Candice Lynn Photography

WEBSITE :)

2011-03-17T11:49:00.000-07:00

I will no longer be using this blog. I have a new website (www.candicelynnphotography.com) that I will be using for photography and blogging.

Can't wait to see what everyone thinks!

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 26 {Personal}

2010-11-02T08:30:00.000-07:00

Day 26: Picture of Your Family

Mama Mac (grandmother), Grant (stepbrother), Cindy (stepmom), Justin (brother-in-law),

Ginger (stepsister), Dad, Me, Landon (brother)

Monroe (stepdad), Mom, Landon, Me, Dad, Cindy

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 24 {Personal}

2010-11-01T08:30:00.000-07:00

Day 24: Something You've Learned

I've learned that there's nothing in the world like friends and family.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 20 {Personal}

2010-10-30T08:42:00.000-07:00

Day 20: Nicknames

I have several nicknames:

C Tate

C Lynn

Candass

Tate

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 19 {Personal}

2010-10-29T08:40:00.000-07:00

Day 19: Something You Miss

How about someone? I miss my best friend Sara every. single. day.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 23 {Personal}

2010-10-28T15:49:00.000-07:00

Day 23: Favorite Vacation

My favorite "regular" vacation is ski trip. We try to go every year. We go to Snowshoe, WV, rent a big house and have a blast. It is so much fun and in many cases, that trip is the only time I see some of those friends all year.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 22 {Personal}

2010-10-28T15:37:00.000-07:00

Day 22: Favorite City

Wow, this is a hard one. I have several cities that I love for different reasons and I can't pick just one...so I will list several :)

Nashville, TN: What can I say, I love my "home town". I absolutely love living in Nashville. It is southern, home of country music, and almost like mini-Hollywood in a good way--not the stuck up, snob way. :) It isn't unusual for people to see Keith Urban & Nicole Kidman at Starbucks. My mom goes to the same dentist as Sheryl Crow and we saw her at the movies. And no one bothers them. I guess that's why they love living here too.

(image courtesy of Google)

Charleston, SC: For me, this is the ultimate in Southern charm. There is so much to do in the city, lots of sightseeing, great places to eat, and the beach all in one. I just love it and was so excited when Southwest recently announced they will be flying direct from Nashville to Charleston starting in March. Yay for a cheaper vacay!

NYC: I just love NYC. There are SO many things to do and see and fabulous shopping! I think it would be so much fun to date in NYC. You could do something different all the time. Central Park is my favorite. I just love it.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 21 {Personal}

2010-10-28T15:36:00.000-07:00

Day 21: Picture of Yourself

I took this picture in a window at Neyland Stadium earlier in the year.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 18 {Personal}

2010-10-28T08:38:00.000-07:00

Day 18: Something You Regret

Currently, signing up to take the CPA exam and making it known that I was going for it. Don't get me wrong, I KNOW I can do it...I've just been SO busy and am having so much fun with my photography that it is hard to buckle down and concentrate on it.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 17 {Personal}

2010-10-27T08:30:00.000-07:00

Day 17: Something You're Looking Forward To

Chicago: I am traveling to Chicago in the late spring/early summer for a friend's Bachelorette Party. I have never been and have been itching to go for years. I just know I will love it.

Christmas: I love Christmas. I love getting to spend time with family and shop for gifts. I love buying gifts for people, especially when I can find something unique that I just know they will love. Last year I started a tradition of shopping for children off the Angel tree...I hope to continue that this year as well. Plus, there's always at least one Tacky Christmas Sweater Party to attend.

friends Brett and Brittany Crouch (2008)

Baby Oliver: My sister Ginger is making me an AUNT in April! She should find out if it's a boy or girl in November and I can start spoiling he or she rotten! I can't wait :)

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 16 {Personal}

2010-10-26T08:22:00.000-07:00

Day 16: Dream House

If I were building a house, it would take forever. I don't really have any idea what specifically I want. I know that I like big porches for the outside. Preferably with a patio of some kind and a fire pit/fire place outside...as well as a great place for grilling and a tv. :) As much as I love photography, I'm all about natural light, so I would want as many windows as possible-especially in the main living areas and the master bedroom. Big showers, lots of windows, preferably all or mostly on one level, a nice office area and a decent size, functional laundry room.

These are a few quick pictures that jumped out at me.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 15 {Personal}

2010-10-25T08:22:00.000-07:00

Day 15: Bible Verse

Knoxville Bound

2010-10-22T13:46:00.001-07:00

This afternoon (read: as soon as possible) I will be heading to Knoxville for what we like to call BAMA weekend. I am heading directly to Bev's birthday dinner to reunite with friends and start the weekend of fun.

I will start Saturday off tailgating with BKW and friends.

Marvel at how wonderful our newly renovated stadium looks.

Maybe go to the Vol Walk and see my friend Smokey.

Then head to the stadium to watch the Vols take on the Tide.

Win or lose, I'm sure it is going to be a fabulous weekend spent with some of the people I love the most. Hope everyone has a great weekend and GO VOLS!

Happy Birthday Beverly

2010-10-22T06:20:00.001-07:00

Beverly is one of my best friends. We met at The University of Tennessee and were sorority sisters but have always shared that "Memphis" Bond since we both grew up in Memphis. :) Bev is one of the most genuine people I know. She is beautiful inside and out. She is the person that will randomly text you to tell you she misses you and loves you. Bev remained in Knoxville after college and works for The Vol Network. I am so proud of her. As a girl who loves college sports (especially football and basketball), I am totally jealous of her job! I can always count on Bev to put a smile on my face.

Happy Birthday Bev! I can't wait to celebrate with you tonight! I love you and thank you for always being such an honest and true friend. I feel blessed that you are part of my life.

at her wedding in April 2009

a couple of weeks ago at Jamie's wedding in IN

with her handsome husband Christian in August

a little after partying at Corner Pub

in Charlotte for Meg's Bachelorette Party

thumbs up for Steeplechase :)

band party Steeplechase fun

at her Bachelorette Party in Seaside, FL

with Meg & I at Tin Roof in Nashville

30 Day Blog Challenge: Days 6 - 14

2010-10-21T19:15:00.000-07:00

Day 6: A Picture that Makes You Happy

This is a picture of my Goddaughter Addyson and her new baby sister Abigail. I took this a couple of weekends ago when Abigail was about 8 days old. I love them so much. How could this not make me happy?

Day 7: Favorite Movies

Steel Magnolias, Wedding Crashers, Stepmom, The Notebook, & The Blind Side

There are many more but those are some I could watch over and over again.

Day 8: A Place You've Traveled To

CHINA

Last summer I traveled to China with my MBA program. We visited Hong Kong, Beijing, Xi'an, and Shanghai. It was amazing. Beijing was my favorite. The Olympia Village (bird's nest, water cube, etc.) and The Great Wall were amazing.

me in front of the Water Cube (where Michael Phelps made history)

The Great Wall We wrote our names & family names, etc on the Great Wall,
but I had to add a little TN Vols love to the wall :)
inside the Bird Nest (where the opening ceremonies and
track competitions were held at the 2008 Olympic Games)

this building was SO cool

Day 9: A Picture of Your Friends

Ok, so this is more than one picture...sue me :) These people are my support system. I love them.

My Memphis girl friends (April, Me, Haley, Natalie)most of my best girl friends on my birthday last year...I had never
had them all in the same place at once...it was very special to me
(Bev, Natasha, Me, April, Sara)
friends at Meg's Wedding
(Natasha, Adam, Me, Rachel, Bev)
friends at Natasha's engagement party
(Rachel, Me, Natasha, Meg, Julie, Lauren)

Day 10: Something You're Afraid Of

Losing someone I love. Yes, I'm scared of heights and spiders and snakes and bugs, but what I am most afraid of is losing someone I love.

Day 11: Favorite TV Shows

I might embarrass myself with the number of TV shows I am going to list, but here goes....

Big Brother, Survivor, Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, Criminal Minds, House, Project Runway (plus a few more)

Day 12: What You Believe

God Is Good, All the Time

Day 13: Goals

I want to have a successful photography business, not sure if I want it to remain part-time or eventually become full time. I want to be successful at whatever I do. Most of all, I want to me a good wife and mother one day.

Day 14: A Picture You Love

I have tons of pictures that I love...but who doesn't love those chunky legs?!? I mean they are just adorable. This is my friend Haley's little girl Emerson. :)

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 4 & 5 {Personal}

2010-10-15T06:35:00.000-07:00

Day 4: My Parents

This is a picture of my brother, all my parents, and me. Yes, all of my parents...all 4 of them. I have the best 4 parents that anyone could ask for. My parents divorced when I was very young. We got lucky when I was in 4th grade when my Dad married Cindy and we got lucky again when I was in 8th grade when Mom married Monroe. I am so lucky to have such wonderful parents and step parents. They have always supported me and be there for me no matter what.

from left to right: Monroe (stepdad), Mom, Landon,

me, Dad, Cindy (stepmom)

Day 5: My Siblings

I have 1 brother (Landon), 1 stepbrother (Grant) and 1 stepsister (Ginger) ....although, I just say I have 1 sister and 2 brothers. I never lived in the same house with Grant and Ginger, with the exception of weeks in the summer and weekends, but it's hard to remember a time when they were not part of my life.

Grant: He is the oldest of the 4 of us. We have never been extremely close; however, I know if I ever needed something from him, he would do his best to help me.

Ginger: She is 10 months older than me and we are very close. She is one of my best friends. We love spending time together no matter what it is we are doing. I stood beside her a couple of years ago when she married Justin and I look forward to her standing beside me one day when I get married (hopefully!). Also, she's going to make me an AUNT in April! :)

Landon: My baby brother. He is one of my best friends. Right now we live in the same house again and I love seeing him every day. We became pretty close during high school when I was a junior and he was a freshman and out bond grew even more once he joined me as The University of Tennessee for college. We joke that he might have starved if it wasn't for me feeding him during those first few years.

Grant, Ginger, Me, Landon (Ginger's rehearsal dinner)

Landon & I at a UT gameGinger and I in NYCLandon, Dad, Justin, GrantGrant & Ginger

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 3 {Personal}

2010-10-13T14:30:00.001-07:00

Day 3: First Love

I guess I would say Troy B. was my first love (if you really know what love is back then). We were freshman/sophomores in high school and crazy about each other. I had known Troy's family for several years (his sister was my babysitter). My best friend also dated his best friend, Scott. Even after Troy and I parted ways, we were always very close and very good friends. I was thrilled to be there when he married his wife Allison a few years ago and even more honored that they have recently trusted me with photographing their son.

Anyway, not such an exciting story, but that's it. :)

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 2 {Personal}

2010-10-13T14:27:00.000-07:00

Day 2: Meaning Behind Your Blog Name

My blog name doesn't really leave alot to the imagination. Candice Lynn is my first and middle name and then photography for obvious reasons. I wanted the name to be professional even though I do share personal posts sometimes. So that's that, Candice Lynn Photography

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 1 {Personal}

2010-10-12T08:08:00.000-07:00

I decided to join Katie at Katie's Journey in the 30 Day Blog Challenge. It seems like a good way to meet some new bloggers and share some random things about me that I'm sure you are all just dying to know! :)

Day 1: Share a recent picture and 15 interesting facts

Meg & I at the Engagement Party we hosted for friends

15 Interesting Facts:

1. I recently started my own photography business

2. I am a Godmother to the most precious 3 year old, Addyson

3. I am currently studying for the CPA (aka the devil)

4. I am always cold but have a very hard time sleeping without a fan

5. I love all things sports, especially college football and basketball

6. I think mayo is the grossest thing on Earth

7. I sponsor 2 children through Compassion: Olympia & Jane

8. I think I might be addicted to my iPhone. I'm forever checking facebook, twitter, email, etc.

9. I love my DVR...I watch way too much TV (Grey's, Private Practice, Criminal Minds, Amazing Race, Survivor, House, and the list goes on)

10. I'm going to be an AUNT in April

11. I love being on a boat on the lake. Going to our family's house at the river is one of my favorite things.

12. I have a puppy, Caddy. He is a shih tzu and I rescued him in January. I love him and he always puts a smile on my face.

13. I am addicted to Pei Wei. It's a serious problem.

14. I hate talking on the phone. I would rather text or email any day.

15. Caroline's (who is also participating in the 30 Day Challenge) mom was my 5th grade Math teacher (I think it was 5th grade and I think it was math...wow, that was a long time ago)

Melea's Wedding

2010-09-30T21:00:00.000-07:00

The wedding was held at Melea's church where she grew up. Bob seemed very nervous and pretty much broke down as soon as he saw Melea--it was adorable. :) The ceremony was perfect and you could really tell how much these two love each other. Melea was BEAUTIFUL in her BIG veil. The veil was PERFECT for Melea, but I don't know many other people who could pull it off. :) After the wedding we all headed out for the reception back at the hotel ballroom. We ate and danced the night away. The high point of the night was the money dance. Now I have seen "money" dances before but they were nothing like this. People "paid" money to dance with the bride. Once they had their quick spin, the guest received a glass of punch (traditionally a shot). Then after everyone had their turn (or two), all the guests started dancing around Melea and waving napkins in the air. Then Bob had to "break the circle" in order to get to his bride. As you can see from the pictures, his friends did not make it easy for him! I have never seen this at a wedding but apparently it is common in Pittsburgh where Bob is from. It was so fun to watch! Congrats Bob and Melea!!! I think you two are perfect for each other and I'm so glad that you found each other. I can't wait to visit you in Savannah!

Bob waiting for Melea saying their vows

cutest little flower girl outfit "you may kiss the bride"

my other half and her other half

Jason and the bride

me, Melea, Sara

her beautiful cake--see that top layer? yeah, the caterers

cut it & served it to the guests! not cool!

Bob's cake!

can you tell how much fun they are having?!?

money dance

trying to free his bride

Practice Makes Perfect

2010-09-30T20:42:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I traveled to Johnson City for my good friend Melea's wedding weekend. Melea asked me to come take some pictures during her rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. They rehearsed and then headed back to the hotel for a wonderful dinner. Melea and I have been friends since we were roommates in college. She is beautiful, honest, and hilarious. Bob and Melea are perfect for each other. I am so excited to see what God does in their married lives. I'm also excited to visit them in their new hometown, Savannah, GA! :) I was so happy to take part in her wedding weekend. Here are a few of my favorites from the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.

Welcome to the World

2010-09-30T13:58:00.000-07:00

My Goddaughter Addyson is a BIG SISTER! My longtime best friend April, her husband Chris and daughter Addyson welcomed Abigail Paige at 3:15 pm. She weighed 7 lbs 12 oz and she is adorable. Sadly I won't be in Memphis to hold her until next weekend, but Daddy Chris sent me a picture! I know I'm biased, but I think she is precious!

Congrats Caldwell Family! Abigail is a very lucky little lady to have such wonderful parents and big sister! Can't wait to see you all! Aunt Tate Loves You

Tuesday's List

2010-09-28T09:47:00.001-07:00

Today I am participating in Jessica's Tuesday List. Today's list...Christmas! Here are a few things that I would love for Santa to bring me :)

1. B&H Photo gift cards. It's hard to decide what specific things I will want/need by the time Christmas comes around, but I have several photography related items on the list. For example:

24-700mm f/2.8 lens: I rented this pretty

this weekend and am in love with it.

Extra batteries and memory cards

70-200 mm f/2.8 lens

2. Boots: I don't really need any boots, but Christmas is sometimes about what you want and not need. :) I want some grey boots but I am still on the search for the perfect ones. I also want some brown boots with a cowboy boot feel but a little more dressy. I like these from Aldo.

3. Jewels: What girl doesn't love a nice piece of jewelry. I would love a David Yurman bracelet similar to this one.

4. Clothes: I don't need alot, but a few nice pieces that I could get alot of wear out of would be nice.

I'm sure I will add to this list as the time gets closer....but for now, that's my Christmas list.

What do you want for Christmas? Jump on over to Love from Texas and play along.

Jaclyn {Expecting}

2010-09-21T18:39:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago in Knoxville I had the pleasure of shooting some maternity photos for my sorority sister Jaclyn. Mr. Jameson is due in Oct and Jaclyn looks wonderful. Here are a few of my favorites from the day.

Jane {Expecting}

2010-09-14T20:03:00.001-07:00

If I remember the story correctly, James and Jane started dating and were engaged within months and married within about a year. They just knew...at least from hearing James tell the story. I met James in my MBA class and Jane works with one of my best friends, Meg. James and I became good friends when we explored China with our MBA class last year.

In October, their family will become a family of 3. They decided to wait and be surprised on the day of delivery, so they don't know if they are having a boy or a girl. What an exciting surprise that I am sure will make that day so much more special.

We met a couple of weeks ago at Dragon Park to take a few photos before Baby S arrives. Jane is beautiful and is definitely glowing. Congratulations James and Jane! I can't wait to meet your new addition. Here are a few of my favorites from the session:

isn't she beautiful?

Top 2 Tuesday

2010-09-14T06:56:00.001-07:00

Top 2 Tuesday: Things You Want to Accomplish

(before the end of the year)

Taylor's topic for Top 2 Tuesday today is a hard one for me. Ok...to be honest, now that I just went and checked the topic again and saw "before the end of the year" it got a little easier. ha! Things like pass the CPA exam just aren't going to happen before the end of the year....although at one point, I really wanted it to.

1. Get healthy. I would love to lose 10-15 lbs but even more I would love to feel healthy and in better shape. I just have to find some kind of exercise that I enjoy or can at least tolerate. I also need to eat healthier...which I have gotten better at lately. Last night instead of Chick-fil-a nuggets and fries...I had chick-fil-a nuggets and a salad. Hey, it's progress people! :)

2. Save some $$. I'm not putting a certain percentage on this, but I just want to become better at making money decisions. Period.

What are 2 things YOU want to accomplish by the end of the year??? Head on over to Taylor's blog to play along!

Happy 26th Meg!

2010-09-12T19:06:00.000-07:00

You've seen this pretty lady on the blog alot lately. Yeterday Meg turned the big 2-6....just a spring chicken. Meg is one of my best friends and we have grown so much closer since I moved to Nashville a couple of years ago. I can always count on Meg to listen to me vent and give me her honest opinion. We celebrated Meg's birthday yesterday at Natasha and Jeff's with a mexican fiesta complete with cheese dip and margaritas but I wanted to make sure and give her a special shout out here on the blog. Meg-I love you and am so blessed to call you my friend. xo!

The Best Time of Year

2010-09-01T18:36:00.000-07:00

Today is September 1 and tomorrow marks the first day of my favorite time of year...FOOTBALL SEASON! I love everything about football season: the weather, the friends, the orange, lazy Sundays on the couch, fantasy teams, Neyland stadium, tailgate, whiskey and coke, BKW wings, jello shots, and did I mention the orange? :) Friday afternoon (aka as soon as I can break out of work) I am headed to Knoxville to kick off my favorite season in style. I can't wait to tailgate with friends, see the new and improved Neyland Stadium, and cheer on the VOLS! I thought I would share some of my favorite pictures from the last 2 seasons....beware: there are a bunch...they are VERY orange :) Enjoy and GO VOLS GO!!!

me and Loose

Landon (my brother), Dad, Me, Cindy (stepmom)

me, Matt, Sara

Meg, Me, Natasha

hanging out at the Gray casa

coke ;)

Top 2 Tuesday

2010-08-31T06:31:00.000-07:00

Today's Top 2 Tuesday topic over at The Undomestic Momma is

Top 2 Favorite US Cities

1. Charleston, SC

What's not to love about Charleston? It is all things southern with a beach as a bonus. My parents and I went to Charleston on vacation earlier in the summer and I just feel in love. It seems so romantic and relaxing and has so much history. I just love it.

2. Nashville, TN

This was probably a tie between NYC, Savannah, GA and Nashville, but I decided to go with Nashville. Yes, I live in Nashville and it's still one of my favorite places. I just love it here and couldn't imagine living anywhere else. There are tons of things to do: Titans games, Country Music Hall of Fame, Arrington Vineyards, honkey tonks on Broadway, etc. There are also some wonderful places to eat...many of which I haven't even tried yet.

Another thing I like about Nashville is it has a small "Hollywood" quality about it...but so not Hollywood at all. You do see famous people here, but they are at the same places you are. I feel that in Hollywood it's more separated. For example, the lady that cuts my hair, also cuts Brad Paisley's children's hair. It's not uncommon to see Nicole Kidman & Keith Urban at Starbucks or walking down the street in downtown Franklin. Sightings like these are common in Nashville and no one seems to bother them or think twice about it. I guess that's why they love Nashville as well. I love my city! :)

What are your 2 favorite US Cities???

Going to the Chapel

2010-08-30T17:57:00.000-07:00

Saturday night Lauren, Meg, Bev, and myself hosted an engagement party for our good friends Jeff and Natasha at The Encore in downtown Nashville. Natasha and I met our freshman year of college when we pledged Delta Gamma together and have been friends ever since. We really became alot closer a few years ago when I moved to Nashville. She is one of my best friends and I am so happy for her and Jeff. I can't wait to stand beside her on her wedding day on June 11, 2011.

I think the party was a success! We had lots of yummy food and drinks and even better company. A big thanks to Michael, Aaron, Andy, and Christian...we couldn't have done it without you guys.

After the party we headed to Corner Pub for more fun. Such a fun night with great friends.

Jeff & Natashathe hostesses-Me, Bev, Lauren, Meg

I made these cupcakes from scratch...I've never madeanything from scratch EVERTheir adorable guest bookthe boysNatasha & all of her bridesmaidsme & megme and the bride-to-beJeff & Natasha with both of their familiesNatasha and her grandparentsthe ladiesChristian was our entertainment at Corner Pubthumbs up for philly chessesteak love her

Raw(e) - Yellow

2010-08-29T21:26:00.000-07:00

This week I am participating in Sailor & Company's Raw(e) photo challenge. The theme this week is yellow. The only rule is that you can't edit the photo...at all...no color correcting, no sharpening, no cropping, nada. I have never participated before but when I saw the theme for this week, I decided to post these sunflower photos that I took earlier in the summer. They aren't perfect and I know sunflowers will probably be used alot, but I love them just the same. Enjoy! :)

Mr. & Mrs. Grunke

2010-08-29T21:06:00.000-07:00

Those of us staying at Bev and Christian's got up Saturday morning and decided that lunch at Tomato Head and a walk around Market Square would be the perfect start to the wedding day. Cami, Brian, Ryan, Rachel, & I had a wonderful lunch but the conversations and time spent with friends was even better than the food! After lunch we headed back to Bev's to get ready for the big night.

Meg and Aaron's wedding was held at 2nd Presbyterian Church and it was beautiful. The ceremony was perfect (except maybe for my minor mistake during my reading)...oh well. I'm pretty sure everyone was probably starring at beautiful bride and barely noticed. :) Meg was the most beautiful bride. Aaron's face when he saw her walking down the aisle was priceless. He looked her up and down checking out the dress he had been kept in the dark about until that moment. After the ceremony there were a few pictures and then it was time to get the party started. They rented a trolley to transport the wedding party from the church to the reception at the Knoxville Museum of Art. That trolley ride will always be one of my favorite parts of their wedding weekend. Meg and Aaron were undeniably elated to be married. It's didn't hurt that Aaron's groomsmen had a fun game of Trouble Mug up their sleeve either. :) I had never even heard of Trouble Mug, but it might just become a new favorite among our group of friends. It definitely go the party started right.

Once arriving at the reception, they had fabulous food/drinks, wonderful entertainment, and of course a building full of their friends and family. Everyone had such a wonderful time dancing the night away and celebrating the newlyweds.

Bev and Christian--thank you for opening Hotel Miller to all of us for the weekend.

Mr. & Mrs. Grunke--The wedding weekend was absolutely perfect. I was so honored to play a small part in your special day. I hope you are always as in love as you were then. I love you both and can't wait to celebrate all the exciting things your marriage will bring you!

Cami, Brian, & Baby Fields

Rachel, Me, Cami

Rachel & Ryan

Me, Natasha, Bev, Rachel HurtThe beautiful bride & her grandmotherMe & the brideMr. & Mrs. Grunke!

TROUBLE

MUGlittle spillTROUBLE TROUBLE TROUBLE

MUG MUG MUG

doesn't this look like a FUN wedding?

SO MUCH FUN!!!

Meg's Bridal Lunch & Rehearsal Dinner

2010-08-29T20:59:00.000-07:00

I am finally getting a chance to blog about Meg's fabulous wedding weekend. Friday was the bridal lunch. We all met at Echo in Knoxville for a fabulous lunch. It was so much fun to spend time with everyone before all the wedding madness started. Meg also gifted us with some fabulous goodies. I got one of the fabulous bags pictured below, some flip flops so I could dance the night away and a beautiful necklace that I am now obsessed with. I swear I wear it every day. After lunch Meg treated us all to pedicures...so much fun.

Friday night was the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner at L&N Station in downtown Knoxville. It was so much fun and a perfect night for Meg & Aaron. After dinner, everyone headed out to Downtown Grille and Brewery for some drinks and late night food. :) It was a LATE night and we were thankful to be able to sleep in on wedding day.

Bev & RachelMeg & her Maid of Honor NatashaBride & Groom
Me, Natasha, Rachel, & Bev

all the girls with Adam

next to be married

Natasha, Laura, Hurt

Me & Adam

Next up....THE WEDDING! :)

Long Overdue

2010-08-27T17:06:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I haven't blogged this session yet (Leslie kindly reminded me last night :) )! Several weeks ago I had the opportunity to shoot some family photos for Leslie and Eric and their two beautiful children. We met at the park and had so much fun despite the 100 deagree heat. They were not scared to just have fun and show off their personalities and I think that really shows in these photos. I was hard to narrow down my favorites...so I apologize now for the picture overload. Enjoy!

Abigail Paige is Coming

2010-08-26T19:26:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Natalie, Leslie (Leslie had a family emergency so she isn’t pictured), and I hosted a baby shower for my best friend April. April is expecting baby Abigail in early October and we had to make sure she had some pretty new things. :) Natalie is so creative and talented. She made all of the decorations, except the diaper cake-I’ll take credit for that! We had lots of yummy food and tons of cute decorations. April and Abigail got so many cute things and big sister Addyson racked up as well!

Before the shower, April, Addyson and I took a few minutes to shoot some pictures. Here are some of my favorites from our session and the shower. We can’t wait to meet you Abigail!

Natalie and Lilly Kate

Me, April, Natalie
Can you tell these 2 are related?

Diaper cover that Natalie made=adorable

Cravings Buffet

ribbon tree that Natalie also made

Napkin rings...you guessed it, made by Natalie

p.s. I know I still owe you a recap of Meg's wedding...it's coming. I promise :)

Going to the Chapel

2010-08-12T12:31:00.000-07:00

As of 5:00 this afternoon, it is officially my weekend. Well to be exact, it's Meg's weekend...WEDDING weekend, that is. That's right, it's here! Tomorrow morning I will be headed to Knoxville for a weekend long celebration for one of my favorite couples. In some ways I feel like she has been planning forever but mostly I can't believe her wedding is already here. Meg and I met in college; we were sorority sisters. She started dating Aaron about the same time I moved to Nashville. I love Aaron and he is the perfect match for Meg.

Meg-It's almost your big day! I know all the blood, sweat, and tears over the last year of planning are all going to pay off when you are celebrating your marriage with all of your friends and family this weekend. I am so honored to be playing a part in your big day. I am so glad you found Aaron and he makes you so very happy. I can't wait to see you walk down the aisle and share in your first day as husband and wife. I know it will be the first of many happy memories as the Grunkes :) I love you...see you soon BRIDE.

I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to shoot some pictures of the soon-to-be Grunkes recently...here are some of my favorites...

She is going to be the most BEAUTIFUL bride...don't you think?

Brandon and Payten

2010-08-10T20:09:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of photographing cute Payten and her dad Brandon. It was HOT in Memphis that day, but we made the most of it and I think we got some great shots. Here are some of my favorites...

Fit for a Princess

2010-08-04T20:32:00.001-07:00

My Goddaughter Addyson turned 3 yesterday! Where does the time go??? I cannot believe the she is 3! Last weekend was her birthday party. I was so excited that I was in town and able to go. She had a princess birthday party at nanastics (aka gymnastics). :) Addyson is more beautiful than ever and she had the BEST time. She could not stop grinning from ear to ear the whole day. Here are a few of my favorite pictures of her and her friends at her party.

Kaitlyn and Jase

2010-08-03T19:34:00.000-07:00

I have SO many sessions to post to the blog. I have just been so busy I haven't had a chance to get them all ready. I hope to post a few more this week/weekend. Last weekend in Memphis I spent Saturday morning photographing two of my favorite little ones, Kaitlyn and Jase. We started about 8 am at Shelby Farms. Here are some of my favorites from the session. There are also a few favorites from our impromptu session at the pool on Sunday :)

Kelley & Payton

2010-07-27T20:21:00.000-07:00

I was a busy lady in Memphis last weekend. I also had a quick session with Kelley and her adorable little girl Payton. Kelley and I went to high school together and I was so excited to be able to shoot some pictures of her and Payton. Payton mainly wanted to play on the playground so we had to make due with what she would allow. :) She also discovered the water fountain. I'm not sure if she had ever played in one before, but she was in love. Here are some of my favorites...

Baby C

2010-07-27T19:28:00.000-07:00

Last weekend while I was in Memphis I had the opportunity to shoot some pictures of a friend's new baby boy. Baby C is absolutely precious and I had so much fun with him. I am really good friends with Baby C's Aunt Haley and was so excited when she told me that her sister Holly wanted me to shoot Baby C's newborn session. A big thanks to Holly and Billy for allowing me to shoot their baby boy's first pictures. I had so much fun and hope to have many more sessions as he grows up. It was too hard for me to narrow down the pictures, so sorry for the cuteness overload. Enjoy!

Welcome to the 27 Club!

2010-07-17T09:47:00.000-07:00

Today is the day my friend Natasha joins the world of 27! Natasha and I met our freshman year of college when we joined the same sorority. We became really close when we both lived in Massey and have been great friends ever since. She was one of the main reasons I packed up and moved to Nashville almost 3 years ago. She is the party planner of the group and is so talented. Check out her calligraphy business here. I can always count on her to be honest and I know she always has my best interest at heart. HAPPY BRITHDAY FRIEND! I know 27 is going to be a fabulous year! I love you!

Happy Birthday Pa Paw

2010-07-14T19:53:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday Landon, Ginger, and I traveled to my Dad's house to celebrate my grandfather's birthday. My grandfather had open heart surgery a couple of months ago so we decided to celebrate his recovery and his birthday with a lunch/pool party. No, my grandfather didn't swim...but the little ones did :) Check out a few pictures from the day.my sweet Pa PawSadie wanted to swimtwo of the best men I know

2010-07-13T20:12:00.001-07:00

Yes, I am still alive. Sorry I have been MIA lately. I am an accountant and our fiscal year end was June 30 so we are crazy busy at work. I promise I will be back to the blog world soon.

Hope everyone have a great week!

Bachelorette Barbie

2010-07-07T19:10:00.000-07:00

Last weekend the girls headed out on a little road trip to celebrate Meg's Bachelorette Party. We left Nashville on Thursday after work and made a pit stop in Knoxville to stay with Bev. Friday morning we headed to Charlotte to get the party started. We arrived around 2:30 and were starving. Sara came to see me (she lives in Charlotte and works downtown) and guided us to Rock Bottom for a late lunch. Friday night we headed to Cantina for dinner and it was AMAZING. This is one of Sara and I's favorite places when I visit so I was excited for the other girls to have the experience as well. After dinner we headed to The Breakfast Club-an 80's themed bar/club. We visited a couple of other bars before calling it a night. Saturday we spent all day lounging by the pool. The hotel hired a DJ for the holiday weekend and it was a perfect day to be lazy and prepare for the evening ahead. Saturday night we had a lingerie shower before heading to dinner at Cosmo's and then drinks and tons of dancing at Suite. I was so proud of our Bachelorette Barbie....she closed down the bar! Meg, I hope you had a wonderful weekend and I LOVE you!!! A huge thank you to Natasha for planning such a fun weekend...great job friend! Here are some of my favorite pictures from the weekend:

Retirement

2010-06-30T20:16:00.000-07:00

Yep, that's right...this weekend I am celebrating one of best friend's retirement...from the single life! Meg will soon be Mrs. Aaron Grunke so all the girls are going on a little road trip to celebrate. Charlotte, NC I hope you're ready for the craziness coming your way on Friday morning. Natasha has planned a wonderful weekend and I know Meg is going to have a BLAST. Hopefully we have a few surprises for her. 14 of us will be meeting in Charlotte Friday afternoon for a weekend of fun. Good thing we have a holiday Monday to recover. I promise a full post next week recapping the weekends festivities. I really just wanted to give Meg a little more excitement. I know she is basically busting at the seams with exciting already :) Meg, we love you and can't wait to spend a whole weekend celebrating you and your retirement ;) I love you!

BIG Hugs from Nashville

2010-06-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

Today is my best friend Sara's birthday. Sara and I met the end of our freshman year and have been pretty much inseparable every since...minus the 425 miles that currently separate our homes. I often refer to her as my other half. It never fails when we are together that someone asks if we are twins. When we say no, that we are just friends, they don't believe us. We don't get to see each other near as often as we would like, but when we are together it's just like we've never been apart. She is always there to tell me the truth, whether I like it or not and I will always be thankful for that. Sara got married on May 1, so I guess technically she is Jason's other half now...but he knew I was part of the deal when he married her :)

So HAPPY BIRTHDAY bestest! I hope you have an amazing day. I am so sad that we are apart and are not able to celebrate together. I can't wait until the next time we are together to play. I love you and I miss you like crazy!

BIG hugs and kisses from Nashville :)

It's a Sip of Wine, It's Summertime

2010-06-23T19:57:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday I ventured out to Arrington Vineyards with some of my favorites....Bev, Christian, Meg, Aaron, Jeff and Natasha. It was hot hot hot, but we had so much fun. We took a picnic dinner of sandwiches, veggies, chips, fruit, pasta salad, cookies, and wine of course. I had never been to Arrington so I had been looking forward to it since we planned it weeks ago. It did not disappoint. A great place to spend time with friends. I can't wait to go back sometime soon. Here are a few pictures from our trip...

The Loose Family

2010-06-21T21:00:00.000-07:00

Loose and I met in college through a mutual friend and have kept in touch, even before I lived in Nashville. It was so nice to meet his family and see where he grew up. It is always nice to see where your friends grew up and see things that are important to them that you wouldn't see on a normal basis. I was honored that he asked me to capture some pictures of his family and even more so once I saw how much the farm meant to them. Here are a few of my favorite shots from the day...

how cute are these two?

maybe my favorite shot of the day

Oak Crest Farm

2010-06-21T20:05:00.000-07:00

I shared a few pictures yesterday and as promised am sharing more now. Actually there are so many that I am going to split them into two different posts. I LOVED being out in the country on the farm. Don't get me wrong, I love living down the street from Target but I have a soft place in my heart for the country. There were so many neat details at Oak Crest Farm and I thought I would share a few....or maybe more than a few :) Enjoy!

Geoff's grandparents had an antique shop in the

old log cabin on the farm...these blocks are still there

the out house...the only thing left standing
of an old house site

I thought this wreath was so cool

I made Loose stop the 4-wheeler for this

shot of a dead tree-I think it was worth it :)

I couldn't resist snapping a shot

of this butterfly

one of my favorite things-so much

character

***I learned alot about the farm and the different buildings on the property while I was there...I hope I remembered all the details correctly

Sneak Peek: The Loose Farm

2010-06-20T22:22:00.000-07:00

I promise there are more where these came from....just a quick sneak peek of my shoot today...enjoy!

Where Does the Time Go???

2010-06-17T20:08:00.000-07:00

I seem to be asking myself this alot lately. Where does the time go? The first baby of our group, Lilly Kate, graduated Kindergarten this year! Seriously?!? Her baby brother Ethan turned 3 last week and I was lucky enough to be in Memphis for the big party on Saturday. Ethan requested a Toy Story Birthday and his mom and dad delivered big time. It was so nice to see all my friends and their kiddos while I was in Memphis. I loved catching up with everyone and loving on (aka spoiling) their babies...who aren't so much babies anymore. Sigh. Here are some of my favorite shots from the party....and yes, I had a mini photoshoot with Emerson. I just couldn't resist those baby rolls :)

are you kidding me with these legs?!? I am in

love with them! Too bad it's not cute that

mine are getting close to this.

Mr. Cole Brigman

2010-06-17T19:51:00.000-07:00

Troy and I have been friends since his sister was my babysitter. Allison lived down the street from me when I was in middle/high school. Somewhere between high school and now, Troy and Allison fell in love, got married and are now parents to baby Cole. I finally got to meet Cole last weekend. I met Troy and Allison at Troy's parents' beautiful home in Eads, TN (outside Memphis) to take some photos of their family. Let me go on record as saying it was the hottest day of the year so far. When I met them at 10:30 am, I think it was already 93 degrees! We took some pictures inside the beautiful house and braved the heat for some outside shots as well. Troy and Allison, thank you so much for trusting me to take pictures of your family. Cole is absolutely adorable! Also, a special thanks to Allison's mom for being the assistant for the day. I hope you enjoy the pictures of your little man! These are some of my favorites....

Top 2 Tuesday

2010-06-08T10:47:00.000-07:00

Top Two Tuesday...Favorite Books

This week's topic on Taylor's blog was hard for me...simply because I LOVE reading and have read so many books. I recently read 3 books on my vacation and plan to do book reviews, but just haven't gotten around to them yet. I have lots of favorites, but two of them are....

1. The Twilight Series: I am not a big fan of vampire books/shows/movies in general but I loved this series. I literally would stay awake for hours reading them at night. I was so sad when I finished the 4th book. If you haven't read them...they are a MUST!

2. P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern: It follows the engaging, witty, and occasionally sappy reawakening of Holly, a young Irish widow who must put her life back together after she loses her husband Gerry to a brain tumor. I loved the book, which I read before the movie. The book was way better than the movie, which is often times the case.

***I tried to add pictures, but my computer is being stupid.

What are your 2 favorite books?

Thursday Five

2010-06-03T11:48:00.001-07:00

I have never done this before but decided to play along this week. Basically you post 5 things that have made you: jubilant, giddy, excited, thankful, & stoked! Basically 5 things that have made you HAPPY :)

1. I got new sunglasses yesterday! What do you think?

2. I caught up with an old friend last night and can't wait to see her next weekend!

3. One of my brother's oldest friends Ryan is getting married on Saturday. Ryan has been part of my brother's life for as long as I can remember and our families are great friends. Although it kind of scares me that he is old enough to get married, I can't wait to celebrate with him and Shannon this weekend!

4. It was confirmed yesterday that we are getting RAISES this year :) Raises were not given last year due to the poor economy and our institution decided they would rather not give raises and not have to let people go--which I definitely agreed with. But this year raises are a go. We don't know how much yet, it might just be 2-3% but something is better than nothing!

5. I am going to Memphis next weekend to visit my friends! I feel like I haven't seen them or their kiddos in months and I can't wait. I am also taking some photos of a dear friend's little boy while I am there. So excited :)

Well there you have it, 5 things that have made me HAPPY lately. What has made you happy lately? Jump on over to Mann Land 5 to play along!

Memorial Day

2010-06-02T20:43:00.000-07:00

I had been back in Nashville for about 15 minutes when I got on the road again, this time headed to my parents' house at the river. Knowing my family was relaxing on the boat was just too much....I had to join! Plus, my baby Caddy was there :) I spend Sunday night and Monday at the river with family. The weather turned out to be great. Here are a few pictures of the pups swimming that morning. Emma (black)-Landon's dog, Sadie (yellow lab)-Dad's dog, Caddy-my baby :)

how funny does Caddy look? Ha
teamwork

swimming just like the big dogs :)

Hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Day!

Date Night and NASCAR

2010-06-02T20:29:00.000-07:00

Most of you know that my best friend Sara lives in Charlotte. Friday we left Charleston and headed to Charlotte for a couple of nights. Friday night Sara and I had a date at The Melting Pot. It is our absolute favorite but we rarely get to enjoy it. We had an amazing dinner and of course it was wonderful to just get to spend a few hours talking. I miss her so much and treasure the time we get to spend together. After dinner we headed back to the house to pick up my mom and go see SATC2. I loved it! It was so funny. I will definitely add it to my SATC collection when it comes out on DVD. Saturday Sara, Jason, Mom, Monroe and I headed to Charlotte Motor Speedway for a little NASCAR action. Monroe is a big race fan and wanted to see the track. Luckily we were there on race weekend and attended the Nationwide race on Saturday. We had such a good time. The weather was perfect and our FREE seats (thanks, Sara) were perfect. Sadly we had to leave Sunday morning and head back to Nashville. Sara and Jason-thanks for having us! I can't wait for you to visit us!Charlotte Motor SpeedwayMe and my bestest

Kyle Busch wins (he does this alot)

Charleston, SC

2010-06-02T19:25:00.000-07:00

Well I am back from vacation and wish I wasn't =) Charleston was AMAZING. I loved it and so did my parents. We spent Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at the pool/beach and then went to dinner at night. Wednesday night I spent some time with my friends Leslie and Dusty who live in Charleston. It was so much fun catching up with Leslie, then when Dusty got home we headed to the famous Taco Boy. They talk about Taco Boy all the time so I was dying to try it. The food was great, atmosphere was so much fun, frozen screwdrivers were AMAZING and the company was even better! Thanks Leslie and Dusty for sharing a little piece of your Charleston with me. Thursday we spent the day walking around downtown Charlotte. I took lots of pictures-it was so beautiful! Thursday night we headed to Sullivan's Island for dinner at Poe's-so much fun! We had such a wonderful and relaxing week and TONS of amazing food (Hyman's, Water's Edge, RB's, Poe's, Taco Boy, Crab Shack). Friday we left Charleston :( and headed to Charlotte :). More about Charlotte in an upcoming post. Below are some of my favorite pictures from our week in Charleston--I apologize for picture overload!

such pretty flowers in these old cemeteries

love the way the trees grow

frozen screwdrivers--yum yum yum

Leslie and I (the only picture of me from Charleston)

Hello Vacation!

2010-05-23T19:48:00.000-07:00

We made it to Charleston! We left Nashville about 7:15 on Saturday and arrived in Charleston late Saturday afternoon. I did alot of reading and sleeping on the ride. Luckily for Mom and I, Monroe likes to drive. We went to dinner, did a little grocery shopping and relaxed Saturday night. We were all pretty drained from traveling.

This morning (Sunday) we slept late and then headed into downtown Charleston for some sightseeing. We walked through the markets, took an awesome carriage ride and had dinner. It was a really great day and I just LOVE Charleston. I could live here for sure. Here are a few of my favorite pictures of the day:

Can you tell what this is? Kind of gross but looked cool :)

Hope everyone has a great week!

Top 2 Tuesday...Before You Die

2010-05-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

Taylor picked a great topic this week and I couldn't help but play along. What are 2 things you want to do before you die? Well obviously there are several but I picked two of the most important to me.

1. Become a wife and mommy: It's no secret to those that know me that I love children and want to be a mommy one day. I won't lie, the last few years have been kind of hard in a way, watching (what feels like) everyone I know find someone who loves them and get married. Of course I am SO happy for my loved ones and very thankful that they found that perfect person, but if I'm being honest, I would say I am a little jealous. I just really want to find someone who loves me completely and that I can love in return. And then have their babies :) ha! For now I will enjoy supporting my friends in their marriages and enjoy spoiling their children! It's so much FUN!

2. Go on a mission trip-hopefully to visit my sponsored child, Olympia in Kenya: I began sponsoring a child a few months ago and hope to sponsor more in the future. I just think it would be such an amazing experience to get to meet Olympia and see how my sponsorship has changed her life and share with her how it has changed mine! Click here to see my post about Olympia...which reminds me, I think I'm due for an updated Olympia post soon.

Study Study Study

2010-05-14T21:36:00.000-07:00

I did a little catch up blogging tonight (this is the 3rd post!). Sorry I have been somewhat MIA. I am studying for the CPA exam and it is killing me. Not to mention my great uncle John passed away last week and my grandfather had open-heart surgery on Wednesday. I am happy to report that PaPa (my grandfather) is doing wonderful. :) His surgery went well with no problems and earlier today he moved into a regular room. He is 87 and they told him that he did better than some 50 year olds! Recovery will be hard and longer than he wants, but he should be feeling much better in no time.

PaPa last Christmas

Until Wednesday I will pretty much be studying non-stop, with the exception of work, church, and a quick photo shoot on Sunday. I sit for the first part of my exam (Audit) on Wednesday. I am SO nervous. I have always been a good test taker but it is so much harder with work to put in the time really needed to do well. I am being forced to take the exam a few weeks sooner than I had planned, but it will work out. If I don't pass, then I can just retake it at a later date. However, I am going to do my best to squeeze these mountains of information into my head before Wednesday. I would be so proud of myself if I actually pass the first part on the first try!

After my test Wednesday, it's time to relax! My friends are going to help me by joining me for Mexican and Margaritas Wednesday night. I am so looking forward to spending an hour or so with friends and NOT feeling guilty for having my eyes somewhere other than my CPA review book. Then on Saturday I am headed for VACATION! My parents and I are headed to Charleston, SC until the following Friday and then we are going to shack up with the newlyweds Sara and Jason for a couple of nights. My mom, Sara, and I will be going to see Sex and the City 2 on Friday and then we are all headed to the NASCAR race and Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday. My step dad Monroe is a big race fan and he jumped at the chance of visiting a track he's never been before. I can't wait for a relaxing week with my family....although we will miss my brother :(

Well I am off to bed so I can get up and study bright and early tomorrow morning. Say an extra prayer for me in the next couple of days and especially on Wednesday. Wish me luck!

The Chase is On

2010-05-14T21:03:00.000-07:00

After the flood in Nashville, there was a short time when the status of one of the best events of the year was in question. Luckily, the race went on as scheduled. We started early by meeting at Natasha's house at 8am. We were on the road by 9 and by 10 it was time to get the party started. Of course there was a full spread of food and drinks, jello shots galore, flip cup games, sunglasses, adorable dress, fantastic friends and even a band party. I mean what's not to love?!? We had so much fun. I honestly think this was the best year yet! The weather was perfect with blue skies and sunshine all day. Check out Natasha's recap here. Of course I took tons of pictures...these are some of my favorites.

all the ladies

Adam being paparazzi

Ms. Broadway and I

Look who I found wondering around

the fabulous Mrs. Gray

Me and Bev at the Band Party-so much fun!

Bev and DGib

Meg and Aaron

LOVE these ladies

xoxo

can't get much more frat boy than this crew-and
we wouldn't have it any other way

speaking of frat boy...me and my FAV frat boy :)

Doesn't it look like so much fun?!? I'm ready for next year already!

8 x 8

2010-05-14T20:46:00.000-07:00

I was tagged by Caroline at Simply Smithwick to play the 8 x 8 game. You are supposed to go to your photos on your computer and find the 8th photo in the 8th album and tell about. So here it is:

This is my fur child Caddy over Easter weekend this year. We traveled to Bath Springs, TN (outside Clifton, right over the TN river if you are traveling from Nashville) to my family's cabin on the TN river. I LOVE spending time there and this was the first time I had taken Caddy. He loved it. Even though it was pretty cold and the water had to be freezing, that didn't stop him from splashing around in it. I can't wait until next month when I have a few free weekends to head back to the cabin and soak up the rays on the boat!

So now I am tagging these 8 people to play along:

Natasha at A Day in the Life
Rachel at Keeping up with the Grays
Jax at Jax and Marbles
Haley at Blissfully Theirs
Jessica at Love From Texas
Holly at The Accidental Lawyer
Allison at Allison's Pretty Place
Natalie at Life at the Stickles' House

Can't wait to see your pictures ladies!

My Best Friend's Wedding

2010-05-10T22:44:00.000-07:00

I promised you a wedding post and I'm finally getting around to it. I'm sorry, it's been a busy week. I left Nashville on Wednesday after work and headed to Knoxville to get the long wedding weekend started. When I arrived, Sara, Jason, Andrea, Jon and I put together Welcome bags for the out of town guest and came up with a plan for the next day. My job Friday morning was to drop all the welcome bags off at the hotels while Jason and Sara got their marriage license and Andrea and Jon picked up flowers and food. We had a plan.

Thursday morning we started bright and early around 7 am. We all did our assigned tasks and then met back at Rarity Bay to help unload tables and chairs at the wedding and tailgate site. After a busy morning and afternoon, Sara, Andrea, Melea, Darla and I headed into Knoxville for manicure/pedicures and dinner at Savelli's. Oh my goodness....Savelli's was AMAZING! It was about the size of the bottom floor of my townhouse (very small) but SO SO SO GOOD. I can't wait to have an excuse to go back. The girls enjoyed their night out of gossiping, eating and of course, some wine drinking.

The Bride getting her pedicure

Darla and Andrea at dinner

Melea, Me, Sara at dinner

Friday morning was another busy one. We got up early and made bouquets, flower arrangements and set up chairs for the rehearsal at 10am. We had a short rehearsal and then helped set up tables, etc for the wedding before heading to the Riverboat on the lake for the rehearsal lunch. I know a rehears lunch isn't standard, but I thought it was a great idea. Being on the boat was fun and the food was great. After the rehearsal lunch, there was more setting up and preparing for the wedding the next day.

Ethan, Ava, Bongi (Sara's nephew and nieces)
The guests of honor
All the bridesmaids

This might be my most favorite picture of us ever :)

At 6 Friday night it was tailgate time! Sara and Jason love tailgating and thought a tailgate party for everyone would be a great way to get to spend extra time with their out of town guest. We had a lakeside party complete with corn hole and BKW wings! It was so much fun and I think everyone had a blast! After the tailgate I spent the night with Sara as her last night as a single lady. I always envisioned us staying up for hours talking and laughing, but to be honest, we were SO TIRED that we crashed pretty much immediately.

Saturday morning we got up, went to McDonald's and started getting ready for the main event. We ran a few errands and then met all the other ladies at the Korn's (wedding site) around 11. We all had a great time getting ready together and stalking the weather on our cell phones. Around 1 the bottom fell out of the sky and it POURED but luckily around 2 the rain went away...just in time for pictures! After pictures the girls headed to the boat dock to get on the boat! That's right, the girls arrived to the ceremony by boat. It was awesome to have those few minutes of quiet time on the ride over...not to mention the glass (or two!) of wine. :)

The ceremony was short and sweet and absolutely perfect--minus my crying! After the ceremony it was time for a few more pictures and then time to get the party started! The reception was so much fun. We all had a blast!

Baxsley-another niece
cake table--YUMMY

The wedding was absolutely perfect, in large part to Andrea (Sara's sister) for all of her hard work and God for keeping the rain away. I was so honored to stand next to by best friend as she married Jason.

2010-05-07T07:37:00.000-07:00

Show Us Your Life-Your Kid's (or future kid's) Names

I have never participated in Kelly's Show Us Your Life, but I thought today was a fun topic. What are your children's names or future children's names? Well, I don't have any children so I will stick with future children's names....assuming my husband (if I ever find one) agrees :)

Tate Wesley or Wesley Tate

My last name is Tate and my Mom and Step-dad's last name is Wesley...so I will probably use either Tate Wesley or Wesley Tate, obviously depending on the last name I end up with :) I think Tate is a different name that isn't too out there but isn't too commonly used either. Plus it would be in honor of my dad's side of the family. In addition, Wesley would be in honor or my step-dad Monroe. So, I'm hoping if I ever get to be a wife and mommy, that my husband agrees :)

Tate/Tatum ???

Obviously the same reasons above for the Tate reference. Otherwise, I'm not sure for a little girl. I really love "boy" names for girls (i.e. Ryan, Tyler, Taylor) but I don't have anything specific picked out. I also like Elle. I think it's different and sounds southern :)

Obviously I am not anywhere close to becoming a mommy but I hope to one day. When that day comes, I'll put a little more thought into it!

Jump on over to Kelly's Korner and join in the fun!

Staying Dry

2010-05-03T09:10:00.001-07:00

For now I will just say that the wedding was beautiful and perfect and my best friend was the most beautiful bride. The wedding was so much fun and I promise to do full recap posts in the next week or so.

I just wanted to drop in and ask for your prayers. You have probably seen pictures of the terrible flooding occurring in the West/Middle Tennessee area. Nashville is absolutely unbelievable. You cannot imagine the flooding. My place and my parents' place are staying dry; but so many people in and around Nashville were not so lucky. Many people have lost their homes, cars, possessions and in some cases, their lives. Please say a special prayer for them today. Also, please say a special prayer for those trying to get home...there are people stuck in Nashville that can't get out to get home and people stuck outside Nashville that can't get in to get home. The rescue workers also deserve a special prayer. We are so thankful for them and grateful for their service.

Good news: the forecast is bright and sunny for the next few days. Hopefully we dry out soon.

My Bestest, Sara BROVET

2010-04-28T07:56:00.001-07:00

My bestest friend Sara Brovet (for a few more days anyway) is getting MARRIED this weekend! I feel like we have been waiting and planning for this day for so long and it's finally here. Sara and I met towards the end of our freshman year of college. We were then roommates during most of the rest of our time at UT. It feels like I have known her my whole life. I can't imagine what life was like without her. We have such a unique relationship that I cherish and am so thankful for. We rarely talk on the phone but we email pretty much all day every day. I can always count on her to tell me the truth...even if she doesn't agree. And if she doesn't agree with my decision, she isn't afraid to say so but she always supports my decision...even if it isn't the same one she would make. We have way too many special memories to list.

Sara and Jason met in college through Sara's longtime friend Sean. They have been dating for what seems like forever and I am so excited for them to finally get married. Jason is the perfect one for Sara and I am so thankful that my bestest found someone who loves her completely.

After work I am heading to Knoxville to help Sara, Jason and family make last minute preparations for their wedding weekend. I promise to take tons of pictures and recap the whole weekend.

Sara-I love you! I am so happy that you are finally marrying your longtime other half. I am so honored to stand beside you and support you on such a special day. I can't wait to celebrate with you!

Top 2 Tuesday...SUMMER Time

2010-04-27T10:50:00.000-07:00

Top 2 Favorite Things About Summer

First of all, sorry I have been a blog slacker lately. I have been so busy preparing for my best friend's wedding on Saturday, slammed at work, and studying for the dreaded CPA exam. I promise I won't be a terrible blogger forever!

Ok, on to Top 2 Tuesday...My favorite things about summer are...

1. Vacation and River Weekends:

The Tate's Cabin--I blogged about my family's (Dad and Step-mom side) cabin at the river here. I absolutely love spending as much time as possible there. My Dad and Step-mom Cindy are wonderful and I love spending the weekends there any time, but especially in the summer!

As a bonus, this summer my Mom and Step-dad are taking me on vacation! I am so excited to be heading to Charleston on May 21 for an entire week! Hopefully I will sit for the first part of my CPA the week before, so I will definitely need some relaxation. Plus, I'm hoping to spend some time with my photographer friend Leslie while I am there.

2. Photo Shoots: As most of my readers know, I am an aspiring photographer and summer is a great time to shoot photos. Long days of sunlight make it easy to shoot even after work before it gets dark. Click here to see some images from my latest shoot and let me know if you are interested in posing in front of them camera! :)

Ok, back to far less entertaining things than blogging :(

What are your 2 favorite things about summer? Jump on over to The Undomestic Momma and play along!

Be The Match

2010-04-24T19:32:00.000-07:00

My friend Jacqueline inspired me in this post to check into the National Bone Marrow Registry program. In high school a very good friend of mine, Scott, had cancer (Acute Lymphoblastic Lymphoma). My best friend Kim was Scott's girlfriend and Scott's best friend Troy was my boyfriend so we were all pretty close. Scott was one of the best people I have ever known. I first met Scott when I was pretty young and Troy's older sister was my babysitter during the summer. Yep, that's right....I first met my first love because his sister was my babysitter. Small world and funny how things work out. Scott was kind of quiet but when he opened his mouth it was hilarious, especially when it was a smart a$$ comment, which it often was. Scott loved baseball. I remember him getting chemo or some other kind of awful test and then going and playing ball the same day. It was as if his pain and sickness disappeared when he stepped on the field. He spoiled Kimberly rotten. He inspired more people than he knew and he fought so hard. Scott passed away his senior year of high school...before he could graduate, before he could live his dream of playing college baseball, and before he could stand up for his best friend in his wedding. I remember being heartbroken that God didn't heal Scott. We were all so convinced that he was going to be healed. I know God is good and Scott plays baseball in Heaven now but it didn't make it any easier for his family and friends. So I joined the bone marrow registry in honor of Scott A. Elrod. Scott didn't have a bone marrow transplant but if that would have saved him, I know we would have all prayed for someone to be a match and save his life. I can't imagine what it feels like to know that you are giving someone a second chance at life. Yes, it might hurt a little but it won't come near the hurt that occurs when you loose someone you care about. So, I received my packet this week, completed it tonight and am now officially part of the bone marrow registry. Now I just wait for the call, the call to help save someones life. I can't imagine how good that would feel!

Scott Alan Elrod

My Registry Packet

My samples all ready to be sent off

To check out the Bone Marrow Registry click here and Be The Match!

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

2010-04-18T17:32:00.000-07:00

Saturday I had the privilege of shooting pictures for a friend at work. Cindy's sister lives overseas but was in town with her daughter Meredith so Cindy wanted some pictures of Meredith and her cousins, Caroline and Rebecca. We had plans to meet at Centennial Park but when we got there everyone else in Nashville was there also....so we had a change of plans and went to the Dragon Park. I am so glad we did. I had never been but it was a great place to shoot pictures. I had so much fun with the girls. Thanks, Cindy for letting me steal a few minutes of your sister's visit! Here are some of my favorites:

I love this one!

She was such a doll

Wishful Wednesday : Charities

2010-04-14T08:53:00.000-07:00

"I wish"...I had never ending funds to donate to charity and it would be a combination of the following:

1. Compassion International: From Compassion's website, Compassion International exists as a Christian child advocacy ministry that releases children from spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and enables them to become responsible, fulfilled Christian adults. I already sponsor a child through Compassion and would love to be able to financially sponsor more children, as well as donate to some of Compassion's other programs. If you are interested, please click here to learn more about Compassion's child sponsorship program and how you can change a child's life.

2. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital: I have a special place in my heart for St. Jude because my mom and step-dad worked there and because a dear friend of mine was a patient there. Click here to learn more about St. Jude.

I am sure there would be many more charities but these 2 hold a special place in my heart. What about you? If you had unlimited funds, what charities would you give to?

Head on over to Kelsey's page to play along!

Bridal Brunch

2010-04-12T17:48:00.001-07:00

This weekend I co-hosted a Bridal Brunch for my friend Meg. Rachel, Laura and I have been planning the shower for months and I think it went wonderful. It was so nice to get together with the ladies and celebrate Meg's upcoming wedding. Rachel, Laura and I met at my parents' house on Friday night to set the tables and cook for Saturday morning. We did most of our prep work Friday night. Mom and I stayed up until 2:00 am! Saturday morning we were up early putting the final touches on everything and getting ready for guests to arrive at 11:00. We had cinnamon rolls, chicken salad sandwiches, cucumber sandwiches, sausage balls, mini muffins, fruit and fruit dip, mini brownies and cake pops. Everyone seems to enjoy the food and company. After everyone finished eating, Meg opened her presents. She got some good stuff that I know she can't wait to put to use.

Apron with Meg's new initials

The Recipe Box with Meg's new initials (from idaclaire)

Laura, Me, Meg & Rachel

Me and the Bride-to-Be

Meg, Congratulations on your upcoming wedding. It was my pleasure to host a shower celebrating you and your special day. I hope you enjoyed yourself. I love you!

iPad Giveaway

2010-04-09T11:31:00.000-07:00

Do you want to win a new iPad???

MckMama is giving one away! Click here to see how to win!

Plus, you get to help save babies at the same time! It's a win, win!

Finally Friday!

2010-04-09T11:24:00.000-07:00

Wow, this week has been fast and slow at the same time. I am anxiously watching the clock until 5 o'clock so I can officially say Goodbye to work for the week. I have a busy and fun weekend planned. Tomorrow I am co-hosting a Bridal Brunch for one of my dearest friends, Meg. It will be here first shower and I know she is super excited. I hope has a blast and it is everything she dreamed it would be! We love you, Meg!

So tonight I will be busy setting up tables and cooking like crazy for the shower in the morning. Tomorrow night is GIRLS NIGHT and I can't wait! We are going out for dinner and drinks and I am so looking forward to spending some quality time with some of my favorite people. Sunday will be for church and recovering and cleaning up my house...it is getting out of hand. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

30 Day Shred

2010-04-07T20:44:00.000-07:00

I bought this today...I'm hoping I can stick to it. I need to very badly.

Tres Chic Ink

2010-04-07T20:33:00.000-07:00

My very talented friend Natasha has a calligraphy business here in Nashville called Tres Chic Ink. I have been talking about taking pictures of her samples for her since she started and finally got to do it a couple of weeks ago. Natasha is so talented and I am so proud of her! Check our her personal blog here and her calligraphy blog here. I'm not posting the pictures here because I want you to go to her site and see her work! Love you Natasha!

Hello Pretty

2010-04-07T20:17:00.000-07:00

I got a very exciting package in the mail this afternoon. I have been carrying my camera around in this old, ugly, gross camera bag that Monroe let me borrow. Granted, it was fine for him to use...but I'm a girl and I like pretty things. =) Well feast your eyes on my new camera bag...I love it!It came in this pretty purple bag to keep it in when I'm not using it.

there she is!

Isn't she lovely?!?

as you can see, I've already put her to use!

#49 on my list...CHECK

Top 2 Tuesday...Magazines

2010-04-06T07:38:00.001-07:00

This week's Top 2 Tuesday topic is magazines. I don't buy magazine very often at all, but I do read them online.

1. People : I love reading the celebrity gossip and People seems to be a little more classy than my other choice.

2.US Magazine: Again, I don't buy very often but I do read online. A girl needs her celebrity gossip...right?

Happy Easter

2010-04-04T20:21:00.000-07:00

What a BEAUTIFUL weekend! After work Friday, Landon and I headed to our family's house at the river. We sat around a bonfire and walked with my parents the the neighbors, then headed in for the night. Saturday morning Caddy and I went for a walk on the beach. Caddy got his first taste, literally, of the river and he loved it! I think once the water is a little warmer, he will love it even more. Dad and Landon went fishing while Cindy and I headed back to Lexington to grocery shop for the weekend. Later Saturday afternoon Ginger, Justin, & their fur baby Gracie and Grant & his fur baby Jack arrived. We basically sat outside in the sunshine and watched the dogs play. It's kind of a joke in our family that since there are no babies, we have dogs. It's kind of sad, but it works for now. :)

My brothers and sister and I are hardly ever in the same place at the same time. Usually for a day at Christmas and then maybe one or two other weekends a year, so it was nice for us all to be together this Easter. Sunday morning we all went to church and then had a WONDERFUL Easter lunch prepared by Ginger and Cindy. It was such a wonderful weekend with family...I am already looking forward to this summer and more family get togethers at the river.

Sunday evening Jeff and Natasha had several of us over for a cookout at their new house. It was so much fun to get together, relax and catch up with friends...not to mention the wonderful food. (I swore at lunch I would never eat again...that didn't last long) Thanks Jeff and Natasha!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter weekend...my only complaint is that it was over way too soon!

Letters to Olympia

2010-03-31T20:27:00.000-07:00

Back in this post I shared with you that I had marked #1 off my list and sponsored a child through Compassion International. Well a few weeks ago I received my sponsorship packet and a picture of Olympia. I was so excited. Please go to Compassion's website if you want to know more about their sponsor a child program. I can't tell you how good it feels to know you are going to change a child's life....and it only costs $38/month. Tonight I wrote Olympia my first letter. You can write your sponsored child as often as you like and can send them small things that will fit in the envelope (coloring book pages, stickers, pictures, stamps, postcards, etc). I wanted Olympia's first letter from me to be pretty so I fixed it up a little. :) I taped the paper on some pretty card stock to make it a little more fun. I also included a picture of me and my sister, two coloring book pages, and some stickers. I really hope Olympia is excited to get her letter and her goodies. I hope to get a letter from her soon and learn a little more about her and her family.

This is Olympia, isn't she precious?!?

This is my letter on pretty pink card stock

Here is the letter and her goodies...I hope she loves them!

2010-03-31T19:29:00.000-07:00

The ABCs of Blogging

A, B, C, D, E, F, G....

A. AREA CODE : 37203
B. BED SIZE: Queen
C. CHORE YOU HATE: vacuuming
D. DOG'S NAME: Caddy
E. ESSENTIAL "START THE DAY!" ITEM: a shower!
F. FAVORITE COLOR: Green
G. GOLD OR SILVER: depends...I like both
H. HEIGHT: 5'1"
I. INSTRUMENTS YOU PLAY: When I was younger I played piano, but nothing now :(
J. JOB: Accountant
K. KIDS: just my fur baby, Caddy and all my "nieces and nephews"
L. LIVING ARRANGEMENTS: in a townhouse with Angela and Drake (beagle)
M. MOM'S NAME: Pam
N. NICKNAME: Clynn, Tate, Candass
O. OVERNIGHT HOSPITAL STAY: none :)
P. PET PEEVE: I have a few...but a big one is when people eat loud
Q. QUOTE FROM A MOVIE: "I love you Daniel McMan" The Other Sister (mine and Sara's favorite) and "Nobody puts Baby in a corner" Dirty Dancing, of course
R. RIGHTY OR LEFTY?: Righty
S. SIBLINGS: brother:Landon, step-brother: Grant, step-sister: Ginger
T. TIME YOU WAKE UP: 6:45ish
U. UNDERWEAR: Yes, please
V. VEGGIE YOU DISLIKE: cucumbers, tomatoes
W. WAYS/REASONS YOU ARE LATE: overslept
X. XRAYS YOU'VE HAD: face and back
Y. YUMMY FOOD YOU MAKE: hashbrown casserole-it's easy but oh so good
Z. ZOO ANIMALS YOU LIKE: polar bears are my favorite!

I found this on Mrs. Smith's blog...click here to check out her ABCs.

Splish, Splash

2010-03-31T18:45:00.000-07:00

I gave Caddy a bath tonight. He is so GOOD when getting a bath but he looks hilarious. His hair is really long right now and he needs a haircut, but I am waiting as long as possible because it is so expensive.

I haven't really told "Caddy's Story" on my blog so I will explain how I got him. A friend of Cindy, my step-mom, knew I was looking for a Shih Tzu puppy (eventually). Well a friend of this friend found Caddy on the side of the road. She knew who he belonged to so she took him "home". His owner said, "Yeah, he was mine but I just moved here to move in with my girlfriend and she doesn't want dogs in the house." So basically this man just turned him out into the cold (it was January). Isn't that just terrible? I was originally looking for a female puppy. Caddy is not a puppy (2-3 years old) and is not a female, but I just feel in love with his cute (in an old man way) face. It didn't hurt that he was already housebroken :) So he came home with me and I think he enjoys his new life and his new roommate, Drake (my roommate's beagle). I sure love him. There is nothing like coming home after a long day and his little face jumping around because he is so excited to see me!

Looks like a little old man, don't you think?

Awesome Contest

2010-03-31T08:43:00.001-07:00

Epiphanie is going an amazing contest, but it ends today! They are giving away a Canon 5D Mark II AND a $2500 gift certificate to Southwest Airlines. How cool would it be to win either one of those awesome prizes? Check out Epiphanie's website here to get contest details.

Top Two Tuesday: Random Things

2010-03-30T07:56:00.000-07:00

Two Random Facts About Me

1. I sleep with a fan on year round. It's more about the sound than being hot because I am usually wrapped up in blankets. I just love the sound of the fan and it is VERY difficult for me to go to sleep without one. I think I get it from my Dad...he even takes his fan on vacation! I am not that bad...yet.

My nighttime best friend

2. I am addicted to candy. I love it. It's a serious problem. Some of my favorites are Sour Punch Straws, Haribo gummy bears, Sweet Tarts and Nerds. I like chocolate but would rather have a mini-Snicker than a full size bar. I love the sweet and sour stuff. It is not unusual for me to make a trip to Walgreen's specifically for candy and if I am driving for any length of time, a stop at the gas station is a must! I am trying to limit my candy intake, but it is proving more difficult than I thought!

So, what are two random facts about YOU? Click on over to The Undomestic Momma to play along.

Making History in the Elite Eight

2010-03-29T18:52:00.000-07:00

I now know what it feels like to be heartbroken and insanely proud all at the same time. I am a HUGE sports fan, especially football and basketball. The Vols made history this year by making it to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. The men's basketball team had never made it past the Sweet 16 until this year. It has been so much fun watching our basketball program grow into what it is today under the direction of Coach Bruce Pearl. We beat Ohio State to make it to the Elite Eight for the first time ever! After a very close game, we lost by one point in the last 10 seconds to Michigan State in the Elite Eight. Although we failed to make it to the Final Four, I am so PROUD to be a TENNESSEE VOL. I can't wait to see if we can build on this next year. Coach Pearl, Great job...keep up the good work. You have made people excited about Tennessee Basketball. Go VOLS!

Bachelorette Weekend

2010-03-28T20:30:00.000-07:00

Thursday afternoon I headed to Pigeon Forge for the Bachelorette Party I have been waiting on for months. Andrea and I arrived around 4:00 and unloaded/decorated until around 6:00 when The Bachelorette and other guests arrived. We kicked off the weekend with drinks and cards. Oh my, the cards. I will not be sharing pictures of them...believe me, this is a good thing! Thursday night Andrea and Monica cooked dinner. It was fajita and margarita night! After dinner we played a few more games but called it a night pretty early. Everyone was tired from driving and we were saving our energy for the next two days.

Adorable wine glasses that Natasha painted for me
Cute welcome bags on everyone's bed

Fajitias=YUMMY

Friday morning we watched wedding movies-The Other Sister and My Best Friend's Wedding. Since we had all seen the movies, we also played a few games and had lunch. Friday night was the lingerie shower. It was so much fun! Sara got some great things and had a great time-which is really what matters.

Sara-The Bride to Be

Cheers!

The Whole Crew (Me, Andrea, Monica, April,

Melea, Kristy, Sara)

Saturday we had a scavenger hunt in Pigeon Forge. It was so much fun! Married ladies vs Non-married ladies. We (the non-married ladies) won, of course! =) Here are a few of the pictures we had to take to get points. We all met at Calhoun's, one of Sara's favorites, for lunch and then went and had an Old Time Picture made. Wow, was that an experience! Sorry, I don't have a scanned copy of the picture yet, but I promise to add it once I do. Saturday night we played some more games, had some more drinks and some more AMAZING food-seafood night! After dinner it was time to take advantage of the hot tub and then an old fashion slumber party...complete with new PJs, Dirty Dancing, and Truth or Dare.

Our team in front of The Dixie Stampede

On a slide on a playground

Hot Tub!

I had a WONDERFUL time getting to hang out with my best friend and everyone at the party. Thank you everyone for coming and THANK YOU, Andrea. I don't know what I would have done without your party planning. Everything was absolutely AMAZING.

Sara-I hope you had a wonderful weekend. It was so fun to spend the weekend with you and the ladies that mean the most to you. I can't wait for your wedding weekend. I love you!

I'm in Puppy Love

2010-03-28T20:12:00.000-07:00

Wednesday after work I headed to Knoxville to stay with my friends Bev and Christian. I got to see their adorable new house and meet their new baby, Griz. Griz and I were fast friends. I am a sucker for a puppy that likes to cuddle and Griz definitely does! Bev and Christian, thank you so much for letting me spend the night with you and sharing your new baby. I love him! I can't wait to come back and stay in the new house ASAP! Love you

Love at first sight!

He slept with me for a few hours on Friday morning =)

He wanted to constantly be in my lap...and I loved it!

How can you not love that face???

It's My Friday

2010-03-24T14:29:00.001-07:00

I'm headed to the mountains until Sunday to celebrate this pretty lady's upcoming wedding. Yay for a 4 day weekend with my best friend! Have a good weekend, everyone! I promise to return with lots of pictures to share.

Wishful Wednesday...Handbag

2010-03-24T14:16:00.000-07:00

'I wish' .... I could afford either one of these Kate Spade handbags without putting a dent in my pocketbook!

This is the Kansas City Claudia.
I love the little pop of yellow on the side!

The Jamesport Natia would look good on my shoulder too,
IMO. I love the color and the simple design.

I just can't justify spending $300+ on a purse...especially the way I treat them! I am hoping my friend Natalie (who is an admitted Kate Spade junky) will buy one of them, get sick of it by next year and let me play with it for a while. =) It appears as if that is a real possibility...I just checked her blog and one of these bags is on her list, too!

What handbag is on your wish list? Head on over to Kelsey's blog to play along.

Soon....

2010-03-24T08:43:00.000-07:00

Soon it will be time for me to spend a whole weekend with my best friend celebrating her upcoming marriage. We have been waiting on this weekend for months now and I can't wait! My best friend Sara is getting married on May 1 and this weekend a few of the ladies are getting together to CELEBRATE! We are heading to an amazing chalet in the mountains of Gatlinburg, TN. We check in on Thursday afternoon and will be spending the next 3 days watching movies, relaxing in the hot tub, drinking wine, gossiping and laughing. I cannot wait! Sara, get ready...I think this just might be the weekend of relaxation that you need to unload stress before putting the final touches on the big day. I love you and cannot wait to see you so very SOON!

What 2 Things Could You Not Live Without ?

2010-03-23T09:41:00.000-07:00

This week I decided to play along with The Undomestic Momma's Top 2 Tuesday.

The 2 things (besides the obvious: family, friends, water, air, food) I couldn't live without or wouldn't want to live without:

1. My iPhone. I have friends and family everywhere and this is how I keep in touch. Plus I can check email and facebook, of course.

2. My camera(s). I LOVE taking pictures and take pictures of anything and everything, all the time. I always have my small camera with me and if the occassion calls for it, big daddy comes out to play =)

Big Daddy's Little Brother

Big Daddy

So what are the two things You couldn't live without?

#65-Check (kind of)

2010-03-22T17:14:00.000-07:00

65. Purchase some props to use in my photography

I have been wanting to purchase some cute props that I can use when I do photo shoots. I am only marking this goal as in process because there are a few more things I want to add to the collection, but this is a good start. I purchased these adorable hats from Briar Claire. Another plus, Briar Clair is donating $1.00 from the sale of each hat and $0.50 from the sale of each headband through March 28 to Compassion!

picture courtesy of Briar Claire

Lazy Weekend

2010-03-22T16:52:00.000-07:00

This weekend was pretty low key. Friday night Caddy and I went to my parents' house and we went to Martin's BBQ in Nolensville for dinner. I had a BBQ sandwich and fresh cut fries...It was really good! After dinner we relaxed at the house and watched basketball. I was really lazy and didn't even go home. I shacked at the parents' for the night. It is so nice having them close and getting to spend time with them basically whenever I want.

Caddy and the Queen of the house, Emma

Saturday morning Mom treated me to a mani/pedi and we hurried home to watch the VOLS play! Caddy even put on his Vols gear to show his support! =) The Vols won and advanced to the Sweet 16!

Caddy loves the VOLS too!

Saturday night I went to Flying Saucer to celebrate Lauren and Jeff's birthday. The boys had been at the bar all day watching basketball, so needless to say, the birthday boy didn't last very long. Rachel and I beat the boys in darts, we all had a few drinks and then headed home like the old people we are. =(

Me and Meg

Me and the Birthday Girl

I slept late on Sunday; I am still trying to recover from last week's sickness. I spent the rest of the day being lazy and watching basketball, of course. Sunday night I FINALLY got to see New Moon and I loved it! Bring on Eclipse!

Sweet Summertime

2010-03-19T08:42:00.000-07:00

It is a BEAUTIFUL day in Nashville today. Days like this have me longing for constant warm temperatures, long weekends, and fun in the sun at our family's "happy place". My Dad and step-mom Cindy bought a boat and a house on the river last summer. I can't wait until the weather allows us to get on the boat!

A Girl's Gotta Look Good

2010-03-19T08:37:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago when I was in Memphis my Goddaughter Addyson was watching me get ready and wanted in on the action. Check out these adorable pictures of her putting on her makeup and jewelry. =) Then she wanted to "take a picture of Tate". So cute she is!