I had such a wonderful weekend with 2 of my favorite ladies!!! We had a weekend full of girl time that consisted of delicious food, warm coffee, awesome beer, crisp wine and a lot of walking to see all the beautifulness that is Wilmington!

Instead of telling you in detail every little thing we did I thought I would show off the mad skills that the photographer, I mean Jocie had!  (With a little help from Katie and I)  ;) And a SUPER BIG Thank You to Adam for letting us borrow the camera for the weekend! We had so much fun capturing every single moment of fun!! Enjoy!

And for those of you who haven’t visited Wilmington, NC you should make a weekend trip some time. It’s so perfect for a romantic get away or a girls only kind of weekend! It’s so quaint, happy, interesting and fun. Not to mention the BEAUTIFUL Bed and Breakfasts that are housed in gorgeous historical homes in downtown Wilmington. You won’t be disappointed!

Go Gomez!

So I have to say that I'm a little obsessed with EVERYTHING that Selena Gomez wears lately.  I've never found one star that has had my dream style but she so has it!  When I I saw her at the Grammy's I almost fell off of the couch  and spilled my wine!  She looked so amazing... the hair, the color, the shine, the fit... the simple jewelry and the perfect clutch.  WOW... just so beautiful.

She was also amazing at the Golden Globes in the beautiful orange red dress.  Hair pulled back lightly and the gold accessories with the perfect train.  ah, so gorgeous!!! 

At the Peoples Choice awards she wore TWO beautiful dresses... the first an adorable mini and then performed in the  awesome, sexy dress with killer shoes. 

She also visited David Letterman and KILLED it!  Why you ask...? Check out the LACE!  Oh my word... lovely!  This is when I realized she is my style icon right now!  Oh... perfect! 

Even when it comes to a cute, casual red carpet she is still so great.  Love the stripes, boots, and the pop of red with the scarf... just so adorable!!!  And of course her hair is perfect.... 

Now, with all this being said I do understand she has a stylist, hair dresser, make-up artist and a trainer but still.  She's great.  I love her. 

--Side note:

Tomorrow we leave for Wilmington for our Girls Weekend trip!!!  YAY!  The picture below was taken last year at Jocie's Birthday dinner and I can't believe how much as changed in our lives in one year!!!  We are closer than ever and I don't know what I'd do without them.  Love you both SOOOO much and I can't wait for a weekend filled with creating FUN memories! 

blameless.

I’m currently reading Job since I finished 1 Corinthians last week.  I’m not sure what made me choose Job… I opened my bible and that’s what I saw so I guess I took it as an answer from God that I should be learning from Job right now.  And Learning is DEFINITELY what I am doing.  Last night I read chapter 2 and I utterly feel like verse 10 is exactly what I need to soak in right now.  The book of Job is about a blameless man that Satan is trying to break down.  The Lord has complete faith in him because Job is one of His people. 

Below is Job 2:1-10

 ¹ One day the members of the heavenly court^a]" came again to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them. ²“Where have you come from?” the Lord asked Satan.

   Satan answered the Lord, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on.”

 ³ Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil. And he has maintained his integrity, even though you urged me to harm him without cause.”

 ⁴ Satan replied to the Lord, “Skin for skin! A man will give up everything he has to save his life. ⁵ But reach out and take away his health, and he will surely curse you to your face!”

 ⁶ “All right, do with him as you please,” the Lord said to Satan. “But spare his life.” ⁷ So Satan left the Lord’s presence, and he struck Job with terrible boils from head to foot.

 ⁸ Job scraped his skin with a piece of broken pottery as he sat among the ashes. ⁹ His wife said to him, “Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die.”

 ¹⁰ But Job replied, “You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” So in all this, Job said nothing wrong.

I wish I could be blameless… and have God COMPLETE Faith that I will not be tempted by sin.  I’m human, I make mistakes… I am forgiven daily for things I do because I have a loving Father that died for me so my sins can be washed away but that still doesn’t give me an excuse to sin. 

I don’t want to be like a 4 year old child that disobeys because I know my parents will forgive me.  I want to be a mature Christian Woman that makes decisions because that’s what GOD wants… not what I want.  I want to be blameless!

On another note, recently I feel like I am surrounded with sadness and despair… death, sickness, world suffering and scary health news for close friends of mine.  That made verse 10 even sweeter. 

Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?

No we shouldn’t… All bad news is scary but everything comes from God.  He gives us what he knows we can handle.  And that makes me feel stronger…

My year in pictures {January - March 2011}

I have been VERY blessed and made some wonderful memories with my family and friends!  

Here are some of my favorite moments from this year SO FAR...

 

 

Ready for some even MORE fun...  

Especially this weekend in WILMINGTON! 

2 More Days! 

a late birthday and weekend fun!

It was a super wonderful weekend and the weather was SO beautiful!!!!  Friday night I got to enjoy some Birthday fun.  Yes... I know my Birthday is February 3rd but my wonderful Auntie Peggy and Auntie Laura (2 of my mom's closest  friends) couldn't let me go all year without some Birthday love.  Better late than never, right!?!

I told them they were crazy but I had to give in... since the weather was so perfect we enjoyed some drinks and delicious food on Laura's back deck. 

We grilled some oh so yummy shrimp! 

Then had our wonderful meal with the toasty shrimp, grilled veggies and couscous! 

awesome, huh?? 

And then I got my last birthday cake for this year...

Love them so much!!! 

Later that night was a Jersey Shore themed Birthday party that I wasn't sure what to expect since I've never watched an episode in my life.  I googled pictures of the ladies and this got ready... I have to say, I was proud of my bump!! ;)  Gotta love those HUGE earrings too! 

Here's the whole group... and Peter made me turn and pose like a true Jersey girl!! haha...  You can appreciate the bump even more in this photo!!  Not too long after this the cops came and made us end the party since we were too loud!  Having an official DJ with turn tables and HUGE speakers at a house party can do that I guess.  

It was a wonderful party though and I wish Jack a VERY Happy Birthday!!! 

Early Saturday morning I had a wonderful Brunch at Mary's Cottage for my beautiful friend Maria!!  So happy for her and her wedding coming up VERY soon!  It was wonderful to see Jessica too! 

We got the CUTEST party favors since it was a "kitchen" shower... 

a spatula and a very sweet sugar cookie! 

and of course the food was sooooo good!  I will definitely try Mary's Cottage again. 

The rest of Saturday was a wonderful lazy day!  Peter and I met Beth and Eric for dinner but the camera was never used... kinda bummed.  We went to The Green Room and used our coupon I recently bought from Groupon.  Peter was thankful! :)  After some gelato and a movie to end the night I was read for bed and looking forward to Sunday Morning Church.  

Unfortunately I woke up feeling horrible and could hardly get out of bed all day.  Finally around 4PM I started feeling normal again.  Just in time for some dinner and the last step of Beer Brewing which was so much fun!!!  I got to bottle all of the beer.  We even had a taste and it was so good!!!  I can't wait to try my first bottle after it sets for a week or so.  YUM!  Very proud of my "Beer Brewing Man"!! 

Now off to the gym for a quick workout before a very exciting Pretty Little Liars season finale with Katie Ayer.  Eeeeek! 

Life is too short...

to be anything but HAPPY!  


Recently on Facebook I've noticed a LOT of negative status updates.  To be honest with you, I'm not sure if it's because I am truly happy with life right now or because everyone else is all the sudden very unhappy.  


When I say I am happy I am giving 100% of that happiness to God.  I can't tell you how much my life has changed in the past 3 weeks since I've been spending quality time with God every day... reading His word, talking to Him and making sure If express my love and thanks for everything EVERY single day! 


On Wednesday I posted the following: 

"I hate it when I see negative status updates... you are alive. You are breathing. You have a heavenly Father that loves you. ....if you feel like your world is crashing in watch the news tonight and see what's really happening in the world. Be thankful. Take a breath and give whatever is hurting you to God. You can't handle it but he can!!!"

Apparently a LOT of people agreed with me because I got quite a few "likes"... I'm glad I'm not the only one.  In honor of what I said I want to soak in all the happiness.  I've made a list of my Top 10 Little Happies.  Hopefully reading mine will make you think of your very own.  

1. When I can feel and know that a prayer has been answered. 
2. When my sweet puppy is lying in my lap and she looks up at me, which is her way of asking for a scratch under her chin.  It's so adorable. 
3. When I'm driving at the beginning of Fall and the all the leaves fly up around my car for the first time every year.  
4. When I catch my boyfriend smiling at me sweetly for no reason. 
5. Waking up on Saturdays and realizing it's not Friday after all. 
6. The first sip of a cold beer on a hot day while lying on the beach or by the pool.
7. Whenever I order something online and I see the UPS guy walk by my office to the teller line for someone to sign for delivery. 
8. When I watch So You Think You Can Dance and have tears in my eyes because a dance is so beautiful it hurts.  Like THIS for example. 
9. Rereading posts and realizing how lucky and blessed I am to have such a wonderful life filled with love.  Makes me realize how thankful I am for this little blog! 
10. Having date nights with my wonderful Boyfriend!  Tonight we are going to Smoke on the Water so we can sit outside and enjoy the wonderful weather and delicious food! 

This picture also makes me happy!! 

1 Week......

FROM TOMORROW I WILL BE IN WILMINGTON!!!!!!!! 

A lot of people that I've told about this trip have been so perplexed.  Shrug of the shoulders and slightly confused at why my anticipation is so severe.  It has VERY little to do with being in Wilmington.  Don't get me wrong, I am super pumped to do some One Tree Hill sight-seeing but the main reason I am so excited is because of the GIRL TIME! 

We hardly EVER get to do things together.  Like tonight for instance, Jocie is coming over to have a glass of wine and just relax on the couch while chatting which will be so wonderful but Katie has softball.  It's always like that; it's very odd for the 3 of us to be together for an extended amount of time.  One of us is always busy.  So, that's what I am so stinkin excited about next Friday! 

I'm also excited because we will have some photo fun because Jocie will be taking some practice shots since Katie asked her to do the engagement photos for her and Cody!  I'm planning on doing the same thing one day because she's amazing!  Seriously, take a look at some of these pictures she's taken... I took the liberty to steal some of them from Facebook!  ;)

Jocie's Brother-in-law and her nephew, Jonah

when he was a wittle baby! 

Baby Jonah now.... 

This is just so awesome!!!

Jocie's Brother in NYC.

Adorable Jonah again!

This so so gorgeous.....

I am going to print this and hang it at some point. 

And another that I'm in love with, I need to frame this too! 

I know this obviously NOT a photo Jocie took but it's 

way too sweet not to share!  I love her. 

She's so creative like all great photographers.  One of those things where you look at the picture and you think, “GOSH! Why didn't I think of that!?!”  Pretty much anything artistic she totally kicks butt at... I'm a little jealous, not gonna lie! 

So, look forward to some awesome stories & pictures from the very exciting but relaxing Girls Weekend!!!  YAY!