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... 

Just a little rant..

I've realized something lately... 

6 to 7 days a week I put on my lab coat, pull up my hair and go to work; or I wake up and trek to classes, dreading it because I know I am behind in at least one class. I get home from work and half-way complete the school work due for the next day. Or more often than not, the school work that was due yesterday. 

And I don't enjoy any of this. 

Now I know, I know, you have to pay dues and whatnot- but seriously? 

Are you supposed to despise things you have to do 60 hours or more a week?

And does it actually get better?

Because that's what they said about college, remember?

Don't get me wrong.. 

I'm thankful to be able to go to school. I'm thankful to have a job that pays me well. 

But geeze.. what are you suppose to do when you don't enjoy what everyone says you should be doing?

When does the breaking point come?

When do you drop everything and move to Thailand?

Or follow Jimmy Buffet around the country?

I suppose I just expected more. 

GLEE!

So I recently started watching Glee (if you haven't you need to) and I'm kinda sort obsessed with Emma and how she dresses.. 

I'm only on episode 4 and I really really want to put off all of the things I have to do today to watch it. 

Seems like I kind of suck..

I'm a O47-C25-E31-A44-N84 Big Five!!

Shower curtain, anyone?

I was messing around on Etsy (per usual) and found these super awesome shower curtains.. 

It's a kettle curtain!

HaHA! It's Shakespeare! This is my favorite, I do believe.

How sweet. 

All of these curtains are from here.

This one from here is pretty snazzy, too. It's embroidered! 

Fried Pickles

We went to Birmingham for Ben's birthday Saturday night and ate at this neat place called Flip Burgers- I had a Krispy Kreme milkshake and a burger with a pattie made out of shrimp that was adorned with fried lemons and vodka onion rings. 

Ben had a burger with blueberry sauce on it and fried bread and butter pickles. Oh yum! 

Words cannot describe the enjoyment I got out of that meal. 

Lordy, that boy needs a haircut!

Home

Today's Easter, and I just drove back to my apartment in Tuscaloosa from my parent's house in Gordo. I heard "The House That Built Me" by Miranda Lambert on the way home and it made me think. I used to hate that place, and now I go back every chance I get. It's funny how life and growing up does that to you. I always get this pain of loneliness and almost guilt when I'm driving back to Tuscaloosa. 

In high school all I wanted to do was leave, all I wanted to do was get the heck out of that town and never come back. Now all I want to do is go back, buy a little house, teach kindergarten and plant a garden. Is it that I'll always be dissatisfied with what I have or that I've experienced living in a dorm with 400 other girls within earshot and I just want some space. Yeah, I think that's it. 

My favorite lyrics of the song are: "I thought if I could touch this place or feel it/ The brokenness inside me might start healing/ Out here it's like I'm someone else/ I thought that maybe I could find myself..."

I'm not going to lie. It's been a really really rough past year. Things are slowly looking up, but it makes me wonder if the reason thing's haven't been going to great is because I'm too far from home. 

We're still celebrating!

Tonight Ben and I are going to Birmingham to have an official celebration for his birthday! We're going to eat at this really cool gourmet burger place called Flip and we're going to see How To Train Your Dragon.. which I've heard is super cute.
His one request was that we stop by Shaper Image to play with all the gadgets. What a man!

Here are some pictures from his birthday party at church..

His sweet mom Gail made this really cool cake, and I bought him that really cool t-shirt. 

(And just look at that cute face!)

We're best buddies.

Welcome, April!

Boy oh boy I'm so excited for this month! April brings brand new beginnings and a close to some things I'd rather not have going on.

1. This semester is FINALLY coming to a close!
If I had to sit through Women's Studies on Tuesday for too much longer I would gouge my eyes out.

2. Today actually marks TEN YEARS since I accepted Christ as my Savior!
I find this absolutely amazing, but it also saddens me to see the years I've wasted not walking closer with the Lord. I'm so thankful I'm in a good relationship, I'm surrounded by encouraging friends and have an arsenal of people praying for me on a daily basis.


3. I'm starting a new job!
As soon as I get my finger prints done, I can start subbing at the pre-school, and I will officially begin this summer! Talk about an answered prayer! NO MORE WEEKENDS!

4. We're getting oh-so-close to Aisley Brook! 
Ben will be receiving a sweet baby niece in May and I plan on maxing out my credit cards on adorable quirky baby junk until she gets here!

5. Awana Begins!
Ben and I are helping with the Truth and Training class at our church and we are so excited. I can't wait to see how God is going to move.

6. My sister is getting married!
How exciting is that?! It's going to be a beautiful, fun (and yummy! Fig is catering) wedding and I am so happy for her and Drake.

I can't wait to spend this Easter Sunday with my family to kick this month off right!