happy birthday, momma!!!

today, is my momma's birthday!!!!

i'm a bit bummed because she was actually planning to be in town visiting, but a few things have come up so, she has instead decided to come for Christmas. i was really looking forward to see her + celebrating her special day! no worries, though...she'll get the special birthday treatment later this month ;)

here's my FAVORITE pic of her + i....i've posted it on the blog before, but i just can't get enough of it...i just makes my heart smile!!!

it's christmas card time!!!! shutterfly to the rescue!!!

so, those close to me know that i dabble a bit in photography...yes, dabble.

a few years ago, my then fiance' {now, hubby - just to be clear} blessed me with an awesome camera for Christmas because i had been mentioning how much i wanted to start tapping into my "gift". well, two years later, i hadn't really made moves forward in terms of getting better with my camera...much to the chagrin of the gifter.

well, things are starting to change *insert applause here*

i begged offered my photography services to my brother + father for their Christmas cards. it started out as a joke, but, in the end, i'm really excited that they took me up on my offer...also, i think it's pretty cool that they'll have father/son cards :) gotta love family!

so, last weekend, while the hubby + i were in my hometown visiting, we held my first "real" photo shoot. my hubby served as my "assistant" helping me to scout out locations {daddy's backyard} + offering encouraging words {gooooo crys!}...it was REAAAAALLY cold outside, so we weren't outside that long, but we managed to get a lot of really great shots.

after taking the pics, i had to decide whether i was going to design them myself or use some other method. the answer was EASY...very easy - SHUTTERFLY! for the past several years, i have been using shutterfly {www.shutterfly.com} for allll of my photo printing needs + in checking out their Christmas card selection earlier this month, i was, again, blown away by all of their choices - {http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-photo-cards}. today, i spent the day selecting a few options for my daddy + bro...it was a hard decision because there are so many awesome choices, but we finally selected a design! {i'll show them to you AFTER Christmas...of course, we don't want to spoil the surprise for those that will be receiving cards}.

seriously. i love shutterly. seriously. each year, i design "photo books" {http://www.shutterfly.com/photo-books} with pictures of the hubby + i over the past year. they have proved to be wonderful keepsakes that we cannot wait to show our future children later in life. here's the cover of the one i made of our china trip back in 2007...it has a home in our living room :) it's always fun to take a look back at the book + reminisce!

we also used shutterfly photo cards - {http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery} to create invitations for an informal "day after the wedding" event for our family + friends.

 {btw, i "blacked out" some of the details for privacy purposes...shutterfly didn't do it - PROMISE!}

if you haven't checked out shutterly, you really, really should!!! you can thank me later!!!

ciao!!!

happy birthday, daddy!!!

today, december 2, is my daddy's 30th birthday!!! in celebration of the birthday boy, here are a few pics!

we wish you many more years of good health, love, and God's grace!!! enjoy your day! we love you!!!

kkkkk {5k}

this past saturday, i ran in my first 5k (3.1 miles). the race was a part of my "training" regimen for an upcoming half-marathon. in an earlier post, i spoke about what's behind all this running...

i must say after the race, i was a little disappointed. yes, i did finish, but it was much more challenging than i had expected. the course had hills GALORE. although the course that i typically run with my hubby has hills...they don't compare at all to the ones from saturday. okay, so that's my excuse disclaimer - ha.

my goal, well, hubby's goal for me was to finish the race in under thirty minutes...which would be about 10 minutes per mile. my unofficial finishing time was 30:25. i'm not really disappointed in my time as i'm not a fast runner by nature. what i was a little perturbed about was the fact that at one point during the race, i had to walk. i probably took about ten strides total, but i haven't had to do that in any of my training runs prior + i'm up to over 4 miles now....womph. womph. also, had i not walked, i definitely would have come in under the goal. anyhooo....

here's a brief recap of the day:

• about the event itself: the event was very well put together + serves a great cause. it is a memorial race for a teenage girl, aubrae gunderson, that was killed while practicing with her high school cross country team six years ago. the proceeds for the event go towards college scholarships. to show our support, hubby + i plan to run this race on a yearly basis. it's neat because her parents have organized the event in a way that really speaks to aubrae as a person. feel free to check out their website.
• it was a coooold morning - cold, i say
• again, loved running in my vibrams...even in the cold with no socks...loved it!
• i felt AWESOME the first mile of the race, i ran it in about 8 minutes
• the second mile was KILLER - i think that's where the majority of the hills were. when i finally got to the two mile marker, i was devastated surprised that it wasn't the finish line
• it was great having a personal cheerleader running the course with me {my hubby, of course} who left my side only to run ahead to take pics of me during the race + at the finish line

i periodically try to make myself feel better by reiterating that it was a really hilly course {see above}, lol, but i just need to stop making excuses + up my training a bit. i must say that i am pleased that i finished...i've never run more than two miles in my life prior to a month ago, so, for that, i'm proud.

we're planning on running a 10k (~6 miles) new years day...so that's my next goal....wish me luck!

here are a few pics...

me + my piece of heaven here on earth {my hubby}

run, crys, run!!!

 

us after the race

the prize for the "high heel hustle"...cute idea :)

happy thanksgiving!!!!

just wanted to take a few moments to wish everyone a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! here are a few things i am particularly thankful for...today + always...

• my relationship with God: He continues to guide me + shows me unconditional love...even though i am not worthy!
• my husband: his friendship...his laughter...his smile...it is truly a blessing to be able to make the conscious decision to chose love, to choose my husband, and be forever humbled that he also chooses me. 
• my family + friends: i am surrounded by people that i love + care for beyond words. i am thankful for each relationship + the individual ways they impact my life.
• my career: the ability to earn a living doing work that i enjoy {most days, hehehe}. 

today is a wonderful day to share with family + friends, but we should do our best to live with a spirit of thanksgiving in our daily lives!

motivation

i'm loosely following a running training plan which suggests that i do "long runs" one day each week. this past wednesday, dude came home + suggested that we do a long run this saturday + he mapped out a four mile course for us - my longest previous distance is about 3.5 miles, but on different terrain {flat, less hills}. so, all this week, i was dreading looking forward to saturday. i did a few 3+ mile runs by myself over the course of the week, so i felt pretty prepared.

then comes saturday morning.

my morning started off pretty dreadful...i wasn't in a good mood - at all. our initial plan was that we were going to get up + start our run at about 8am because dude had plans to play football + i usually walk kennesaw mountain saturday mornings with a girlfriend of mine. well....we ended up waking up late, so we postponed the run until later that afternoon, which i was 100% cool with, lol.

then comes saturday afternnon.

i was still in a stinker of a mood, but we decided to run any way. we head out on the course, armed with our respective ipods + dude with his "i wish another dog would run after us" stick since we're apparently prone to having dogs chase us while running. it's happened. twice.

the run started off pretty good. i ran in my vibrams, so i felt extremely light on my feet. well, fast forward to the last mile of the run...i was starting to feel a little tired + had serious thoughts of just "walking it in" once we made it back to the entrance of our subdivision which is about 0.2 miles from our house. i started to slow a bit, so at that point, dude ended up being in front of me - he usually runs behind me so that i can run at my own pace. as i'm starting to run out of gas, i look up + see this running in front of me...

all i could think of was "boy, hush" how i really wasn't 'giving it my best' at that point, so i got a second wind + put just a little more pep in my step. when we finally reached our driveway...i was pretty excited! honestly, no one would have been able to sense my glee because i could hardly breathe was stretching + cooling down, but believe me i was stocked. then, hubby gives me a big hug + tells me that he was proud of me. <--- the best part of it all ;)

next saturday is our 5k, so i'll be taking it easy on long runs this week.

ciao!

lead me with strong hands...

marriage is a very beautiful thing - very beautiful. i believe it's the most challenging, yet most rewarding relationship two people can enter with one another here on earth. there is so much responsibility required on both sides, yet the reward cannot even accurately be described in words.

in a previous post, i spoke of how it's so important to put the needs of your spouse before your own needs...with the understanding that he/she will be doing the same. when that happens, you no longer have to "worry" about your own wants + needs because, by design, your spouse is taking care of them. of course, there will be times you'll need to communicate your needs to your spouse + vice versa; however, this is truly an awesome method by which to approach marriage between two people that truly love + respect one another.

yesterday, while driving in my car, a particular song came on the radio. i had heard the song many times before, but i never really paid attention to the lyrics. for some reason, this particular time, i took notice.

the song, "lead me" by sanctus real, speaks of a husband's role in the home....

chorus {from a wife/child's point of view}

“lead me with strong hands
stand up when i can't
don't leave me hungry for love
chasing dreams, what about us?

show me you're willing to fight
that i'm still the love of your life
i know we call this our home
but i still feel alone”

and it speaks to his desire to fulfills the needs of his wife + children...

"so Father, give me the strength
to be everything i'm called to be
oh, Father, show me the way
to lead them
won't You lead me?

to lead them with strong hands
to stand up when they can't
don't want to leave them hungry for love,
chasing things that I could give up

i'll show them i'm willing to fight
and give them the best of my life
so we can call this our home
lead me, 'cause i can't do this alone"

i have the utmost respect for the role of a husband in a Christian home...as the head, the lead. of course, the wife has the responsibility of being his 'helpmate'; however, the husband is fully accountable to God for his family.

this song is a beautiful representation of this + would be an awesome prayer for husbands to pray as they strive to be the husbands they are called to be + a gentle reminder to wives of how much is required of our husbands...that it may not be as "easy" as we may think it is...

check the song out below...complete with lyrics so you can sing along in no time!

who needs cul-de-sacs anyway?!?

everyone knows that the fastest way to get to point A to point B is a straight line...

wellll, the developers of our subdivision OBVIOUSLY did not have "runners" in mind. we have more cul-de-sacs in our subdivision than i can even count....{for dramatic effect, here's a section of our 'hood below}

 

{google maps}

 

yeah, okay, i thought they were great when we were deciding on buying the house...but, back then, i wasn't running. honestly, i don't even really notice them until i'm at the end of a run....just dying to get it over with finish + make it home. when i turn down my street + get excited that i'm on the last stretch, i still have THREE cul-de-sacs to "round" before i collapse make it to my driveway. suuuuure, i could just not run the fuuuuuull circle of the cul-de-sac, but after it's all said + done, i'd probably feel guilty.

ugh.

run?!?! what....is something chasing me?!?

sooo, about a year ago, a dear friend of mine + i, came up with the GRAND idea of us running a half-marathon together. so, being the "go-getters" that we are, we said we were gonna start training, we registered for it, annnnnd....the date of the race came + went + neither one of us were anywhere to be found near the starting line. lol.

wellll, a few weeks ago, we decided to try this thing again. we're tentatively looking at running a half-marathon {13.1 miles} in early 2011.

what was i thinking?!?!

i consider myself somewhat athletic; however, i totally ABHOR RUNNING. i remember having to run a timed mile in high school for cheerleading + although i did "well", i dreaded every.single.minute. need me to box, spin, climb a mountain, weight train - then, i'm your girl, but if it involves running...i'd much rather pass the baton on that.

given the fact that i dislike running so much, i think training for this half-marathon will actually be good for me. i've never run farther than 3 miles at a time, so in order to reach this goal, i'll have to be very disciplined + truly dedicate the time to training.

thankfully, my hubby is very supportive + has been doing training runs with me for the past couple of days. during one of those runs, a dog actually started chasing us...which was not cool - at all. when we're not being chased, rae patiently runs behind me at my "snail's pace" when he could clearly run circles around me, lol. gosh, i love that guy :)

we - okay, i - created a "reward" schedule for milestones that i reach in my training to keep me motivated. two weeks ago, i reached my first goal + hubby bought me the running shoes that i had been eyeing for a while....yay!!! they are the vibram five fingers - bikila model...here's a pic below:



yeah, they're "different", lol...i'll let you know why i decided to go with these shoes in an upcoming post. until then, just know that me + all ten of my toes LOVE THEM :)

hey! we're gonna need those!!!

so, the hubby + i have been talking about "family planning" quite a bunch recently + although we don't plan to start our family of kiddies just yet, it's never too early to start preparing.

i came across an interesting video this morning from CBS news that talks about the correlation between laptop use + low sperm count in men. apparently, it's no bueno for that area of a man's body to be "overheated"...so it makes sense that sitting a laptop "there" would be no bueno as well.

lucky for us, my momma bought me a laptop stand that i'm very fond of + use occastionally - you can use it in a chair, in the bed, on the floor - just about anywhere!

perhaps i'll be "re-gifting" that bad boy to my hubby because, "hey! we're gonna need those!!!"

feel free to check out the video below for more "scientific" details...

in loving memory: robert "bobby" tillman

it just pains me to read the coverage of the fatal beating of seventeen year old, robert "bobby" tillman, this past weekend in douglasville, georgia by four of his peers. my heart truly goes out to his mother, who described her son as her "best friend".

bobby was attending a house party that apparently had gotten out of hand at the home of a local teenage girl. many people stated that the party was thrown by responsible parents + was meant for only about ten people, but it quickly grew out of control. some accounts say that at one time, there were over eighty people there. this grew progressively worse when two females got into a altercation + one of the females hit another partygoer - a male. he stated he wouldn't hit a girl {how chivalrous!!!}, but he would hit the next male that walked by {errrrr!?!?!}. unfortunately, bobby happened to walk by + the unthinkable happened....

four male teenagers proceeded to beat bobby to his death. click here for more details on the story

well, here's my take on the story...i think it's senseless. truly senseless. bobby did not deserve what happened to him. he did not provoke those young men in any way. i truly, truly believe our youth are lost. they're just lost. they listen to the filth that's in our music + on our televisions these days + are truly unable to distinguish between what is acceptable in real life + what's not. they're not able to have a mind of their own + the gumption to not "live up" to what's "cool" in today's society. they see famous people go to jail for drugs/weapons charges + how they are "glorified" with "free xxx" shirts....they see how people are sooo excited when these individuals are released so that they can continue to make music that clouds the minds of our youth. 

don't get me wrong, i definitely don't think that music + television are the only issues, but they play a huge part. i also blame parents to a certain extent - i don't have children myself, yet, so i have no idea what it's like to be a parent these days, but there is some level of accountability that should be taken.

i wrote about a christian rapper, lecrae, a few days ago....he has a song on a previous album - entitled "rebel" that i think is truly fitting for this situation. it speaks about being a "rebel" in the society that we live in. there's a part in the song that says,

"I know that in our day rebel means sinner, but everyone is sinning so it is no longer rebellious to sin. Jesus was a rebel who was counter cultural.....

...If you really want to be a rebel read your bible, because no one is doing that.... that's rebellion - that's the only rebellion left."

now playing: lecrae...all albums

since deciding to truly, honestly grow closer to God, i've decided to stop listening to most mainstream "music". to each his/her own, but i just find it hard to listen to lyrics that glorify sex, drugs, fame, money, etc.
 this past week, my hubby found my ipod that i hadn't listened to in over a year + i was really excited to go back + listen to the songs that i had downloaded. back then, i was at a different place in my life...i had a few christian songs here + there, but most of it was mainstream music...at that time, i didn't think too much of it. i was just excited that he found it.

well, i decided to head out for a run with my ipod in tow + i honestly had to keep skipping through songs that used to be "MY JAM", lol. i kept thinking..."did he/she just say that"!?!? there are a lot of things that are said in song lyrics that just didn't "click" to me before + now, i guess i've become more aware. i must say that there is still some secular music that have good messages + aren't offensive - those aren't the songs i'm referring to.

in sharing that with a couple that have become dear friends of ours, they introduced us to lecrae, a christian rapper. i must say, he is truly talented...and many critics say that his talent rivals many rappers in the mainstream music arena. his music has really satisfied my want to be able to enjoy other genres/types of music, yet not having to listen to lyrics about stuff i've never done or no longer plan to do. an added bonus, is that my hubby, who is MUCH more of a music person than i am, enjoys listening to lecrae's music as well.

one of my favorite songs by lecrae on his most recent album, rebel, is a song called "background" ft. c-lite. it talks about stepping out of the way + allowing God to take control of your life. it is such a powerful message especially for those of us that are prone to wanting to take things in our hands...*raises hand*.

have a look/listen...



**i'm no music critic, but in reading the reviews of lecrae's albums many critics have said that if he were to take his talent to the mainstream music arena, he'd be very "successful". how blessed are we as christians that he decided to "play the background" + allow God to use him for His glory - AMEN!!!

TWO WORDS: 1st word: mozzarella, cheddar {cheese}; 2nd word: everyone gets one once a year with their name on it + ppl eat it {cake}....CHEESECAKE?!?!

this weekend, my brother, sister, her husband + children, and our father all came to visit the hubby + i. we had a really great time eating, fellowshipping with one another, playing games, etc.

for dinner, we had parmesan tilapia, steamed green beans, garlic mashed potatoes, and biscuits. everyone said dinner was really great *turning around so you can pat me on my back*, hehehe; however, i cannot take credit for the biscuits...they were AWESOME!!! my sister + brother introduced the hubby + i to a new brand {can't remember what it's called...will update the post later}.

in celebration of my niece, laikyn's, birthday we had cheesecake {her favorite}. my brother, jt, truly outdid himself with the strawberry topping that he made...it was truly delicious. the best part of it all was that laikyn had no idea that we were gonna surprise her...here are a few pics...

 

after we finished eating dinner + devouring the birthday cheesecake, we played mad gab + then taboo....it was a whole lot of fun! i was very impressed with how well my niece + nephew grasped taboo...they did a really great job of coming up with their own clues! 

we're looking forward to our next family weekend sometime at the end of january. we're truly blessed to be surrounded by the love + support of our family + friends!!!

on this day....

on this day, four years ago...i met the man that would later become my husband. i am so blessed + grateful to experience such an amazing love here on earth...a love that grows even more amazing as we both continue to grow closer to God individually as well as a family.

to my husband, my best friend - i respect you. i love you.

here's how it all started {from the front of our wedding save the date}....

  

{graphic design by www.thebeepaperie.com}

skydiving!

october 1, 2007

 

january 18, 2009 - engagement day!!!

**a little perturbed that my pics won't "center", but hey, guess you can't win 'em all! LOL :)

happy birthday, laikyn!!!!

today is my niece, laikyn's, 12th birthday!!!! it's amazing how time has flown by....she is growing to be such a beautiful, smart, young lady!

enjoy your day, sweet pea! we love you!!! see you this weekend!

happy anniversary to the dunhams!!!!

twenty-three years ago, my sister + her hubby said, "i do!"

here's to many more years of love + happiness!!!

we love you!

FOR SALE: sofa and/or armoire

in consolidating our "pre-marriage" furniture + moving into a new home, some items just didn't make the cut. the hubby + i are in the process of selling a sofa + tv armoire...so, if you're interested in purchasing either or both items - let me know!

sofa - $350

the sofa was purchased about a year ago from american signature furniture for around $600. we are asking $350. the sofa was recently professionally steam cleaned + was in a non-smoking/no pet home. here is a pic of the actual sofa {note: lighting is a bit "off" in the pic below}...

 

tv armoire - SOLD

the armoire will fit up to a 32" television.

if you are interested in/want additional information on one or both of the items....feel free to sent me a message!

happy birthday, braejhan!!!

today is my hubby's little sister's 19th birthday!  here's a pic of her + me at her high school graduation last year.

the pic below cracks.me.up! this is a pic of her bro + i {and unbeknownst to us - her as well} at a mardi gras parade in new orleans in 2008.

enjoy your day, dahhhhhlin - LOVE YOU, lil sis!

MOMMA'S HERE!

i'm super-duper thrilled that my momma is in town for a week! i'm really excited to be able to spend time with her...she was in atlanta for about a year, but moved after my wedding :( i truly miss having her around - she is an amazing woman...with such a kind heart + i am truly blessed to have her as my mother.

here's a pic of her + i while she was helping me get dressed for my wedding. it was only her + i in the room before everyone else came in...it was truly awesome to share those special moments with her. i wish i knew what we were laughing at - but apparently, it was QUITE HILARIOUS ;)

{w. scott chester photography}

YUM: ryvita banana treat!

hubby + i have been on a healthy eating kick lately...okay, okay, well, I'VE been on a healthy eating kick lately + hubby has been overwhelmingly supportive + willing to try out this "new way of eating". over the past two weeks, we've been "eating clean" - meaning eliminating processed foods, sugars, white breads + making healthier choices such as lots of fresh veggies, fruits, complex carbs, lean meats, etc.

well, today, we were both craving a healthy snack, so i decided to "make up" a snack....it turned out to be absolutely DELICIOUS, so i thought i'd share. it was even hubby approved!

• two ryvita whole grain light rye crackers
• about two tablespoons of 0% greek yogurt
• 1/2 banana thinly sliced
• one teaspoon each of ground flaxseed + wheatgerm
• "drizzle" of agave nectar or honey

instructions:

simple. spread yogurt over the two crackers; cover with banana slices, sprinkle with flaxseed + wheatgerm, then drizzle agave nectar on top. eat. yum.

LOVED it!

we.are.fam.ily!!!

i am SOOOO behind on posts...it's somewhat ridiculous; however...there's no time like the present, so here we go!!!

at the end of july, we headed to my hometown for a mini-reunion with my daddy, my sister + her family, and my brother + also to attend my high school reunion. boy, did we have a really great time! we had a cookout where several other family members came over + my brother enlisted my uncle to take family pictures of us at the waterfront downtown. since we all live in different cities, it had been a few months since all of us had gotten together, so it was great to "commemorate" the occasion! here are a few of the pictures...

{all of us}

{my hubby + i}

{the ladies}

{the adult "kids"}

10 year high school reunion!!!

as i mentioned earlier, we were also in town for my 10 year high school reunion. the official event was held at a local restaurant in the area. i had a really great time seeing old high school classmates + introducing my "new" hubby to that era of my life :)

here are a few pics...

{a tribute to one of our classmates that was unable to attend}

happy birthday, zaria!!!!

today is the birthday of zaria, my hubby's youngest sister! she's 12 today! here's a pic of baby girl from the photobooth at our wedding!!!

enjoy your day, zaria...we LOVE YOU, lil sis!!!

happy birthday, jt!!!

today, we celebrate the birthday of my big brother, j.t.

j.t. is one of the most loving, caring, thoughtful, protective, big brothers a little sister could ever pray for. as far back as i can remember, he's always given the best advice...he starts with the kind of advice that you want to hear, but probably shouldn't act on...then ends with what you really should do!!! he never fails to put a smile on my face no matter what!

j.t. you are a wonderful person + it just brings so much joy to my hear to see you overcome with sooo much happiness.

we love you!!!

family time with my "in-laws"

the hubby + i played "host" to his mom, dad, and two younger sisters who packed up + headed our way for a little getaway + to attend a few family functions that were planned here in atlanta. while they were here, they also took a trip to knoxville to check out the university of tennessee because his sister is looking at enrolling there in the near future. sorry, i'm a GEORGIA BULLDOG so it was hard enough for me to even type those three words, LOL ;)

i was talking to my hubby's mother about how people were asking me if i was nervous about them coming...you know, since they are my "in-laws" + all. i honestly didn't think anything of it until people started asking me about it. you see, i have a really great relationship with my "in-laws"...so much so that i refer to them as mom + dad {my parents are momma + daddy} + feel that i can just be myself around them. even after i type this blog post, i'm still a little sad that they aren't here anymore...they left early this morning...and now our house is eeerily quiet! right before they left dad said..."yep, yall need to fill this house up with some kids!!!" that's definitely the plan....in a few years :)

ironically enough, i spent more time with the fam than my hubby did. timing worked out perfectly for me as i was working from home the whole time they were here, but hubby still had to go to work during the day :( so, in between conference calls, i could run downstairs to grab a bite to eat + chit chat for a few minutes before heading back upstairs to keep working.

although we did a lot of fun things ranging from going to the movies, to the coca cola museum, to cooking my "first meal" for them...there are two things that really stood out to me. i was again reminded of how blessed i am to be surrounded by so much love.

• while dad was teaching me how to cook his infamous shrimp pasta, i got a call from my momma who hadn't been feeling well for a while. i stepped out of the kitchen to finish our convo + then when i came back, dad asked me how far of a drive it was from atlanta to where she currently lives. "about 3.5- 4 hours", i replied. he then says, "maybe we can all take a ride out there to see her...do you think she would enjoy that?" at that point, i was brought to tears...it really touched me that he offered to go + see her. so, a few days later, we all hopped in the car {sans the hubby} + made the drive. she was over the hill ecstatic to see all of us!!! i was equally excited to be able to see her + my older brother as well...it had been about a month since i had last seen them. we had a really great time...we ate red beans + rice, chicken + banana pudding. perfect.company.perfect.meal.perfect.day.

• the second thing that stood out was while us ladies were out one day, my car decided to go "kaput". like, had to find a place to pull over because i could not longer control the wheel - "kaput". oh, not to mention, some part also decided to just fly off from the bottom of the car...well, we ended up calling rae + his dad + we had the car towed back to our house. from the time the car was delivered to the house, rae + his dad were in the garage working on it. they ended up taking the car apart - like parts all out on the floor, apart - to determine what all was wrong with it...then, from auto part store to salvage yard to you name it...they were there getting parts to fix it. the next day, after a little sweat + elbow grease from the stampley men, lil' mama {the car} was back on the road! 

indeed, we are so blessed to be surrounded by so much love! in fact, we're apparently having a "family tour" of sorts...we are leaving this weekend to go to my hometown for my high school reunion!!! it'll be great to see my daddy + my brother + my sister who will be coming in town with her family! we're supposed to be taking some family pics, so i'll be sure to post!!!

ciao!

watch out there, nah!

as you may recall from a previous post, i mentioned that the hubby + i traveled to new orleans {technically, slidell} for his mom's 50th birthday celebration. my brother made the trip with us as well + we had an ABSOLUTE blast - as always.

the theme of the party was 70's, so you KNOW we had fun dressing up for that! we all came to the party complete with our 70's outfits, afros, and ready to get our boogie on!

mom did such an awesome job planning her party starting with her vision for the invitations...

{designed by: http://www.thebeepaperie.com/}

the back of the invitation had a present day picture and party details

here are pics from the day:

getting ready...

not sure what i was looking for...

as you can tell from the pics...we had an absolute blast!