PSA

With an important holiday fast approaching, it is important to always remember to play it safe. Most people spend their holiday weekend on the lake, by the pool or relaxing near the ocean. As much fun as it is to enjoy the time in and around the water, it's as equally important to take precaution.

ROCK A LIFE PRESERVER. It's not only fashion friendly, it could save a life.



Please note how well Kylee pulls off the life vest. Honestly, she's pulls it off like no other. This was an important message for her to get out to fellow babies. She takes great pride in her safety as well as the safety of others. She personally requested to model this life jacket (she really did request to put it on and have her pic taken) and asked that I deliver the message via my blog since it is a platform to reach many families*.

So remember...

Whether near a lake, ocean, or pool-
Rock a Life Preserver, it's COOL!

This has been a public service announcement.

*no statistics actually show that "many families" read this blog (probably only my family, which is fine).

Let Freedom Ring

This weekend we get to celebrate the 4th of July. Woohoo! I love a good holiday, if for no other reason than it means my week of work is cut short- and who can complain about that? I love a short work week. All weeks, in my opinion, should be four day work weeks... but that's not why I'm here. Not to rant about having the need to work less. Nope. As strong as I feel about that- it's not the reason I'm here.

I'm here to let you all know how super pumped I am about having a holiday this weekend. My family has rented a cabin on the lake for the entire week. Yep. That's right. The whole, entire week. Should you need me this week (after work hours- for the most part) you will be able to find me at our little, humble, rented-for-the-week abode.

We plan on having as much fun as possible. I have taken a half day off on Wednesday in order to fully show my love for the cabin. I mean don't you think it would have been rude of me to work everyday and not take any time off to enjoy the little lake cabin? I do too.

Yesterday it was officially ours... so we headed on down. I hope that every day that we are there is equally as fun as yesterday because we did all sorts of fun things...

We fished (can't much say I ever saw anyone catch anything other than a tree),

and we danced,




and we ate some good food (which is a guarantee if your around my family),



and we even found some time to relax. Praise the lord for that. Can I get an amen, sistah?



I know it's just Monday- and you could accuse me of being a bit overzealous in my excitement for the weekend's festivities, but as far as I'm concerned the holiday started yesterday. So I am off to slip my bathing suit on under my work clothes so I can leave from directly from the office and head on down for an afternoon swim while taking in a beautiful sunset.

It should be lots of fun for the family to spend this holiday celebrating our independence together on the lake. Ohhhh the glory of it all.

Bow Chicka Wow Wow

A couple candids of Ryan from our last beach trip. Isn't he lovely? Tall, dark, and handsome. (and probably super embarrassed after reading this).

Movie Review

Last night Ryan and I watched the movie Gran Torino. He's been wanting to watch it for weeks now. I, on the other hand, have been super reluctant. I had seen the previews and felt like I knew exactly what kind of movie it would be.

I like movies that are dramatic but I just felt like this movie was going to bring me down. You know what I mean? Like it would be such a heavy topic that it would be more of a chore to watch than an enjoyment.

But let me tell you- I was WRONG. I loved it. It is such a great story about coming to terms with one's past and embracing others. I laughed and I cried like a baby. You know the kind of crying during a movie when you don't want anyone to know your crying so your taking deep breaths and trying not to sniffle. Yeah. That was me. I didn't want Ryan thinking I was being dramatic. But this movie pulled at my heartstrings.

If you don't have much on the agenda this weekend. You should, for sure, check out Gran Torino. You won't regret it.

Hopefully, I will get to choose the next movie Ryan and I watch. If so, I will pick this one:



It should probably be as good as Gran Torino. I'm sure we will laugh and cry and Ryan will walk away from it with a new appreciation for my love of shopping. (note the sarcasm) I really am excited... and in all honesty, Ryan will probably make me watch this one alone... and that's fine too.

And now to make movie watching easier for you. I am giving away a one year subscription to NetFlix. Just post a comment in the comment section and we shall see who the lucky winner is one day...NEVER- What do you think this is? Pioneer Woman? I don't have those kind of funds yet. But this post did seem like the kind that would segway into a NetFlix giveaway. haha. Hope your not mad. One day when my blog is HUGE- I will for sure have give aways... just not there yet. :)

What's the latest movie you've watched? I would love some suggestions.

Beach Bum

I don't know about you, but I spent my weekend at the beach. Destin, Florida to be exact. Ryan and I went down last Thursday and spent the weekend with his family for a little vacation. We had such a great time.

We enjoyed dinner at the Back Porch and Harbor Docks. We hit up Fudpucker's for drinks and fun- and we even took it on over to AJ's one night for a good time. And you know we hit the beach all day long -It was SOOO hot! But we were located right in front of a little Tiki Bar and the ocean was perfect. Green Flags, clear water. Loved it.





Just being in Destin brought back tons of crazy memories from Spring Breaks gone by. I love it there and can't wait for next time.



Here's a shot of me and my boo at Harbor Docks. (this is right before he spanked me for being too vocal about not enjoying the band. But in my own defense, and I think you will agree, the band was a slow jazz/instrumental group. Who wants to jam to that while out on a lighthearted vacay? Not I. Bring on the Brown Eyed Girl and Cheeseburger in Paradise. I'm just sayin')

Who's Your Daddy?

This Sunday (June 21) is Father's Day and this is my Dad...

Hey DAD!

He enjoys doing the following:

• Hitting up a golf course on Saturday morning (or any day for that matter)

• Working on our farm. Whether it's harvesting the land or working the cattle- he loves it all.

• And, of course, grilling. What man doesn't love to grill? And he's good at. I would much rather have his steak over any restaurants.

I would go so far as to say he loves all those things in that particular order. But above all that he loves his family. He loves us (harley included).

I have never met one person that couldn't get along with my dad. He's laid back and easygoing. He has a really good heart and great sense of humor (I think this is where I get all my wittiness). So I salute you Daddy. Mr. Saturday Golfer. Mr. Griller Extraordinaire. Mr. Harvest the Land. This Sunday is about you.

Plus, I would never want you to be left out... You are now as famous as mama. It's your turn to enjoy it. Relish in it, even. The spotlight is on you.


Happy Father's Day.

Love,
Jessica

A Slight Obsession

Okay- so here's the deal. I love abc's The Bachelor/Bachelorette shows. I know that it's dramatic and far fetched but I love it all the same. I have watched just about every season. My all-time favorite bachelor was this guy...



His name is Brad Womack. He worked on an oil rig and co-owned a bar with his twin brother... he had it going on. At the end of the show he didn't pick anyone. Said that he just didn't have the connection he needed to consider himself "in love."

The truth is he probably didn't have the connection he needed because the shows are taped over a 6-8 week period. Who falls in love that fast with one person, while dating 25 different people? I'm just sayin'

Although I think it's heavily edited and uber dramatic- I still find myself completely sucked in. I guess I'm just a sucker for all things romantic. Who knows? This season's bachelorette is Jillian Harris...




She was on the last season of the The Bachelor- with this jerk. I didn't like the way he ended his season. He chose Melissa in the "final rose ceremony" to later dump her at the reunion show for Molly. If you don't watch, then this means nothing to you- but it really made Jason look like a real jerk.



Needless to say, I have enjoyed this season of The Bachelorette... given (if you watch the show you might agree) Jillian has been emotional from time-to-time but, "[she's] just trying to find the love of her life." According to her, "It will be an emotional journey. That at times will be difficult. But it's not easy to find love."

See what I mean DRAMATIC... but I LOVE it. So without further ado... This is the guy I picked in episode one as my favorite...



...and so far he's hangin' in there. His name is Kiptyn and he is from California. Looks great without his shirt and devotes his extra time to children's charity work.

So that's my secret obsession. It's a vicious cycle. One season of The Bachelor leads to another season of The Bachelorette and so on and so forth. They've got me hooked. Please don't hold it against me.

Pictures via http://abc.go.com/primetime/bachelorette/index?pn=index

I can tell you now.

My friend, Deidra, decided to have a surprise birthday for her boyfriend, Shaun. She did lots to prepare. I didn't do that much, but I did help out where I could.

Before I get into that too much you should know that she decided to have his surprise party at the 19th Annual Jazz Fest in Alex City. It is an annual tradition for everyone to congregate in the center of town for a night of live music and fellowship. Different businesses and people sponsor tables, which are supposed to be decorated with a theme in mind. This year the Jazz Fest committee asked that the tables be decorated with a Luau in mind.

So Deidra sponsored a table and we ran with the Luau idea. She and her sister headed to party city and stocked up on table cloths, napkins, cups, and so forth. Deidra really wanted to the centerpiece for her table to be an umbrella tiki hut. So we bought hula skirts and cut them up and hot glued it to the umbrella to achieve the effect we were going for.



(I don't have any pictures with the umbrella open because the wind was so bad. It kept trying to blow away, but you get the idea)

I am in love with the cupcake holder we came up with. We took this thing that was designed to hold Easter eggs and completely took it apart. Painted the 'egg-holders' and stuck them directly in a pineapple to create a fun cup cake stand.





Everyone chipped-in in different ways. Several of the people she worked with offered to help out- one lady made a tropical drink for everyone to toast with and another lady hand carved a watermelon into a basket for the tablescape. When we were setting up that afternoon I kept telling everyone I felt like Sandra Lee, from the FOOD Network. She always has the most dramatic "tablescapes."

When Shaun arrived he was confused at first and then so grateful. He loved it. Deidra did a great job and with a little help she pulled it off. The entire night was a lot of fun.




(That's Deidra and Shaun in the middle. The weather really took a toll on our design. You can tell from that last picture of me and Dee)

I wish I had more pictures of everyone, but my camera's life came to a tragic end in my drink. Long story short- I thought I lost it. Then I found. I got really excited. It flew out of my hand. Landed right in my drink. I shed a tear or two for it. Ryan told me to dry it up. The night went on. We had fun. Currently in the market for a new camera.

Shhh. It's a Surprise.

My best friend, Deidra and I have been working on a little project. She has been working a lot more than I have, but I helped her out a little last night. I can't elaborate. I can't say anything really. Just that we have been arts and craftsy. Here is a sneak peak.



I will be able to tell you more come Monday... and I will have some more detailed pictures.

It's JUNE in Alabama

Which means it's starting to get hot. It's not as hot as, let say, August will be, but it's HOT all the same. According to the weather channel, it is currently 88 degrees Fahrenheit and feels like 91. I have a little fan plugged up in my office and it's just a running. My office is still hot though. It's hot outside. I wish I were jumping of a diving board into a cool refreshing pool.

For some reason as I sit here I can't help but think about the movie, My Girl. Who didn't love that movie? So good. Look at Vada and Thomas J.




The scene that I keep thinking of is the one where Vada Sultenfuss (main character) is in her summer poetry class (the one taught by the English teacher she's in love with) and everyone is taking turns reading their poetry. All the poems are so deep and meaningful and then it's Vada's turn. She reads proudly:

"I scream.
You scream.
We all scream for ICE CREAM."

I say all of that to say... I wish I had one of these...



or one of these...



or even one of these (preferably the chocolate one)!



Basically, I am screaming for some Ice Cream.

They're Creepy and They're Crawly..

This post is example of me being WAY OUT OF CHARACTER! You see I have a pretty competitive personality and if someone says that I can't do something or even takes it so far as to dare me... I have to prove them wrong (unless it's something that I rule too scary and in that case that was just a lie).

Long story short- When we were out on the island the weekend of Memorial Day, Deidra found a craw fish. I didn't even know craw fish lived on the banks of islands around Lake Martin. I mean sure- I know craw fish live on river banks in and around the South. But I have never seen one that was alive and well sneaking up to a campsite. Once discovered the little craw fish created quite a stir among the campers- especially my little cousin, Zach, and his buddy, Payton. They gawked over this helpless craw fish.

One thing lead to another and the next thing I knew I was being dared to attach said craw fish to my earlobe! What? Why? Well, because that's the kind of thing nine-year-old little boys think of. That's why.

The craw fish was so scary!

But I had been dared. For me there was no turning back. I had to just go for it. I had an island of campers to prove my bravery to- and so it was. I braced myself for what was to come. Took a deep breath and said, "Get the camera ready. I don't know how long I will last" and with that it happened...



You can tell from the picture that it was scary and painful. Send me off to film an episode of Fear Factor because I pretty much dominated this challenge. Guess what? My little cousin, Zach... Yeah. He had to do it too.



We later boiled this craw fish (pictured above) and many families feasted for days on end.

(No craw fish was harmed in the creation of this blog. It was later released back in to it's natural habitat.)

Funky Finds

This past weekend I attended my friend Lacey's art show. She blogs over at My Jewelry Box (see side bar to check out her blog). She is one of my best friends ever. So when I found out her art class would have their work on display and up for purchase I had to scoot on up to Birmingham and check it out. The art show had some great pieces. Lacey's dad kept saying none of them compared to Lacey's. It was also a big deal because I got to see Katie Beth (she's the one that stands out in the pic). I hadn't seen in her in forever so I was thrilled.

I purchased two paintings, which I love. The first one that I found was for me.



The lady that painted it said it was of her weenie dog. (it made me think of Ziggie) So cute. It was love at first sight. I was the first person to buy any of "her work." She was thrilled.

The second painting I purchased was for Ryan. He didn't go with me... so it was a total surprise and he loved it. It's so pretty.



A lady named Ann Phillips painted his. She was really cool. She keeps a journal of the people that take her art home with them. So I found myself outside with Ann and the painting... she took several picture of me and the sail boats... "to remember who her art work goes home with."

Saturday morning Lacey and I went to breakfast together at Tiffany's. Just kidding... we just went and enjoyed a chicken biscuit together at Chick-Fil-A. YUMMM... After that we were on our way over to pick up Lacey's art work when we passed a little yard sale. One man's junk is another man's treasure. And so it was on Saturday morning that I found the perfect plant stand for Ryan's front porch for a mere $5.00. I have been saying for several weeks that I need to find something to put the fern in. (as it doesn't really have a great place to hang) And I found it at that little yard sale we happened upon.



Not the best picture, but you get the idea.

Just when I thought it couldn't get any better- would you believe Lacey offered to give me a piece of her artwork for free? I know. She shouldn't have. But she did. It's hanging in the kitchen at Ryan's.



I love all my funky finds and I think they add a lot to Ryan's humble abode.

P.S. Lacey sold one painting at her art show. That is her story to tell- so go check it out on her blog.

The long awaited MD ReCAP

So Memorial Day weekend has come and gone and boy it was a good one. The weather wasn't so great, however, we didn't let that bring us down. Ryan and I got in some family time as well as some great time with good friends.

Saturday morning we awoke to mostly cloudy skies and lots of rain. It would rain for an hour straight, and then it would lighten up, and eventually would stop... Just when we knew it was about to clear up it would start to rain again. It made for a slow start to the holiday weekend. We ended up going down to a friends house on the lake and made the best of it. Luckily for us it cleared up that afternoon and into the evening. The guys enjoyed "throwing some shoes" or for those of us not from the deep south... they played horse shoes and we even got them to all get together for a cool group pic. (I attempted to get them to all jump in the air, while holding hands... but they weren't going for that...)


See that dog. His name is pete. He's a golden doodle and he's is so sweet. This is pete up-close:



While the guys enjoyed doing manly things, we girls had a mini photo shoot. Pretty random, I know. Here are a few pics:



So natural.




Please note Lacey's cool retro bathing suit. She's in with the trends, that one!

After enjoying the afternoon down at John's, Ryan and I, met my parents for some family time. You see, some of my mom's family was camping on a island on the lake. They went out there on Thursday and stayed until Monday. This was so wild to me. They braved the entire weekend out there- even though it RAINED a pretty good bit. Not really my idea of the ideal way to spend a holiday weekend, but to each their own, right?

Saturday night my parents, Ryan, Deidra, Shaun, Ty and myself ventured out to the island to grill out with the campers. Once we arrived I completely understood how they were making it. They had it all- coffee maker, four tents, tables, chairs, all the food you could imagine... they even had a dang gas grill out there. Needless to say, they weren't totally roughing it.

Here are some pictures from the time that I was on the island:












The next few pictures really make me laugh. The song, "Diggin' Up Bones" by Randy Travis came on the radio and one thing lead to another... and the next thing you know- we were all "diggin' up bones." It's kind of like the newest dance trend to an old song. It could be compare to the "da stanky leg" for those of you who are familiar.





By the time Sunday arrived I was desperately hoping that nicer weather would arrive too. But we woke up, yet again, to a torrential down pour. *whonk whonk whonk (debbie downer)* However, we had plans. As not to be defeated by Mother Nature we put on our best suits (swim that is) and flip flops and hit the road. We were bound for my friend Brittany's house for boating, swimming, and even more grilling fun! By the time we arrived the sun was attempting to peak through the clouds... and I looked to the heavens and I said "Please shine Sun. Please prevail." I really did. I was that dramatic about it. Then I looked at Ryan and told him to plead with me... he didn't really want to, but I was persistent. So he did. He said, "Please shine so Jessica will quit making me do weird stuff." And then you know what happened? It stopped raining. just like that. no more rain. (in your best forest gump voice) And we spent the day cruising on the boat.

We cruised right on over to Uncle Larry's house (brittany's uncle- not mine). He has the best house. It is so neat... it could be compared to Swiss Family Robinson's crazy pad. No kidding. I have pictures to prove it. Check out the rope swing. It has a high dive. Paddle boats. Even a water slide. It takes you back to being a kid. We are always so grateful that Uncle Larry allows us to come over. Uncle Larry, if you're reading this (which you are probably NOT) Thanks for hosting us each year!

Here are some pictures of the boat ride over to Larry's and then a pic of Uncle Larry's house...

On the way over... Fun times!






And this is the best house ever. Crazy fun times have been had here:



Sunday night we all headed over to the Lake Martin Amphitheater for a concert. The Atlanta Rhythm Section, Georgia Satellites, and The Marshall Tucker Band all performed. I personally love the set-up of the amphitheater. Take a blanket, pack a cooler, kick your shoes off and jam out. I wish all concerts were set up in that manner.



I think we were going for the "peace, love, & happiness" vibe.






It was a long weekend. By the time Monday rolled around all I could do was kick back and relax. It was truly a good time had by all! God Bless America!