30.

It's legit, folks.

As of 11:55pm tonight, I will have officially left my 20's.

My thoughts on that later.

Today, I'm celebrating.

One of my oldest and favorite friends (known her since birth) treated me out to lunch today at a Mexican place. Complete with a birthday song sung by 10 Latin men (and included an awful lot of "mamasitas" for a birthday song), sombrero, and ice cream. 

As we were recuperating from the laughter of that, I saw in the corner of my eye out of the window... two clowns passing by.

No, she didn't order them. But it was still pretty darn hilarious to have the oldest clown in history tell his cute wife with a cheeseburger hat, "This is the wrong place!"

Yeah.

Birthdays are fun.

Hope you're having a great weekend!

Mine has been fantastic so far. ;)

Bloggers 411

I'm linking up today with Becky from Mrs to Mama! I saw a few of these Blogger 411 posts floating around and thought it'd be fun to join in. Remember way back in the day when people would email surveys out? Yeah, I was the weirdo that actually enjoyed them. Now that the blog world has gotten so popular, it's nice to know I'm not the only one. ;)

1. How long have you been blogging? And what got you started on blogging? Has your blog changed?
I started blogging back in 2002 using Livejournal. Before that, I was an avid writer and have a closet full of diaries and journals to show for it. The reason I started was mainly because I can type faster than I can hand-write. My poor hand just can't keep up with my brain.
I started this blog after my friend Meagan convinced me to jump on the blogger bandwagon. It started out pretty boring, but has progressed over the years into what it is now... another mom blog. ;)

2. Did you go to college? If so where, and what did you study?

I sure did! I graduated high school a year early (at 17), and I wasn't really itchin' to run away and party with the college frat boys just yet. Instead, I played it safe (and saved my parents a bunch of $$) and attended a community college for the first year. I went to UNC-Greensboro for ONE semester and HATED IT. Don't get me wrong, the school is fabulous. But I hated my major (business), I missed Brad, and I hated being away from home. The only reason I went was because people kept telling me I needed to go away and have the "college experience". The only friends I made were this big group of guys that I ate dinner with every night. At 20, I felt like I was eating with a bunch of 35 year olds with real life issues and facial hair. They were really cool though, except for the one who invited me to go to California with him, even though he knew I had a boyfriend. But that's another story for another day.

via

After that awful semester, I transferred to UNC-Charlotte. I changed my major to the oh-so-glamorous field of Sociology. And while I did absolutely zero with the major, I loved it. I'm totally fascinated by other cultures, social stratification, deviant behavior, social movements, etc. I almost minored in Women's Studies as well.
Based on my educational background, you'd never know I'm a Republican. :)

3. Where have you traveled?
I've done plenty of "vertical" traveling. The furthest west I've been in the US is the NC mountains. I've been to PA... visited the Amish, Hershey Park, Knoebels, etc. I've been to DC, GA, SC (mostly Myrtle Beach and Kiawah almost every year), and the Outer Banks of NC. We honeymooned in Disney World back in '07, but I'd been twice before that.
My biggest trip, though was to Cancun a couple of years ago with Brad. Instead of a bonus at work, my employers offered to pay for a hotel stay of our choosing. So we decided to go somewhere that we'd probably never get to if we were paying. We stayed in a 5 Diamond resort and spa. It was absolutely amazing.

4. If you won the lottery, what would be the first thing you would buy?
Okay, I could list a bunch of charities I'd love to donate to, and I totally would. But y'all are wanting to hear the selfish stuff, right? haha... A bunch of land, pay my dad to build my dream home, and a couple of horses. And a new car for Brad. Poor guy has been driving clunkers since he got his license.

5. What are your 3 biggest pet peeves?
*My own clumsiness... I'm covered in self-inflicted bruises all of the time. I trip over/down/up things, ram my toes into corners/vacuum cleaners/random objects, and drop everything. I promise Brad doesn't beat me. I just have a coordination problem.
*When my husband uses our bed post as a hanger for his clothes
*One-uppers.

6. What is your favorite movie?
The Notebook. The setting is the island next to Kiawah, where Brad and I have been vacationing since we first started dating. Except I always turn off the movie once she comes back to him. That way it ends on a happy note. :)
(Benny and Joon is a close second. Johnny Depp was my first big Hollywood crush, thanks to this movie)

7. What is your drink of choice; wine, beer, or liquor. Or Water, Soda, Tea?
I almost always just drink water. But outside of that, I like Lemon-Lime Gatorade. If I'm feeling really crazy, I'll have a couple sips of Brad's Dr Pepper. ;)

8. What is something you enjoy to do when you have me time?
Watch tv, read, do my nails, shop, go out with friends, blog. Heck, if I can go to Target alone, that's a treat for me.

9. If you could have a $10,000 shopping spree to one store, which store would it be?
Anthropologie. Or Target.

10. Share with us an embarrassing moment of your past? Or present.
When I was 14, I walked my little sister (in her stroller... she wasn't even a year old yet) down to Brad's house (we lived in the same neighborhood). We talked for a little bit outside, then I decided to head home. His driveway had a pretty steep hill. Attempting to show off and be all, "Look what a cool big sister I am!", I started jogging down the driveway with the stroller. My foot got caught on one of the wheels, and I ate it. I literally rolled down the hill, while the stroller went flying and toppled over. Thankfully, she was alright.
I looked up and Brad was just staring with his mouth open, unsure of what to say. So he hesitantly asked, "Are you okay?" When I said yes, he proceeded to laugh at me for the next 3 days.

(I bet you thought I was exaggerating with the clumsy thing, didn't you?
Also, I didn't tell my mom this story for years.)

11. What day would you love to relive again?
Several... playing outside with friends as a kid, summers on the lake as a teenager, the day I met Brad, mine and Brad's first kiss, prom, my wedding day, any of those first few days with Noah.

12. If your life was turned into a movie... what actor would play you?
Anne Hathaway. Pretty sure I'd be getting phone calls if I said anyone else. lol.

13. What are the jobs you had in high school/college/the early years?
I worked in a little high-end clothing boutique in Davidson. It was really slow, but my boss was so cool. On the days she was there, or if I worked with my aunt, we'd just hang out and talk for hours. After it closed, I would try on the dresses I loved that were way too expensive and made for women who are 6 ft tall.
The only reason I stopped working there was because my boss got pregnant and decided to close the store.

(no, we didn't employ kids. that's my little sister visiting. lol)

After that, I worked for a costume/fashion jewelry boutique. I was there for 5 years, starting out as a regular associate and made my way to assistant manager, then the sole engraver for four stores (plus the internet orders).
It had its moments, but overall I loved it and treasure the friendships I made there.

14. Show us a picture from high school or college.

At a high school dance with Brad. Actually, this was our first date!

(I was 17 here)

Out with friends (I was 16 here).

Graduation night with my childhood bff and stepsister.
(17 here)

15. If you could travel anywhere in the world, all expenses paid, where would you go?
I don't think I could pick just one!! Paris is a definite.
I'd love to go to Hawaii, St Thomas, or just anywhere tropical.

16. Show us the most current picture of you or you, or your family, or anything of meaning to you.
This was the last family picture we have of all 3 of us. It's hard being the one behind the lens all of the time! There aren't very many pictures of me!

This was a couple of weeks ago during July 4th fireworks.

17. Where do you see your life 5 years from now?
Happy. :) Hopefully another baby by then, Noah finally talking and doing much better, and a lucrative photography business.

25 Things You Didn't Know About Me

My friend Jess did this last week, and because I don't have much to say at the moment, I thought it seemed like a good idea.

25 Things You Don't Know About Me

1. I have never dyed my hair. I've had highlights, but other than that? The color's all natural.

2. I totally have champagne taste on a beer budget. I don't buy clothes if they aren't quality, well-made items. Sure, I buy most on sale; but to me, if it's going to fall apart in a year, it's not worth the money. So I'd rather spend a little more and have it last forever (which means I have fewer pieces). I have an Ann Taylor dress from when I was in high school, and it still looks brand new. I've worn it a million times, and it's never gone out of style. I tend to pick more timeless pieces and use accessories to keep up with trends.

3. I wore black the day Heath Ledger died. I was going to marry him. I was also going to marry Johnny Depp.

4. If I have to deliver bad news, I smile out of nervousness. It's so inappropriate.

5. Actually, I smile all the time. And I do mean all the time. My nickname in high school was Smiley.

6. My favorite movies are romantic comedies, but I love me a good action film too. I get excited over movies that are typically geared towards guys (Transformers, Marvel movies, Mission Impossibles, James Bond, etc). 

7. Even though I have a pretty thick (Southern) accent, I wish I had a native Charleston accent. Or even a Georgia one. I think they're beautiful.

8. Related... my accent gets worse when I'm fired up about something. My inner redneck comes out. Brad makes fun of me, because he knows I'm mad if I start to sound like Reba.

9.  My favorite fast food burger is a simple McDonald's cheeseburger.

10. If I had my way, we'd live on a farm in the (almost) middle of nowhere (still gotta have a Target nearby. Can't live without a Target). 


11. I grew up riding horses and hanging out in barns. My granddad had horses, and so did my aunt. I started taking official lessons when I was around 11 or 12.


12. Brad is not allowed to ever have a motorcycle. I know too many people who have either died or become paralyzed from crashes. And I kind of need him around.


13. My favorite sports car is a Mercedes McLaren. 


14. I'm not naturally a dog person. I prefer horses and cats. Their tongues don't venture into gross places and then turn around and lick you.


15. I skipped the 11th grade and graduated from high school a year early (so I was 17). 


16.My doppelganger is Anne Hathaway. I still get stopped by random strangers just so they can tell me. It's a rough life, I tell you what. ;)


17. I can't do my own hair. I've tried, and it always looks worse than when I started.


18. Brad and I met when we were 8 years old.


19. My favorite seasons are Spring and Fall.


20. I love rainy, lazy days. And thunderstorms.


21. I've had to work my whole life on being more outgoing. I'm naturally very quiet and shy, and I tend to have hermit-like tendencies.


22. When it comes to creativity, I'm not an idea person. Put a pot of flowers in front of me, and I can make a virtually identical copy (freehand drawing). But when it comes to executing an idea in my head? I'm not very good at that.


23. When I was in 1st grade, I was reading at an 8th grade level. One other girl and myself actually had our own reading time in the back of the classroom while the rest of the class worked on their reading. 


24. I don't really trust scientific research all that much. It's constantly evolving and changing. One minute, they'll say wine causes cancer. The next, they say it'll save your life. Modern medicine is great. I have no qualms with popping a Tylenol if I have a headache. It's the other stuff that I don't spend much time worrying about.


25. I say that my favorite color is purple, but it's actually green.


Like Jess, I'm not really going to tag anyone. But if you'd like to play along, feel free! :)

29

Last Thursday, I turned 29.

Getting older really doesn't freak me out at all. Mainly because I don't feel any different than when I was 18. Sure, I've grown up some, let certain things go, been through some "stuff", and developed thicker skin. But overall? Still feel the same.

Every year, God sends me a birthday gift. It's the same every year, because deep down, He knows it'll immediately make my day.

He sends a cold front our way.

Every.single.year.

On or right before my birthday.

And every year, I get all giddy turning the heat on, lighting some candles, and hanging out in warm pj's for as long as I want on the morning of my birthday.

It's the little things, y'all.

And that's exactly how I started my birthday.
No lie, it went from a high of 85 one day to a high of 65 the next.

Oh, and before I start this off, I wanted to warn you that the pictures you're about to see aren't very good. They're blurry or grainy or angled weird. But it's real life.
And I'm not above showing the less-than-stellar (technical wise) pictures or my messy house just for the sake of making myself look good. I have no shame. :)

We're a little tight this month in the $ arena. October just seemed like the perfect month for the state to be all up in our biz about our cars... a windshield replacement, taxes, and inspections. Yaaay. But Brad definitely still made my birthday special. We did our own little craft day, which y'all know is right up my alley.
First we carved some pumpkins. We didn't get to do the whole pumpkin patch thing, because Noah ended up catching a cold (from the beach) that led to an ear infection. He was a kind of a whiney-heiney and wasn't the least bit interested in the pumpkins.

I'm learning to let my "perfect family moment" fantasies go, because more often than not, Noah and Brad just don't cooperate. And then I'm left all disappointed that I don't have those perfect pictures of Noah sitting in a massive pumpkin patch, all smiles. Instead, I get a cranky kid with an ear infection and sitting in the car while Brad runs inside the local Food Lion to grab some pumpkins.
Eh. Whatever.
The point is that we do this stuff as a family, and we have a good time.
So Brad and I carved pumpkins while watching Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin and listening to Noah run around, completely ignoring the massive pumpkin we had set out for him.






(Since Noah wasn't interested, Brad carved 2 pumpkins... the 2 on the left are Brad's... isn't his Charlie Brown good??)
See, a lot of people may not know (or expect) this about Brad, but he's actually really crafty. His mom was/is... she was an incredible seamstress, making wedding dresses, curtains, Christmas decorations, clothes for kids, and all kinds of costumes. She also loved to do food crafts... gingerbread houses (from scratch), cookies, candy, etc. Naturally, Brad helped her and has a secret knack for this kind of thing. But he adds a nice, competitive-guy edge to it.
When I ask him why he doesn't do this kind of thing with me more often? He tells me he doesn't want to upset me by "showing me up". We tend to be a tad bit competitive with each other. It's actually borderline unhealthy. Because we started as friends first, at a very young age, it's kind of how we flirt. That and immature 12-yr-old teasing/put-downs. I once threw Scrabble pieces at him, because he was trash talking too much and then won the game.
I know. We're weird.
But I'm hoping I've crossed over into a new level of maturity. One where if he starts trash talking my wreath-making skills, I won't be tempted to glue glitter to his forehead.
I'm not making any promises.

Once Noah went down for a nap, Brad and I made candy ghosts... a treat he used to make with his mom when he was a kid. Since we don't really do Halloween in my family, I'd never made them before. They're cute and way too sugary to eat. We both took a bite and decided to put them down when we heard our teeth screaming for us to stop.




(Aren't they cute??)

After dinner, we hit my favorite mall. Seriously, a trip to this mall is a treat in and of itself. It's so clean, the place sparkles. Everyone dresses nice. I don't even care that I'd have to take out a separate loan just to afford a pair of shoes. The place makes me happy. It's where my dad used to take us when we were kids, just about every weekend. So it has some good memories attached to it as well.

We hit up Yoforia, which we all love.
Noah and I shared a bowl of pumpkin spice and cheesecake frozen yogurt. I added some graham cracker crumbs, chocolate chips, and bananas. Heaven. (and except for the toppings, it's fat free and organic!)

We hung out at my mom's over the weekend as well.
My stepdad's birthday was yesterday, so we had kind of a joint birthday dinner.
I get my love for entertaining from my mom. It was just us, but she still had everything decorated like the president was going to walk in at any moment. Of course, they're Republican, so I'm not sure how that dinner would've gone. But I digress...

I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but my Shark mop died. Apparently, you can't use tap water with it; it gets mineral build-up and stops working. It was a hand-me-down, so the warranty was out. So for the last few months, I've been cleaning our floors on my hands and knees. I didn't want to buy a new mop that I hated. I was holding out until we had the extra money to get a new Shark mop. Because I love them.
And lo and behold, my mom (and stepdad) got me a new one! And it's an upgrade. I now have extremely clean floors. I know this is incredibly boring, but for someone who has been playing the part of Cinderella the last few months? It's blog worthy.

I did finally find my baby pumpkins I'd been looking for for the last month. I guess they weren't in season yet or something. Brad picked me up a few, and I've been busy decorating with them.






My birthday wasn't super eventful, but it was perfect for me.

I Celebrate you

(This is Hailey's Husband)

Hailey, I wanted you to know that I have loved experiencing almost every single life event with you. You have always been there for me when I needed you beside me. You have held my hand when I was unable to feel my own. I love you for who you are: mother to Noah, a daughter to your parents, a friend, and the woman who gave her world to me one November. I love the way you smile when ever Noah learns something new. Just hearing your voice makes my crazy life seem so simple.

I am proud of you. Hailey, you have always put others ahead of yourself no matter what the circumstances have been. You spent all of your life helping others and asking nothing in return. Well, today I would like to give something back. Today, I will celebrate you.

I love you.

Brad