Rings.

All of these rings can be found at CatBirdNYC.

When I grow up..

It's gonna be a good three years until I can actually get a big girl job. (Yes, I am a junior, but nonetheless still behind). The idea of actually having funds and not having to spend them on books and school crap is too appetizing not to think about.

So here's the stuff I'm gonna buy when I actually get out of college..

A Great Dane!

I shall name him Thor.. 

A sweet little cottage by a river.. 

Complete with boat and retro kitchen.

A freakin' sweet trampoline!

A Challenger!

And yes, I plan on paying for all of this on a teacher's salary. 

A girl can dream, right?

Indian Summer

So, I've obviously been on a summer hiatus, but I'm back. 

I've had a pretty interesting summer so far-

• My job is fantastic. I get to play, read, snack and scribble in sidewalk chalk with a bunch of 2/3 year olds until 12:30 everyday. 
• If I'm not working, I'm mostly sitting in the middle of Hurricane Creek with some friends and some cold  cream sodas. 

• For the 4th, I went to Gatlinburg, TN with my parents and sister and bro-in-law. We rafted, drank some moonshine, and got plenty of homemade fudge and divinity!!! (Which I will be learning to make around the holidays, thank you very much.)

My Political Compass

The Political Compass

Economic Left/Right: -4.12
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -2.41

Find out yours here.

Summertime

You may remember that about a month ago I had a little meltdown. Well, I am happy to report that my outlook has gotten a lot better.

 I started a new job that only requires me to be there a few times a week, school is OVER, and summertime is here! 

Yesterday a friend and I packed our bathing suits, a cooler and our books and parked our chairs in the middle of a creek and sat in the sun all day!

I've recently developed (because I have more time now) a love for cooking/baking. I've made a maple cake for mother's day, a butterscotch coffee cake, lasagna, and jam cookies.

Saturday I'll be going to the Sunrise Balloon Race, the farmer's market and home to Gordo.

Sunday my dad will be bbqing! Great weekend. 

Meet my new friend!

Here are a couple of my favorite people...

 Rachel recently looked like this.. 

And then we welcomed her.. 

Aisley Brooke!

Born on Mother's Day at 7:49AM

5lbs. 14oz

I've never seen a prouder uncle :)

One day..

I've been sitting here watching Say Yes to the Dress all day and decided that instead of studying I would put together a sort of scrapbook of what I would want my big day to look like...

I love this dress from J. Crew. 

Simple. Cotton. 

Since the dress is so simple, I would want an awesome 

bib necklace like this one from Florabond's Etsy Shop. 

This adorable bracelet goes with it :) 

I would wear my hair something like this.. 

Under an oak tree.. how sweet.. 

I LOVE the idea of hanging window panes from the trees.. 

Then I would put them in my house!

Love the wild flowers in Mason jars... 

Oh, to be a pioneer..

Ok, so I'm addicted...

To the Janette Oke collection of books/movies beginning with Love Comes Softly. 

I think I read these in about the 8th grade and now I'm watching the movies..

Makes me want to slap on a bonnet and head out West

(But maybe forgo the part where you give birth in a one-room log cabin)

Updated wedding pictures

Ok! So I should have waited and not posted any of those pitiful pictures yesterday, because Lance Holloway did a phenomenal job on my sister's wedding photos.. check it out!

How pretty! My sister always did know how to model, 

whereas I end up looking like the over-excited fool in the picture below..

Homemade lavender and oatmeal soap as party favors! 

We're Goin' to the Chapel...

Here are some (unprofessional) pictures from the wedding this weekend!

I think this was my favorite part of the whole wedding! 

The cake from It Takes the Cake was absolutely gorgeous! 

Inside the church at Tannehill. 

Inside the school house built in the early 1900's where the reception was held

My dad and sister dancing to Susie Q by CCR. 

Hilarious! My dad's the best dancer I know. 

More dancing.. 

Ben and I 

The newlyweds!

Hopefully I'll be able to post better/better quality photos when the photographer posts them on his blog. 

Stuck in a Rut

Have you ever felt just stuck?
Like you're spinning tires and not getting anywhere, like all you're doing is throwing mud on that nice paint job you worked so hard on...

I think I'm past Stage One (denial of the aforementioned rut) and I'm ready to move on to tactics to pull myself out:

1. I will start my new job soon! I will have weekends off (oh what joy!) and I'll be doing what I love- working with kids!
2. This semester is almost over and I will only have to worry about the (dreaded) math class this summer. 
3. Summer! All of that extra Vitamin D has got to make you feel better, right?

Muuuuuuusic!

The one thing that gets me through the burning heat and humidity of summer (besides freeze pops, of course) is CONCERTS! Although we don't get too many great bands in Alabama.. there are some pretty exciting prospects!

Here's My Summer Concert Schedule

April 31st 

Crawfish Boil in Birmingham!

I'm only going Friday night, but I think it's a pretty good line-up. 

Like always, the Crawfish Boil delivers with 90's bands you swooned over in 9th grade and totally forgot about.

This year's Friday night line up is:

Fuel, Theory of A Deadman, Seether, Akon 

and Alice in Chains!

May 1st 

Alabama Blues Project's Blues Extravaganza

I'm not gonna lie. I love some blues. There's no better way to spend a Saturday then sitting in the sun, eating BBQ, and listening to a good guitar and harmonica. I can't WAIT!
It's in downtown Northport and I think you should come!

June 3-5

BamaJam music fest!

Now hopefully I can get up enough money for this to go with my roommate, because I'd really love to go see some great country (and some not so country) acts like Kenny Chesney, Hank Williams Jr., Citizen Cope, Buddy Guy, Robert Earl Keen, Travis Tritt, Zac Brown Band and Miranda Lambert

June 17th 

Lynyrd Skynyrd & .38 Special

Ok, Brett Michaels is coming, too, but I really couldn't give a hoot about him. Unfortunately, I think there are only a couple original members left in Skynyrd, but it should still be a good show. 

July 31st 

Steve Miller Band with Peter Frampton!
(This picture is awesome! Unfortunately he doesn't have any of that hair anymore)

I don't have any special plans to go to the beach during this time (it's at The Wharf in Orange Beach) but I will make this. I've been wanting to see Frampton for years and haven't had the chance. 

August 12th 

Lilith is coming to Birmingham!

This is an awesome festival for female singers and I'm so so so stoked to go. 

These are just the acts I like, there so many other acts participating! (Find them here.)

Cat Power, Chairlift, Tegan and Sarah, The Weepies, Norah Jones, Loretta Lynn, Sarah McLachlan, Corrinne Baily Rae, Heart, Ingrid Michaelson and Sara Bareilles! 

I realllly super hope most of these acts will be able to make it to Birmingham!

Wedding Countdown

Oh what I week it's going to be!

I get to wear these super shoes at my sister's wedding...

And carry these fancy flowers...