Ekpe is GOLDEN!!!!

From the green and gold of the Baylor Bears to the Golden State Warriors, hooray for Ekpe Udo, the 6th draft pick in the NBA!!  Congratulations, Ekpe!  Now, I just need to find the perfect Golden State Warriors t-shirt to wear when I cheer on one of my favorite basketball players!!  Yay!!  :)

Ekpe is GOLDEN!!!!

From the green and gold of the Baylor Bears to the Golden State Warriors, hooray for Ekpe Udo, the 6th draft pick in the NBA!!  Congratulations, Ekpe!  Now, I just need to find the perfect Golden State Warriors t-shirt to wear when I cheer on one of my favorite basketball players!!  Yay!!  :)

Happy Belated National Pink Day!!

Yesterday, when I got to work, I opened my Lilly Pulitzer planner and what did I discover?!?  It was National Pink Day and I was wearing a chocolate brown and white dress.  So how did I remedy my dilemma, you ask?  I celebrated National Pink Day today!!  Hooray! :) 

I have had a very exciting week! 

Monday evening, my sweet friend E invited me to a fabulous tropical beauty event.  We were treated to wonderful foot massages and sampled fabulous new beauty products!  I just love getting to see what's new in the world of beauty and... I won a doorprize!!  Woo hoo! :)

Tuesday evening, I savored the theatrical splendor that is "Wicked", Stephen Schwartz's award-winning musical.  Oh, how I LOVE it!!  The music is SO inspiring.  Just hearing "Defying Gravity" makes me want to save the world.  It was so fun to enjoy such a wonderful show about friends with one of my besties!!  :)

Last night, I definitely gave myself a huge treat by indulging in a pedicure.  There is a darling new nail place that I am just smitten with.  The people who work there are so sweet and friendly and I truly believe they have a magical top coat because I have yet to leave their shop with any smudges on my nails.  Usually, I have smudged at least one nail before I even get out of the door of a nail salon, but not here!  And the polish lasts for a long time with no chips.  The pedicures are fabulous and they have a deluxe one that has lots of extras, so that your feet feel completely fancy free as you walk out the door.  Then, my sweet friend A was able to fit me in to do my hair and she did a fantastic job!!!  Thanks, A, you are the best!! :)

Hope you all are able to savor a few moments for yourself this week.  Whether it is a respite with a good cup of tea and a magazine you haven't gotten to read yet or a week-long mediterranean cruise (or something in between), these moments of rest can work wonders and allow us to face the world refreshed and inspired.

Happy Thursday, Everyone!!

Happy Belated National Pink Day!!

Yesterday, when I got to work, I opened my Lilly Pulitzer planner and what did I discover?!?  It was National Pink Day and I was wearing a chocolate brown and white dress.  So how did I remedy my dilemma, you ask?  I celebrated National Pink Day today!!  Hooray! :) 

I have had a very exciting week! 

Monday evening, my sweet friend E invited me to a fabulous tropical beauty event.  We were treated to wonderful foot massages and sampled fabulous new beauty products!  I just love getting to see what's new in the world of beauty and... I won a doorprize!!  Woo hoo! :)

Tuesday evening, I savored the theatrical splendor that is "Wicked", Stephen Schwartz's award-winning musical.  Oh, how I LOVE it!!  The music is SO inspiring.  Just hearing "Defying Gravity" makes me want to save the world.  It was so fun to enjoy such a wonderful show about friends with one of my besties!!  :)

Last night, I definitely gave myself a huge treat by indulging in a pedicure.  There is a darling new nail place that I am just smitten with.  The people who work there are so sweet and friendly and I truly believe they have a magical top coat because I have yet to leave their shop with any smudges on my nails.  Usually, I have smudged at least one nail before I even get out of the door of a nail salon, but not here!  And the polish lasts for a long time with no chips.  The pedicures are fabulous and they have a deluxe one that has lots of extras, so that your feet feel completely fancy free as you walk out the door.  Then, my sweet friend A was able to fit me in to do my hair and she did a fantastic job!!!  Thanks, A, you are the best!! :)

Hope you all are able to savor a few moments for yourself this week.  Whether it is a respite with a good cup of tea and a magazine you haven't gotten to read yet or a week-long mediterranean cruise (or something in between), these moments of rest can work wonders and allow us to face the world refreshed and inspired.

Happy Thursday, Everyone!!

Happy Father's Day!!

I read that today is the 100th anniversary of the first Father's Day and just wanted to take a moment to celebrate my amazing dad.  He is such a wonderful example of what it means to love selflessly.  I love you, Daddy, and am so humbled and thankful that God planned for you to be my dad. 

Happy Father's Day to all the dads and father-figures out there!!

Happy Father's Day!!

I read that today is the 100th anniversary of the first Father's Day and just wanted to take a moment to celebrate my amazing dad.  He is such a wonderful example of what it means to love selflessly.  I love you, Daddy, and am so humbled and thankful that God planned for you to be my dad. 

Happy Father's Day to all the dads and father-figures out there!!

Gene Kelly

I just watched Summer Stock with Gene Kelly and Judy Garland.  I had never seen that musical before and it is so good!  The dancing is amazing.  Gene Kelly does this incredible dance where he uses a newspaper as a prop and the movie also features Judy Garland's famous "Get Happy" routine.  She was such a phenomenal dancer, too.  In every dance they did together, the precision is perfect!

I love so many musicals that Gene Kelly was in from "Singin' in the Rain" to "An American in Paris" to "On the Town".   The choreography is always so phenomenal and so is his singing.  What a legend.  Something about watching these classic musicals transports me for a few hours to another time.  Do you have a favorite classic musical?

Hope you have a fabulous weekend!! 

Gene Kelly

I just watched Summer Stock with Gene Kelly and Judy Garland.  I had never seen that musical before and it is so good!  The dancing is amazing.  Gene Kelly does this incredible dance where he uses a newspaper as a prop and the movie also features Judy Garland's famous "Get Happy" routine.  She was such a phenomenal dancer, too.  In every dance they did together, the precision is perfect!

I love so many musicals that Gene Kelly was in from "Singin' in the Rain" to "An American in Paris" to "On the Town".   The choreography is always so phenomenal and so is his singing.  What a legend.  Something about watching these classic musicals transports me for a few hours to another time.  Do you have a favorite classic musical?

Hope you have a fabulous weekend!! 

Do You Zumba?

Happy Thursday, Everyone!!

Have any of you ever tried a Zumba class? I went to two this week and had a blast. The music is so fun and energizing, I almost forgot I was working out!!

In other news, I found the perfect skirt to wear with my cream sweater set to a special event! Even better...it was on sale!! Yay! Here is a picture:



Also, I have found a new favorite cool treat at Sonic thanks to my sweet friend M -- Diet Strawberry Limeade!! It is so refreshing on these hot summer days!

Hope you are all having a good week!!

Do You Zumba?

Happy Thursday, Everyone!!

Have any of you ever tried a Zumba class? I went to two this week and had a blast. The music is so fun and energizing, I almost forgot I was working out!!

In other news, I found the perfect skirt to wear with my cream sweater set to a special event! Even better...it was on sale!! Yay! Here is a picture:



Also, I have found a new favorite cool treat at Sonic thanks to my sweet friend M -- Diet Strawberry Limeade!! It is so refreshing on these hot summer days!

Hope you are all having a good week!!

Weekend Recap!!

Well, I had the most fabulous weekend with the fam! I can't believe how many things we were able to fit in. Friday, after work, I found a dress for Cardinal and Straw day!! Yay! The girl who owns the shop is so sweet and of course had tons of fashion savvy tips for accessories I could put with my dress. Yay! Now, I just need to find my white dress and I will be ready to go. I did see a cute one on the Lilly Pulitzer website, but I have a few more local places to try first. :)

Ok, on with the weekend.

So, when I got to my parent's house, M & E were at the rehearsal dinner, so I got to spend some quality time with Mom and Dad. Mom had gotten really into a suspenseful movie, so I finished watching it with her. :)

On Saturday morning, I had the joy of meeting my friend L's baby girl. She is so precious and slept practically through our entire visit. I also got to see the baby's big sister C. She is a doll as well and I'm sure she is a big help to her mommy. It was so fun to get to catch up with my dear friend.

After that visit, I met the fam at the Dairy Festival parade!! I don't know when the last time was that I attended the parade, but Dad had set up our lawn chairs in the perfect spot under a shade tree, so it wasn't too hot. Yay for that!

Then, E thought it would be fun to go to this darling peach orchard about an hour away. We bought some fresh peaches and sampled their delectable ice cream.

After we returned from our orchard adventure, E got ready for the wedding and went to the church while Mom, M and I got to relax a bit. Then, we went to the wedding and reception. It was such a fun event and so great to see lots of folks I hadn't gotten to visit with in a while.


Sunday M, E, and I got to travel to Tyler to visit M's youngest sister M. She has been working at a camp this summer and so it was great to see her during a break. We had breakfast at an adorable restaurant called the Diner. It was delish and had several inventive entrees! After a stop at Racquet and Jog, we headed home for E's birthday party! It was so fun to have the local family members all together and Mom made E a delicious red velvet cake. After dinner at a local favorite mexican restaurant, I took to the road and traveled back home. What a fun weekend!! Thanks, Mom and Dad for being such wonderful hosts as always! M & E, it was so good to see you and I can't wait to see you again soon!!

Weekend Recap!!

Well, I had the most fabulous weekend with the fam! I can't believe how many things we were able to fit in. Friday, after work, I found a dress for Cardinal and Straw day!! Yay! The girl who owns the shop is so sweet and of course had tons of fashion savvy tips for accessories I could put with my dress. Yay! Now, I just need to find my white dress and I will be ready to go. I did see a cute one on the Lilly Pulitzer website, but I have a few more local places to try first. :)

Ok, on with the weekend.

So, when I got to my parent's house, M & E were at the rehearsal dinner, so I got to spend some quality time with Mom and Dad. Mom had gotten really into a suspenseful movie, so I finished watching it with her. :)

On Saturday morning, I had the joy of meeting my friend L's baby girl. She is so precious and slept practically through our entire visit. I also got to see the baby's big sister C. She is a doll as well and I'm sure she is a big help to her mommy. It was so fun to get to catch up with my dear friend.

After that visit, I met the fam at the Dairy Festival parade!! I don't know when the last time was that I attended the parade, but Dad had set up our lawn chairs in the perfect spot under a shade tree, so it wasn't too hot. Yay for that!

Then, E thought it would be fun to go to this darling peach orchard about an hour away. We bought some fresh peaches and sampled their delectable ice cream.

After we returned from our orchard adventure, E got ready for the wedding and went to the church while Mom, M and I got to relax a bit. Then, we went to the wedding and reception. It was such a fun event and so great to see lots of folks I hadn't gotten to visit with in a while.


Sunday M, E, and I got to travel to Tyler to visit M's youngest sister M. She has been working at a camp this summer and so it was great to see her during a break. We had breakfast at an adorable restaurant called the Diner. It was delish and had several inventive entrees! After a stop at Racquet and Jog, we headed home for E's birthday party! It was so fun to have the local family members all together and Mom made E a delicious red velvet cake. After dinner at a local favorite mexican restaurant, I took to the road and traveled back home. What a fun weekend!! Thanks, Mom and Dad for being such wonderful hosts as always! M & E, it was so good to see you and I can't wait to see you again soon!!

Did You Know Air Costs $1.00??

Well, at least that is how much it costs at the Exxon station...a dollar in quarters to be exact. :)

My little adventure to the air pump began by a sweet angel leaving a note on my windshield that my right rear tire was flat. I am so thankful to this person because I'm afraid with my lack of attention to detail, I wouldn't have noticed the tire issue until it was too late. So, my first course of action was to call my dad for a little advice on what to do. He told me to put air in the tire before I drove to the tire place I use and so that was my next step. After obtaining 4 quarters via an atm and the purchase of a delightful fountain Diet Coke, I put air in my tire, praying I was putting the right amount in. I'm afraid my tire gauge was noteably absent in my time of need. Perhaps, I will do a more in depth search for that little friend soon.

When I was finished with the air pump, off I went to the wonderful locally owned brake and tire place where I purchased my new set of tires a few months ago. Their closing time was nearing and I was unsure if they would be able to fit me in, but fit me in they did and fixed my tire in a jif. The culprit of my tire issue -- a nail. I am eternally grateful to the men who saved my tire!! My tire is working in perfect harmony with the other three now, enabling me to run a few more errands after work.

I am attending my sorority's national convention in a few weeks and am in need of some specific wardrobe pieces. I had planned to try a few more stores this afternoon to see if I could find just the right thing and arrived at one of my stops right after it closed. However, I did see a dress in the window that might solve one of my wardrobe worries, so I am undeterred and will return tomorrow before closing! I'll be sure and let you know how that turns out. :)

After a few more fashion search attempts and some wonderful time in Barnes and Noble, I decided to treat myself to dinner from a new place in town.



Let me just say that I was not dissappointed. The food was DELISH!!

After my car capers of the afternoon, I was reminded of and am so thankful for the people God places in our life to guide us on our journey. He is so good!!

Hope you all have a wonderful evening!!

Did You Know Air Costs $1.00??

Well, at least that is how much it costs at the Exxon station...a dollar in quarters to be exact. :)

My little adventure to the air pump began by a sweet angel leaving a note on my windshield that my right rear tire was flat. I am so thankful to this person because I'm afraid with my lack of attention to detail, I wouldn't have noticed the tire issue until it was too late. So, my first course of action was to call my dad for a little advice on what to do. He told me to put air in the tire before I drove to the tire place I use and so that was my next step. After obtaining 4 quarters via an atm and the purchase of a delightful fountain Diet Coke, I put air in my tire, praying I was putting the right amount in. I'm afraid my tire gauge was noteably absent in my time of need. Perhaps, I will do a more in depth search for that little friend soon.

When I was finished with the air pump, off I went to the wonderful locally owned brake and tire place where I purchased my new set of tires a few months ago. Their closing time was nearing and I was unsure if they would be able to fit me in, but fit me in they did and fixed my tire in a jif. The culprit of my tire issue -- a nail. I am eternally grateful to the men who saved my tire!! My tire is working in perfect harmony with the other three now, enabling me to run a few more errands after work.

I am attending my sorority's national convention in a few weeks and am in need of some specific wardrobe pieces. I had planned to try a few more stores this afternoon to see if I could find just the right thing and arrived at one of my stops right after it closed. However, I did see a dress in the window that might solve one of my wardrobe worries, so I am undeterred and will return tomorrow before closing! I'll be sure and let you know how that turns out. :)

After a few more fashion search attempts and some wonderful time in Barnes and Noble, I decided to treat myself to dinner from a new place in town.



Let me just say that I was not dissappointed. The food was DELISH!!

After my car capers of the afternoon, I was reminded of and am so thankful for the people God places in our life to guide us on our journey. He is so good!!

Hope you all have a wonderful evening!!

Craft Time!!

Happy Thursday!!

I hope you are all having a good week! Last night I attended a Stampin' Up Club Class at my sweet friend Dawn's house. She always has all of these cute projects all prepared and ready for us to put together. It is so fun! I thought I would share with you the three cards I was able to put together with Dawn's incredible expertise. :)



This first card was so fun to make and on the inside it says "Thinking of You...Please know that I care." Here is the inside of the card:






The second card would be perfect for any graduates in your life!



The third card is just pretty to me. I love the chocolate ribbon and the vertical strip of paper is a special kind of paper that already has the pretty pattern on it and you can use any color of ink you want to create your effect. Isn't that fun! Also, the middle of the flower has sparkles. I didn't know if you could tell in the photo, so I wanted to mention it, especially since I love sparkles!! :)

Thanks, Dawn, for such a fun craft night!!

Craft Time!!

Happy Thursday!!

I hope you are all having a good week! Last night I attended a Stampin' Up Club Class at my sweet friend Dawn's house. She always has all of these cute projects all prepared and ready for us to put together. It is so fun! I thought I would share with you the three cards I was able to put together with Dawn's incredible expertise. :)



This first card was so fun to make and on the inside it says "Thinking of You...Please know that I care." Here is the inside of the card:






The second card would be perfect for any graduates in your life!



The third card is just pretty to me. I love the chocolate ribbon and the vertical strip of paper is a special kind of paper that already has the pretty pattern on it and you can use any color of ink you want to create your effect. Isn't that fun! Also, the middle of the flower has sparkles. I didn't know if you could tell in the photo, so I wanted to mention it, especially since I love sparkles!! :)

Thanks, Dawn, for such a fun craft night!!

Happy Birthday, Brother!!

Today is the birthday of the best brother in the whole wide world!!! Happy Birthday, E!! It is such a blessing to be your sister. I am so proud of all you have accomplished so far and look forward to seeing all the other tremendous ways you will make a difference in the world with your life. Thanks, too, for giving me the best sister-in-law in the world! I love you both and can't wait to see you this weekend!!

Happy Tuesday!!

Happy Birthday, Brother!!

Today is the birthday of the best brother in the whole wide world!!! Happy Birthday, E!! It is such a blessing to be your sister. I am so proud of all you have accomplished so far and look forward to seeing all the other tremendous ways you will make a difference in the world with your life. Thanks, too, for giving me the best sister-in-law in the world! I love you both and can't wait to see you this weekend!!

Happy Tuesday!!

Girls' Weekend

Hope everyone has had a good weekend! I had such a fun time with two fabulous friends. We had great pool time Saturday, which was seriously needed since the temp was in triple digits!! Ahhh! I am so scared for how hot it will be this summer, especially since it is only June! I discovered something very interesting, though...when you are in the swimming pool, it doesn't seem hot! :) Hmmm...I'm thinking more pooltime this summer will definitely be added to the list of necessary things to do.

After the fabulous pooltime, we had dinner at Buca di Beppo, an amazing Italian eatery. We enjoyed the most delicious salad--Apple Gorgonzola. It was definitely refreshing after braving the heat. We also had a delicious chicken pasta dish, which was supposed to be spicy, but the kitchen was able to modify it for us. Isn't that so nice! I love it when they will customize entrees! After dinner, we saw a super girly movie. SO FUN!!

Today, we went to church, had lunch at Gloria's -- LOVE that place!!--and did some super shopping. We went to World Market and TJ Maxx. Both places have such a fun assortment of items. I always feel like I'm on a treasure hunt in TJ Maxx because the variety of inventory changes so frequently. We ended our trip with a journey to the 7-Eleven for a slurpee! That is just the ticket after an intense afternoon of shopping! And the strawberry Crystal Light flavor was totally delish!!

Thanks, E and L, for a fabulous weekend!! Hope to see you both soon!!

Blessings to all!

Girls' Weekend

Hope everyone has had a good weekend! I had such a fun time with two fabulous friends. We had great pool time Saturday, which was seriously needed since the temp was in triple digits!! Ahhh! I am so scared for how hot it will be this summer, especially since it is only June! I discovered something very interesting, though...when you are in the swimming pool, it doesn't seem hot! :) Hmmm...I'm thinking more pooltime this summer will definitely be added to the list of necessary things to do.

After the fabulous pooltime, we had dinner at Buca di Beppo, an amazing Italian eatery. We enjoyed the most delicious salad--Apple Gorgonzola. It was definitely refreshing after braving the heat. We also had a delicious chicken pasta dish, which was supposed to be spicy, but the kitchen was able to modify it for us. Isn't that so nice! I love it when they will customize entrees! After dinner, we saw a super girly movie. SO FUN!!

Today, we went to church, had lunch at Gloria's -- LOVE that place!!--and did some super shopping. We went to World Market and TJ Maxx. Both places have such a fun assortment of items. I always feel like I'm on a treasure hunt in TJ Maxx because the variety of inventory changes so frequently. We ended our trip with a journey to the 7-Eleven for a slurpee! That is just the ticket after an intense afternoon of shopping! And the strawberry Crystal Light flavor was totally delish!!

Thanks, E and L, for a fabulous weekend!! Hope to see you both soon!!

Blessings to all!

Happy Friday!!

Hope you all had a fabulous Friday today! I got to go to an amazing yoga class after work. Yoga is one of those things that I forget how difficult it is until I'm in the middle of the class, but at the end I am so glad I went. When I got home, I just felt so calm and destressed thanks to the amazing relaxation portion at the end of the class. Yay for yoga! I even got to break in my adorable turquoise yoga mat that I got for a great deal at Marshalls. :)

I'm super pumped about my weekend plans! Tomorrow I get to go to Dallas and hang out with some dear friends from college. It should be a fabulous girls' weekend! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend, too!!

Happy Friday!!

Hope you all had a fabulous Friday today! I got to go to an amazing yoga class after work. Yoga is one of those things that I forget how difficult it is until I'm in the middle of the class, but at the end I am so glad I went. When I got home, I just felt so calm and destressed thanks to the amazing relaxation portion at the end of the class. Yay for yoga! I even got to break in my adorable turquoise yoga mat that I got for a great deal at Marshalls. :)

I'm super pumped about my weekend plans! Tomorrow I get to go to Dallas and hang out with some dear friends from college. It should be a fabulous girls' weekend! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend, too!!

Hello!!

Hello Blogland! I'm so happy to be here. I have been thinking for a while about starting a blog and am looking forward to the adventure ahead! Thanks for joining me!

This evening I attended a fun salad supper with some fabulous ladies from church. Someone had the brilliant idea for us each to bring toppings for the salad and our precious hostess provided the lettuce, grilled chicken, and dressings. I highly recommend this idea! It made for a fun evening and for someone who loves lots of options, it was a dream. I brought feta cheese and marinated artichoke hearts to add to the cornucopia of toppings, which included strawberries, almonds, black olives, craisins, blue cheese, shredded cheese, tomatoes, sunflower seeds, bell pepper, and so many others I can't list them all. We thoroughly enjoyed all of our salad combinations.

We also had the most wonderful coffee. It was called Barnie's White Christmas Blend. You can visit the website here:http://www.barniescoffee.com/. It looks like the store locations are in a few states and in several countries, but if you don't live in one of those areas, they will ship it to you. I was perusing the flavored coffee section and I definitely want to try some of their many decadent flavors. I may have to look into purchasing a variety pack! With flavors like Cupcake, Tiramisu, and Pumpkin Spice, my stomach is already growling!

Hope you have a wonderful evening!!

Hello!!

Hello Blogland! I'm so happy to be here. I have been thinking for a while about starting a blog and am looking forward to the adventure ahead! Thanks for joining me!

This evening I attended a fun salad supper with some fabulous ladies from church. Someone had the brilliant idea for us each to bring toppings for the salad and our precious hostess provided the lettuce, grilled chicken, and dressings. I highly recommend this idea! It made for a fun evening and for someone who loves lots of options, it was a dream. I brought feta cheese and marinated artichoke hearts to add to the cornucopia of toppings, which included strawberries, almonds, black olives, craisins, blue cheese, shredded cheese, tomatoes, sunflower seeds, bell pepper, and so many others I can't list them all. We thoroughly enjoyed all of our salad combinations.

We also had the most wonderful coffee. It was called Barnie's White Christmas Blend. You can visit the website here:http://www.barniescoffee.com/. It looks like the store locations are in a few states and in several countries, but if you don't live in one of those areas, they will ship it to you. I was perusing the flavored coffee section and I definitely want to try some of their many decadent flavors. I may have to look into purchasing a variety pack! With flavors like Cupcake, Tiramisu, and Pumpkin Spice, my stomach is already growling!

Hope you have a wonderful evening!!