tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22515679634959602242024-03-05T01:26:18.285-05:00A Tale of Two T-BirdsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14317617332456964161noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251567963495960224.post-13979047480350722412017-07-13T18:52:00.003-04:002017-07-13T18:54:10.470-04:00Gotta have FaithYes, that subject line is in reference to the 1980s George Michael song.... if you know that song, kudos to you. If you don't then you are a baby... bye. Jk, read my blog. In all seriousness, having faith is what this blog (and our life the past FOUR months) is about! I'm not going to go into details, because that's not what this is about. This is about God showing up. This is about realizing He gives you struggles. This is about learning lessons. This is about faith. This is also going to be long, with several run on sentences. Stay if you like, if not check back for a post that is mainly pictures another time. Hopefully sooner than later... now on to the story!<br />
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Our first year of marriage was rainbows, hearts, butterflies, unicorns and glitter, etc. Our "honeymoon phase" lasted the whole year! We even celebrated in the happiest place on earth! [And if I ever get back to real time blogging, I'll prove that with a whole post dedicated to Disney. Stay tuned, but don't hold your breath!] However, when we made it over the one year mark, I swear that glitter turned into bombs dropping from the sky, the hearts were broken, the butterflies flew away and I didn't know if I'd ever see another unicorn. I am trying to be funny here, because at this point you might as well laugh as to cry. Seriously.<br />
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I should have known that 2017 was going to be rough when I had the flu (for the first time ever in my life!) on New Years Day. In February, my dad had some tests done and in late March we found out that he had prostate cancer. Thankfully, he will make a full recovery, treatment went well, surgery went well, and prognosis is great! What an amazing example of how when you call upon the Lord for healing, he answers. It wasn't easy news for any of us to take, and seeing him weak and more tired that usual was difficult during the radiation. Doctors sure know a lot and medicine has come a long way, but Jesus is the ultimate healer, and so far he has done His thing!! Praise, for sure!<br />
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On April 3rd, Will lost his job. Again, the details are not what is important, and the internet is surely not the place I want to share the details of this circumstance. He and I both accepted personal responsibility for this unfortunate outcome. However, here is what I learned: if you think something is a conflict of interest, it probably is! Also, greed is a sin hard to recognize. I was greedy, and I didn't even realize it. I thought I was "living right." I certainly wasn't doing anything illegal, or unethical or immoral. Greed is a selfish sin and you may be greedy and not even realize it until means are taken away from you. Then it smacks you in the face.<br />
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While all this was occurring, I was trying to sell my townhouse that I had before we got married. There was drama with the renter, there was drama with selling it, there was drama with the inspection. It was just a steady ride on the struggle bus for the month of April. I was also applying and interviewing for jobs, as was Will. AND I was committed to substituting long-term through the end of the school year so June 1, basically. #teacherlife #endofschoolyearcrazy So for May we punched our ticket to ride the struggle bus again. I had 3 interviews, one of which deserves it's own blog post because it was seriously a train wreck. I never got an interview for the position that I really wanted. And I basically became disheartened in finding a job in the school district. Y'all I applied to like five jobs, four of which I never got an interview. Meanwhile, Will is applying to jobs and going on interviews and then never hearing anything back. SUPER frustrating!! Also, another idea for a future blog post: Employer etiquette.<br />
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Anyways... June began and I started my summer gig of keeping two elementary aged girls. #nannylife #bestlife My parents went to Colorado, we kept the dog. We took on redecorating our guest bedroom because I had already purchased the paint, etc. to complete the project before the chaos happened. I'd say we were getting off the fast paced struggle bus and boarding a struggle boat. It is summer after all. I was beginning to think I'd gotten a hold of some bad ju-ju, and needed to feng-shui our house to get rid of it. However, I realized that if there weren't apparent struggles in this life we wouldn't need heaven. If God didn't give us obstacles, how could we ever build our faith. Think Ninja Warrior obstacles. If those men and women didn't train to run the course, they wouldn't even be able to get through the first obstacle. They train and build their muscles, tone their body, set their mind and then they run the course, making it look super easy and giving me unrealistic expectations as I sit in my recliner, eating ice cream, while watching, thinking I should do that. Or at least walk around the block. Anyways, my point is, that we can't live a life that is all hearts, unicorns, and glitter all the time. We have to have peaks and valleys so that we can appreciate what God has blessed us with and lean on Him when the road ahead seems to dark to take another step.<br />
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Thankfully, July has a new tone. I'm excited to say that Will has a new job and I have a new part-time job with the school district. God answers prayers. He hurts when we hurt, but we have to trust that His timing is perfect. I was in such shock the day Will lost his job, a panic really, a million questions and scenarios running through my mind. I wanted to go back and change things, I wanted it to be me it happened to, I wanted him to find another job the next day. None of that was possible. I had to wait and be patient to what the Lord was going to provide for us. I think as hard as the past few months have been, we are better for it. There were some bad bad days where we didn't even want to speak to each other. There were other days where we had to depend on each other because in the end that's all we had. Our marriage is stronger because of this, and I'm not naive enough to think this will be the only hiccup we ever experience, because it won't be. Heck, we're in our early 30s with no kids... let's be real, this is probably the easiest it's ever going to be!<br />
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I can remember hearing other people tell their faith story at church or various other places and I remember thinking, "how did you let your life get to that point?" Well, now I know. Sometimes you don't do anything to purposely get there, you just some how wind up there. All you can do once you're there is put your trust in Him. I was working one day and fixing the girls' lunch and I noticed their spice rack on their counter top. I browsed over it and noticed a jar full of mustard seeds. They aren't all the same size, but they are all pretty tiny. I shook a few out in the palm of my hand and was reminded of Matthew 17:20. With faith the size of a mustard seed, nothing is impossible. I knew that God had a plan to take us through this trial, and I needed to have enough faith that He could do it in His perfect timing and way, and He has.<br />
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I know this post was long, and wordy and preachy and hopefully a little funny. But I hope it serves as a reminder to you to have Faith, no matter the circumstance, God will see it through. Thank you to our friends, our Sunday school class and our family for praying along with us. Your encouragement was joy to us even on the dark days. We are excited to learn what God has to teach us through these new experiences, but trust that He paved the path to these new positions and we are to take them on with the confidence we have in Him.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05447544461170414981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251567963495960224.post-75235420402372256782016-10-26T15:34:00.001-04:002016-10-26T15:34:20.314-04:00Back in Business!Helloooo blogger friends! I promise I'm still alive, it just took 5 months and 15 minutes to figure out how to manage my blog from my updated gmail account! But now I'm back up and running and I THINK ready to move forward! I'd really like to get this blog as popular as my previous blog was! I had so many followers and then I dropped off the map, so I don't blame them for moving on! However, I hope to gain some new blogging followers & friends.<br />
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I guess I'll do a brief life update:<br />
If you follow me on Facebook, none of this is new news. Sorry!<br />
Hi, I'm Morgan. I'm a newlywed and a substitute teacher. Still. :)<br />
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We have managed to finish some updates around the house! My dining room is absolutely stunning! I can't wait to share all the details about the process! But here is a preview picture!<br />
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We had a busy busy summer! Looking back it was a blur! I kept two precious girls a few days a week, and we enjoyed mornings at the library and afternoons poolside. Of course we made multiple trips to Pelican's for refreshing snow cones!</div>
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In July, we spent the week of the 4th at the beach. Well, I did. Will had to return to work after the holiday. My grandmothers joined us, and it was quite a week to remember. We went ahead and celebrated my birthday while we were all together. We ate a yummy meal at Sea Captain's House, our favorite grand strand restaurant! We always take our picture outside by the rocks, it's tradition.<br />
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We officially celebrated my 30th Birthday in New York City! It was a spectacular long weekend in the city that never sleeps! We went to see the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes, they did not disappoint with their summer show. We saw the broadway show "Get On Your Feet!" about Gloria Estefan. I might have sang the whole show! It was FANTASTIC! Another highlight of the trip was actually turning 30 at 30 Rockefeller Center. The top of the rock has a breathtaking view. We went during the day and again at night. I definitely feel that I ushered in 30 with fanfare! I'm actually excited to be 30 and I know this decade will be memorable! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top of the Rock</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Staten Island Ferry ride to see Lady Liberty</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carrie Bradsaw's Stoop</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful NYC</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidWs_vhmEfryJ7KidPQ2XWQsx_xWo1eE1om0FEz3gGMNYkZlNc4HysWcqTovEqeaopLFizPnYz1lfEWF_ykIKpbx-qK00jxuPpEKpxUIILI0vcw6vNdbXuIbMLdz3orEa7iFJUddlLqx-s/s1600/IMG_2873.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidWs_vhmEfryJ7KidPQ2XWQsx_xWo1eE1om0FEz3gGMNYkZlNc4HysWcqTovEqeaopLFizPnYz1lfEWF_ykIKpbx-qK00jxuPpEKpxUIILI0vcw6vNdbXuIbMLdz3orEa7iFJUddlLqx-s/s320/IMG_2873.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On Your Feet! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Times Square</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turning 30 @ 30 Rock</td></tr>
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We returned from New York, and the next day we picked up our girls that we hosted for Distinguished Young Women! I absolutely LOVE this week of the summer! We enjoyed having two of the girls stay at our house, and being "parents" for the week! We were elated when one of our girls was chosen to be the SC Distinguished Young Women! SO proud! We had and especially great year this year as our DYW of 2016, was chosen as America's DYW! Tara is a fantastic role model and I'm lucky to say she is a friend! <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAhJPCzN0ZAd_7ygG0Ib83VflZQH-OVgSl5JxmoVmYDawNjAXuHBX5Qgy3ljMjgnnO-dHFkwX8aDVzUr_i_0GAjOF5DH5G8hcIDSgaz5ZCX58hq5H3tcaZ1LDO1k1QCIyyZ4rYI6Jvc9tE/s1600/IMG_2942.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAhJPCzN0ZAd_7ygG0Ib83VflZQH-OVgSl5JxmoVmYDawNjAXuHBX5Qgy3ljMjgnnO-dHFkwX8aDVzUr_i_0GAjOF5DH5G8hcIDSgaz5ZCX58hq5H3tcaZ1LDO1k1QCIyyZ4rYI6Jvc9tE/s320/IMG_2942.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Host family & real family with SC DYW, Jessica! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCX4NLa9twUAgC9QU89bHwJYfwCNqfwcgdUW8GDb2UDV3u2ns3HhOFzDGZw9RBUsc4wJI18f0c597ft2Q6UPR6EpM6lcLRmGeO41zg5eKuwIPHK1ZbaZlgXOsW5qB7or5ETljeZwHlB0Tk/s1600/IMG_2952.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCX4NLa9twUAgC9QU89bHwJYfwCNqfwcgdUW8GDb2UDV3u2ns3HhOFzDGZw9RBUsc4wJI18f0c597ft2Q6UPR6EpM6lcLRmGeO41zg5eKuwIPHK1ZbaZlgXOsW5qB7or5ETljeZwHlB0Tk/s320/IMG_2952.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me & Tara, America's DYW 2016</td></tr>
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Once July was over, we got to work on updating the dining room and 1/2 bath. We completed that by the end of August, and I will share more about that process in a later post! September I was back in full swing of substituting. This year I have been in high school again the majority of the time, I LOVE high schoolers! I am currently in another long term position at my favorite school, so I'm very happy with where I am right now. The flexibility and opportunities it's provided are great! <div>
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At the end of September we celebrated my moms birthday by attending the Carrie Underwood concert! She was amazing, as always. I sang every word to every song. I left with no voice. Ooops. </div>
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A few weeks ago, we finally got around to doing some yard work and refreshing our curb appeal! Goodbye to the pine straw! Hello mulch & baby bushes! </div>
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We made our annual trek to the SC State fair and ate our fair share (pun intended) of goodies! Will got his yearly KK Donut burger, and I branched out and got a Steak Sundae! It was beyond amazing!! Fries, topped with nacho cheese, sour cream, bacon bits and steak. I added ketchup! I also got my chocolate covered banana, and Will and I split a elephant ear. It was a Sunday Funday to remember. We waddled home.</div>
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This past weekend we celebrated Will's birthday in Myrtle Beach. Since his beach time got cut short this summer, we decided to come back in the fall. It was a beautiful weekend. We spent lots of time eating and relaxing! I'm not much of a seafood eater, but I expanded my palate this weekend and tried lobster, crab cake and shrimp. All of it was delicious! We spent some time in Pawley's Island and in Calabash, NC. A great weekend of celebrating and seeing our coast. We are so fortunate to live 3 hours from the sea and to have a condo to retreat to! </div>
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I think I am successfully caught up with immediate life updates from the past few months! I plan on doing multiple wedding posts, a honeymoon post and of course house update posts. If nobody reads this than that's ok too, I mainly blog to have a record of events for myself and our little family. The T-Birds are happy little Larks and hitting our stride in married life! </div>
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Until next time friends! </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05447544461170414981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251567963495960224.post-18017309301313322962016-05-04T03:00:00.000-04:002016-05-04T03:00:18.164-04:00My "Want" To Do ListHappy May!! Where is 2016 going?? I can't believe we are already 5 months in to the year! Woah! Unless you are new around here, you probably know that I haven't been employed full time since last August. It was an unfortunate situation that has actually turned into several blessings, or maybe I'm just choosing to see it that way! #positivity<br />
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Will and I were discussing my job search/going back to work, etc. and for now, we are OK for me to stay home, get some odd jobs etc. to make ends meet. It won't be easy and sacrifices will have to be made, but honestly, I have to admit that I'm the happiest I've been since I graduated high school, twelve summers ago! I am so grateful that Will recognizes that and is willing to let me continue to take this break to really figure out what I'm suppose to do with my life. The summer is really going to be the toughest part and then I can go back to substituting in August. That's the plan for right now, unless an opportunity presents itself.<br />
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That being said, this will be the first summer I've had to "play" since the summer after my junior year in high school. YIKES! I spent every summer during college either taking classes, working, or participating in an internship. This summer I have SO much I want to do, and obviously very little money to do stuff with. Here is a list of all the things I WANT to do this summer!<br />
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<b><u>My "Want" To Do List: Summer 2016</u></b><br />
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<ul>
<li>Completely unpack all boxes and organize all my stuff in our new house.</li>
<li>Complete the makeover of our 1/2 bath.</li>
<li>Paint the guest bedroom.</li>
<li>Hang curtains.</li>
<li>Create a gallery wall.</li>
<li>Work with our contractor to start and complete our new entry way from the garage to be a dropzone.</li>
<li>Keep my house clean. AKA Vacuum/clean shower/toilets once a week.</li>
<li>Cook new meals and eat at home at least 5 nights a week.</li>
<li>Pack Will a lunch everyday so he doesn't spend money.</li>
<li>Attempt to sell items we don't need or replaced. Including wedding decor.</li>
<li>Go to the pool several days a week and indulge in a good book. (Suggestions welcome!)</li>
<li>Start working on redecorating our dining room. </li>
<li>Turn 30 doing something fun! </li>
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These are just a few things I'm looking forward to doing, I'm sure the list will grow, which means it won't all get accomplished, but I want to make an attempt! Sometimes things happen for a reason that you aren't sure of in the moment, but realize much later that it was all for a purpose. Right now, I'm not sure what my purpose is, or where I'm suppose to be, or what I'm meant to do as a career. I'm nearly 30 and I haven't figured it out, and I've finally realized that that is OK.<br />
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Cheers to my first summer in 13 years!! #it'sabouttime<br />
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<script async="" defer="" src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14317617332456964161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251567963495960224.post-62700038262691830142016-04-27T14:59:00.004-04:002016-04-27T14:59:51.664-04:00What's Cookin'I've been busy in the kitchen over the last couple of weeks! I meal planned, grocery shopped and cooked! (Go ME!) I found several recipes on Pinterest that actually turned out to be delicious, so I thought I'd share since they were successes. <div>
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I made a quiche, but didn't use a Pinterest recipe. I got the recipe from a friend and of course as I was making it didn't think to take a picture. *blogger fail* It was a ham, broccoli, and cheese quiche, I used a Pillsbury pie crust to make life easy! Will actually really liked it and I will be fixing it again various times throughout the summer. It's a great meal that quick, easy and light on your stomach for all those hot summer days! I served it with pear salad (for me) and strawberries+mandarine oranges for him. Here is the recipe:</div>
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1 Pillsbury Pie Crust</div>
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5 Eggs</div>
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1/2 Cup of Milk</div>
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Approx. 1 head of broccoli</div>
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1/2 Cup of Diced Ham (store bought for convenience) </div>
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Cheese (definitely didn't measure, can you every have too much?)</div>
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<u>Directions</u></div>
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Bake the Pie crust according to package directions</div>
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Cut broccoli into small florets and steam in microwave for approx. 30sec</div>
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Mix the Eggs, Milk, broccoli, ham together in a large bowl</div>
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Pour mixture into semi-baked crust</div>
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Cover crust edge unless you like it well done</div>
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Bake for approx. 30min on 400. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not mine, but close enough!</td></tr>
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Another yummy dinner we had was this popular <a href="http://www.cookingclassy.com/2015/01/slow-cooker-chicken-fajitas/">Pinterest Crock-Pot Fajita Recipe</a>! I was a bit worried that it wouldn't turn out, but it was SO good! It made a TON of food! We invited my parents and grandmother over to eat with us. I fed 5 people, packed leftovers for lunch the next day and froze enough to have at a later date! Yippee! This is worth adding to your dinner options! Trust me!<div>
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I've made a few other pretty decent meals, but they weren't worth sharing! We've also had pizza the past two Monday nights, because well, Monday's are hard! :( We were out of town Saturday attending a wedding in Conway and then we spent the night with Will's parents in Florence. Sunday we spent time with them and his grandmother before returning to Lexington about 9:20 PM. Needless to say no prepping for the week happened, so pizza was it for Monday! I do have another new chicken dish I'm trying tonight! If it's good I'll be sure to share! </div>
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House Update: Possibly by next week I'll be able to share a few pictures of what we've done at the house. I should have a final picture of our Master bedroom and the laundry room! We shall see! Check back for 5 on Friday link up! Happy Hump Day! </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14317617332456964161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251567963495960224.post-81587443796611784732016-04-22T12:31:00.001-04:002016-04-22T12:31:09.734-04:005 on Friday: It's all in the DetailsLinking up with <a href="http://alizadventures.blogspot.com/">April over at A. Liz Adventures</a> and others for 5 on Friday. I haven't done a link up in a while because well... I've been busy/lazy/just didn't care. Today I thought I'd share 5 details of our wedding that you may or may not have known about if you attended or if you are a stranger from the interwebs you might want to incorporate some of these ideas into your big day!<br />
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ONE- Here are my "something" details. Old was my handkerchief, I bought it about six years ago at an antique store in Hendersonville, NC. It was my grandmothers birthday weekend and we took a day trip from Greenville to the tiny mountain town. I found a bin full of old, vintage hankies and dug around until I found the one with an 'M' embroidered on it. Ironically, I went back to the same antique store with Will once when we were on our way to Asheville for our anniversary trip. My something new was my dress. Borrowed was my grandmothers diamond bracelet. And Blue was the satin ribbon on my garter. I also attached my sorority pin to my garter, and I wore Lilly Pulitzer Squeeze perfume.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfPkoOk4uWAVfYk759dJmRCy9CdPKGluyZUuJ8tUivSWSJND-93EgtaTZH-po6H6k2EsWsVZ9vqv6OED9TdHS7FI7N5omInXa5NdCnPsauK2b44EOuu9J9V_3g747nGMkJB_0nP7nIraQy/s1600/Thornburg0062.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfPkoOk4uWAVfYk759dJmRCy9CdPKGluyZUuJ8tUivSWSJND-93EgtaTZH-po6H6k2EsWsVZ9vqv6OED9TdHS7FI7N5omInXa5NdCnPsauK2b44EOuu9J9V_3g747nGMkJB_0nP7nIraQy/s320/Thornburg0062.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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A few of Will's details: his tie was made by the same designer as my bridesmaids dresses. I gave him his cufflinks and the pocket watch as wedding gifts. The front of the watch had his initials engraved on it, and the back had "I Love You 24-7."<br />
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TWO- We had my dog come to the church prior to the ceremony and take a few pictures. I wouldn't give a million dollars for this moment! I actually cried when I came down the stairs and saw her. Will doesn't like me to admit I cried over the dog and not him! But I loved her first. She was just precious and it was one of my favorite moments of the day!</div>
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THREE- At the reception we used a large bird cage (in keeping with our 2 T-Birds theme) that my parents used at their wedding reception nearly 42 years ago! The bird cage was used as decor in several houses that we've lived in, but for the last 20ish years it's lived under the house in storage. I've known for forever that I wanted to use it at my reception. Little did I know it would actually be the centerpiece of the theme! It was in need of repair and paint. My dad (who is handy!) welded broken pieces back together and then refinished it with white paint. It turned out so beautiful and we can't wait to find a place for it in our new home. Maybe one day we'll have a daughter who will want to use it in her wedding. </div>
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FOUR- I really wanted to create two spaces to honor our relatives. Those that could be with us and those that could not. I gathered both our mothers bridal pictures, a picture of our parents on their wedding day, and our maternal and paternal grandparents on their wedding day. I had them enlarged to 8x10 black and white photos and framed them in a slim black frame. Then I had one of my bridal pictures printed in color and I framed it in a white and gold 8x10 frame. The contrast was more effective than I imagined and I loved honoring our parents and grandparents in this special way. </div>
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I also honored and remembered those who we love so much but we know where there with us in spirit. We had a memorial table with pictures of us with our relatives/friends who have passed. We also used both our maternal great-grandmothers bibles to carry our rings. My dad had a great toast to us during our cake cutting that included drinking Diet Pepsi from our Waterford Crystal Champagne Flutes. My granddaddy (who passed when I was one) worked for Pepsi and shared a can with my dad and his mom every night. Daddy and my grandmother got a swig and granddaddy got the rest of the can. Dad poured Will and I a swig and he got the rest!</div>
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FIVE- We had not one, but TWO vintage cars to use for the day! We exited the church in a 1928 Oakland. It's the same car we used in our engagement pictures. I've waited the last 15 years to be able to use that car on my wedding day. The owner goes to our church and I have worked a number of weddings where the bride and groom used his car. I always told him he better still be driving when it was my turn to use the car!<br />
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We left the reception in a 50-something T-bird. This car was a surprise to me but I had actually figured it out! :) Will is the worst at keeping things secret! It was a fun and memorable car to leave in!</div>
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These are just a few of the detail I worked so hard on to make our day special and personal to us! Such a fun day that we will always remember! </div>
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Have a great weekend! Check back next week for less wedding and more "Bird Nest" updates! </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14317617332456964161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251567963495960224.post-8693912009567042462016-04-21T17:00:00.000-04:002016-04-21T17:00:22.363-04:00The Current 411<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="color: #2e2e2e; font-size: 15.015px; line-height: 24.024px;">I was catching up on my blog reading and Laura Beth over at <a href="http://georgiaglambylb.blogspot.com/">Georgia Glam</a> posted a creative way to share what's currently happening in her life without writing a boring spiel of internal thoughts and no pictures. SO, </b><b style="color: #2e2e2e; font-size: 15.015px; line-height: 24.024px;">Here's What's Currently Happening...</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="color: #2e2e2e; font-size: 15.015px; line-height: 24.024px;">Planning- </b><span style="color: #2e2e2e; font-size: 15.015px; line-height: 24.024px;">We're planning so many things right now. Home projects we want to tackle, a possible 30th bday trip to NYC, Memorial Day weekend plans, etc. etc. The Morganizer is ALWAYS planning something! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="color: #2e2e2e; font-size: 15.015px; line-height: 24.024px;">Reading</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2e2e; font-size: 15.015px; line-height: 24.024px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #2e2e2e;"><span style="font-size: 15.015px; line-height: 24.024px;">- Well, I'm not much of a reader in general. But lately I've been actually clicking on the links I've saved on Pinterest and reading about how to organize/do stuff around the house. As well as reading new recipes. Does that count?</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Buying </b>- We are still working on buying items from our registry that we didn't receive as gifts. We have also made multiple trips to home improvement stores to buy items that we randomly realize we need for our home. Our biggest purchase lately is a new washer and dryer! They are made by Samsung and the dryer has a steam feature. Let's be real, we all know the dryer is my iron. They are being delivered today, and I couldn't be more excited to do laundry! However, have you priced the detergent pods? I need to take out a small loan to be able to purchase those on a regular basis! But they are so easy to use and GAIN smells so darn good! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Praying</b> - Praying over just a little bit of everything. Praying a permanent job comes up soon. Really wanting it to be something I love with a semi-flexible schedule. Praying everything at my old house holds out for my renter and I have no unexpected expenses with that. Praying for friends who are suffering, hurting, or are sick. There are so many with much bigger problems than I face on a daily basis, that need an abundance of prayer. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Listening</b> - Really loving a few new songs that have come out recently. I'm not normally a Rascal Flatts fan, but I love their new single, "I Like The Sound of That." Also, Carrie Underwood's Storyteller album came out in the fall, but I was really just SO busy that I didn't get to listen to it. So I've been jamming to that so I can learn all the words before we go see her in September when she comes to Columbia!! SO excited! We are double dating with my parents to the concert to celebrate my moms birthday! This is going to be their first time experiencing her live, Will's second and my third! I can't wait! I'm already outfit planning! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Watching</b> - HGTV every. night. I guess I should consider myself lucky that my husband actually turns it on to HGTV. We are fans of Flip or Flop, Property Brothers and of course Fixer Upper. When I get a hot minute to indulge in TV for myself I catch up on Teen Mom 2. Last weekend we got hooked onto OJ vs. The People series that was on FX. We finished the majority of it in about 48hrs. We have the last 2 episodes left. If you haven't watched it, it's definitely worth your time. The acting is great and it's interesting to see it all played out considering I was 9 when it actually happened. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Devouring</b> - A few new recipes this week. Tuesday night I made a ham, broccoli and cheese quiche and served it with fruit (strawberries and mandarin oranges for Will, pear salad for me!) Wednesday night I made salisbury steak with fresh corn and green beans. Tonight we are having crock pot fajitas I found on Pinterest. Keeping my fingers crossed that they turn out delicious! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Loving</b> - Succulents! OMG! I'm obsessed! We used real ones as table decor for the rehearsal dinner. So afterwards I had nearly 60 to find something to do with! Several of our guests took a few, but I still had about 15 or so to plant! I founds so cute little containers and a link with instructions on Pinterest. Saturday night I planted them and they are such happy little plants around my house. Precious! Also, new obsession: Pineapples. Everywhere. On Everything. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Hating</b> - That I still haven't unpacked near as much stuff as I'd planned on. It's so daunting to look in our garage at all the boxes. I really want to get it done soon so we can go back to parking in the garage. Our neighborhood is having a garage sale April 30, but we have a wedding that day, and we have an out of town wedding this weekend, so I don't think we are going to be able to get our <strike>shit</strike> junk (literally) together to participate. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Wanting, Hoping, Wishing</b> - Wanting: to redo our master shower. I hate it. We are eventually going to tear out the shower stall, tile 2 walls and install a glass door and wall. Hoping: We can start our other home improvement projects- finishing a hallway in our garage to the house and making a dropzone and completing the dining room and powder room makeovers. Wishing: we had unlimited funds and a $$ tree in the backyard.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Feeling</b> - Grateful. Since I still don't have a full time job, and the school year is coming to a close, I'm really grateful that my long term sub job was extended through the end of the year. When you put your trust in Him, He provides. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Anticipating</b> - Directing one of my honorary bridesmaids wedding next weekend! They got engaged about a month after us and are now getting married about a month after us! They also rescued us on our wedding night from getting soaking wet and making it home! Which is a really long story for another day. Anyways, I'm excited to attend a wedding with my forever wedding date. Lucky for us we have two in a row! :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Well glad that you are caught up on our little TBird life! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Stay Lovely!</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14317617332456964161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251567963495960224.post-66484250540634423632016-04-14T03:00:00.000-04:002016-04-14T03:00:16.096-04:00Life Update!Now that the wedding is over and I've started to accept reality, although not really, I guess I should take a minute to update on our life in general.<br />
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It's been since January since I've had any updates, because once the new year hit wedding and house stuff took over. My <a href="http://twotbirds.blogspot.com/2016/01/kitchen-refresh-in-bird-nest.html">last update</a>, before yesterday's wedding post, was on the kitchen makeover and I can't wait to reveal our completed master bedroom! It is nearly complete, just lacking a few finishing decorative touches. Like hanging my big monogram that we got at my monogram shower, and hanging a few bird cages that we used at the reception.<br />
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We still have quite a few "to-do" items on our list for the house including painting the master bath, fixing/painting/updating the 1/2 bath, painting/wallpapering/adding wainscoting to the dining room so we can add furniture, and finally painting the guest bedroom upstairs. Not to mention all the unpacking of boxes that needs to be done. Our garage is basically my old house in numerous boxes piled on each other. Will wonders when he'll get to park in the garage again.... summer may be too soon of an estimate. Oooops.....<br />
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On the job front... nothing. I've searched for jobs every week from August until present and I've only been on two interviews. The last one I went on I really wanted, but unfortunately politics are how the world turns and I didn't get it. I've applied for various other things and I'm still searching. Hopefully something will come open in the next few months, otherwise I guess I'll substitute teach again next school year. I love that, but I'd really like something more consistent and permanent. Luckily since the end of February I've been in a long-term sub job and I love it! It's with high schoolers and they have been so sweet. It's likely I'll be there through the end of the school year, or close to, but I'm going to miss them when I leave. It was fantastic that it worked out for me to have the same job everyday leading up to the wedding. Everything else in life was crazy nuts, but at least I knew what to expect during the workday!<br />
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On a different note: anybody else who has planned a wedding find it hard to move on? I'm not sad about it exactly, but I feel like I should be doing something towards it because it was that way for so long. I've tried looking at Pinterest for house ideas, but my feed is bombarded with wedding stuff. Is there a way to turn that off?? I'm also trying to pick back up this blogging thing... I'd like to be able to make some $$ doing that, but that's definitely day dreaming!<br />
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Sorry there are no pictures with this update, sometimes life is just like that. All serious and no fun. I have so much to do with unpacking and setting up our home, yet I'm so unmotivated! Tomorrow, I'm joining up with April from A. Liz Adventures for 5 on Friday link up. It's full of pictures from the wedding so be sure to check it out! Have a great day! :)<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14317617332456964161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251567963495960224.post-8235917624579488992016-04-13T11:23:00.002-04:002016-04-13T11:23:58.898-04:00Wedding Wednesday: Final EditionI have emerged from "Wedding Wonderland" and re-entered the cruel reality that life must go on! We had such an amazing wedding day and I can't possibly move on with life, especially on my blog, without giving a highlight of all our vendors that made our day all that we imagined it could be!<br />
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I will start with my photographer because without her, none of these images would be possible! Jessica Roberts of <a href="http://jessicarobertsphoto.com/">Jessica Roberts Photography</a>. She and I started our relationship is client/photographer and quickly we just became friends. We are neighbors, I've babysat her little one, and she has sat with me when weird repair men were at my house. <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Jessica had our engagement pictures back to us a week after we took them, the same with my bridals. She posted a preview of 5 or 6 pictures less than 24 hours after the wedding to Facebook and I had all of my pictures completely edited back 2 weeks after the wedding. She is personable and fun!</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"> Below are the links to all three blogs featuring our engagement pics, my bridals and our wedding day! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><a href="http://jessicarobertsphoto.com/palmetto-club-wedding-with-state-house-wedding-portraits/">Wedding Day</a> </span></span><a href="http://jessicarobertsphoto.com/bridal-portraits-legare-waring-house-charleston-sc-mrs-morgan-thornburg/" style="font-family: times, 'times new roman', serif; text-align: center;">Bridals</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjanzp7ub1oFj5vtViFO15cGOeHlDmHArq1kXrABL-K82_BJ-QB5hk63jitYvhQBdcZtbvoZADeDccX-RfIJ8npwqc6VOiTbrYan-nOiqHR55zVx6jVfpm1_DH_68haiZU7hCexaIrWUEN/s1600/Thornburg0138.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjanzp7ub1oFj5vtViFO15cGOeHlDmHArq1kXrABL-K82_BJ-QB5hk63jitYvhQBdcZtbvoZADeDccX-RfIJ8npwqc6VOiTbrYan-nOiqHR55zVx6jVfpm1_DH_68haiZU7hCexaIrWUEN/s320/Thornburg0138.jpg" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4G6nBkcJJV1qz8zGNf1xQxxU84oEqIqjfvRditGkVyXrEUiskfy4Y5iRgeoqslcAcQ4DlpRUKs-4GkZg1nK2HucZtnU3pn1DzC2JJkddpPxRFtiBENEXkH29O4YLY6MojoZeX5Vj8Y57t/s1600/MorganBridals76.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: times, 'times new roman', serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4G6nBkcJJV1qz8zGNf1xQxxU84oEqIqjfvRditGkVyXrEUiskfy4Y5iRgeoqslcAcQ4DlpRUKs-4GkZg1nK2HucZtnU3pn1DzC2JJkddpPxRFtiBENEXkH29O4YLY6MojoZeX5Vj8Y57t/s320/MorganBridals76.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://jessicarobertsphoto.com/lexington-sc-vintage-inspired-engagement-session-columbia-sc-wedding-photographer/">Engagement Pics</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNfV0-KP-kl_a18tkge2txiOefjQhbPc_KQ4AHgktQTTn01UllsOjLOJsf3SC9ijGmYOS2LQ0dGMGhoW6RL_7T_IVe7Dh32hs0RGM_MCuDpLl35a_7RxChqfWjeTWjr-pqXOqitpcGg1Gn/s1600/Grant101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNfV0-KP-kl_a18tkge2txiOefjQhbPc_KQ4AHgktQTTn01UllsOjLOJsf3SC9ijGmYOS2LQ0dGMGhoW6RL_7T_IVe7Dh32hs0RGM_MCuDpLl35a_7RxChqfWjeTWjr-pqXOqitpcGg1Gn/s320/Grant101.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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My day would not have been as beautiful if it weren't for Lexington Florist. They did a phenomenal job with all our flowers. The church was beautiful and the reception venue was stunning. We received so many compliments on how gorgeous the flowers were, I just hate they couldn't last forever. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjftimBSYNbfK5WbnITWyntWqDNePvNuqNyM57o_8CPsR9lW4D8z0G1C1q6yPmEIZ7-BX71amB-oVKaO0-rD4hI1g3jIENGKgvD8OckWgGLlD7zxMse0nAYoLVNiRE7_s4Sd8xuilhnJN2O/s1600/Thornburg0244.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjftimBSYNbfK5WbnITWyntWqDNePvNuqNyM57o_8CPsR9lW4D8z0G1C1q6yPmEIZ7-BX71amB-oVKaO0-rD4hI1g3jIENGKgvD8OckWgGLlD7zxMse0nAYoLVNiRE7_s4Sd8xuilhnJN2O/s320/Thornburg0244.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Bouquet </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBYVYQeqtqyeA-2wnTPfHNDefubMk9ivyHRg8sHDFtq5tgxWoFHGUz90EPBxMZ0hwF0ZrKgz0pxpv4O8fO3sdbMuU4lGSoRdAIADVk5PejyF7Hof_aoOWe1PXsu3BPUI231ug3oFlh1uLD/s1600/Thornburg0383.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBYVYQeqtqyeA-2wnTPfHNDefubMk9ivyHRg8sHDFtq5tgxWoFHGUz90EPBxMZ0hwF0ZrKgz0pxpv4O8fO3sdbMuU4lGSoRdAIADVk5PejyF7Hof_aoOWe1PXsu3BPUI231ug3oFlh1uLD/s320/Thornburg0383.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Church Candelabra</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvMev0VEVdgfaDvvnEs4eQE-9lb0W-klO0lqYoB3XNEKZo_pzdFL6_8slGK4OPUr9hJNAjlTIDGS8eKpAf6t8CKuah8_f1qR5HisdZt40Qr1dqW0sAl4dZDGfgadun0G3NAMvnwQjNSoOs/s1600/Thornburg0241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvMev0VEVdgfaDvvnEs4eQE-9lb0W-klO0lqYoB3XNEKZo_pzdFL6_8slGK4OPUr9hJNAjlTIDGS8eKpAf6t8CKuah8_f1qR5HisdZt40Qr1dqW0sAl4dZDGfgadun0G3NAMvnwQjNSoOs/s320/Thornburg0241.jpg" width="215" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bridesmaid Bouquet </td></tr>
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My venue was perfect for us. I strongly suggest picking a venue that fits the look you are going for and the feel you want your guest to have at your event. I wanted a traditional ballroom (to go with my ballgown) and a vintage feel. The Palmetto Club was so beautiful that we really didn't even need to spend money to decorate, but of course we did! In case you forgot, we were keeping with a bird theme of "Two T-birds," so our decor is lots of bird cages. It really felt like we brought a garden party inside a beautiful ball room. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinrujh8KXD6enV8O5BALgQHeS2TPxa7_fSoaEHRrovv0bSzEzauOb67QtKe8cO8dBf-M2zGCG6bGoV9YsZmm43kJUxi332_lYxKuRrF_bONkZd6bIT6-kt_WKkMDj0zyMo9FNRrph4D6sG/s1600/Thornburg0684.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinrujh8KXD6enV8O5BALgQHeS2TPxa7_fSoaEHRrovv0bSzEzauOb67QtKe8cO8dBf-M2zGCG6bGoV9YsZmm43kJUxi332_lYxKuRrF_bONkZd6bIT6-kt_WKkMDj0zyMo9FNRrph4D6sG/s320/Thornburg0684.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL6W7MkVH1xafx5IwUluLQ2gboNOPscc8ZWVpOCYOGoryohhQPjEDSpOxd_52dw1HdkTEdP2hACWLKMnzCrVZo6zcRMaXybQxu_lbBhihC1d60RQx6zrQnp6890AcmTsyokSTdTZjDUMf7/s1600/Thornburg0667.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL6W7MkVH1xafx5IwUluLQ2gboNOPscc8ZWVpOCYOGoryohhQPjEDSpOxd_52dw1HdkTEdP2hACWLKMnzCrVZo6zcRMaXybQxu_lbBhihC1d60RQx6zrQnp6890AcmTsyokSTdTZjDUMf7/s320/Thornburg0667.jpg" width="246" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsgazf_k2gqK1uYFzDOeX39boguKrLT7zb_AEgpR0ZA91XCX4B7gt465ujvZUi2SQn9V05jJlT0gukXg2OotBfEwCfdSSQYmwAU1TAtitpkC_uN6Y4wCd7sDsw3FekJnxBa8DGCavifmL5/s1600/Thornburg0685.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsgazf_k2gqK1uYFzDOeX39boguKrLT7zb_AEgpR0ZA91XCX4B7gt465ujvZUi2SQn9V05jJlT0gukXg2OotBfEwCfdSSQYmwAU1TAtitpkC_uN6Y4wCd7sDsw3FekJnxBa8DGCavifmL5/s320/Thornburg0685.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Next up! Cake! You can't have a wedding without yummy cake!! <a href="http://www.bonniebrunt.com/">Bonnie Brunt Cakes</a> <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">creates stunning works of edible art! Her consultation was SO much fun and one of our favorite parts of the planning process. She's the cutest southern lady and her cake is the most delicious thing I've ever had! We can't wait to eat our cake next year on our anniversary! </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMW1X7S6yhk1FcFTFCjguRC1QHRjd2eZ6xOpWpgRoEp2SpW05ygQIK8EGvfMN_ZHufj5KDBL3nHYAHzGHFLoRQ4J27t8Jn1zFss4HFR4fmCBpuMF4BNWfYDQ7rT_9wlVegBEtl3NB-XUQl/s1600/Thornburg0659.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMW1X7S6yhk1FcFTFCjguRC1QHRjd2eZ6xOpWpgRoEp2SpW05ygQIK8EGvfMN_ZHufj5KDBL3nHYAHzGHFLoRQ4J27t8Jn1zFss4HFR4fmCBpuMF4BNWfYDQ7rT_9wlVegBEtl3NB-XUQl/s320/Thornburg0659.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">What's a party without music? </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Call my DJ akaTroy Fite did a great job! He and I had worked with when I directed a reception so I knew that I wanted to hire him myself. He will meet with you however many times you like after you pay the deposit until a week before the wedding. He makes himself very available to meet and be in contact with. I loved having him there and he helped to make the night fun and memorable. <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt-vEaJMP4uVsfrYYe8Xl0d-19JkAv4wH33UqIFG0B-sVeBDH-OW7LL578q-F4ZsBhGVcbFrOckSzTI1HtfOWnTNgOqP2DACEVeNYCuL_saJGi1FnEH9GMCHNFdd4hxpD44jJpDMBDnEuI/s1600/Thornburg0952.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt-vEaJMP4uVsfrYYe8Xl0d-19JkAv4wH33UqIFG0B-sVeBDH-OW7LL578q-F4ZsBhGVcbFrOckSzTI1HtfOWnTNgOqP2DACEVeNYCuL_saJGi1FnEH9GMCHNFdd4hxpD44jJpDMBDnEuI/s320/Thornburg0952.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My MOH, me and Troy!</td></tr>
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Let me talk a little bit about vendors that you didn't see their work day of! First, let me just say that <a href="http://www.elegantbridals.com/">Elegant Bridals</a> in Augusta, GA was absolutely amazing to work with! Traci Figgins helped me say "yes to the dress," and she made my dress come to life! I loved it but I wasn't IN LOVE with it until she added the sleeves and that's when I knew it was the one for me! I can't thank them enough for all they did to make getting my dress a painless process, BUT all they did to coordinate ordering my bridesmaids dresses from Dessy. I never had to worry with a thing! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz9-04WJ-mqVrSOIDFQbtyGWYfV3QD_rU2yZTCtemSus4xYLcyfedJBuTVlN2L1ZDce0SINEsf5Drw1XLV4xUg5GSALBQcA0v45qqaXdkdBB6me7s1uno9uBscrgaa5a79sUBqYWuuupFF/s1600/MorganBridals08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz9-04WJ-mqVrSOIDFQbtyGWYfV3QD_rU2yZTCtemSus4xYLcyfedJBuTVlN2L1ZDce0SINEsf5Drw1XLV4xUg5GSALBQcA0v45qqaXdkdBB6me7s1uno9uBscrgaa5a79sUBqYWuuupFF/s320/MorganBridals08.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Allure Bridals #2813</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0VQn-ZBenyTGfAsQKEnm7iwxU-8Es5wOMbQY-D3DZsPfLnWMgZGmZQ88v8ODwk-g-a67TiUz_GIw0sFaUJuYSQtNOaZ31U46edfUOEasaYuWOsgXAB7j9Zgg5GT90GOubhL7FiDkjMj4O/s1600/Thornburg0252.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0VQn-ZBenyTGfAsQKEnm7iwxU-8Es5wOMbQY-D3DZsPfLnWMgZGmZQ88v8ODwk-g-a67TiUz_GIw0sFaUJuYSQtNOaZ31U46edfUOEasaYuWOsgXAB7j9Zgg5GT90GOubhL7FiDkjMj4O/s320/Thornburg0252.jpg" width="229" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dessy- Alfred Sung D568 in Pearl Pink<br /></td></tr>
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The guys were dressed by Jos. A Bank. There wore a grey suit, white french cuff shirt, black cap toe shoes. Their socks and cuff links were gifts from us. Their socks are Happy Socks and their cufflinks were from Handpicked. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtI1aNZztAMvJ4-1jFd5yoY_1LNzaI-mLFVyu9FhfREeNzeLyhTX4zGmOhkXwvI38EFl2GH93BK4yA2lc9l1xYVM9dl3fga3lqWudbyr48faIyavYZDuEqp1ooEUTeUsVCXyTqaUz2NHN_/s1600/Thornburg0299.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtI1aNZztAMvJ4-1jFd5yoY_1LNzaI-mLFVyu9FhfREeNzeLyhTX4zGmOhkXwvI38EFl2GH93BK4yA2lc9l1xYVM9dl3fga3lqWudbyr48faIyavYZDuEqp1ooEUTeUsVCXyTqaUz2NHN_/s320/Thornburg0299.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Wedding Paper- I ordered my invitations from <a href="http://www.exclusivelyweddings.com/">Exclusively Weddings.com</a>. <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Best bang for your buck! Don't even shop around, trust me I've done the leg work for you. I went to several print shops and invitation stores locally and NOTHING beats the price and quality of what you get on this website. I ordered 350 invitations, reception cards, response cards, printed return address on both envelopes and the inner envelope was lined and it was right at $400.</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3dGEqSfapl_qc1eogvFq1qJRYz8mnOIvfi5FkZ9PKh9fw1gFLjrFz6gY-HEUWz9hKI8675eI_GavJrQiNPEEj3Mz9C3m6I7MCyklIfS41s9LNYoPdp6sFBl5YrdPO8k12OpCOWqjgFseT/s1600/Thornburg0069.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3dGEqSfapl_qc1eogvFq1qJRYz8mnOIvfi5FkZ9PKh9fw1gFLjrFz6gY-HEUWz9hKI8675eI_GavJrQiNPEEj3Mz9C3m6I7MCyklIfS41s9LNYoPdp6sFBl5YrdPO8k12OpCOWqjgFseT/s320/Thornburg0069.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I was lucky enough to have a great friend who is a graphic designer do my programs. She had them printed locally and we saved so much money doing them this way. I appreciate her and her talent more than she'll ever know! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU6J2IITwiNSXFQZYEe1mJg-8tZNbDMEhGOdh96xSxutFa1EEKGI2AZ6SzKVkkegxEJoOBfZ3sC0eN2RS7bAHKJThuUvUxYH3-agrbeiRRvrZXNNytL492biMdnI37a7XJszbKoA39nozd/s1600/Thornburg0374.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU6J2IITwiNSXFQZYEe1mJg-8tZNbDMEhGOdh96xSxutFa1EEKGI2AZ6SzKVkkegxEJoOBfZ3sC0eN2RS7bAHKJThuUvUxYH3-agrbeiRRvrZXNNytL492biMdnI37a7XJszbKoA39nozd/s320/Thornburg0374.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, Helvetica Neue Light, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif;"><br /></span>A few people I couldn't have survived the day without are my hair and makeup team! They made sure every hair was in place and every once of makeup wasn't moving! I had no worries about my hair and make up lasting until the very last minute and I'm so thankful to them for making me look my best on my most important day! :)</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Haylee Carter Steele </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Connie Cook owner of Hello Gorgeous Salon</td></tr>
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Finally, last but certainly NOT least our Videographer, Bill Grant, owner of <a href="http://www.cinemacouture.com/">Cinema Couture </a>. <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">T</span><span style="font-size: 16px;">his is a completely optional vendor to choose, however, from personal experience I can say that it was worth every penny! It will cost an arm and a leg, but again, at the end of the day this is all you have left.</span><span style="font-size: 16px;"> Here is the link to our highlight film. Coming this summer our full wedding video! </span></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.cinemacouture.com/morgan-will-lexington-sc-wedding-film/">CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO!</a></div>
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Again, I can't thank all these vendors for their time, effort and creativity for making our day all we planned and imagined it to be! Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts we will treasure this day for the rest of our lives! </div>
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Wedding talk isn't over... I plan on having a few more post that include pictures and special details of our day. So stay tuned! Also, lots of house updates to make too! I'm back blogging world! </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14317617332456964161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251567963495960224.post-39206538739827685142016-01-11T03:00:00.000-05:002016-01-11T03:00:19.510-05:00Kitchen Refresh in the Bird NestHappy Monday!! I hope you all had a great weekend. We spent the weekend finishing up our kitchen refresh. This post is a part of our "Home Improvement Series," which I will lovingly be calling The Bird Nest.<br />
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When we first looked at the house we really liked the kitchen cabinets and the counter tops. The previous owners had updated the kitchen in 2007. The cabinets are <a href="http://www.kraftmaid.com/">KraftMaid </a>and the granite counter tops are from Lowes, but I can't determine the name of the color, they don't have a match currently. I highly recommend the cabinets, they are of the highest quality and they have the soft close feature! No slamming drawers when Will makes me mad! :) Inside the cabinets is the best feature, full size pull out shelves that neatly organize our pots/pans, Tupperware, Pyrex and baking sheets/pans. My favorite feature is the built in silverware organizer that is two levels! When I saw this, I was pretty much sold on the house!<br />
<img alt="Deluxe Dovetail Roll-out Tray" src="http://kraftmaid.s3.amazonaws.com/content/images/products/storage-solutions/large/kitchen/food/pantry/deep-roll-out-trays.jpg" /><img alt="Wood Tiered Drawer Storage" src="http://kraftmaid.s3.amazonaws.com/content/images/products/storage-solutions/large/kitchen/cooking/dividers/wood-tiered-drawer-storage.jpg" /><br />
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We were so lucky that the previous owners had invested in the custom cabinetry and granite/back splash installation when they updated. I will have to say, I wasn't a fan of the back splash at first, I had even thought about tearing it out, covering it up or even painting it, but that leads me to my next point! What a difference paint can make! The kitchen was originally a pale pale sky blue, which is beautiful in a bedroom or bathroom, however, in a kitchen it left a lot to be desired and washed out the room. We knew we wanted gray, however, have you ever tried to pick out grey paint? There are WAY more than 50 shades!<br />
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We finally settled on <a href="http://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/color/find-and-explore-colors/paint-colors-by-family/?q=Functional+Gray">Sherwin Williams Functional Gray</a>. I had them mix the color in at 50%, and it was the exactly color of the swatch. This is a painting tip for any color, but especially darker colors. The paint changed the entire vibe of the room! Not only is it refreshed, but the cabinets pop and the grey and brown tones in the back splash stand out! I went from hating the back splash to really liking it!<br />
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We also updated the appliances. The original appliances were white and when the owners updated they only updated the oven/range, so of course they bought a new white slide in. It was a very nice oven, however, the white did not go (in my opinion) with the cabinets or counter tops. The owner also took with them the refrigerator, so we had to buy that. Since we were shopping for appliances around black Friday we actually got an excellent deal on an entire suite of new appliances at Lowes. We liked stainless, but now GE makes a matte stainless called Slate. It doesn't show finger prints and it isn't quite as shiny. We decided on a french door fridge with a freezer drawer, the slide in convection oven/range, a vented microwave and a high efficiency dishwasher. These are by far the nicest appliances I've ever owned and I'm SO excited to use them!<br />
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Our kitchen that started with great potential has turned out to be more than I imagined! It feels like a gourmet kitchen out of a magazine! We couldn't have done it without the help of my dad who gave us a tutorial in painting 101. Needless to say, I think we'll be painting the other rooms in the house that need an update! We are using the kitchen furniture I had in my house, which were previously my parents', that we've had since the early 90s. I love them, and they look even better in this house with the cabinets! I organized a few of our dishes and platters on the hutch but can't wait to get everything settled after the wedding.<br />
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Without further a do, I give you the before and after of The Bird Nest Kitchen:<br />
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I hope everyone has a great week and GO TIGERS!!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14317617332456964161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251567963495960224.post-84183495798133009672016-01-01T03:00:00.000-05:002016-01-01T03:00:12.485-05:00Five on Friday! Welcome 2016!First off, HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Welcome 2016!! I love all the potential a new year holds. For me I'm praying it's a sweet sixteen! March 19th is going to be a pretty sweet day of 2016! But I know that the Lord has so many other surprises and opportunities in store for me/us this year!<br />
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I thought I'd start the new year with a few items that I'm loving right now/Christmas recap for 5 on Friday link up with April over at <a href="http://alizadventures.blogspot.com/">A. Liz Adventures</a>!<br />
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First, I can't help but say that I'm loving that the Clemson Tigers are headed to the National Championship!! GO TIGERS!! What a season it has been! Although I did not attend Clemson, I've been raised a Tiger, as my mom is an alumni. I'm so excited that such a great team led by a fantastic coach are rewarded for all their hard work this season with a chance to be National Champions! GO TIGERS!!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Born to be a Tiger</td></tr>
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I'm LOVING my new laptop! I got an HP Chromebook for Christmas from Will and it was SO needed! I have been borrowing his laptop since the spring when mine decided to literally drop dead! I have to admit, I kind of picked out my own present on this one... We were in Walmart one night back in the early fall and I saw this laptop and loved it, because it was TEAL!! I really didn't know anything about Chromebooks, but so far I'm liking it for blogging since Blogger is linked through Google. However, I'm not an expert Google Docs person, so that is taking some getting used to! Also, my blog is currently connected to one email and after I get married I need it to be connected to another, so I'm having some difficulty figuring that out. Any help from tech savvy people would be appreciated!</div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">We had somewhat of a tech Christmas by adding Apple TV to our collection! We cut our cable a little over 2 years ago and never looked back! We have basic cable, you know the 9-15 channels you get of the major networks and such, but we also have Netflix, Hulu, & Amazone Prime and we have managed just fine with those! We were using Will's laptop with an HDMI cord connected in the bedroom and his Playstation to access those services in the living room. Well NOW with Apple TV we are able to more easily access them with a remote instead of a mouse on the bedroom tv! I can't say enough good things about Apple TV from what we've experienced so far! I love being able to watch the Vloggers that I follow on Youtube on a big screen and it's just so nice to have a more user friendly interface to access our accounts for Netflix etc. We purchased Apple TV from Target on black Friday with a portion of a giftcard and it was on a crazy sale! We had looked at it a week or so prior at Best Buy and really fell in love with it, so we were super excited to get it on such a great sale! If you are interested in cutting your cable and finding alternative ways to watch tv, this is the way to go!</span></div>
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Another Christmas gift that I'm loving so so much is my new MK purse that Will got me! I had totally forgotten that I had even pointed it out when we were at the mall back in the fall. It's blush pink, the same color of the bridesmaids dresses, so of course I had to have it! He tracked it down all the way in Chicago! I can't wait to carry it to all the upcoming wedding festivities!!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cynthia Medium Saffiano Leather Satchel in Blush-Spring 2015</td></tr>
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Finally, I have always loved that with the start of a new year you get a new calendar! I love to organize and plan so getting the tools to do just that makes me so happy! I normally get the Mary Engelbreit wall calendar, however, this year I just wasn't in love with the theme and the picture didn't match the month. On Amazon I saw the illustrated Bible verses calendar, but couldn't see pictures of the individual months. I went to Books A Million and they had it and I got the very. last. one. It is BEAUTIFUL! I'm so happy with my choice and can't wait to hang it up tomorrow and be reminded of God's love and plan for me on a daily basis! </div>
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Thank you all so much for reading and following along in our journey down the aisle! We can't wait for all this year has in store for us! I hope each of you had a safe and happy New Years Eve and I wish you all the best in 2016!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14317617332456964161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251567963495960224.post-12122791401220238622015-12-30T19:19:00.002-05:002015-12-30T19:19:53.499-05:00Wedding Wednesday: Paper, Prep and a Pick UpHappy Wednesday! It's the middle of the week and normally I would be so excited about it being closer to the weekend, but this week I'm not. I have always loved the week after Christmas because the hustle and bustle has subsided and it's a great week for everyone to unwind and really enjoy the holidays, so I'm not really ready for the week to end! Will and I are not quite done celebrating Christmas and will head to Florence this weekend to exchange gifts with his parents/relatives! Then Monday it's back to the grind, I already have 3 sub jobs lined up for next week! Yay!<br />
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Before Christmas we (my mom and I) had decided to spend a lot of time this week working on that LONG wedding to-do list, since we were both off of work. Yesterday, a friend of mine came over and we worked on details about the rehearsal dinner. >Side note< I'm working on some of the rehearsal dinner since Will's mom has been in and out of the hospital for the past couple of months. > We organized table decor and she designed the rehearsal dinner invite. I had found one at a local invitation store a few months ago and checked on the price and it was an absurd $145ish for 45 invites. WHAT?!? So my friend, who is beyond amazingly talented at graphic design, was able to design a similar invitation (but even better than the expensive version) and I got a quote from a printer and it's going to cost like $30.00 for 50 invites + envelopes! #winning Post wedding I will be sharing all of the paper products in the wedding, but everything is under wraps until then!<br />
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Speaking of paper, my friend also designed our ceremony program for me. We didn't quite get finished with all of the design elements so I'm excited to see the finished product! We used the skeleton of her program to help with the elements for mine. I am an organized person, but for some reason the task of planning out the program was overwhelming, so it was helpful to have her to help me talk through all the specifics!<br />
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After we finished, we went over to my moms and started unpacking the decor that we are going to be using for the reception. We have 27 bird cages, 27 birds and about 8 bird nests so a few more of those to collect! We organized it all by size on big tables out in my parents garage, it was so fun to see it all out and grouped together! I can't wait to start organizing it by what is actually going on individual tables. It makes me so excited to walk into my reception venue and see it all set up! The event planner in me can't wait to see all these puzzle pieces come together and make the final product!<br />
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And FINALLY, my dress is FINISHED being altered!! Hallelujah!! I have to say, that besides the guest list, dress fittings have been stressful. My seamstress made, what could have been a headache, really relaxing and she was super confident in her ability to alter my dress! I think it was just stressful to me because my dress is altered and I'm not wearing it for another couple months, but since my portraits are scheduled for Jan. 18th, I had to have it done by now. It was exciting to try on the fitted dress today and finally feel like it's finally mine. For so long it felt like I was wearing someone else's dress because it was so BIG! She also completed the bustle which made it fit better for dancing and not so BIG around and cumbersome. Here are a couple of pics from picking up the dress today...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My seamstress, Merci and my gown! Concealed of course! :)<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7DYECcGwTJIVoolEfx2OckzpPuFHXDZoZ6koQM5KSwxNen1ndFfWwdfdPG5D2cI343LOAA0wxxMfEiyDu08vLMrFPIy7eUQWN1B9-bZFwpU7DNyJgy92inNrpvZEVukzMc6yg7IM5MkTh/s1600/blurreddresspeek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7DYECcGwTJIVoolEfx2OckzpPuFHXDZoZ6koQM5KSwxNen1ndFfWwdfdPG5D2cI343LOAA0wxxMfEiyDu08vLMrFPIy7eUQWN1B9-bZFwpU7DNyJgy92inNrpvZEVukzMc6yg7IM5MkTh/s400/blurreddresspeek.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sneak Peek of my Dress! Of course I blurred it a bit! ;)</td></tr>
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I hope everyone has a great rest of your week and a VERY Happy New Year!!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14317617332456964161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251567963495960224.post-3126929266089553592015-12-28T11:28:00.003-05:002015-12-28T11:28:49.762-05:00Late 2015 Recap<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Goodness Gracious! We are in the final days of 2015, and I haven't even blogged the last 2 months which has been jam packed with exciting happenings!! I think I'll start with Christmas and work backward...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our 2015 Christmas Card! </td></tr>
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Christmas didn't feel much like Christmas this year because it was HOT. Everyday has been at least 65 degrees or more, and mostly in the mid-70s! It is IMPOSSIBLE to look cute and "Christmasey" when it's too warm to even put on a scarf! It also didn't feel much like Christmas because I chose not to put up a tree or even many decorations. The stockings were hung and there was a wreath on the door but that was about it! A perfectly good excuse was because we have too much going on and this week, I'm attempting to get back into Wedding Planning mode and therefore did not want to worry with taking down decorations!<br />
We had a very blessed Christmas spending it with family and receiving some wonderful gifts. Will got me a new laptop, which was much needed! Watch out blog world.. I'm set now, if I can figure it all out! Will's big gift was a tool set from my parents, which he can't wait to piddle around with! We also got a set of our fine China which brings the count to 8 place settings! We are super excited!! We also got a few other things from our registry including our NINJA blender! Bring on smoothies!<br />
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Many nights in December were filled with attending holiday events, and I subbed nearly everyday! The month FLEW by!! Let's rewind back to the very end of November/beginning of December when....<br />
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WILL BOUGHT A HOUSE!! We are excited about our new little nest!<br />
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We have some painting to do, and some updating to take care of! We found a great deal on appliances and they should be installed in the next couple of weeks! We bought and were gifted some furniture this past weekend and we got a few house items for Christmas! I'm excited to share all our house updates as they happen!! Stay tuned in 2016 for the makeover!</div>
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In Mid-November I had my first (ever!) bridal shower! It was so much fun and I LOVED the fall theme! Here are a few pics from that event! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Winn ladies threw me the shower! Sweet family friends!</td></tr>
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The same weekend as our shower, we had our engagement pictures taken! We LOVE our photographer and I highly recommend her! Check out her <a href="http://jessicarobertsphoto.com/">website</a> if you are in need of a wedding/baby/family photographer! She does amazing work! I would post our engagement pictures, however, Jessica wrote such a beautiful post and included some of the best of our pictures on her blog, so check it out <a href="http://jessicarobertsphoto.com/lexington-sc-vintage-inspired-engagement-session-columbia-sc-wedding-photographer/">here</a>! And here is just a teaser picture...</div>
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<img alt="USC Campus Horseshoe Engagement Session_0070.jpg" height="266" src="http://jessicarobertsphoto.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/USC-Campus-Horseshoe-Engagement-Session_0070.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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2015 has been quite the year with lots of "ups" and a few "downs," but it will be a year I'll always remember! We are looking forward to all that 2016 has in store... it's sure to be sweet! </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14317617332456964161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251567963495960224.post-10341720990794131842015-11-03T02:00:00.000-05:002015-11-03T02:00:03.872-05:00InspirationsIn my previous post, I mentioned that we are in the process of possibly buying a house. While not enough details are finalized for me to elaborate any more than that, it doesn't stop me from sharing a few inspirations for decorating our new home! I took a housing class in high school and college, so needless to say I've been waiting a long time to "nest." (I've decided that term doesn't have to just be used when you are expecting, because I'm definitely NOT!) I was lucky enough to be able to purchase my first home at the age of 22 and I started planning furniture placement, paint color and decor long before closing! Somethings don't change. I'm pretty much already there with this go round! Luckily, I have a fiance who trusts me to make interior design decisions and who puts up with me showing him my Pinterest board with all my ideas! <br />
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When I bought my house the last time I couldn't wait to put color on the walls. When I purchased it the walls were very vanilla, literally it looked like vanilla ice cream color on the walls. I purchased furniture with taupe color fabric and side tables that were dark cherry for the living room. My bed is also dark cherry, and at the time I was obsessed with a blue and brown color palette. I have the Vera Bradley Java Blue pattern bed skirt, message board and lamp shade. I had those items in my college apartment senior year and wanted to incorporate a very girly design into my master bedroom. It was perfect for a young single girl, but I am ready to "graduate" to an inviting couples retreat! My kitchen is currently the color of a firetruck. I couldn't wait to paint my kitchen a bold color! I LOVE red in a kitchen and it looks best at Christmas. I also collect antique kitchen utensils with red handles and display them on my kitchen hutch. My guest room is a pastel yellow, called "yellow ribbon." It was actually the same color my nursery was when I was a baby. I paired pink and green with it and it is the cutest girly room ever!<br />
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Obviously, the last time I planned paint colors and decor I was obsessed with color! It's true, I'm a color person, not much in my wardrobe is bland! However, this time, I've decided to tone it down a bit. When we were looking at houses on the market I saw one that had grey walls throughout the home. It looked good in every room, was relaxing and created a sleek modern look throughout. It was then that we both decided that we wanted that same look in whichever home we purchased. With the same color on the walls in every room we can add color in our decor and accessories! I contacted the Realtor for that listing and asked her for the shade and make of the paint. It was Sherwin Williams Agreeable Grey.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFV79Ae-Y9aKbJccPmScuhyphenhyphenP_chH6okjoSBOdjy3zcS7tIaz0zEmQRGgyzB1PJQWtRTo-UoHPaB_J8hNkjHbmAzCkBBT0oRMUIyg4Mmz4ZqpqNQGx8I-gj7N61OFlvrzNwqeTmoBqPBe_R/s1600/Agreeable+Grey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFV79Ae-Y9aKbJccPmScuhyphenhyphenP_chH6okjoSBOdjy3zcS7tIaz0zEmQRGgyzB1PJQWtRTo-UoHPaB_J8hNkjHbmAzCkBBT0oRMUIyg4Mmz4ZqpqNQGx8I-gj7N61OFlvrzNwqeTmoBqPBe_R/s1600/Agreeable+Grey.jpg" /></a></div>
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I found this fabric when I was browsing looking for fabric to recover some chairs. I instantly knew that I had to have it! I mean, it has birds on! I found it at a local fabric store and I'm hopefully going to look at it/purchase it Friday! I want to make three euro sized pillow covers for our master bed. I think it will compliment our neutral bedspread nicely and add some pattern/texture.</div>
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For the wedding mom found some champagne colored birdcages at Ross. After the wedding I want to hang them from the ceiling in the master bed room. I will probably add some battery operated candles to them to add some light and decoration. The picture below is similar to the ones I have in color, but are more ornate than mine. But mine do have the hooks, which is what made me think to hang them in our bedroom after the wedding!</div>
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Above the bed I want to put a cut out of our married monogram. I ordered one a few weeks ago from Groopdealz.com. (Ps. if you don't know about that daily deal site, acquaint yourself!) I got this monogram cut out for $7.99 plus shipping. What a steal!!! I haven't decided what color I'm going to paint it yet and if I'm going to mount it on something else or hang it with a ribbon. My intention is to use it somewhere at the reception as a decoration, but then eventually put it above our bed. </div>
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So basically, the master bedroom will be a mix of greys, browns, and metallics. Will doesn't think it's too feminine and I think it's very inviting and even a little romantic! I'm excited to see it all come together eventually.<br />
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Whenever we do purchase our home and start to move in, paint is the top priority! That will refresh the space and make it feel like ours. Of course, I will blog about it along the way and if I decide to take on any DIY projects that I've pinned I'll share those too! I intend to use my current bedding/decorations in our guest bed room. I can't quite let go of the blue and brown palette just yet. The walls will be grey, but I think that will make the blue and brown pop instead of blending with a light blue wall. The third bedroom will have my current guest bedroom furniture in it, including a desk. I will probably set up my sewing machine there and get to leave it out instead of having to put it up and off of my kitchen table. I'm so excited to have more than 1040 square feet to live in! We can each have a place to escape to and do our own thing! Again, more updates on the house we purchase when more is finalized, but I can't wait to share with you our new nest and the transformation to making it ours! <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14317617332456964161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251567963495960224.post-46852701757475508102015-11-01T19:58:00.001-05:002015-11-02T14:14:26.013-05:00Where did October go?Hello! Sorry I've been MIA for the month but we have been busy busy busy! I'll go ahead and warn you this post is a photo dump! I thought I'd take the opportunity on this chilly, rainy, 1st of November night to fill you in on life with the TBirds! We have had a crazy October! It has been fun, but constantly on the go! To help keep our schedules straight we finally synced the calendars on our phones! Y'all this is HUGE!! *insert Donald Trump Voice* We have been together for 3.5 years and we are just now doing this?!? It has been an amazing development in our relationship, and would have saved us from so many spats in the past! If you haven't done this I encourage you to!!<br />
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Anyways, the first weekend in October we were each supposed to head in opposite directions: Will to Florence to celebrate his moms birthday & me to Rock Hill to my sorority alumni reunion weekend! Well, that didn't happen! As I'm sure you are aware the thousand year flood occurred that weekend and we each decided it wasn't a good idea to travel. Instead we watched Netflix & football, caught up on our shows and ate Waffle House! Everything was shut down, including schools (for the entire week) and the bank was closed Monday. We were stir crazy by Monday evening but we enjoyed a few "unplanned" days off and enjoyed spending the unexpected time together! Should we have been working on something towards the wedding? Probably. Did we? Absolutely not, unless you count pinning more decor ideas on my wedding Pinterest board! Joking aside, the flood damage to our city and state was devastating! My heart breaks for the people that were severely impacted by the damage! It will take awhile for everything to recover, but we will because we are #SCstrong!</div>
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This is a picture of the Old Mill on Main St in Lexington, about 2 miles from my house! </div>
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The next weekend we attended the wedding of Will's former co-worker! It was in town and we enjoyed the great food and fun at the reception, even though it was rainy and still icky from the flood! Do I have a single picture from this event? Nope. #bloggerfail</div>
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The week after the flood the sun was finally out and the SC State Fair started on Wednesday the 14th. I was able to take my grandmother and spend the day with her walking around the fair looking at the exhibits and eating delicious, but not in my diet, fried food! Will met us for lunch, so we got our fair fill in within the first 5 hours the fair was open! Sometimes not working full time has its benefits! I wouldn't have been able to take gram and make that memory! </div>
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We were 2 of the first 1,000 people into 2015 state fair! </div>
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Will eating his annual donut bacon cheeseburger. Also, not on the wedding diet! </div>
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The next weekend we didn't have any concrete plans, but we spent the majority of the weekend watching football and just being together! The weather was beautiful for a change and so we just got some stuff done around the house! The day before, the invitation for my first shower came in the mail! That was super exciting, and made it all start to seem real! We also had our first pre-marital counseling session, which went well. We have had 2 sessions so far, and we enjoy recognizing why we know we work so well together. </div>
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Last weekend was super busy! Will's 33rd birthday was Saturday the 24th! It was a low key celebration! My parents grilled filets and we watched the Clemson game that night! During the day we went house hunting!! This wasn't the first time we had been, but we had added some more to the list to look at. More to come on this as it develops, but we hope to buy soon & have Will moved in by December! I will move my stuff little by little, then move most of my stuff the week of the wedding and spend my first night there on our wedding night! Prayers are appreciated as this is a big decision with a lot of hoops to jump through! Adulting at its finest! </div>
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The Devils food cake with marshmallow buttercream frosting that I made for him! It wasn't pretty, but it tasted good and he was excited about the Star Wars theme!<br />
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This is the 3rd birthday we've celebrated together! I look forward to sharing many more!</div>
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Wednesday we were supposed to have our church's trunk or treat, but due to rain it was moved to Thursday night! Shocker! We reprised our roles as Danny & Sandy! We have intentions to ride this 2TBirds thing out as long as we can! There were over 4,000 people who attended! We went through 14 BIG bags of candy just at our trunk! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz8q1EVtxKxbMvNgHGTFIXm4bPkQaTgSAFqatVIgxRxmjLnzZg0YUvYxqUfLhMORbJyuZCrF2MviB6gDosjZejt3u6vmUrULrnHfa87A_lDEYbkqw999qe0aO7nxDuojVePAy5QZZxgqNQ/s640/blogger-image--891594213.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz8q1EVtxKxbMvNgHGTFIXm4bPkQaTgSAFqatVIgxRxmjLnzZg0YUvYxqUfLhMORbJyuZCrF2MviB6gDosjZejt3u6vmUrULrnHfa87A_lDEYbkqw999qe0aO7nxDuojVePAy5QZZxgqNQ/s640/blogger-image--891594213.jpg" /></a></div>
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Friday night we attended a costume party in my parents neighborhood! Glad we got 2 more wears out of our costumes this year! My parents went as a zombie bride and groom! Either that are really into this wedding stuff, or we are slowly killing them with it! :)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2mrEnon90xMlC5IOlzwq4SfJ33bhRUL8s4OOS4mq5kHtfgvUnFhrSeqaCUe3EhtOoBOqUjXE9fUHgzvWQ_vheXLW20-mmKzlvkTgOjcQ6qXEpEHJKTHG8kCxb8MXRQZujWPiHKMKfKi16/s640/blogger-image-676969033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2mrEnon90xMlC5IOlzwq4SfJ33bhRUL8s4OOS4mq5kHtfgvUnFhrSeqaCUe3EhtOoBOqUjXE9fUHgzvWQ_vheXLW20-mmKzlvkTgOjcQ6qXEpEHJKTHG8kCxb8MXRQZujWPiHKMKfKi16/s400/blogger-image-676969033.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
That is moms wedding dress that she has on! Who knew 41years ago that it would one day be a Halloween costume!<br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">This weekend, on Halloween, we attended the wedding of one of Will's high school friends! The reception was a masquerade ball which was neat! Here is the only pic we have because again, I fail at taking pics at events! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuJ6h_YZ2RH651Jnt4a409NAuiOCuuR3SK8Jf7hEccNjtnIw17jpykptaHMblzuRB6uwb8yLWFgKk9EQBlsiQMmOYKf5ZcJx4V0eXCs-cXF3GquaNcgBql1408ybdNHrXgzWdgdCxbb7q3/s640/blogger-image--1650216258.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuJ6h_YZ2RH651Jnt4a409NAuiOCuuR3SK8Jf7hEccNjtnIw17jpykptaHMblzuRB6uwb8yLWFgKk9EQBlsiQMmOYKf5ZcJx4V0eXCs-cXF3GquaNcgBql1408ybdNHrXgzWdgdCxbb7q3/s640/blogger-image--1650216258.jpg" /></a></div>
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The weekends have definitely been busy, but I've also been staying busy subbing! I've also applied for like a hundred more jobs! This is my current thoughts on that...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTX5aIyeyTJmZDyNqg9Dd7l_cYoxiz9ewoYJh4h-VyVxV7zzoVvCnsz1blPxWrnXSfOW4SNLka0WmqK6eLHXGFj_vEEkfxZ9wTsiF7B1YRUEAnF9Jw_1AsnkoQwwzpv4v6V7SxCB2hZNEt/s640/blogger-image--1813439683.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTX5aIyeyTJmZDyNqg9Dd7l_cYoxiz9ewoYJh4h-VyVxV7zzoVvCnsz1blPxWrnXSfOW4SNLka0WmqK6eLHXGFj_vEEkfxZ9wTsiF7B1YRUEAnF9Jw_1AsnkoQwwzpv4v6V7SxCB2hZNEt/s640/blogger-image--1813439683.jpg" /></a></div>
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Might as well laugh as to cry about the situation!</div>
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November is looking just as busy as October! This weekend I'm headed to Augusta to pick up my dress and have the first fitting!!! So I'll be busting it at the gym this week and eating lettuce and jello! Not really, just lean meats and proteins for the next few months! The candy got me last week! Then the next weekend we have our engagement pictures, finally, and my first shower! All super exciting!! I can't WAIT for our pictures and to see my ideas for the shoot become real! Just pray that Saturday the 14th is a beautiful sunny fall day in SC! Thanksgiving will soon follow and then Christmas! Time is flying by!! </div>
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Have a lovely week and welcome November! </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14317617332456964161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251567963495960224.post-11841226695009514462015-09-24T11:17:00.001-04:002015-09-24T13:44:45.903-04:00Thursday TidbitsHello! I realize that I have taken nearly a month to update again. Life has been, well, crazy to say the least! For not being full time employed I sure have kept busy!! I refuse to waste this time that I was unexpectedly given! <div><br></div><div><b>Employment Update:<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> </span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Really enjoying substitute teaching! My first full week was last week and I was in elementary, middle, our tech center and highschool! I definitely got a feel for which age/grades I like best and surprisingly that was middle school! This week I have only subbed 3 days and those were in highschool! I really like the flexible schedule, being back in a classroom and being around children/teens! I mean I only knew there was a Snapchat update last Thursday because I was in middle school! 😉</span></div><div>I am still looking for full time employment and have put in what feels like 50,000 applications/résumés to various places! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a certain position and hope to hear back before the end of the week or at least the first part of next week!</div><div>Since I've had "free time" I've spent a good bit of it in the gym! It's really paying off! I lost about 15lbs, and around 4in in my waist! Skirts and pants are starting to get too big and I'm slowly getting into clothes I haven't worn in quite a while! I don't like to brag on myself, but sometimes you have to toot your own horn!! </div><div>Another thing I've started back doing recently was church choir! I had taken about a 2 year hiatus due to grad school and then I wasn't a fan of the worship style my church changed too. However, it has gone back to a more blended style of worship music and so I decided to get involved again. It has been a blessing to go to practice on Wednesday nights and worship through singing, and it's been fun to lead worship on Sunday mornings! I missed practice last night, as I've had a sinus/cold/cough thing going on since Sunday, but I'm looking forward to being back next week! I also joined a ladies ensemble to further my vocal ability! It's probably out of my league, but I'll do my best to make a joyful noise unto the Lord!</div><div><br></div><div><b>Wedding Update: </b></div><div>The invitations came and I absolutely love them!! I think I said that in my last post! Now comes the hard part of assembling and addressing them! I plan to start working on that next week! If I do 10-15 at a time it won't be too overwhelming! I have until the end of January to get them completed! </div><div>I have a laundry list of wedding to-dos! I need to buy ribbon, I need to assemble favors, I need to order Will's tie and the ring bearers's bow ties, I need to check on groomsmans' ties & socks, flower girl dresses need to be ordered, honorary gifts, organize center pieces, have dress fitted, take engagement pictures, take bridal portraits, have a bachelorette weekend and a few showers, and the list goes on and on of those nitty gritty details that you don't think about until something else makes you think of them!! I know it will all workout and be beautiful so I'm not too worried, just need to prioritize those details!!</div><div><br></div><div><b>Upcoming Festivities:</b></div><div>We are looking forward to a busy fall! We have two weddings to attend in October, one is on Halloween with a masquerade reception! How fun! We also hope to participate in our church's trunk or treat again as Danny and Sandy from Grease! Of course we will be watching football most Saturday's and taking in the occasional Friday night lights with high school football! Will's family reunion is coming up as well as his 33rd Birthday!! Lots of activities and busy weekend ahead! Looking forward to all fall has to offer besides, pumpkin spice lattes! </div><div><br></div><div>I apologize for mylast few posts not being very visual! Not much in my life is picture worthy at this point! I have made some pretty decent dinners that were worth snapping a pic, but I'm always too hungry to think about anything other than diving in! If I think about it in my next post I'll list the recipes I made and the links to where I found them! </div><div><br></div><div>Stay Beautiful! </div><div>MG</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14317617332456964161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251567963495960224.post-30266807074440467822015-09-07T10:43:00.000-04:002015-09-07T10:43:56.154-04:00Weekend UpdateHappy Monday! Except, it doesn't feel like Monday because it's Labor Day and my fiance is laying on my sofa ignoring the Hoda and Kathie Lee on my TV! :) We have a few plans for later today that include the lake if the sun will make an appearance, & some steaks on the grill! Yum! Sending Summer off in style!<br />
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Since my last post I have applied for 2.5 million jobs, it feels like, so lets hope there are some leads with those this week, and I have been through substitute training and I'm officially on the list to sub! I'm excited and a bit nervous to be back in a classroom!<br />
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On Friday, mom and I went to "visit" my wedding dress in Augusta! I wanted to go because I wanted to look at my veil again, and a few other details of my dress. I also wanted to go because I knew I had lost a few pounds since May, and I wanted to see how my dress fit. In May, I bought my dress "off the rack" because it was the size they would have ordered for me anyways. It fit like a glove, minus needing to be altered in the bust. So they didn't use any clips to hold it/fit it when I was there in May. Well, Friday I put that dress on and it wouldn't stay up!! They had to use 2 clips to hold it on and there was about an inch or so in the clip!! What a great feeling to know that busting my rear in the gym is paying off!! Back at it tomorrow! :)<br />
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This weekend was also the start of college football season! Well, technically Thursday night was the start when USC played UNC. We had some friends over to watch the game, they brought some wings, I fixed meatballs and my favorite buffalo chicken cheese dip. I also made some cookie bars! All were a hit! See below for the recipes!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCGY9HfQalEOVGUl1xG_XbYB1hPu8DZ89EhnDhS-D8mpHIhfXpzbJw3M2LyfHA2uuPuLAoP_-zudPPhhfrpxq0MDKWoR72mud69oYg5V0QjL3SLVtcMIw8gy-q5fFbJ01b22SmahqNqm0l/s1600/chicken+dip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCGY9HfQalEOVGUl1xG_XbYB1hPu8DZ89EhnDhS-D8mpHIhfXpzbJw3M2LyfHA2uuPuLAoP_-zudPPhhfrpxq0MDKWoR72mud69oYg5V0QjL3SLVtcMIw8gy-q5fFbJ01b22SmahqNqm0l/s320/chicken+dip.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/5a/ae/fd/5aaefdfb6da1801a42805994a9e823d3.jpg">Buffalo Chicken Cheese Dip</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJulDErmhs-gW5pBd03wXNBfmEEHHC_1hKy0YCZ036L9CPHeC4yy3ZjFB7AG0aZpu_FJQDw_jAHl3k3-tOmT3kI5RL2sgLP66-JTmQmSeIzxcV9RUVLZA5lBxV5NghAjQdasa83uW41m3J/s1600/cookiebars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJulDErmhs-gW5pBd03wXNBfmEEHHC_1hKy0YCZ036L9CPHeC4yy3ZjFB7AG0aZpu_FJQDw_jAHl3k3-tOmT3kI5RL2sgLP66-JTmQmSeIzxcV9RUVLZA5lBxV5NghAjQdasa83uW41m3J/s320/cookiebars.jpg" width="230" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.averiecooks.com/2013/09/loaded-mm-oreo-cookie-bars.html">Cookie Bars</a></div>
Breaking News!! Our invitations came!! IT JUST GOT REAL!!! They look so good and I'm SO pleased with <a href="http://www.exclusivelyweddings.com/">Exclusively Weddings</a>!! I highly recommend this website as a great alternative to expensive invitation shops, etc. I hated to not shop local, but local didn't fit in my budget. I just had a hard time justifying spending a lot on something that is eventually going to be thrown in the trash, unfortunately. This website had SUCH a great deal on the perfect invitation to fit with our theme, for a great price!! Unlike several other online invitation sites, they include envelopes, and only charge a minimal fee for the envelope to be printed with the return address! Again, if you are in the market for invites check them out! I promise, this post was not sponsored! <br /><br />
Finally, I've been looking on Etsy and various other sites for a garter, and my goodness they are expensive. So I have decided to DIY!! I bought all the pieces to make it, so I think I'll work on it today! If they turn out, I'll post a picture and how-to instructions!<br />
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I hope everyone has a great Labor Day! After today I will be pulling out my fall decor! My favorite! Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14317617332456964161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251567963495960224.post-57653886152948886022015-08-26T03:00:00.000-04:002015-08-26T03:00:05.868-04:00Wedding Wednesday: Dates & DetailsHappy Wednesday! I love creating posts for Wednesday because I know when they post live that we've made it half way through the week and we are on our way to the weekend. Last week's post was created the previous week and I didn't blog at all last week. While I do reveal a lot of personal life on this "lifestyle blog," I try not to blog about the "bad" in life. But let's be real, life happens and not everything is sunshine, roses, unicorns and glitter. Last Thursday was one of those days. I won't go into much detail, but after my organization went through a reorganization, my (new) responsibilities turned out not to be a "good fit" for me and I was let go. I wasn't shocked, I didn't even cry. Like the last job I had that ended very similarly, after the initial shock had worn off, I realized I was actually relieved. I am using this unexpected time to improve myself! I've been in the gym nearly everyday, I'm taking my time to research and figure out what I want to career wise, I've been cooking healthy dinners every night and I'm enjoying the flexibility to be able to accomplish tasks towards the wedding. I have been approved to substitute teach in our district, so in the immediate future, that is where I will be. In all that happens in life, as a Christian, I see God. He is in total control, he has a plan, and I can't be worried about bills, health insurance, my next job, etc. because He's got it! If I fully rely on Him, I am confident that all will be OK. Again, I try not to be Debbie downer on the blog, but I felt like I needed to update this life change, so that when I look back I will have proof of seeing how God has worked in my life.<br />
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Moving on to more exciting news! I nailed down the dates with my photographer for our engagement pictures (November) and my bridal portraits (January)! We are meeting this week to check out a location for the engagement pictures & I am SO excited for my vision to become reality! I have to say this will not be a typical engagement shoot, and I'm so glad my photographer is on board with my crazy ideas!<br />
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Last week I was also able to accomplish ordering our invitations. I used <a href="http://www.exclusivelyweddings.com/">Exclusively Weddings.com</a>. They have great products and great customer service. They will send you up to 5 free samples of invites for you to touch and see before you order. They also will email you a proof of your invite before printing. I am very excited about the invite we chose. It's simple with a little bit of vintage flair to coincide with our theme. I searched high and low for invitations that were beautiful, yet reasonably priced. These were the best bang for the buck! When I receive them, I will update on their quality and my satisfaction. Coincidence that their logo has two birds on it? I think not... #meanttobe<br />
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We also went to a local printer to discuss programs. I am very excited about what they are going to look like. Basically, Morgan, on paper! I will work on the copy in the next couple of weeks and send to them to make a proof. Let's just say, it's not your typical wedding ceremony program!<br />
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Another detail I am working on accomplishing is what we are using for our send-off. Again, like everything else, I'm not revealing it just yet! Hopefully I will be able to find and buy the supplies and start DIYing them soon! Suddenly March seems so soon!<br />
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As you may/may not remember from a couple of posts ago, we were in Asheville a couple weekends ago for a wedding that Will was in. We decided to take the plunge into AirBnB and try it out! We had THE BEST experience! This is a great alternative to a hotel, especially if you aren't going to be spending much time in the room! We were in and out at odd times because of participating in wedding festivities, and it was so perfect! We enjoyed our stay and our hosts were great! I highly recommend it! Here is a picture from the photo booth at the wedding! The Fowler wedding was beautiful and so much fun! All of the decor was a reflection of Caroline and her talents. I truly hope our attendees have as much fun and feel as welcomed at our wedding as we did at theirs!<br />
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I hope everyone has a great rest of the week! Since I have the time, I'm going to spend time with my MOH! Excited for a mid-week get-away! Looking forward to the weekend and singing in our churches' 122 voice choir celebrating the founding of our church 122 years ago! Also, Will's grandmother may come to visit! We have a lot to be excited about and even more to be grateful for! We are just already discovering the "in good times and bad" part of the vows! :) Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14317617332456964161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251567963495960224.post-89720052366773867192015-08-19T03:00:00.000-04:002015-08-19T03:00:01.273-04:00Vendor Reveal #2!A few <strike>weeks</strike> months ago I posted about the first 3 vendors I confirmed, besides the venue, <a href="http://twotbirds.blogspot.com/2015/06/vendor-reveal.html">here</a>. Well, I've finally made the deposit on the final vendor so I can reveal a few more!<br />
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I am most excited about 2 things: Videography & CAKE!<br />
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I randomly picked up a business card when we registered at Belk for <a href="http://bonniebrunt.com/">Bonnie Brunt Cakes</a>. I went on her website and immediately loved her work! We went and visited her farm about an hour away, in Calhoun County! Boy, was it ever worth the drive! Bonnie is the most precious lady you will ever meet, and couldn't be more Southern than sweet tea! She welcomed us into the bottom her home, which she has converted to a DHEC certified bakery! She greeted us with hugs and the aroma of sugar! My parents and grandmother tagged along with Will and me for the tasting. Needless to say, we had cake for lunch! She bakes cupcakes and gives you her various flavors of icing to match. My favorite part was when she referred to each cake flavor like it was a person, ie. "This is red velvet, he likes buttercream but his favorite partner is the cream cheese icing. This is vanilla pound cake and she loves all of the icings." I kid you not, the cutest thing ever! So once we had tried all the flavors and paired them with all their icings, we decided on.... oh wait. I'm not telling you! You'll have to wait and see after the wedding! :) Before we dove into the sweets, she spent 20 minutes sitting next to me on my iPad and browsed through my entire secret wedding board on Pinterest to get a feel for what I was looking for. While we tasted, she sketched. When she returned I teared up at what she presented me! I got more emotional about the cake design than I did my dress! #foodie or #fat@$$ I absolutely can not wait to see the design brought to life and finally eat our delicious cake!<br />
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As an event/wedding planner, I've come to recognize that the most important part of the whole day is to capture it. While I love my photographer and know she will capture many great images, there is something to be said about having the day recorded. Will and I have older grandparents and parents that unfortunately our future children may never know. I myself never really knew my grandfathers as I was too young to remember before they passed. A priority for us was to have the day recorded not only for our memory, but to share with our future children and their children etc. who their grandparents and great grandparents were. Our videographer is Bill Grant, owner of <a href="http://www.cinemacouture.com/">Cinema Couture</a>. How ironic that his first name is William and his last name is Grant?!? Crazy! His work is fantastic and he does a great job of blending the ceremony with the reception. I truly wish my parents had a video of their ceremony, and I am so grateful that we will be able to have ours for years to come. He is also going to be recording our rehearsal dinner where I know some sweet words will be spoken and memories made. The weekend is going to be a whirlwind and although the price is steep, I don't doubt we will look back and be so thankful we spent it on preserving memories!<br />
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I apologize that this post has no photos. However, I did provide links
to both vendors websites. Bonnie has a Facebook page that is filled with
pictures and Bill uses Vimeo. Visit their sites, you won't be
disappointed! Again, these vendors did not ask me to promote them, but I can tell you I've picked the best of the best! I'm excited to work with all of them as we get closer to the wedding and to have them be a part of our day! Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14317617332456964161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251567963495960224.post-41744616430787133282015-08-14T03:00:00.000-04:002015-08-14T03:00:06.984-04:005 on Friday!Good Morning Lovelies! We are headed to Asheville this weekend for the wedding of one of Will's friends and groomsman! Then on the way back Sunday we'll be stopping in Greenville to celebrate my grandmother's 86th birthday with my aunt, uncle and cousins! I have a feeling come Monday morning, I'm going to wish I had a weekend to get over my weekend!<br />
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It's been a while since I updated with a post about what's been going on lately, so I'm linking up with <a href="http://alizadventures.blogspot.com/">April over at A.Liz Adventures</a> to share 5 things to catch you up for 5 on Friday!<br />
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1. Air BnB! Have any of you tried it? The thought of it, at first, freaked me out! I mean my entire life mom told me not to speak to strangers, and here I am about to spend the night in a strangers house! For this wedding weekend, we needed a cheap place to stay for 2 nights. Hotels in Asheville are expensive because it's a tourist destination. So, we started pursuing VRBO and Air BnB! We settled on a quaint little basement apartment about 20min from the wedding venue for $70 a night! Can't beat that! I'll let you know my thoughts and about our experience next week! If it's good we are looking at booking an apartment for our NYC trip next summer!<br />
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2. Last Sunday we went to the Belk "Engagement Party" bridal show. We are already registered at Belk, but if we added to our registry we were entered to win various prizes. I wanted the whole table of prizes, but particularly the pair of Waterford Crystal champagne flutes. Well, I WON THEM!! I'm so excited to use these at our reception! They are beautiful & the pattern is called Happy Celebrations, which I know we will use them for in years to come!<br />
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3. A few weeks ago I hosted a couple of high school girls while they were in town participating in the Distinguished Young Women Scholarship Program or DYW. I volunteer with this organization and truly have a passion for making a positive impact on their lives. The two girls that stayed with me were a delight! So smart and talented! As a hostess gift them (and their mothers) gifted me the Wilton Pewter Bread Tray from our registry! This is so special to me as we are going to use it during our ceremony for the bread during the Lord's Supper. It now has a duel meaning since it has the palmetto tree and moon on it and these girls were at the State program. Sweetest gift ever, I definitely teared up at the thoughtfulness!<br />
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4. We have decided on the attire of our wedding party! We actually decided this a few months back, but I didn't share because there were a few details missing... like the tie for the guys! The dresses are Alfred Sung Dupioni Silk Fit & Flare in Pearl Pink, and the suits are Jos A. Bank in Shark Skin. Will and my dad are going to wear a vest, the other guys will just wear a coat and tie. The tie for the guys we found at Hamricks for a ridiculously cheap price. However, our local store only had 3 and we need 11 total. They are working hard to contact all 18 of their stores to try to find me the 8 more! Keep your fingers crossed because it was hard to find this one, and I don't want to search any more!<br />
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5. For my birthday, like a month ago, I received several items off our registry. A couple of place settings of our china and a few gift cards to Bed, Bath & Beyond. With those I decided to go ahead and purchase our comforter that we registered for. It was on clearance and I was sure that it would be gone by the time people started purchasing gifts for our November shower! I knew I wanted it because it matches both brown and grey and I'm not sure what I will pair it with in the future. Currently our bedroom is blue with brown accents, but in the future I'm dying for a grey bedroom with neutral accent tones. I didn't want this comforter to disappear! Now I'm having to hide it from myself so I won't be tempted to put it on the bed! :)<br />
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I hope you all have a fantastic weekend! Be on the lookout next week for Vendor Reveal #2! So much planning is starting to come together and I'm excited to share it with you! Don't forget to link up!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14317617332456964161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251567963495960224.post-14035555235351472532015-08-12T03:00:00.000-04:002015-08-12T03:00:06.343-04:00Wedding Wednesday: Bridesmaids Edition!This post was originally suppose to be about the entire wedding party... but Will hasn't given me enough details about how he met/knows his guys so I'm moving on with this post about the incredible women that will be standing beside me in 220 days!! Eeek!<br />
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First, let me just say that the majority of my bridesmaids are actually matrons. I'm pretty much the last in the group to tie the knot! :) I'm so fortunate to be surrounded with friends who are great examples of what being a Godly wife looks like. I'm so glad I have all of them to go to for advice and laughs!<br />
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>Disclaimer: If you make it through this entire post you totally deserve a cookie! This post is really for my benefit to reflect on how much each of these ladies means to me. <br />
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My Matron of Honor is Katie<br />
Katie and I met freshman year of college at Winthrop, in the hall bathroom of our dorm, Margaret Nance. I'm pretty sure we met while brushing our teeth! She lived a few doors down the hall and we always spoke when we saw each other. She was involved in Baptist Christian Ministry (BCM) and we saw each other there too. Ironically, she started dating a guy who was in my writing class (that I thought was so cute!) who was also in BCM in the fall of that year. They are now married! Our sophomore year, we both lived on the same hall, but we had a class together as well. We also continued to have more friends in common through other clubs and organizations, and on the hall. Our friendship was pretty natural at that point. Our junior year, she decided to take the first semester and spend it abroad in Argentina. Once she returned we were going to live together, but it didn't work out for us to. She bought a house off campus, but we remained close. We went on a beach trip together with our friends to her beach house in Cherry Grove that summer. It's really hard for me to remember not being friends with Katie! Since college she has lived in Rock Hill and we both make plenty of trips up and down i77. She has a precious little girl now and I couldn't be more thrilled to continue to share life experiences with her. Katie tends to bring my diva-ness back down to reality, which is why I think her and Will get along so well. I couldn't imagine this day without her by my side and all the help she is going to be in the planning process!<br />
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Lynsey-<br />
Lynsey and I met in the 8th grade. She had just moved from Florida and she sat next to me in band class, we both played the flute. We also both tried out for cheerleading and didn't make it, so then we tried out for color guard and both made it! Lynsey & I also attended the same church and went on several youth trips together! Lynsey and I remained friends through college and saw each other some when we were home. Her parents moved from Lexington around the time we were graduating from college, but she stayed in Lexington. When I moved home from college, she was pretty much the only high school friend I had still living in my town! We exercised together and had many a conversation about boys walking around the track at church. I was lucky enough to stand by her side 3 years ago when she tied the knot and I can't imagine my day without her!<br />
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Jenilyn-<br />
I'm an only child, but joining a sorority gave me the best sister I could ask for! Jenilyn and I were in a Christian Women's Service sorority called Alpha Omega. She joined her freshman year, and I joined my sophomore year. I went to an information meeting and when I introduced myself Jenilyn knew she wanted to claim me as her little. Apparently I was wearing pearls and an oxford shirt and she just knew we'd be good friends! We also share the commonality of being Clemson fans and we met up a couple of times at games. We lived in the same apartment complex our senior year and we spent lots of time together participating in sorority shenanigans! Jenilyn got married about a month after we graduated and I was fortunate enough to serve as her maid of honor. My day would be incomplete without my sister in Christ standing next to me.<br />
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Maddison, Peyton & Chandler-<br />
These lovely ladies are my cousins. I am six years older than Maddison, eight years older than Peyton and twelve years older than Chandler. I can remember every single time that my uncle called to tell us they were expecting another girl. To an only child, getting a cousin was a big deal! I remember telling everyone when I was in first grade that "I was getting a girl cousin!" Little did I know that I'd eventually get three!! Friends come and go, but these girls have been in my life nearly forever, or at-least as long as I can remember! While we only get to see each other around birthdays, holidays, the beach, dance recitals, and graduations we have shared some of the same memories growing up.<br />
Maddison recently graduated from College of Charleston, Peyton will be a Junior at CofC this fall and Chandler will start her senior year in a couple of weeks. I can't believe they are old enough to accomplish milestones that I feel like I just accomplished myself! I'm so excited they are going to be a part of this next event and memory in my life, and I hope to share in that moment for them eventually!<br />
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My Honorary Bridesmaids/Attendants-<br />
Currie Beth- We affectionately call ourselves each others "oldest friend." Our moms were expecting at the same time and our birthdays are a week apart. Our parents were friends and in a neighborhood supper club together & many of my toddler pictures include curly-haired Currie Beth. When we were around five, her parents moved from Columbia to Simpsonville. We occasionally still had "play dates" when my parents and I would go to Greenville to visit our family. Currie had a BIG pink bedroom and we played dolls and annoyed her little brother. I went to her birthday party in the 5th or 6th grade and then we really didn't see each other again until our senior year. I went and visited her in the fall of our senior year and went to a high school football game with her. We reconnected again in college thanks to Facebook and she asked me to serve as an honorary bridesmaid in her wedding four years ago. While we aren't super close, our lives have been intertwined since the beginning and we have been able to keep in touch for nearly 30 years. It's not often that people have friendships that last their lifetime. I'm thankful she wanted to be a part of this to continue to add to our friendship timeline.<br />
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Victoria- We have actually only known each other about two years. We met through work and bonded over "cave-man feet" from wearing snow boots for a solid week in Boston in 2014. She introduced me to Occo, an amazing spa in Columbia. The minute we returned from snowy Boston we went for a pedicure! We realized that we had a number of things in common, including participating in Junior Miss in high school (now known as Distinguished Young Women). We were both getting involved with the organization again and judged a few programs together. Knowing about my wedding planning background she asked me to help direct her reception last October. I'm so glad I was able to do that for her, and now she is returning the favor a bit by letting me borrow some of her decorations and being a beautiful smiling face to greet my guests upon arrival. Her sweet spirit is contagious and I'm so glad to have met her and call her my friend.<br />
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Brittany- I've known Brittany for the least amount of time, but when she moved in across the street from me and we met a year or so ago, I knew we would be good friends. We are both so busy with work but she's the neighbor I call if I need something! It's hard to meet people and make new friends when you are a working young professional and so I am lucky that she moved in and an instant friendship happened. I know she will help to make my day special and I hope to return the favor in the near future!! :)<br />
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I'm excited about all the upcoming events and time that I will get to spend with my closest friends, from various parts of my life, all together at the same time! <br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14317617332456964161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251567963495960224.post-44346902096061803392015-07-30T09:29:00.003-04:002015-07-30T09:29:28.644-04:00Be Blessed Lovelies...I've been blogging off and on since March of 2011. I've had, now, three different blogs that each were relevant to a specific time in my life. The summer I went to Nashville all by myself to the CMA Festival and blogged about it on <i>Nashville Notes</i>, the year of "singledom" and my late 20s with <i>Monogramaddict</i>, and now as I enter the next phase of life as a wife, and hopefully one day a mother, with <i>A Tale of Two T-Birds</i>. One of the first blogs I ever started following was <a href="http://www.blondeambitionblog.com/">A Blonde Ambition</a>. Leslie's quick whit in her writing sucked me right in. I was new to blogging and had NO clue what I was doing. She introduced me to what I know now as "lifestyle blogging," with fashion samples, hair tutorials, SEC football drama, relationship advice and Confessional Friday Link-ups. I followed her whirlwind romance with her husband Stephen, their big wedding day, and eventually the birth of her two precious girls, Caroline and Ainsley. While in her later posts I couldn't relate to breast feeding, stroller shopping or running a home with two under two, I was a regular reader and anticipated her posts to catch up on her life.<br />
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See that's the funny thing about blogging and this crazy internet world we live in. I follow some blogs that I've personally known the individual for several years, and I follow other blogs where I've never met the person but I can tell you how they take their coffee from Starbucks. Bloggers create their own little neighborhood of friends and rejoice with one another in triumphs and grieve when something tragic happens. Blogland is grieving for Leslie. Since February Leslie has been battling with a previous heart condition that did not resurface until after she had Ainsley. She's been fighting hard since February to figure out what was wrong and how to fix it. She only briefly updated her blog to let us know how she was and any updates.<br />
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A couple weeks ago, she had a set back, she posted <a href="http://www.blondeambitionblog.com/2015/07/cleveland-bound.html">this</a> before she left for more treatment. Last evening I found out through social media that Leslie went to be with Jesus Monday. I honestly can not begin to comprehend the amount of grief and pain her family must be going through. My heart truly aches for her girls that will never know their mother, and her husband who has lost his other half. I know Leslie was a woman of God and her faith is what sustained her through her health crisis. She often blogged about her faith and as a fellow Christian loved that she was so vocal and public about it on her blog. I know that she is with Jesus and we will see her again when our own time is up on this earth.<br />
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I haven't ever personally experienced grief of such a young person. She was a year and a half older than me, her life was just beginning, she finally had all she she could ask for in life. Two beautiful daughters, a devoted husband, and a career she enjoyed. Not to mention all the beautiful friends she acquired through her blog. Leslie always ended her posts with "Be Blessed Lovelies..." Leslie, we were blessed by you and to know you. How grateful your girls will be that you documented the last six years of your life through your writing and even a few video tutorials. They will know how much you loved life, loved them and loved the Lord. You couldn't ask for a bigger blessing from this situation than that.<br />
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There is a GoFundMe page set up to contribute to her girls' college fund and eventually wedding fund. If you feel inclined to contribute you can find that page <a href="http://www.gofundme.com/d53bgd5p8s">here</a>. Continued prayers for all who knew, loved and were blessed by Leslie. <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14317617332456964161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251567963495960224.post-52496779798222238722015-06-24T12:30:00.000-04:002015-06-24T12:30:01.066-04:00Wedding Wednesday: Tie the Knot TechHappy Wednesday!! Half way to the weekend! Is it just me or in the summer (if you work) do you live from weekend to weekend and just sort of go through the motions during the week? I feel like I've been doing that since early May! Everybody else is out at the pool or on vacation at the beach and I'm over here working the days away... at least its in the cool air conditioning! Lawd have mercy it's been HOT! Columbia is "Famously Hot" but geeze it's been over 100 for the past 11 days!<br />
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Speaking of work, we were upgraded this week from Office 10 to Office 13. I was working on a spreadsheet with the new version of Excel and before you open a new workbook it gives you template options... The ones I have starred are the ones that I found to be useful for wedding planning. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEOfyAzBwK2fCOOhuIYmWci3JoCQyDhCt5XFWK4f2VNwXBU6UOIiU6l3gJeFHFcT5FlaIKsf-CyDfpS6KfKeH8ftV2qg9ItIil7bvogoUo9lz8TRRRFzdnwhp1IRynQoUnI09GU8UDJ8bT/s1600/excel+tempates+starred.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEOfyAzBwK2fCOOhuIYmWci3JoCQyDhCt5XFWK4f2VNwXBU6UOIiU6l3gJeFHFcT5FlaIKsf-CyDfpS6KfKeH8ftV2qg9ItIil7bvogoUo9lz8TRRRFzdnwhp1IRynQoUnI09GU8UDJ8bT/s400/excel+tempates+starred.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
These are great tech tools to use to make organizing your guest list, wedding budget and honeymoon planning easy and efficient! I call this "Tie the Knot Tech!"<br />
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First is the Wedding Invite Tracker! Here you can enter in your wedding details, it even has a built in countdown, and then it's a pre-set wedding guest roster. You enter your guests' names, address etc. and then it has a place for you to mark that you sent them an invite and then a place to add their RSVP response. You can even customize the colors and fonts to match your wedding!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmEJRheuPbHczZPSFWvnweihj09erodJMnvsrgDWUD-8FjRtSeL0gfJ5yXBdEKVYlydpAnscfvvMIugMPaP7Un6HL14o4E-2Akn71oI_ctOuo7Bhs5pKORz-XM5zHMfScpYe6VMW3ntqf/s1600/wedding+invite+tracker.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmEJRheuPbHczZPSFWvnweihj09erodJMnvsrgDWUD-8FjRtSeL0gfJ5yXBdEKVYlydpAnscfvvMIugMPaP7Un6HL14o4E-2Akn71oI_ctOuo7Bhs5pKORz-XM5zHMfScpYe6VMW3ntqf/s400/wedding+invite+tracker.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
Once you have entered in your guest info, it tabulates the totals for you! So no more counting and re-counting! THEN it does the coolest thing... it tabulates the RSVPs on a separate spreadsheet.<br />
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This is a super helpful too! Plus you could send it to your caterer etc. If you don't have Office 13 you might could poke around on Office 10 and try to find it. I did email it to myself and opened it on Will's computer with Office 10 and it worked just fine so it is at least compatible even if it was built in Office 13.<br />
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The next tech tool is the wedding budget spreadsheet. If you are anything like me, creating a budget from scratch is an overwhelming task! Excel has already done the grunt work, you just simply fill it in with your numbers. It comes pre-set, but as you change the numbers it makes the corrections. Again, you can customize this with your wedding colors, but I thought the little clip art icons were super cute! This also includes a wedding day countdown & the pie chart is useful too!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj01qKzhHKwA8YxDMP44CANkaMF1Q3r7F8z3zqsCiWyGMaHPIxNl6RrKOKY-d47aZy0ph8C9oWVmq_5hfa2T43hRx33Zf0R-FoQR7Fa4fHYvXCaeMtBnN6rWKvcIZUmy0AAm_nxc8Sb8Uw0/s1600/Wedding+Budget+Worksheet+2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj01qKzhHKwA8YxDMP44CANkaMF1Q3r7F8z3zqsCiWyGMaHPIxNl6RrKOKY-d47aZy0ph8C9oWVmq_5hfa2T43hRx33Zf0R-FoQR7Fa4fHYvXCaeMtBnN6rWKvcIZUmy0AAm_nxc8Sb8Uw0/s400/Wedding+Budget+Worksheet+2.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Finally, I found a workbook that helps you keep track of honeymoon planning! You might have to share this with your fiance, since they are suppose to be on top of that part! :) This workbook gives you multiple tabs for all the details of your trip! Once it's completed you could send it to your parents, etc. so they have all your trip details in one space!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzXA6Jr6H4550fmxutdURuEC3ew6nWnQq_17z3WWvJ-bXghhu23_Obn8ekbZOvn3xjIlOwxOZOvttLREQHcqepncTg-1wQHRn1MkbjimenTNEOyIPvoArjVihdiUPZJtCsjDGyS_484F-/s1600/Vacation+Workbook.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzXA6Jr6H4550fmxutdURuEC3ew6nWnQq_17z3WWvJ-bXghhu23_Obn8ekbZOvn3xjIlOwxOZOvttLREQHcqepncTg-1wQHRn1MkbjimenTNEOyIPvoArjVihdiUPZJtCsjDGyS_484F-/s400/Vacation+Workbook.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
Here is a breakdown of one of the pages.... I didn't play around with customization of this workbook, but I'm sure you could. I thought it was adorable just like it is! Very simple and easy to use!<br />
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If you can't already tell I love love love having a wedding countdown! I have one on my phone through an app called It's Almost Time. It keeps up with it down to the Milli-second! On days I don't log into my blog or use these wedding tools I can just click on the app and it will tell me how many days until our BIG DAY!<br />
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It's been a busy couple of weeks in our house! We visited Will's parents in Florence, weekend before last and we attended a couples shower for one of his groomsman who is getting married in August! While we were there I came down with an awful summer cold so I was pretty much down for the count last week. I did however find some energy to go to a bridal expo that our venue, The Palmetto Club, hosted. A couple of my vendors were there so it was great to see them again, I met someone who might do our invites, and I found some amazing table cloth overlays to rent! Mom took this picture of us, but you can see the ballroom of our venue in the background (I LOVE the wallpaper!) and a little bit of the table overlays at the bottom of the picture. And yes, I did wear a shirt with 2 birds on purpose! Also, LOOK at those amazing Peonies!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxXZs-rfqf315HnrVBbNOiFMef6TNr23uo5c4SU2OVkoxVyRW7lpboZQJm7WFaGW93ODyKvh7RuHEXZF5VlwI1ijVqXkxSapIvvBcLvK3LNI7z4OESjM2gnS_HGrLl6gQg7YmLTyewJ_iY/s1600/wedding+expo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxXZs-rfqf315HnrVBbNOiFMef6TNr23uo5c4SU2OVkoxVyRW7lpboZQJm7WFaGW93ODyKvh7RuHEXZF5VlwI1ijVqXkxSapIvvBcLvK3LNI7z4OESjM2gnS_HGrLl6gQg7YmLTyewJ_iY/s320/wedding+expo.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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More exciting news that isn't exactly wedding related is that Will got a promotion to the branch manager of the Well's Fargo branch on Main St. in Columbia! We are both so excited for this opportunity and milestone in his career. I'm super proud of him and all that he has accomplished!<br />
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This was pretty much me when I found out he got it....<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="267" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//giphy.com/embed/xTiTng24g6V2BCRjDG" style="max-width: 100%;" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="480"></iframe> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14317617332456964161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251567963495960224.post-37247731671445023002015-06-05T10:18:00.006-04:002015-06-05T10:18:52.605-04:005 on Friday: What I'm Loving Lately!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Linking up with April over at <a href="http://alizadventures.blogspot.com/">A.Liz Adventures</a> again for 5 on Friday!
Can I get an Amen that it's FINALLY Friday! This has been a long week.
Possibly because it got started off on the wrong foot. Will's mom's hip
displaced again (for the like 5th time since October), so she has spent
since Sunday in the hospital and finally had surgery Wednesday night.
Will has had some late nights, I've been hosting his grandmother over
night, and it's stormed every day! But sunny skies ahead for the
weekend! I mean that literally and figuratively. She should be
discharged today, we have a cake tasting Saturday and we plan to squeeze
in a little pool and R&R on Sunday afternoon!<br />
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I thought I'd share a few things I'm loving lately...<br />
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One: <a href="http://southernweddings.com/">SouthernWeddings.com</a> aka Bridal Crack <br />
As you may have noticed I now have a Southern Bride Blogger logo on the blog now. I love that they interact with their readers by giving those of us who have blogs a space to be seen. I also enjoy reading other brides blogs on the site. Southern Weddings is an amazing resource for great ideas to incorporate some "southernisms" in the big day! Love love love this site.<br />
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Two: My *new* little button for my blog!</div>
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Also over to the right you may have noticed my new button! One of my friends made the button for my other blog, but I figured out how to make my own this time! Oh, the power of Google! </div>
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Three: My Keen Sandals</div>
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I bought a pair about a year ago when I was going to Disney. I wanted a shoe that would be cool, comfortable, light weight and could get wet! These are the best! I will say they aren't the most fashion forward shoe, but I'll take function over fashion any day. Especially when it comes to comfort! Over the fall/winter I'd forgotten about these treasures in my closet and when we went to the lake last weekend I broke them out! My parents both have a pair too, so we were "Peachy-Keen!" Well except for the boat is still broken. :/</div>
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Four: Wedding Planning</div>
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I really am enjoying the wedding planning process! I'm loving getting things checked off the "to-do" list! I'm hoping to check "cake" off that list after tomorrow! The worst part of the planning is the guest list. It's SO hard. I want everybody I've ever known to be there for our big day, but that's obviously not possible because we don't have it like that. My main goal for the day is for my guests to feel as special as we do for being a part of the day. </div>
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Five: All the beautiful flowers in bloom</div>
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Mom and I walked around the block a few nights ago, and I guess because of all the rain we've had lately, the hydrangeas are showing out! They are one of my favorite flowers, however, I love them best when they are on a bush not in a bouquet. I love how their color depends on the soil they are in. Some are light blue, others are deep purple. There are so many varieties too. The lace cap is my favorite. My black stem hydrangeas in the backyard should start blooming this week!</div>
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T.G.I.F- I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14317617332456964161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251567963495960224.post-10913393031941309102015-06-03T03:00:00.000-04:002015-06-03T11:45:04.901-04:00Vendor RevealWedding Wednesday again and as I mentioned in my last couple of posts, things were moving and shaking in the planning & I can finally reveal a few of the vendors that we have selected**, put down our deposit, and locked in! Just a note to say that one of the main reasons I chose the vendors that I did is because they are all local to Lexington or the Columbia area. I believe it is so important to support local business owners in order to support the local economy. The benefit to me is, they are all within a 20 minute distance from either my work or my house, so if I need to meet with them it's very convenient! Shop Local.<br />
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First we confirmed the DJ, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Call-My-DJcom/119869331358027">Troy Fite</a>. I have actually worked with Troy before when I was directing a reception a few years ago. Will attended that with me and we knew by the end of that night that Troy would HAVE to be our DJ. We had one consultation to seal the deal and we are set! I'm so excited to work with him on our own big day! I know he will be entertaining but NOT the entertainment! We've already started working on what songs we want played for the important dances, and I'm gathering a few other important songs to add to the list. Music is so important to me, and I know that will be reflected through what he plays. Most importantly, Troy is going to make it SO.MUCH.FUN!!<br />
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTnDmXAokkEJrQjyzfo-hiMxkwIG9szbYBcoDp-Ifck8YSPwnW3" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Image result for dj" border="0" class="rg_i" data-src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTnDmXAokkEJrQjyzfo-hiMxkwIG9szbYBcoDp-Ifck8YSPwnW3" data-sz="f" height="179" name="UZ9ELZgcXhbSuM:" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTnDmXAokkEJrQjyzfo-hiMxkwIG9szbYBcoDp-Ifck8YSPwnW3" style="height: 168px; margin-top: 0px; width: 300px;" width="320" /></a></div>
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Second we confirmed the Florist, <a href="http://www.lexingtonfloristsc.com/">Lexington Florist.</a> My first consultation with them was on Good Friday, and I was a walk-in. No appointment, and she spent over an hour with me sifting through my Pinterest board trying to figure out what I needed. My mom wasn't with me and flowers are her thing so I felt like a lost sheep! She figured up all that we needed and I walked out the door with a quote! They come highly recommended by many of my friends and several of my mothers friends. I have gone back for a second consult, once I narrowed down a bit better what I needed and my mom helped. I honestly have to say, this has been the only part in the wedding planning where I felt overwhelmed. All flowers are pretty, but I have a feeling we won't be disappointed with the way they arrange them and display them!<br />
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<a href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/a4/5a/b3/a45ab3a9d3061eb751d651979972e67e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Little Details | Vintage Wedding Rentals at Vintage Origami #peach #lantern #centerpiece" border="0" class="pinImage" height="320" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/a4/5a/b3/a45ab3a9d3061eb751d651979972e67e.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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Finally, I'm excited to announce that I've chosen my photographer!! <a href="http://jessicarobertsphoto.com/">Jessica Roberts Photography</a> I AM SO thrilled that our styles and visions mesh well and I can't wait to work with her! First of all she is the sweetest person and I can already tell that she will do whatever to capture my day perfectly. Second, she is new to the Columbia area, so I'm glad that I am one of her first clients in her new city! Since I have some prior knowledge of the wedding industry in Columbia I am introducing her to a few vendors and I think we will both gain from our experience of working together.<br />
Ultimately, I chose Jessica not only because she is local but because of her personal statement on her site. <i>"For me, I need to photograph things that have meaning. I need to
photograph things that have emotion to truly enjoy what I’m doing. This
is why you see 90% of my website pointing towards weddings and births!
Those two events, the day you become a wife and the day you become a
mom, those are the most important days of your life. No others compare." </i>When
I read that, I teared up and realized that was what I was looking for
in a photographer. I'm so grateful to start this friendship that I hope
will continue as my family continues to grow. :) Ok, now just stop for a moment and admire this shot... light, airy, romantic and southern. DONE.<br />
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Now, I have to say, I broke my "Shop Local" rule when I purchased my dress a few weekends ago. Yes, you read that right, I said Yes to the dress!! Columbia has a very limited selection of bridal boutiques and we had heard good things about a couple in Augusta, GA. I spent the Saturday before Mother's Day with my mom, both grandmothers and my dad as the chauffeur, visiting 3 bridal shops. One in Aiken, and the other 2 in Augusta. I tried on about 20 dresses, and the 3rd one at the 3rd store was the perfect one. So I guess the 3rd time really is the charm! That 3rd store was <a href="http://www.elegantbridals.com/">Elegant Bridals</a> and Ms. Traci was my consultant. I had THE BEST experience and so did my family! No picture with this vendor because my dress is TOP SECRET, but I highly recommend Elegant Bridals!! There will be an entire post dedicated to my dress and shopping experience post-wedding!<br />
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PS. You might have noticed that snazzy new logo to the right! I'm excited that I am listed as a <a href="http://southernweddings.com/southern-bride-bloggers/">Southern Bride Blogger</a> on <a href="http://southernweddings.com/">SouthernWeddings.com</a>. Let me just say that site is bridal crack! New Life Goal: to be featured as a real wedding on their site or in their magazine. This southern girl couldn't ask for anything more!<br />
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More vendor reveals to come, but I wanted to share what was completed so far and brag about my choices. **As a disclaimer, none of these vendors asked me to give them a review or advertise their business. I simply wanted to express my excitement and share my wonderful experience in selecting them to be a part of our day!**<br />
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<div align="center"><a href="http://totravelandbeyond.com/" title="ToTravelandBeyond"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyQ3uD9NtQ0RvA5aXG8tODr1gd6jTFNHsVj7lpC3nqZZCYS1yjPPqnNQda5CPYsdnJQclpYUONQHCutyd3SE9aNHb4Dpw7WoeHcjk0cEG6DijYLoN8iNOvrNEY7E5LFQOQDBNc5yL-kJo/s207-p-no/" alt="ToTravelandBeyond" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14317617332456964161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251567963495960224.post-18387790307079103712015-05-20T18:00:00.000-04:002015-05-20T18:00:04.464-04:00Wedding Wednesday brought to you by the letter 'R'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's been like a month since I posted and I apologize. Life happens and after sitting at a computer all day the last thing I want to do at night is sit back down and write a blog post. Honestly, there haven't been too many nights were I didn't have something to do! There has been LOTS of wedding planning happening! <b>R</b>ecap: I think we have decided on our florist, and we have booked our DJ. I have interviewed 3 photographers and I will hopefully be making that decision in the next few weeks. We have a couple of cake tastings coming up, and we have a meeting with a videographer next week. I have also looked at invitations and I have 3 samples in the mail to me, so hopefully that decision can be made soon as well! Once I have decided upon all my vendors I can't wait to share them all with you! Trust me, I would only select the best in the business!<br />
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We have accomplished a few things, exciting things at that! Which is why this post is brought to you by the letter <b>'R'</b>! We have completed our <b>Registry</b> at Bed, Bath & Beyond as well as Belk. We registered for some really useful things at BB&B, and then of course our china is at Belk and BB&B. Here are a few of my favorite things from our registry! Since I've been a homeowner for 7 years I already have some stuff, but I'll be getting my first set of pots and pans that aren't 25+ years old, and new fluffy towels that aren't pink or yellow from my childhood! Below are a few of the "fun" items we put on our registry. While they aren't necessities we thought they would be a nice addition to our humble abode!<br />
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What are your top want/needs on your registry? Am I missing something I should have?<br />
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We love Popsicles, and thought it would be fun to make our own!<br />
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I've been wanting this ice cream maker attachment for my Kitchen-Aid mixer!</div>
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<a href="https://s7d9.scene7.com/is/image/BedBathandBeyond/3556913369224p?$478$" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="KitchenAid® Ice Cream Maker Bowl Attachment" border="0" class="mainProductImage noImageFound" data-original-url="" height="200" id="mainProductImg" src="https://s7d9.scene7.com/is/image/BedBathandBeyond/3556913369224p?$478$" width="200" /></a></div>
Since I've been into making smoothies I've been wanting a Ninja blender! This one has a food processor attachment, which means one less appliance to store!</div>
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<a href="https://s7d9.scene7.com/is/image/BedBathandBeyond/53248043248261p?$478$" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Nutri Ninja® 13-Piece Blender System with Auto-iQ™" border="0" class="mainProductImage noImageFound" data-original-url="" height="200" id="mainProductImg" src="https://s7d9.scene7.com/is/image/BedBathandBeyond/53248043248261p?$478$" width="200" /></a></div>
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Our new fluffy towels and cozy comforter, which will help make my bedroom feel more like OUR bedroom! Guess my girly Vera Bradley accessories will have to go...</div>
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<a href="https://s7d9.scene7.com/is/image/BedBathandBeyond/375924211714c?$478$" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Real Simple® Linear Patchwork Full/Queen Comforter Set in Stone" border="0" class="mainProductImage noImageFound" data-original-url="" height="200" id="mainProductImg" src="https://s7d9.scene7.com/is/image/BedBathandBeyond/375924211714c?$478$" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a><img alt="Wamsutta® Perfect Soft MICRO COTTON® Bath Sheet in Taupe" class="mainProductImage noImageFound" data-original-url="" height="200" id="mainProductImg" src="https://s7d9.scene7.com/is/image/BedBathandBeyond/541099215746g?$478$" width="200" /> </div>
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Finally... I shall reveal my fine china place setting! I'm absolutely in love with it! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lenox Pearl Platinum, Vietri Charger, Water Lismore Goblet, Kate Spade Linens</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Excited about all that is on our registry and we will be grateful for any and all we receive as gifts. <br />
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We also picked out our <b>Rings</b> last Saturday!<br />
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Hard to tell what they look like, but trust me they are stunning!! I can't wait to finally put that band on Will's finger! It looked so good!<br />
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That is all for this <b>Recap</b> edition Wedding Wednesday! Have a wonderful rest of the week & next week I might can get it together to introduce our wedding party!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14317617332456964161noreply@blogger.com0