Fourth of July weekend!

Every year (well almost every year) I go to the beach with my family and a few friends. We always stay in Edisto Island, SC. It's a quite little place, but we always have a good time. This year was no different. Me, my mom, dad and Murray drove down on Friday afternoon. Once we got to Charleston, my friend Nicole who was going to meet us in Edisto told us she didn't know how to get there from her house in Charleston, so my parents dropped me off with her. We finally got there later that night and met up with everyone else at the house. We just hung out Friday because it was late when everyone got there, but we did get surprised with awesome cornhole!

Yeah, it was awesome. Be jealous. Even though I am a botchi ball champ, I am not so fabulous at cornhole. Oh well. I guess I can't be "winning" at everything in life. :)

Murray was my little beach bum all weekend. She absolutely loved it, unlike me who hates the sand and water at the beach! Here she is doing a little pose. What a ham!

I love this bathing suit. In fact, I love it so much that if I could find one for adults I would buy it for me. Anyways. Saturday we went and ate at a gas station in Yemessee. Yes, I did say a gas station. It was weird, but so good! It was called Harold's Bar & Grille. They say they can't sell you food, so they sell you the plate. Weird, yes. Tasty, yes. Later that night after almost everyone else went to sleep, Nicole, Matthew and I built a card house. It was a great card house until Murray knocked it down the next morning. Just look!

It was Elmo's castle. It was so intense building that. Not even kidding. We didn't breathe looking at it; we didn't speak. It was fabulous. Monday we watched a flyover at the beach and we saw these amazing people. I am doing this next year. I just love crazy patriotic people like myself!

Monday night I went to Charleston with Nicole, Emily, Matthew and Anna. We went to eat dinner and then we went to Patriot's Point (the USS YORKTOWN) for fireworks. The East Coast Party Band played and they were so good! We danced until time for fireworks and had such a good time! After the fireworks were over and we danced a little more, we decided to hit up downtown and go to Kaminsky's! Kaminsky's is an amazing bakery that stays open real late, for those that haven't been before. While we were in there enjoying our late night snack, Matthew asked me what would complete my favorite holiday. I told him that dancing with a military man before the 4th of July was over would be fabulous! He said that if I do this, then I would win the game we had going on (to dance with the most random men). Now, at this point in time it was 11:42pm, meaning I had 18 minutes to do this. To be honest, I did not think that this would be possible. How the heck was I going to meet a military man in the middle of the street at 11:50 pm on a Monday night?!? Time was running out really fast, but I kept on. I was about to give up at 11:57 when I saw a guy and I thought in my head "HE'S MILITARY!!!!" So, I asked him "Do you happen to be in the military?" The look on his face was priceless. I wish that I had a picture of it. He said "Yeah" with a really confused look on his face, but he smiled anyways. I asked him what branch and he said Army, so I was like YES!!!! Epic win for me! I explained to him that I had to dance with him for 5 seconds to win a game and he was like Sure! Haha! So, I asked him what kind of dance he wanted to do and he said IDK. Well, time was wasting away so I just broke it down with the boy! It was pretty amazing and I won the game. More importantly, I danced with as hot Army boy on the 4th of July. Please tell me how it could have been better!!! :)

I hope you all had fabulous weekends! What did you all do?

Has it really been a year?

Last year on May 26 I started this blog so my then boyfriend would be able to stay up with everything going on since he was in New Orleans and I was here in SC. I can't believe it's been that long!! I've been TERRIBLE at keeping up with my blog, but I am just going to keep trying! So, what has happened in the past year? I went to NOLA for a second trip in the beginning of June. I thought it was great. But, then there was the giant breakup I had with Chip. That wasn't fun. A year later and I still occasionally get upset about it. It's a big change when you think you'll spend the rest of your life with someone and then they suddenly change their mind... It was hard! But, I have incredible family and friends that helped me through it. PLUS, because of him I  met some of the most amazing people ever! I absolutely consider them some of my best friends! SO, what else? I had a Twilight birthday party, one of my best friends since I was itty bitty got married, had my keys stolen at work, dressed up as Snooks for halloween, saw another friend (and Murray's godfather) get married, got to see Danielle and her sweet family before Christmas, Murray turned 2 which I never blogged about, we went to Universal Studios in Orlando and had SOO much fun and now here we are in May! My sweet little cousin is graduating from high school this week (It's been 5 years since I graduated!!), we're going to DC this weekend, and I already have my next New Orleans trip planned for August!

So, hopefully I can get this blog to be a regular thing for me again!! I miss blogging!!!

 

Just going to keep trying...

but I have been TERRIBLE about updating my blog!!! I really am going to try to keep up with it better! So about 3 weeks ago we (Murray, me and our friend Tamara) went and met some of my friends in Orlando. It was   a blast! We went to Universal Studios to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Now, you have to understand that I am a complete and true Twihard...I know (knew) NOTHING AT ALL about Harry Potter. I didn't have any interest in watching or reading the movies, so when Danielle asked me to go, i was just like sure I can just go and hang out with some awesome friends! So that was my plan, and if I had time to watch the movies before I went, ok. So Thursday night I had a class, but Murray, Tamara and myself left afterwards about 9pm. We drove through the night, which was interesting...it honestly wasn't a bad drive though. We got there about 5:30 AM and went to meet Danielle and her family at their hotel room. We decided to all get ready and go get breakfast (and COFFEE) before we headed to the park. Here are the two cuties of the morning... 

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When I say that these two love each other, I'm not kidding. Murray is completely lovesick for her Harper! Here's a group shot from day 1...

 It was pretty chilly that day!!! We had fun. We had lots of  Butterbeer and saw so much Harry Potter stuff...they had me convinced I needed to see the movies!!! That night our friends Kristen, Matt and their little boy Micah joined us. It was so fun getting to see everyone! We went to dinner and went to BED haha! I was exhausted by the end of Friday!!! Saturday we got up and went to breakfast again before the park. We headed to the Dr. Seuss part of the park and we rode some fun kiddo rides. 

This was me and my girly after the Cat in the hat ride...she loved it. During it, she looked at me and said "Mama WEEEE!" We went back to Harry Potter for a while and rode some more rides...it was really fun and the kids were so good!!!  It was a long day, but so fun!

Group shot!!! I love all these people!!! True friends are hard to come by, but these people are as good as it gets right here!!! 

And just me, Kristen and Danielle.

 Can't wait to do it again!!!!! :)

Feel Good Friday!

Oh Dave you make me laugh!

Today I am thankful my brother is coming home! Not that I'll get to see him much. Plus, my Nicole is coming home next week and I'll get to see her!! YAY!!! I love the holidays! :)

Friends...even 9 hours away,

Do you have those people in your life who you can't imagine not knowing them??? Think about it...how many people came into your life and now you don't know what you would do if you hadn't met them! When I was dating my ex I got to meet quite a few amazing people who I love to death. Even though the situation with him ended badly, I am still thankful for most of what went on. ESPECIALLY meeting Mrs. Danielle! :) Honestly, she is one of a kind! I can't tell you how many times I've whined, complained, vented, laughed, joked, and obsessed about Twilight with her. She is just one of those people I have clicked with. I haven't known her longer than 6 months, but I feel like we've been friends out entire lives. I hate that she lives in 9 hours away, but that's ok... And even though we don't get to talk all the time, I know if I ever needed her she would be there to listen in a minute (and I hope she knows that I would do the same for her :)). So Danielle, you are awesome! Oh and check out her blog...she's an incredible blogger! :)

So about that camera cord...

I was so excited when I checked the mail on Saturday and my new camera cord was there. I ran out to my house and opened the package. Beautiful! I could finally upload some pictures since I have a ton on my camera right now. I sit down and take the cord out of the package. Seriously, I was so excited. I take the little twisty tie that was holding the cord together all wrapped up. I plug the USB drive into the computer. YES! It was finally time to connect the camera. I grab the camera and lift the flap. Wait, it won't go in. WHY WON'T IT GO IN!!!!!! It is too big and it doesn't fit. Wonderful. I am so disappointed. Now, I have to get a new cord. Mega dislike. I guess the picture posts are going to have to wait a little longer.

Since I missed 5 days worth of being thankful, I'll catch up now. First, I am thankful for friends and family. This weekend we had a football party and it was so fun! Even though the Gamecocks lost, it was still fun! Second, I am thankful for the opportunity to go to school. It may not be fun, but it's worth it. Although, I have to admit that my public speaking class right now is a blast! Third, I am thankful for my church. I love it there! I was lucky enough to get to be there when Dr. Page was still there, now we have a great interim in Dr. Cloud. Even though he is leaving soon, our new paster Preacher Jimenez, is going to be awesome. Fourth, I am thankful for technology! I'm on 2 websites that I LOVE. Coastie Chicks and Gymbofriends. I may not know all these women in person, but you talk to them so much, you feel like they are some of your best friends. Plus, I really have met some of the greatest people through facebook. *TRACEY AND HILARY*. We may not talk much anymore, but I still consider them good friends! :) And fifth, I am thankful for my camera. The pictures I have are priceless and I can look back anytime and see how much my sweet little girl has grown in the past 20 months and 29 days. :)

I Love Fall!

This weekend was great! Friday night we had a get together with some friends. It's always fun when we do stuff. We had a ton of food. I mean literally, a ton. Spaghetti, wings, ham delights, pigs in a blanket, chips, garlic toast, cheese danishes, and volcano cake. Seriously, that's a lot! Not that the guys didn't have any trouble putting down most of it! Anyways, after we ate we played Guesstures.. So fun! I need to get this game!

Saturday, Mom, Paige, Murray, and I went to Niven's Apple Farm and let her play and get a pumpkin. She had fun running around, but boy it was hot!!! It shouldn't be that hot in October. She picked out a little pumpkin, and I got a regular pumpkin. But more about that later :).

After the apple farm, we all went to our friend Tiffany's house so we could watch the CAROLINA GAMECOCKS whoop up on the Crimson Tide. Murray loves playing with her boys Clayton and Colton. She was wide open! Once the game started we watched it. My #19 (then) Gamecocks beat the NUMBER ONE RANKED Alabama... So now, the Cocks are #10! WOOT WOOT!!

Yesterday we went to church and then I cooked with the pumpkin. I can't wait to tell you what I cooked! :)

I love Fall!

Thursday 5!

It's Thursday, which means my favorite post of the week! IF you wanna play, just follow along and then link up at Mrs. Gambizzle's blog!

Happy

Joyous

Giggly

Lucky

Thankful

 

1. I am happy it's GAMEDAY!!! LET'S GO COCKS!

 

2. I am joyous because I get to see Dave Barnes in concert on Monday! Yay! 

 

3. I am giggly because Murray is so funny! Every animal says "moo" now, even the alligator! 

 

4. I am lucky because I get the opportunity to go to school. It may be boring and sometimes hard, but not everyone gets the chance.

 

5. Last, I am thankful for the amazing new friends I have made. Sometimes it's hard to imagine why we have to go through a heartbreak, but then you realize you made all these great friends because of that time in your life! I love you guys! :)

 

 

30 Day Journal- Day 4

 

 

Day 1 - Your Favorite Song

Day 2 - Your Favorite Movie

Day 3 - Your Favorite Television Program

Day 4 - Your Favorite Book

Day 5 - Your Favorite Quote

Day 6 - 20 of my favorite things

Day 7 - A photo that makes you happy

Day 8 - A photo that makes you angry/sad

Day 9 - A photo you took

Day 10 - A photo taken over 10 years ago of you

Day 11 - A photo of you recently

Day 12 - Something you are OCD about

Day 13 - A fictional book

Day 14 - A non-fictional book

Day 15 - your dream house

Day 16 - A song that makes you cry (or nearly)

Day 17 - An art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc)

Day 18 - My wedding/future wedding/past wedding

Day 19 - A talent of yours

Day 20 - A hobby of yours

Day 21 - A recipe

Day 22 - A website

Day 23 - A YouTube video

Day 24 - Where I live

Day 25 - Your day, in great detail

Day 26 - Your week, in great detail

Day 27 - My worst habit

Day 28 - Whats in my handbag/purse

Day 29 - Hopes,Dreams and plans for the next 365 days

Day 30 - A dream for the 

 

I am loving this 30 day journal! I'm super excited that my IRL (in real life) friend is joining with me and starting her own 30 day journal! Show her some bloggy love! 

 

Today I get to talk about my favorite book. This is a toughy. If you have read my blog at all, you know that I am obsessed with Twilight. Just look... my 22 birthday party and Eclipse premiere. So of course it's my favorite book series (as well as favorite movie series), but I think I need to tell about another favorite book since everyone knows of my not so secret love of Twilight. 

 

 

 

Dream When You're Feeling Blue by Elizabeth Berg is one of my other favorites. It's about a girl in the 1940s WWII era dating a soldier. I am terrible at giving books and movies away. Just ask my friend Paige lol. One time she was reading a book and I told her the ending and she was so mad at me. Anyways... Seriously I thought this book was awesome. Until I read the ending. There was NO reason for it to end the way it did and I am still mad about it. But I have read it 3 times, so I definitely didn't hate it obviously! I think one reason I loved it so much is because I love the 1940s so much. Go read the book and then come back and tell me what you think. Ok? Ok. :)

<3bri

 

Wedding Weekend

I've said on here a million times that my friend Sarah was getting married... and she did this past weekend! It was so much fun!

Thursday was the bachelorette party. It was a blast! Me and Nicole got to spend alot of time together getting things ready. Let me tell me you, if you were a fly on a wall watching me and Nicole get things ready, you would be cracking up. It was hysterical! We thought Thursday would be an easy day for us and that we just had a couple things to take care of before everyone came over at 5... but we were lucky we were dressed when they all got there!

Me and Nicole tried Sarah's party stuff on before they came over... Nicole was the bride superhero! Haha.

We all went to dinner at this yummy restaurant in Greenville called Harry & Jean's. It was sooo good and our waiter was hilarious.

After dinner we all went to downtown Greenville and did a bachelorette scavenger hunt. It was so fun!













After the scaveneger hunt we stayed at Paige's apartment and had a girls night. By the time we got back it was pretty late, but we talked and hung out until we all fell asleep.

Friday was a busy busy day! We had a bridal luncheon that my mom and Nicole's mom threw. It was beautiful!

The table they had decorated. So pretty!

This is most of us that were in the wedding.

Here we are with our presents Sarah got us. The bags were so adorable! They all had our initials on them!

Me and my mom!

After the luncheon was the rehearsal and dinner. Thank goodness it wasn't as hot on Saturday as it was Friday!!

A few of us during the rehearsal.

Here we are after dinner with the beautiful bride-to-be and her hubby Jon. Aren't they precious :)

Now just the two of them!

Saturday was the wedding. It rained all day except for the wedding and most of the reception. It was amazing! Sarah was the most beautiful bride I have ever seen! She look stunning!!!!

Three best friends for like 20 years!

Typical :)

Our pretty mommies!!

At the reception.

Their first dance at the reception!

It was so much fun! Everything was beautiful and it was a fun wedding! I love you Sarah McGehee!!! :)








 

Nothing to report...

so no exciting blogging going on. I'm off all week though, which is awesome! My beautiful friend Sarah gets married on Saturday!!! Her bachelorette party is Thursday night!! WOOT WOOT! It's going to be so fun!! Friday we have the bridal luncheon and the rehearsal, then Saturday is the BIG DAY! It's going to be so great! The only sad part is that she is leaving us :(. Yes, she's been in school in Virginia, but now she's going to be married and living up there!!! 3 goodbyes in one week is NOT FUN!  My friend Ashley is leaving for California on Sunday and we met up for coffee earlier today. Even though we haven't got to hang out in a while, it's still hard to say goodbye to someone you've been friends with for years. The other goodbye was bittersweet.

I forgot to participate in Tuesday 3 with Miss JLA yesterday, but please go check her out! Her blog is alot of fun and she's super sweet! :)

Sorry for no new pictures lately!! I can't get my memeory card to work on my computer... :( Boo! I probably won't get any more posts on here this week, so next week be ready for wedding pictures and posts galore :)

Throwbacks and Best Friends

So one of my best friends is getting married next Saturday. We've been friends out entire lives, so it's pretty incredible and I'm so excited for her. So in honor of her wedding, I am gonna post some throwbacks of her, Nicole, and me. :)

I love these girls :)

Thursday 5!

I was really sad when MannLand5 decided she wasn't hosting Thursday 5 anymore, but luckily one of my other favorite blogs decided to host it! So if you want to play all you have to do is post 5 things that make you
All you have to do is list five things that have made you

Happy

Joyful

Appreciative

Giggly

or

Excited

and then go back to Mrs. Gambizzle's  blog and link up! Here's my 5... what's yours?

1. I am happy because fall is going to be here soon!! I love cooler weather, not this ridiculously hot stuff we have right now.
 

2. I'm joyful because I have the most amazing daughter in the world. Currently she's dancing... typical. 

3. I am appreciative of the amazing family and friends that I have. Even when I am grumpy they still love me!!

4. I'm giggly because I found this picture of Jackson Rathbone :)

5. I am excited for all the fun things next week for Sarah's wedding! Bachelorette, bridal lunch, rehearsal, WEDDING!!! YAY! :)

No vampire fights...

BUT I did have a Twilight-themed birthday party! Actually it was a surprise party!!! My birthday was Sunday (I turned 22!) and I wasn't in the greatest of moods. I was a little (ok, a lot) grumpy and did NOT want to do anything. We had a birthday lunch at my grandparents house... super yummy! My Pop makes the YUMMIEST shish kabobs ever, and that's what I asked for. After that we had Twilight cupcakes :)!! I was like YES!!! (I have pictures, but not on the computer of those yet..) After lunch, I really just wanted to go home. My friend Nicole kept trying to talk me into going to the movies or to the mall, but I was like "No, I'm too tired." and kept trying to push it off until today. Since I wouldn't do anything with her, my mom, aunt, and cousin kept trying to get me to go somewhere. I was really frustrated because I just wanted to go home, but no one would let me! I ended up going to my aunt's house so play the wii for a little bit. Suddenly in the middle of Megan playing Guitar Hero with me, she had to leave to go get some sheet music... Seriously??? I was like I am just gonna go on home. So as I was getting Murray's stuff together at my aunt's house, my mom called and invited her and Megan over for cake... Ok that's cool! Megan had already left to go get her music, so Auntie T was going to ride with me and Murray to the house. When I get to the house, my mom met us at the car and walked me to the bungalow. She told me to close my eyes and that she had a surprise for me... to which I replied "Mother, I am not 12." Haha. I walked in and...

Surprise! Twilight everything! Even the movie music was playing in the background. My family knows me well! :) My friends were there and it was a lot of fun. We even had "Italiano" like the Cullens made for Bella the first time she met them... Obsessed much? I think so!!!

Thanks everyone for a great birthday!! I love you guys!!

Blowing out the candles... Isn't the cake gorgeous!

Some of the people there...

Murray and her godfather, Kevin. She missed him!

Looking so cute in her Matilda Jane!

Eclipse and July 4th!

and I haven't even got to tell you guys how AMAZING Eclipse was! Seriously it was incredible. I went with Megan and Bethany to see the midnight show on Tuesday night. We went to Paige's house to get ready, and we went a little crazy with the camera...

I am unsure as to why I have a crazy face in this one...

Well anyways... We got to the theater about 7:45 and we were the very FIRST people there to wait for the movie. I was SO excited. A few more people started getting there right after we did, so we weren't the only Twihards there. WELL, as the night progressed more and more people were showing up trying to get in front of us! SERIOUSLY? I was NOT ok with that. I was already slightly (maybe that's an understatement) moody and this was not flying with me. I was REALLY frustrated with the theater too. They didn't set up a line until almost 10, and even then I don't know that it could be called a line. Maybe more like a blob of people surronding the ticket taker. It ended up they didn't even seat you in the actual theater your ticket was for, just by the time. So we ended up with not-so-great seats. The movie was supposed to start at 12:01, but as it turned out it delayed and didn't start until almost 12:10. Needless to say, I will be going to Greenville for the Breaking Dawn movies.

Friday night I colored my hair super dark. Seriously, it's almost black. And I LOVE it. I need some better pictures of it and then I'll put those up.

Saturday night Hannah, Murray, and I went to Red, White, and Boom in downtown Spartanburg. It was pretty fun! There was a lot of patriotic music (which is my favorite of course), food, a few games for kids, and of course fireworks! Murray did SO good! She loved the fireworks. When they would go off she would say "Ohhhhhh". It was quite cute! I forgot to put my memory card in my camera, so I didn't get any pictures.

Sunday was July 4th, which is my favorite holiday. I was excited because I had some friends over on Sunday night to swim and eat and shoot a few fireworks. Eli, Adam, Hannah, Jennifer and Matthew all came over. It was alot of fun! We had a few fireworks to shoot off, so we were messing around with that. Well, we caught a bush on fire. I WISH I had a picture, but I was panicking too bad to take one. Seriously, this was NOT a small fire. Eli and Adam were like lightening trying to put it out! We got it out rather quickly, but not quick enough... Someone called the fire dept. and they came looking for it. When they couldn't find it they stopped to talk to us and see if we knew that they were talking about. Talk about freaking out! Luckily they just checked to make sure it was completely out. It was pretty crazy!

I hope everyone had a great holiday and remembered to thank a troop or veteran. They are the reason we get the chance to celebrate!