Ever Seen A Bride Do This??

While I am still working on going through my pictures and editing them from the wedding I thought  I would share a bit of the reception with you.  Mollie decided that she would sing some Karaoke for her Mom!

{ you might want to scroll all the way to the bottom and pause the music that audo loads for you all!  :) }



I didn't get the entire thing but I got a pretty good chunk of it.  This was recorded on my Canon!

Mollie's Bridal Shoot

So the wedding is over and now I can show you all the pictures that I did for Mollie's Bridal Shoot.  The first four pictures are the full versions from my sneak peek post and then for your veiwing pleasure I included some additional photos. 

I would love to know what you think and I will be posting more pictures from the wedding, this week as I get them edited! 

Thank you all for your kind words and prayers last week for everyone's health and the weather. 

Fix-It Friday #30 - Hands-On Photo Editing Fun!

It's time for another Fix-It Friday over at I ♥ Faces!!
This week's photo comes from Catherine at Catherine Halsey Photography for sharing this underexposed (and yet completely adorable!) photo that we will be working with this week.

I took time away from the wedding slideshow I have been working on all week to work with this adorable little guys photo!  I needed a break and editing photos was a welcome one!

Original

Edit # 1

For edit #1 I fixecd the exposure by adjusting the levels, cropped it and ran the CoffeeShop Creamy Chocolate B&W action on it.  I boosted the creamy layer so that it took away some of th harshness from the photo being under exposed.

Edit #2

For Edit #2 I cropped, flipped the image and ran the CoffeeShop Retro Honey Action.  I loved the way that it made the colors look in his shirt!

Edit #3

For Edits # 3&4 I used textures.  I am just learning how to do these so I am playing around with them every chance I get!

Edit #4

When it Rains it Pours

To keep with my rain theme of the last week or so here is another one for you!
Saturday is my brother's wedding and let me just tell you this has been one crazy, whirlwind week!  Rain is in the forecast for Saturday and it is an outside wedding.  Thankfully as the week has progressed the chance of rain has gone down and they are now calling for showers in the morning.


One of the flower girls was suspected to have swine flu.  Luckily the test came back negative but she is still not feeling well and is still running a fever.

The Matron of Honor's ex-husband passed away on Monday unexpectedly.  Very sad, they share two children who are 11 and 13.  Please keep them in your prayers as it is going to be very hard for these two little boys.  His visitation is tonight and his funeral is tomorrow.

Mollie called me earlier today bawling because now one of the ringbearers is running a fever and was kept home from school.  Hopefully he is better by Saturday.

Oh and last but not least my brother has not been feeling well all week.  He went to the doctor and he has the flu and possibly strep, {which Mollie had a week and a half ago}

So we are battling all kinds of things!!  I am off to bake a Red Velvet groom's cake, to finish the slide show and then we will be headed to the rehearsal dinner.  Wish us luck that no one else gets sick!

Happiness Is.........

Ashley at {Let go Laughing} does this thing called Happiness Is.... and she list things that have made her happy that day or that week.  I hope she doesn't mind but I am ripping off her idea!!  Hey at least I am giving her credit!!  I really love reading Ashley's blog and when she lists stuff that makes her happy it makes me stop and think.

As you know I have been in a funk lately.  Yesterday it was raining and I took a moment while I was driving to lunch to reflect on how green the grass is, through the rain.  Then after work I had to run into Target really fast to get Lauren some milk on my way home and was thinking about my day and the last few weeks and Ashley's Happiness Is posts popped into my head.  I then stopped what I was doing {sitting in the parking lot} to think of what has made me happy lately.  So here is my list

Happiness Is...

• Finding a pull through parking spot at Target.  Brian is constantly making fun of me because I would rather pull through than have to back up!!  I get enjoyment out of finding a pull through spot.
• Coming home and having Lauren greet me at the door to try and scare me.  I took her to meet Brian at the door one day and we jumped out and said "BOO" really loud.  He jumped, she laughed and ever since then she wants to greet people that way.
• Lauren laughing.  No matter what kind of day I am having when I hear her little giggles it immediately puts a smile on my face.  Even now thinking about her I am smiling.
• Lauren picking her nose and then trying to put the "beeboo" {booger} in my nose, like it belongs in mine and not hers.  Yes that is gross, I know but so dang cute!!
• Lauren hugging me tight and not wanting me to leave her at daycare.
• Brian telling me that I look good and kissing my neck sending shivers down my spine. 
• Vanilla Cokes from Sonic, even though it has been almost 2 weeks since I have had one since I am on a diet trying to slim down for Aaron's wedding.

That is just what I came up with yesterday.  I truly have been blessed in my life and have a lot of little things that make me happy.  From now on I am choosing to look at those things and focus my attention on them!

Not Me! Monday

Yes it is that time of week again.  Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

I don't really even know where to start for last week.  It was not a crazy week in which I was not sick for most of the week.  I did not wake up Thursday morning with my left eye puffy and very congested only to have to go to work because I was volunteering that afternoon.  I did not wrap about 200 Barry Mantelow CDs for a charity to give away for Christmas. 

I did not miss a chiropractor appointment because I just forgot.  I had even written myself a note and it did not just completely slip my mind.  I did not remember it about an hour too late!

I did not wake up Saturday morning looking like I had been beaten in my sleep.  I then did not proceed to get up and take Lauren to the parade in town.  I really wanted her to see it and I did not want her to miss it even if that meant I had to drive with only one eye!  I did not seriously consider dressing like a pirate for Mollie's bachelorette party because of my eye and it being National Talk Like a Pirate Day and all!!  I refrained and instead went to dinner with a horrible swollen eye.  Luckily it has gone down by that time but it still looked horrendous to me.  I couldn't have piled any more makeup on!!

I did not make a trip to the department store to try and find something to wear under my bridesmaid dress to hide some of this weight that I have not gained.  The Spanx that I tried on were not dissappointing in the slightest bit.  I guess I was hoping for a miracle body suit to make me look 50 pounds lighter!!  I will not be going back this week, with my dress, to see what looks the best and will help suck in my gut. 

This is not the week for my brother and Mollie's wedding.  It is not outside and there is not rain in the forecast!!!  YIKES!!  Mollie is not freaking out about the weather and she did not email me today to say that Aaron did not wake up with a sore throat. 

One Eyed Sonya

Today I woke up to have my right eye completely swollen shut. I look awful.  {and it is incredibly difficult to type with one eye!} I hate that my sinuses are acting up so close to my brother's wedding.  At least it is this weekend instead of next weekend when the wedding is.  However I have so many things to do today and tomorrow.  This weekend is the Jesse James Festival in the town that I grew up in.  This morning Lauren and I are going to the parade.  {thank goodness for sunglasses} and we were going to go to the rodeo this afternoon however my brother just informed me yesterday that he isn't roping, so I may cross that off the list. 

Tonight is the bachelor and bachelorette parties for Aaron and Mollie.  We have a fun night planned and I am bummed that I will look like the cowardly lion, as my husband affectionately calls me when my face swells up like this.  This has been going on for the past 8 years.  Off and on my face will just swell up.  Usually there is no warning except that most of the time I have a sinus infection to go along with it.  Today is one of those days and I have been battling it all week.  Thursday my left eye, side of my nose and cheek was all swollen!  I have seen many doctors, many times and all of them have the same reaction, they have no idea what is causing my face to swell.  Some of them speculate, even give me new medicine to try but nothing fixes it. Sure it goes away after a couple of days but until then, I walk around looking like this. 

Oddly enough, today is International Talk Like A Pirate Day!!!  Maybe I could get an eye patch and just wear that all day and talk like a pirate!!  No one would ever know.  :)  arrrgggg maties, have ye selves a grrrrreat weekend! {was that good pirate talk??}

I ♥ Faces - Fix It Friday

It's time for another Fix-It Friday over at I ♥ Faces!

Orignal

Edit #1

Edit #2

Edit #3

Through the Rain

My mood has been all over the place for a while now.  I go in and out of funks as my life seems to swirl around me.  I feel overwhelmed, unappreciated, frustrated just to name a few.  I am unhappy with a lot of things in my life and the other day after a stressful day at work I had a dream.  In my dream I was in a funk and was looking outside the window.  I thought to myself I wish it were raining because that would match my mood perfectly, but no it was a perfectly sunny day without a cloud in the sky.  In my dream I walked away from the window and came back about ten minutes later and it was raining.  But at that moment I didn't feel more gloom and dispair what I saw was how beautiful the rain made everything.  It brought out the green of the grass and the trees, the sky was a beautiful blue and everything seemed so happy and colorful through the rain.

Not sure what to make of my dream!  I know that I am working on making the best out of what I have and what my situation is because I know that it could be WAY worse.  I am thankful for God and all the things that he has blessed me with in my life.  I just keep reminding myself that God has my life all planned out, only he knows what the future holds and I need to give up the control that I am so desperately hanging onto and just enjoy the ride. 

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

A while back I wrote this post and quoted the very same verse.  I think it has kind of become my motto here lately.  I am struggling though. I want to give it all to God, I really do but the control freak that I am is still hanging on! 

Red Velvet Cake - Paula Deen Style!

Every year for my brother and my mom, on their birthdays I make them a Red Velvet Cake.  A tradition I started 6 years ago.  My grandma used to always make them for my mom and so I have always used an old school recipe.  One time my brother told me that he would like for me to change it up and try a new one. So I went to Paula Deen of course!!  This is her Grandmother Paul's Red Velvet Cake.  Very fitting I thought since our oldest brother's name is Paul.  The recipe calls for nuts and cocunut in the icing but I cut that out.  {yuck}

Red Velvet Cake

Ingredients


Cake:

2 cups sugar
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
2 eggs
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 ounces red food coloring
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon vinegar

Icing:

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup melted marshmallows
1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and butter, beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition. Mix cocoa and food coloring together and then add to sugar mixture; mix well. Sift together flour and salt. Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Blend in vanilla. In a small bowl, combine baking soda and vinegar and add to mixture. Pour batter into 3 (8-inch) round greased and floured pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from heat and cool completely before frosting.

Icing:

Blend cream cheese and butter together in a mixing bowl. Add marshmallows and sugar and blend. Spread between layers and on top and sides of cooled cake.

Doesn't this look delicous!! 

Happy 30th Birthday Aaron

Today my brother turns 30.  Don't tell him I told you so but I think he is having a hard time with it!  We celebrated his birthday on Sunday with a dinner at my house.  Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, fried green beans, homemade biscuits and of course, Red Velvet Cake! {a different recipe for this delicious desert coming tomorrow}I gave him a couple of cards that poked fun of his age and I don't think he found them as humorous as I did!!  {I know, paybacks a....not a good thing}  My day is coming but luckily I still have about 3 years!

Since he is getting married in 11 days I thought it was only fitting to post this picture of him as a ring bearer in a family member's wedding.  My mom sent this to me today and I knew it would be a perfect addition to this post!

Cherry Blossom Designs Hair Accessories GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Cherry Blossom Designs Hair Accessories GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

These are so cute!!

I ♥ Faces - Contemplative

I have been really slacking on entering I ♥ Faces challenges lately.  Part of the reason is that I have been super busy and then a couple of times I just didn't have a photo to enter.  This week it took me a bit to think of this photo but when it popped in my head I thought it would work perfect!!

Not Me! Monday

Yes it is that time of week again.  Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

My mind has not been completely gone. I did not forget to tell one of my employees to go to another location to provide coverage for a team meeting.

I did not start putting dinner in the crock pot only to remember that neither of us would be home for dinner on that particular night. Then the next day when we WERE going to be home I did not get all the dinner in the crockpot only to have Brian call me that afternoon to tell me that it wasn't even on!! I know that I turned it on. I did it twice because the first time I put it on the wrong temp. I have no clue what happened. So I did not have raw chicken sitting in my crockpot all day NOT cooking!! UGH!!! what a waste of time and money. DANG IT

I did not have a dream that I had forgotten to do something yet again and it really freaked me out.

I don’t know what I can do to remind myself of what I need to do on a daily basis. I keep a planner but I probably should get a blackberry and set reminders on my phone!!

One night last week Lauren did not need her diaper changed. We were over at my brothers and Lauren did not go to the diaper bag, pull out the changing pad, lay it on the floor, lay down on top of it and then she did NOT say diaper!! Mollie, Aaron and I were not sitting there in complete shock. Mollie and I looked at each other and said, she DID NOT just do that!! She makes Momma proud!!

Instead of losing weight in hopes to look fantastic in my dress for my brother's wedding I did not actually gain weight.  I am not now in panic mode having no idea what I am going to do and I am not afraid that my dress will not fit.  :)  I do not have two weeks to lose a bit of weight and I DO NOT have a plan.  So bear with me because these next two weeks are going to be rough.  I just wish that I didn't mind exercising or it would be a whole heck of a lot easier. 

Marriage Survival Kit

 

 

Along with throwing Mollie a really awesome bridal shower I also gave her this really cool gift.  I got the idea from Kel's over at Little Lady Bugs.  I did a google search and wahla!  This is what I came up with. 

A Marriage Survival Kit

Chili powder...to keep things spicy
　

A lollipop: to help you lick your problems, no matter how many there may be.

A rubber band: to help you to remember to be "flexible" in all things.
　

A paper clip: to help you "hold it all together."
　

A stick of gum: to help you stick together

A safety pin: to help you "pin-point" your problems, the better to solve them!

A Lifesaver: to keep you from drowning in everyday problems.

A lemon drop: to remind you that "when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade"

A penny: to give you extra cents (sense) to know which battles are worth fighting, & which are better ignored."

Button : to remind you that sometimes you need to "button your lip".

Tootsie Roll : to help you roll with the punches.

Mint : to remind you that you are worth a mint to each other..

Eraser : to remind you that everyone makes mistakes.

Chapstick : keep your lips kissable.

Confetti : to remind you to always add sparkle to your lives.

Toothpick : to always pick out the good in your mate.

Lube-"If your ever in a Jam"
　

Pad of paper-"His to do list(1. Keep her happy because if she isn't happy your not going to be happy)"
　

Excedrin-"No more excuses"
　

Duct Tape-"So she can tape his mouth shut before he gets in trouble"
　

Air freshener-"Honeymoons over he/she will start farting in bed now"
　

Dove "Promises"- for your promise to love, cherish and honor each other
　

Skittles- for the rainbow of excitement you share.
　

Good & Plenty- may you always remember the "good" times and may you have "plenty" of them.

Calendar - May the two of you be more in love with every passing day
　

Sweetarts- because you are each other "sweethearts".

Crayons- to "color" your days bright and sunny.
　

Starburst- to give you a "burst" of energy on the days you don't have any.

A Match- because you are a perfect "match".
　　

Junior Mints- because you were "mint" to be together
　

Sweet & Sour Candy- to appreciate the differences in each other.

Hugs & Kisses- to remind you that someone loves you and to give this to one another unconditionally.

A candle - May the glow of romance always be a part of your love
　

A teabag - in case you ever get into hot water, make tea & share it.
　

A pack of tissues - to remind you to dry each others tears.

I made lables for each item and either attached it with tape or a staple.  I then packed them all into a really cute box that I found at Target.