weekend, I was talking to my aunt and she said "oh, I found some things you might want for your kitchen someday! They just look like you." They were vintage cookbooks, and yes, I love them.

Call it what you want: vintage, old school, or traditional. Whatever it is, it's me, and I don't think I'll ever really change. I'll always love old things, anything that tells a story, anything that has character.

That might be why when I heard Miranda Lambert's new song "Automatic," a little part of me smiled, and I started singing right along. So, c'mon let's take a picture, the kind you gotta shake.

Present Makes Perfect

{This "inspirational thought catalog" was given to me as a parting gift from 

ServiceMaster by a very sweet lady who loves office supplies as much as I do. 

It will always be on my desk, no matter where my desk is.}

Lately, I've been feeling like I'm burning the candle at both ends. Between my full-time job as Assistant Editor for MBQ and a Contributing Editor for MM, I've taken on freelance opportunities for the WMU, still doing social media here and there (not a full campaign but something) for Cordova Vision Center, and most recently, sharing Nerium as a side business (a very lucrative one at that! shameless plug that I just got promoted to a Director after only 40 days!). 

All of this still falls under the category of work, too. Then there's my family, my boyfriend, my friends, my social life, and of course, my relationship and walk with the Lord which I've actively been trying to strengthen through reading I Am A Church Member and consistently tithing for the first time in my life. OH, and being a Tone It Up gal, I've newly started making nearly all my own meals (for 5 small meals a day.. hello food-prep time) and working out more consistently. 

By the end of day, and especially the week, I tend to be an exhausted mess. I'm not a perfectionist by any means, but I do have a certain sense of "if I'm going to do it, I'm not going to do it halfway." This leads to the original sentiment of burning the candle at both ends. I've always been ambitious and anyone who knows me, knows that the best way to get me to succeed is to tell me I can't do something. Then my inner diva puffs up and says yells "watch me!"(very much a la Lorrie Morgan).

This morning I was chatting with JT about future opportunities and goals he has, and specific ones I have for my future. Then we always start talking about our future and dreams, hopes, and wants (anything is fair game from ideal houses and neighborhoods to jobs to church life and "extras" such as boats, cars, etc). This morning in particular, we both said wait a second. It's great that we're both so very motivated both individually and together, but we need to take a time out and start recognizing how great our current stage of life is.

This sounds cliche, but we both have very charmed lives and often take them for granted. I get the opportunity to live at home with my parents, something I cherish. I made my mom breakfast this morning before her big meeting because I wanted to, and was able to. Things like that are a rarity and won't always be possible in every stage of my life. I have a fabulous relationship with my sister that has grown tremendously (unfortunately due to JT working 24-hour Sunday shifts) and I tend to spend the whole day Sunday with her. I carpool with my dad to work out in the morning, and I even have a business with my mom now too (shout out Nerium). 

JT has the opportunity to work for Stryker, and pick up shifts at Jason's Deli making bank in tips and working overtime hours, possibly shadow career mentors, and network. He also bowls with friends weekly, comes to some of my Nerium meetings and helps me, makes time for date nights, visits with Granny and Dee before his morning work outs due to his schedule and is the godfather to a precious baby boy. 

Most of these things wouldn't be possible if we had gotten what we originally wanted. If I made more money, I might not live at home and spend the time growing these relationships. If JT worked normal hours, he wouldn't have time to network or make extra money on the side just because he can. 

We made the decision to keep each other accountable to enjoying the present and not always wishing it away for the next stage of life. Because both of us will tell you, the here and now is pretty darn great. Exhaustion and all. (Ironically, Emily Maynard wrote about the same topic today too. God works in mysterious ways, I tell you.)

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. 

Oh, Deer

This post has been a long time coming, but I held off until I could give you the most bang for your buck (pun intended), so to speak. I noticed that Taylor Sterling was styling her home office/nursery with one of these precious ceramic deers (seen here and here), and didn't think much else of it. Until Christmas. 

My wonderful aunt, Mary Jane, had been paying attention to how much I loved Glitter Guide and Taylor, and she did her homework for a perfect Christmas gift: the coveted deer head. 

Now, the story goes that she "accidentally clicked the 'order' button twice" but either way, we all got deer heads for the holidays -- guys included. This seemed like it might be tricky, since not everyone was quite sure how to use theirs, but it turned out to be a lesson in creativity. A "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" type thing. 

If you follow me on instagram, you might have noticed that my Aunt used hers as part of her Christmas decor, complete with Peabody the Elf perched atop its antlers for optimal "watching" capabilities.

I use mine to hold and display my jewelry, instead of leaving it in a giant mess on my counter. It's proven to be very handy and quite cute, in my opinion. 

JT has his standing guard atop his china cabinet to add a bit of modern/fun manliness to an otherwise semi-girly piece of furniture (in that it holds fine china, but one look at the bar cart full of whiskey and you know, without a doubt, it's a man's dining room). And Emily plans to use hers in a book shelf for Bebe T's nursery incorporating hues of blue, cream and white. Adorable!

I love these little things so much, I'm contemplating reasons/places I could put these fun friends (click here, here, here, here or here for the fun friends I'm talking about). And bonus, these cuties are on sale currently. So pick up one (or three) of these stellar stags and unleash your creativity of where and how you can use yours.

Festive Weekend Recap

As if I wasn't already excited about Christmas, this weekend sent me over the edge. Work holiday party, cocktails at the Peabody, family dinner at Majestic, Advent, and our annual family cookie bake all in one weekend? Couldn't have asked for a better way to usher in the holiday season. Here's a few snapshots of our festivities:

{JT and me in front of the massive Peabody Hotel Christmas tree.}

{There were no seats in the lobby, so my ever-resourceful boyfriend spotted a friendly couple who let us share a table with them. We ended up chatting with them for a few hours while we waited for our reservations, and plan to keep in touch. Pleasant twist on the evening.}

{the cookie baking gals. an art 

our family has perfected for generations}

{JT getting excited for his second annual cookie bake}

{my lovely sissy and bebe T's first cookie bake. 

can't wait for him to play in the icing and flour next year.}

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Deck the Halls

 

This is how I like to imagine I look as I decorate... the reality is me in sweats and a top knot covered in ornament glitter and garland watching Christmas classics and dragging boxes down our pull-down attic stairs. Either way, I'll take it. It's decorating time, folks!

In honor of tomorrow's festivities (hanging tinsel on anything that stands still long enough), I painted my nails bright Christmas red. The jolly color is technically Essie's "Really Red," but hey, who am I to get caught up in technicalities. They'll no doubt be chipped and broken after lugging boxes and stringing lights outside, but I couldn't be more excited. 

In normal tradition, my family decks our halls the Saturday after Thanksgiving, but since Thanksgiving is late this year... we wanted ample time to enjoy the trimmings and trappings before 2014 forces us to take them down. 

This year, I even have two houses to decorate! My family's house, which Lulu and I try to make the North Pole, and JT's house, which will be just enough to make neighborhood kids not think he's a  Scrooge (he's been very generous and allowed me to do as I please, but I'm trying to limit myself to areas of the house including the mantle, a tree, and the front porch). I cannot wait. I'll share the finished product with y'all soon!

Is it tomorrow yet?!