Friday Favorites

Happy Cinco De Mayo, Friends! 

Of course, I'm linking up today with some of my favorite bloggers, Erika, Narci, and Andrea for Friday Favorites! 

It has been a long, hard week around these parts, and I am SO STINKING GLAD it's Friday. 

First up, a few of my very favorite shots from my and Lane's engagement session.

My weekend is going to be busy but oh so fun! Lane and I are heading over to Memphis to see a couple of our FAVORITES play at the Beale Street Music Festival, The Drive By Truckers and Kings of Leon. Put me anywhere there's music playing and I'm a happy girl. 

The Truckers

Kings Of Leon

I'm completely obsessed with the little pink boxes of pure Joy my friend Kaytlin is whipping up over at Joyful Macarons. I ordered a box one day for my office and no joke, my coworkers have ordered at least 5 more dozen since that little happy I brought in. 

Finally, my friend Rebecca (also one of my bridesmaids!!) recently became a LipSense Distributor. I'm generally pretty skeptical of the weirdo Facebook makeup ladies, but I know Rebecca wouldn't ever endorse something that wasn't high quality, and I'm always down to support a friend's business *see above* so I decided when I did my first Blog Giveaway to celebrate actually blogging on schedule this week, I'd give away a Lipsense Kit. 

Anyway, I FINALLY broke down and tried LipSense after seeing her post the following photos without reapplying through the day. 

Y'all. The first day I wore my LipSense to work, we had a potluck. And someone made bone-in BBQ wings. I'm not gonna turn down wings, so it was really put to the test that day and I was sold. I'll let Rebecca tell a little more about it, and you can check her out at Ciao Besos. Her words are in Italics. 

LipSense by SeneGence is changing the lipstick world. It’s a liquid lip color that is smudge-proof/water-proof/kiss-proof, and can last up to 18 hours. It is lead, wax, paraben, and gluten free. LipSense comes in 37 different shades and 11 different glosses. Initially, you buy LipSense as a set. The Starter Collection includes the lip color of your choice, our Glossy Gloss, and the Ooops! Remover. Glosses are what give moisture to the lips and help seal the color to its maximum staying power. To learn more, contact Rebecca Abbud at beccaabbud@gmail.com. 

To be entered to win the starter collection, follow the Rafflecopter below. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Happy Place...

In part of my adventures in Blogland, I found a series someone did on their happy places. Since this is the internet and nothing is sacred, I'm stealing that idea. **I also promise to seek out who I got the idea from and link their blog. 

Yesterday, Lane and I renewed our season tickets for Razorback football, this past Saturday was supposed to be Arkansas' Red/White Spring Game, but weather canceled it, and it was the NFL draft weekend. I've had football on the brain lately, so rather than write about a happy place that's more May appropriate, I'm sharing about Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

Is this a bit of a silly favorite place, but I have so many memories in my life centered around Razorback football. My daddy was a huge Razorback fan, though he never really went to games in person. The crowds stressed him out, and he claimed he could see more/better on TV. Most of my fall Saturdays were spent listening to him talk about the games, then watching or listening to them on the radio. The few games a yearI don't go to now, I still prefer to listen rather than watch because it feels like I'm a kid again. Even if the TV is on, I'll sometimes mute it and listen to the radio commentary instead. ;) 

Daddy painted this sign that some super talented kids in FFA cut for him. Anyway--as I got older, I started going to games with friends when I was in high school and totally fell in love with the atmosphere, the camaraderie, the competition. It felt like home. I've been to games with guy friends, girlfriends, family, Lane, and I love it every time. Every experience is different but familiar. It's my happy place. I love the ritual of getting up, driving up I-540, through the tunnel calling my Hogs (yes we know it's silly), the tailgating, the Hog Walk, everything. Sorry for the barrage of selfies comin' atcha. 

Not technically DWRRS, but the Little Rock Game. 

Circa 2010 with Hannah and Chels

Opening game of 2015, and hot as all get out. 

Love my Liv and our "work mom" at the time, Lori.

This day was particularly freezing, and our seats were particularly terrible, but we had a blast and beat Auburn in Double Overtime. Also the game when Rawleigh Williams, our star RB broke his neck.

Tabitha's first game!

And pretty much my favorite photo of us ever.

I have to say, as much fun as games with my friends are, and believe me, I still plan to go to games with friends, I love love love going to games with my sweet fella. He takes his football very seriously, rolls his eyes a little at how excitable I am, but I wouldn't change a thing about our experiences. 

Something I will miss very much this year is my dad. Every single game I wasn't with him, he would FaceTime me and Lane and we'd talk about our expectations that day. These new things that keep coming up are going to be tough. But I'm secretly hoping my Dad has some pull with the Lord, and we'll have fewer games that make us make this face this year...Incidentally, follow me on Instagram, button's at the top.

XO,

Alex

Hello May

Y'all. It is MAY. Somehow 2017 has been simultaneously the longest and shortest years of my life so far. Since the week before Christmas, my world has changed several times. I've gotten engaged (August 26 is SO SOON), I've lost my daddy, I got a new job and left a place where I felt very safe and loved to be part of a team starting the first Telehealth Hub. for the VA in the country aside from the National Hub. It's been a hard year. But it's also been a very fun year.

Lane and I had our engagement photos a few weeks ago and this is my favorite. I have no idea what we were laughing about but it just makes me so happy. I feel like everything is coming up so quickly and the days are just slipping by and I'm getting NOTHING done. So I have channeled ever single Type A fiber in me and written down my May Goals--And because I need accountability, I'm sharing them with all of you...the three friends who I tell to come read my blog whenever I post. ;)

GOAL NUMBER ONE

Lane and I have to finish our Wedding Registry. Oh my gosh. It's just no fun to me at all, but we have lots of sweet people in our lives who have planned showers and we have to get this done.

GOAL NUMBER TWO

Obviously you guys will not believe me when I say I'm going to "Actually blog" but I am! I have all my posts MWF planned out for all of May! Friday, in honor of Cinco de Mayo, I'm going to have a little giveaway featuring the bomb lip color from LipSense that Does. Not. Move. You'll get to pick your own color, obviously. But who doesn't need a little color on their smile? My First Type B Plus giveaway with a little help from Ciao Besos.

GOAL NUMBER THREE

Read four books. This seems particularly daunting for me as I have a ton to do this month that isn't on this list (plus my daily commute time totals just around 2.5 hours) I love to read, I like to hold a book and turn the pages and I love the way books smell. Unfortunately, sometimes life necessitates change and most of my reading lately is on my phone or iPad. I hope for at least one of these books, I get to hold it in my hand. These are the books I've been reading in April...Obviously the John Grisham book will be a May book, but I read Bobby Bones' autobiography (Seriously, this man and his friends keep me company every day on my way to work and keep me #PimpinJoy.), A couple of Elin Hilderbrand books, because who doesn't love a breezy beach read, and the final two are a little heavier. The God I Never Knew is about the Holy Spirit, and the Anatomy of Peace will completely change your life and your interactions with those around you.

GOAL NUMBER FOUR AND GOAL NUMBER FIVE

I want to combine the last two of going the gym four times a week and getting outside. I'm not a runner. At all. Never have been, never will be. But I hope to incorporate some walks around the neighborhood in the evenings to the classes I'm doing at the gym. It's only so often each year the sky looks like this and the temperature is right to be outside enjoying it.

I'll let you all know how this list goes...I'm hopeful on some and not so much on some others, I'll let you decide which ones they are...that's all I have for today, but I am linking up with Heather and Johannah for Hello Monday this week. Check them out. :)

Have a great week!


XO,
Alex







Friday Favorites!

Hey y'all! So I'm attempting to Link Up with some of the bloggers I read regularly today...but I'm SUPER tech challenged so I don't really expect that it'll work. ;)


Regardless, I'll share my Top 5 from the last week...

These ladies are definitely favorites of mine...they're all in my wedding party! Along with my best friend from high school, who terribly I don't have a photo with handy...

These girls are another favorite of mine...their momma is in the first photo and is my MOH, these girls are my junior bridesmaids!

My absolute favorite right now is the fact that we found bridesmaid dresses last weekend! My bridesmaids will choose whichever they prefer between these two styles...

 

And my gorgeous MOH will be wearing this dress...

A big favorite...it was this guy's birthday last week...he's 28!

Lane and I had our engagement pictures done on Monday...annnnnd...I haven't seen them yet. I'm sure they'll be a favorite when I get to see them because our photographers are INCREDIBLE. I'll do a full post on Lane, probably when we get the files for our engagement session, but a little background on him, he's a vintage guitar dealer. Super cool job, super cool opportunities with his job.

Like getting to play guitar with Vince Gill...and being interviewed by a Nashville newspaper with Mr. Gill. Obviously Lane getting to do super cool things is a favorite of mine.

Yall. I have to start blogging more regularly. I promise to do better. Not great. Not regular blogging...because Type B...But I WILL do better.

XO,

Alex



So why a blog?

Well, mostly I just decided I wasn't OMG Basic enough without having a blog, so I made one. :)

Actually, I'm in an incredibly busy season of my life right now, wedding planning, new job, etc. and want to remember it. I don't want things to be caught up in a whirlwind and forget the details.

I used to be a scrapbooker, but I don't make time to do that anymore, I'm hoping a blog will be more sustainable for me. For some reason, my roommate doesn't think it actually will be...and it may be because she knows me well.

So far I'm  at two...we'll see how it goes...


A few random tidbits from the weekend...


We had a wonderful retreat for the women of my church with a theme of Be Still. Lane and I recently placed membership at a church that's new to both of us, so it was great getting to know some of the ladies, and more importantly, just having time to be still. No phones, no work, no wedding planning, no distraction. Just time in worship and fellowship and prayer.


Obviously, last night was the Super Bowl. My NFL team is the Indianapolis Colts, so I didn't have a dog in the hunt. I decided I would go for the Pats because one of our #ProHogs plays for them. And boy did Trey Flowers shake it up last night! His sack late in the 3rd quarter that put Atlanta out of FG range gave Brady the opportunity to come back. Hey Trey, nice mouth guard...

That's all I have for today...Wednesday I'm attempting to Link Up with other bloggers, sooooo. That probably won't work super well for me since I'm challenged in all things tech.


XO,
Alex

Hello, World

Or, you know, hello friends who I've told to come look at my blog.


As it turns out, doing an "About Me" post really sucks, which is probably why I never got involved in online dating. Luckily for me, avoiding that train wreck worked out and I'm marrying a FANTASTIC guy in August. I'll tell all about him in a post soon. :)

Obvs my Razorbacks didn't beat Bama.

A few bullet points about me...

My motto is Love Jesus. Love People. I think I do a pretty good job of that most of the time.


I love my family and couldn't ask for a better one. They're warm and loving and dry and snarky and always keep me grounded.

The family who uses a selfie stick together stays together, right?

I'm definitely a Daddy's girl...unfortunately, my dad passed away a little over a month ago, so I'm learning to navigate that part of my life. A part I definitely wasn't ready for. My daddy always brought the sarcasm to our family, and never let you get the big head about any compliment he gave...one of my all time favorite Danny lines came after my sister was interviewed for a local news story and he saw it and told her she did very well and sounded professional and intelligent. So kind, right y'all? Well, his ending to that highly complimentary sentence was "...but your hair looked like hell." Never change, Dad.

My mom, on the other hand, completely balances him. She's the kindest, most supportive mother I could imagine. I talk to her almost every morning on my drive to work. **That hour commute gets lonely sometimes.**

Even when you're 27, momma snuggles are the best.

Anyway, I'm the WAY youngest of three girls, like, Mom was 7 months pregnant with me when my sister with the bad hair **jokes** graduated from COLLEGE. So despite having my two older sisters, Tina and Dedee, I was raised almost as an only child...and sometimes I'm the worst possible mix of "youngest" and "only" personality types. Thankfully, I have an awesome group of friends who call me out when I get out of line. If you're lucky enough to have friends like that, keep them. My advice to you.


Much like Lane, I think my friends need their own post, so I'll hold off on that for a bit.


If you took to the time to read my rambling, welcome. My goal is to blog on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, but I am majorly Type B, so we'll see how that goes. See you back Monday to find out why I got the wild hair to start a blog.


XO,
Alex