It's my biirthhdaayy!

*cue every birthday song ever, mainly 50 cent's, please.

Last night, when the clock hit midnight, I was in a deep sleep...Caleb woke me up, rolled over and told me happy birthday, with a huge smile on his face. It's quite precious because 1. that man has to get up at 5 am for work every day so his sleep is precious...and 2. it was just a simple act that started out my birthday right. I'm so unbelievably blessed by his love and by everyone around me. It's really fun being cared about! :)

I just have to also say...birthday's freaking rock, so naturally on this day that I was born 22 years ago, I'm pumped! I like to celebrate an entire week (minimum) for someone else's, so it was kind of fun when Caleb started giving me mini gifts days in advance to "count down" to the actual date. He has had way too much fun!

I got my first official birthday present on Monday evening, in an adorable little package from my Anna! She got me an ADORABLE monogrammed necklace, I am soo excited to show you guys soon!

those are some mad packaging skills, Anna!

Tuesday is when the "countdown presents" began and Caleb was like a paparazzi the whole time! Love that man!

Later that night, two of my girls (both were bridesmaids) decided to prank me by knocking on my door and running just to freak me out...which totally worked. When they finally got caught, they came in and gave me some presents! Yaaaay! (excuse the glasses...)

freaking love floppy hats.

Lynds & Ang

We jump started the celebrations with family on Wednesday when our faves had us over for an amazing dinner party and had a freaking blast.

yellow candles!!

They made an amazing dinner and showered me with fun presents (and oreo cake).

say hiiii to Caleb's new scraggly, but sexy, beard.

After that we literally just sat on the couches and talked for hours. It's so cool that we can do that, and I'm seriously SO grateful we can!!

Erin and I obviously had a photo shoot...and this is probably the only decent one (and we aren't even focused on the right camera!), bahaha...that is a good sign though. Too much laughter in between shots!

& last night? Well last night was amazing. My incredible grandparents hosted us, AND Erin & Jared for dinner and the first preseason game (WHO-DEY!). Remember, neither of us have cable? It's a sad story, really...but trust me, totally worth it. This night was amazing and its cool how E&J feel like more grandkids to my grandparents!

We had amazing dinner, and fun conversation!

Erin & Caleb putting in the damage from dinner on My fitness pal.

You know the photobooth was launched.

can you guess which one was mine... ;)

Thanks to my amazing grandparents for a fun night, and a wonderful gift card (haayy starbucks!)

Tonight, Caleb told me he has lots of surprises for me. So you could say I'm already ready for the work day to be over and get started on a fun night out with my man!

So here is to the best year yet.

22, you're gonna rock!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BLOG!

My little blog turns ONE today!!!

Yes, its true...a whole year ago today, I finally started my blog. After some serious self-debating, I decided to just take the plunge...& I'm SO happy I did. It's been such a fun journey.

I started this blog because I wanted to document my real life on something OTHER than just my journal (yes, I still use that, too)...and today I'm proud to say I am still doing it for that reason.

It's so exciting to me to wake up early (this is the first time I've done this in ages), fill this blank white "paper" with words, thoughts, encouragement, excitement, or just simple random bullet points -- which seems to happen a lot. I guess what I am trying to say is, I never want to lose sight as to why I started this blog in the first place.

She's my outlet. I love this little space I can call mine.

I also am so amazed at the people its brought into my lives. Although I haven't met any of them yettttt, that will be changing VERY soon. Being a part of this blogging community has truly made me some amazing new friends. Friends that email and face-time, friends that encourage, friends that pray with me, friends that pray for me, friends who make me laugh, who get me through the work day...and most of all, friends I can count on. I never thought in a million years I'd make REAL friends out of this journey...and I'm happy to say I've proved myself wrong. Way wrong!

So, get your birthday hat on, blog...and make a big wish!

promise I'm not as psycho as I look!

Homemade strawberry & mint lemonade. Mmmmm, is right!

Can't wait to continue making memories to document on my favorite little spot on the internet.
Thanks for everyone who reads my random ramblings, it really does mean the world to me.

So here's to another year of you, little blog of mine!
CHEERS!

Why August freakin rocks.

If you aren't a stranger to this blog, you know that this month is my absolute favorite. I have been SO blessed in so many ways. So many good things just happen, and have happened in my past that just make my heart skip a beat! 

So, why is August freakin rockin, you ask?!

1. Weeelllllll...for starters! On the 18th of August last year, my man got down on one knee on my favorite beach in Hilton Head and asked me to spend forever with him. This is still, to date....like one of the best days of my life. I will never forget these moments, and thankfully since my man caught it on video...I'll never have too.

Picture of a video, sorry! Maybe one day I'll upload the real video?

Just moments after it happened. Tears, so many happy tears!

2. Flash back even BEFORE the proposal... to the 24th of this month, FOUR YEARS AGO, Caleb asked me to be his girlfriend. He was so darn nervous he even spelled my name wrong on the card he gave me. This is a picture from that night. We made each other T shirts, played Boggle, and he made me dinner. He even handed me a Taco Bell Fruitista (which kiiind of has a strong part in our relationship! Hehe), as he asked me to be his girlfriend.

Oh hiiiii 2009.

3. 22 years ago this Friday...I was born! So that is pretty cool! ;) -- shout out to my Dad, too who was born on the 3rd.

From my surprise party last year!

4. Ummm duh, football... & that I'll more than likely get more picture messages from my stud of a husband that look like this.

5. Fall is RIGHT around the corner. Which means that so are fun fall double dates with our faves!!

6. This is the month I started my blog, last year!

7. On my 18th birthday back in 2009, it was a Sunday. That is the day I got baptized, and then went Skydiving afterwards. Life. Changing!!! If you've been wanting to do this...do yourself a favor and DO IT ALREADY!

8. Finally starting to take my own photography seriously. This month has been rockin!

9. We get to take a road trip with E&J to Memphis, for a friends wedding! Woo to the hoo! Couldn't be more excited about this. 

So seriously...we're only, what? 6 days into August and its already proving to be amazing. I got some in-freaking-credible news the night before August started...that I'm excited to share (in the near future). So, stick around! ;)

August started with a bang.

This post will be written in list format...mostly because I'm still recovering from how BUSY my schedule was this weekend and don't think I can muster up full paragraphs today.

August seriously is my favorite month of the year... its a transition into fall, its my birthday (Friday!), mine and Caleb's "dating anniversary" (4 years this month!), and last year he proposed to me on the beach around this time. It's amazing how quickly time flies.

Friday:

-Since my birthday is coming up, Lyndsie and I decided to go out with some friends from college and have  way too much fun (post on that to come later, with good quality pics - ha! #badblogger)

-Our friend Devin had never seen Fountain Square, so we took her.

Had a fun time dressing up!

-After a million hours in traffic, we went back to Lyndsies and made cinnamon rolls & some fun lemonade.

I spy a T. Swift lyric...

-My girl Devin gave me one of my fav movie "posters" of all time.

Saturday:

-Caleb and I had quiteee the list of errands to run, and we stopped by our local pet store and played with the pups!

Meet Charlie, I wanted to bring him home!!

-We had a family photo shoot at Eden Park, BEAUTIFUL.

-The family generously invited us to dinner with them afterwards, Dewey's Pizza! It was delicious! Caleb had never had it...so he was very impressed.

-Game night with our faves. Snack run to Jungle Jims, and wayy too much fun dancing/singing in the car. If you follow me on instagram, #sorryimnotsorry ;)

Sunday:

Church outing. Baby fever...you know, the usual.

HOT husband being hot!

aaaand a farmers tan happened.

-Then we went to my grandparents to show them the wedding pictures. I love how close they live to us, I just don't know what I'd do without them.

Linking up with the beautiful Sami, as usual!

Hope everyone had a great weekend.

The F word.

Foooootbaaaalllll, duh.
I keep it classy around here, you know that.

My amazing sister in law, Erin...is all about football...so when she told me she was doing this one-time link up that was ALL about football, I was pumped.
Along with football, also brings FALL. You know I can't wait for plaid shirts, tall boots, hot chocolate, marshmallow fluff by the jar, crunchy leaves that I'll go slightly out of my way to step on...and most of all, football.

Soo, how many reasons can I think of as to why I looove football?
Lets see.

1. It's a great excuse to get all worked up over something that me and three of my favorite people in the world all agree on. Bonding with them over Bengals games kind of completes my life. See below.

Yes, that is Erin and I with our men in Tennessee right before we KNEW we were taking down the Titans!

2. It feels good to care so much about a team you have no control over. Its kind of weird...we're not like woo Go Bengals... more like our days are somewhat ruined if they don't pull a win out for us. Even more so when they let the Steelers (our natural born enemies) intercept a pass, or beat us in general. My dad is a Steelers fan, but I like to think its just to annoy me and not because its his actual choice. This is what we look like after a fresh win!

3. When there is an away game we can't make it too, its the perfect excuse to lounge in sweats, and eat fatty foods all day... & its a fact that NO Bengals game is complete without tall glasses of Mountain Dew.

4. It's a time for Erin and I to wear as many matchy-matchy outfits as possible and care about our team way more than the average girl.

5. Being at the stadium is a huge rush...the fans all worked up, drinks spilling, peanuts thrown, losing your voice over a terrible ref call...ahh that is the life.

6. Perfect photo ops. This is probably one of my favorite pictures of Caleb and I...

7. Game day snacks make my heart skip a beat...

8. The ladies gear is pretty darn cute.

9. It makes betting against your co-workers a blast.

10. Fantasy football, woo!

Caleb is probably the worlds #1 sports fan...the dude knows like everything there is to know about everyone. It's kind of intimidating... like every stat, every player, every position, etc. I just nod my head and take it all in as best I can. But seriously, my valentines present this past year?
(which brings me to my next point...)
11. The gear makes amazing presents...Caleb got me my first EVER real Bengals jersey. Can't even wait to rock it!

Oh also, my girl Kaitlynnn sent me a surprise package in the beginning of the year. I wear it all the time...one time I was going to wear it while I ran, and Caleb made it very clear if I ruined it he'd be upset.

& my Dad got us a Bengals PONCHO for Christmas. That is love.

12. Bengals games are just plain fun. They lift my spirits, and its fun to be hopeful of a win. It's just fun to get SO excited over something...its honestly just a way of life for us!

We had just got engaged, couldjaa tell? ;)

So, who's with me?!?! Laaaadies, haanddss uppp... you know the song.
But for real, anybody else ready for football season!?
I am!

Helllooo, goodbye!

I'm overwhelmed, thankful & excited. So many good things happened yesterday, and lots of happy tears were shed. I'm blown away at the continual blessings in my life! Can't wait to give more details to you guys.

Anyway, I'm SO excited to join in on Allison's link up today for the first time ever! Called "Hello, Goodbye!" its genius, really.

Helllooo birthday month, see you next year July.
Hello year of 22, goodbye baby year of 21.

Hello longer hair, goodbye bangs!

Hello new opportunities, goodbye worry!!!

Hello water, goodbye pop (at least M-F!).

Hellooo fall, goodbye summer (I'm dying for this change)!

Hello to you, Pinterest & goodbye blank apartment walls!

This Friday I'm kicking off my birthday celebrations a little early with a few close friends at a local Crab joint...& I'm slightly crazy sad that my budget won't allow me to get the 2+lb bucket of those delicious crab legs that are calling my name. Oh well, their jumbo coconut shrimp will have to do!

Hello Destin 2012, you were good to me!

Happy almost weekend!