Some Highlights

I haven't had the camera out much lately which is bad for blogging, mainly because I can't remember what I've been doing.

I do recall that last week was pretty low key...a couple of the things I usually do during the week had either ended or were cancelled. I spent the first few nights of the week working on the computer (slideshow business), and then I know for a fact things did start revving up around Thursday.

We had a very fun Thursday night with our college Bible study girls. Marsha and Greg served us a low country boil that was delicious and after the meal was complete, the little knuckleheads surprised me with a bday cookie cake. (Apparently 27 is the birthday that brings forth unending celebrations).

Kayla carefully bringing out the cake fully ablaze.


They should make a law that prohibits candles on cakes for anyone over the age of 20. I am all about celebrating another year of life, but there is no need to endanger those I love by catching the house on fire.


So sweet!



Did someone say cookie cake? Phoebe was prepared to help us take care of it.




Little Phlebes was none too thrilled when delivered the news that no cookie cake would pass her grill. She couldn't even look at us.


As wonderful and great as the food was, and as sweet as the mini-surprise bday party was - the most special thing that happened Thursday night was that a very sweet guest joined us.

This is Dana! (And her sweet niece Harper...I stole this picture from her blog).


Dana's family and Marsha's family have been friends for years, and Marsh has been wanting her to come out and join out group/give her testimony to our girls. You can read all about Dana on her awesome blog....be prepared to be completely inspired and in awe of the work the Lord is doing in her life as she deals with a chronic illness and a big upcoming surgery.

She is amazing and hilarious and such a doll, and we LOVED having her come and share some about her life with us. Please pray for Dana in the weeks to come as she gets ready for her surgery....I know the Lord has BIG plans for this girl. Can't wait to hopefully see her again this week!

Friday and Saturday were errands/catch up days. Saturday night I went out with some friends, and Sunday was church and then a really fun lunch with our dear Becca and her parents!

I shall not attempt to describe what Becca Thomas means to us, but I will say that we loved getting to eat and visit with her mom and dad. He mom is SO sweet and her dad is too funny.


We ate at the Beaver House and it was so good. I had not been all that hungry all week for some reason, but I definitely got my appetite back come Sunday. At one point, Marsha looked over at me wide-eyed (I think as I was going in for another homeade biscuit...the details are blurry) and I said, "I'm sorry, I feel like I haven't eaten for a week!" I defintely made up for it (and then some - thank you, fudge pie).

Becca, her mom, and Jake were all on the blue team that day.

I love this girl!


Becca and Jake, who ages 5 years everytime I see him. I hope he is enjoying his last months of freedom before we lock him up for good.


Phoebe would like to demonstrate how the rest of the Sunday was spent.






Monday came with a vengeance, but I was excited to go out and eat with two of my sweet co-workers (I know this will be hard to believe because I hardly even celebrated this year...but they took me out for my birthday). :-)

Tonight it's dinner out again with one of my faves!

27 Blesses

You know it's going to be a great weekend when it starts out with this.


Friday after work I headed over to the Hagan's because that Marlee girl was coming back into town from the beach. She had a great time even though a bird pooped on her face and she dropped her phone in the pool.

Sometimes what happens on Spring Break doesn't stay at Spring Break. Sometimes it haunts you forever, and sometimes you get a constant reminder in the form of a new phone.


After they got all their phone woes situated, we went to Seasons of Japan for dinner. We dined on California rolls, steak and shrimp bowls, and rice.

Then Marsha played with her new iphone camera for a bit. (Sometimes being a mom means you sacrifice your Droid to your child and settle for a lame old iphone.)


Pretty nice cam.


That night we went back to their house and watched a movie. Or at least half a movie. Grandma had to go home and go to bed before it was over.

On Saturday, the inevitable happened.


It just would not have been a birthday weekend without a LaBerry visit. (I added a piece of cake to my cup to celebrate.)

Marlee, playing on her new phone.


I log a lot of time looking at the top of Marlee's head. Her highlights look great, by the way.

Marlee, LOOK ALIVE woman!


I told her to act like she was laughing.


She must have gone to a really funny place inside.


These are not fake smiles, though. :-)


And these are not fake "stop taking our picture" faces from a couple of punks at our table.


Saturday night, Greg cooked a birthday dinner for me out at the house! So sweet. Grilled shrimp, baked potatoes, and coleslaw. It was SO so so unbelievably good.


And it was made even better by these knuckleheads joining us. Becca, Cam, and Kayla - love them so much!


After dinner we took part in a friendly game of BLURT. I am so glad someone created a game in which it is ok yell out and no one can tell you to be quiet. :-)


Sweet girls.


This picture makes me laugh. Cam into the game, Becca being silly, Marlee posing, and Walker acting the fool about me taking his picture.


Just another fun evening at the Hagan house.


It was a such a fun night! I stayed over there pretty late and entered into my birthday at midnight with a sweet serenade.


Sunday morning I woke up feeling so blessed! The phone was already blinging out of control with sweet bday messages.

I got up and joined my parents and grandmother at church and afterwards we went out for a bday lunch at McAlister's. We threw around some different ideas as far as how we should celebrate (go eat? Al cook? lunch? dinner?). We had just gone to McAlister's a couple weeks ago after church, but my craving could not be contained so my sweet family obliged.

I was hit by a large influx of cards while we waited for our food.


This blogger brought to you in part by:


A special round of applause for this lady! 27 years ago she pushed out an almost 11 pound baby. It's a wonder she even still likes me after that.


But she does! She loves me and is the best mama ever.


Iris was aghast to know that her youngest grandchild is now 27. "Well fiddle - how old does that make me then??" Only 90, Gram! Don't sweat it.


I hope I still look and act as snazzy as her in 63 years.


Iris requested a picture with Deb. They are big buddies.


After lunch I went to send Marlee off.




Safety first when it comes to the Cheezits.


She spent a few mins playing some bball with her brother before she left us. White girls can jump?








To bookend what was a great, relaxed, and super sweet birthday, my mom, Jake, and I went to see a movie last night. It was SO good. I haven't been to a movie forever and seeing Matthew McConauhey back in the courtroom was a great way to commemorate my return to the theater.


(And the popcorn mixed with cadbury chocolate eggs and a extremely large diet coke was a great first dinner to kick start the 27th year.)

I had SUCH a great birthday weekend. It was perfect - just laid back and relaxed and shared with some of my favorite people (in person and by phone, text, fb, and twitter). I just felt so thankful all weekend and especially on Sunday - couldn't have asked for more!

Week's end

We haven't had a drop of rain in weeks, yet it seems a tornado has plowed through nonetheless.


That was the scene in my bedroom a couple nights ago. I have been given the huge honor of making Larsen and Matthew's slideshow for their rehearsal dinner, so I have been trying to gather, sort, scan, upload, and organize pictures into a little video montage. So fun!

What you see in the above photo is: pictures being distributed into designated piles, my scanner working overtime, my laptop telling me to please calm down lest it explode, and a wee bit of free carpet space - only big enough for me to sit Indian style and orchestrate the whole thing.

Interestingly, during this process I have figured out the only regret I have in life, which is printing off doubles of every picture on every roll of film I ever developed.

I could wallpaper my house with random, blurry pictures (and their double!) of no one and nothing in particular.

Looking through the photos, I have found a ton of my brother as a baby and as a little dark-skinned kid (he got all the good genes). I found some of his more "plump" adolescent days (bwahaha), a ton of football pictures, and many from his senior year when he grew his hair out almost to his shoulders (creeper).

Much to Larsen's dismay a couple of those will probably be making the slideshow. :-)

I also ran into a bunch of pictures of me through the years. Some cute. Some frightening. Some an equal mix.


This group picture of my little dance group warmed my heart.


Obviously, I had an indescribable enthusiasm for ballet.


I still have a lot of work to do on the slideshow, but it is a very enjoyable process to me! I've even been sneaking a few minutes on my laptop to play with it at lunch this week.


I think it is coming together nicely. Which is good since I talked to my brother the other day and he told me he think slideshows are "the coolest part of the entire wedding."

Thanks, Bro. No pressure.

This week has kind of flown by which I am glad for. Wednesday night we had our last love languages class. It was on physcial touch...which led to some interesting discussion...if you know what I'm saying.

We also watched a Mark Gungor video again, and let's just say he went there.

Halfway through the video and Marsha looked over at me (I was busy playing on my phone trying to be invisible) and said, "Are you pretending to not be here right now?"

Last night I spent the evening with my dear Kimberly, and we added another restaurant to our victim list. We find it unable to leave a place before every last person has left and the waiters are cleaning the tables and giving us the stink eye. I love it.

This weekend there is nothing on the agenda and that makes me so happy.

Hope you all have a great one!