Little Black Dress

A staple for any and every girls closet is a LBD. You should have fun ones, classy ones, scandalous ones, and a casual one. For this particular occasion, I wanted something I would never think to wear. For me, this occasion was the start to a new life and a great night out with friends to celebrate a new year full of many possibilities! 

It was New Years Eve 2007, the night that brought me to a wonderful life. I braved the night out as the 7th wheel, I also was brave in my selection of dress. It was of course a LBD: short, tight, and 100% sequin (ahh!). I really had to take a deep breath as I walked out of my house, getting out of my car, and walking through the door to the hotel. It was by far the BEST choice I have ever made. It really set me up for a "taking chances" year. My girlfriends are pretty much the best around. They made me feel so wonderful and helped me believe in myself. The year of 2008 was an unbelievable year for me....and so far, I have reaped all the benefits of those decisions in 2009! The dress was a leap of faith and very good symbolism of my life. See, fashion really can sculpt your life!

In 2008 I landed my first big girl job, I cut my hair off, I went on trips that are still the best trips of my life, I found myself and who I wanted to be, and the very last thing of 2008 was meeting Daniel. As the old saying, "saved the best for last," totally rung true for me. There was no more being a 7th wheel, I had my own person to ring in 2009! 

As we close out 2009 and mark it in the history books, I will be with those girls who helped me be brave and take a step towards making my life better. And of course I will be with my favorite person in the world, Daniel. 

New Year's Eve 2007 was the beginning of a real change in me and I hope to keep everything the way it is in 2010. Tonight as we celebrate the end, I will look back on all the great times I had in 2009, but more than anything, I will be looking toward the future and what I can do to make my life a little sweeter!

Hope you and yours has a wonderful New Year's! 

Here's to 2010....Cheers!

Boo For Work!

As I sit here on the couch, in my new pj's I got from my boyfriend, a scarf wrapped around me from Beth, I am dreading the alarm at 7:00 a.m. to go to work. I am going in late, wearing jeans, and I have no doubt I will begin spinning around in my chair and count how many times I go around until I have to spin it again, I do this since I will not be busy at all. This is a new thing I have started to do while nothing has been going on since the holidays are upon us and so far, no one has caught me yet but I am awaiting the moment I get looked at as if I have totally lost it.

I am not happy about this, but I had a wonderful vacation and am kinda ready to get back in the swing of things...notice I said KINDA. Christmas season was one of a kind this year as I got my spirit and excitement back since I no longer work in retail, it literally takes the life and joy out of you! We had many nights of making cookies, wrapping gifts, looking at lights, hearing carolers, and best part of all being with family and friends. Not to mention Daniel had eye surgery, which made for lots of funny moments....he is doing well, seeing 20/20 (Pictures and stories to follow). I hope you had a very Merry Christmas and enjoy the rest of the holiday season...I will be in touch!

Creative Christmas Gifts

I just received a delivery that I am so excited about! They are Christmas gifts I ordered to give to others but I find myself wanting to keep it all for me! I have been very thrifty this Christmas as the economy has forced me to be and these days it is hard for me to give up a dollar, it's gotta work for it! Let me just say, these gifts are wonderful and I hope they will be the talk of the parties I attend. 

I am all about supporting self made businesses and great and clever ideas. I love giving crafty and cute little packages to people who normally wouldn't buy or order these things for themselves. Maybe I can change that: I hope everyone who reads this finds something they love for them and orders it to their liking! Taylor made is at its best when it goes in your home, there is nothing like it!

I first found these items at The Knitting Mill and just had to email the dealer to get all that I would need for the holiday season. She has been nothing but wonderful and easy to work with, and the best thing is it was all easily done through email. She also has the cutest things for babies and little girls. There is a selection of fabric you can buy, and I did not knowing yet what I am going to use it for, but I can't wait!

You can visit The Knitting Mill or online at www.Etsy.com and search sew cute shop for gifts you can custom order like my bookmarks, coffee cups, and dishtowels! Happy Shopping!

Here are other favorite stores on etsy I love:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ocstylescreations

http://www.etsy.com/shop/SewCuteShop

http://www.etsy.com/shop/polkadotpapoose?page=1

Learning On This Road

Saturday marked a year of me and Daniel being together. We have had so much fun this year I can't wait to see what the years to come are going to be like. We have traveled near and far, and wound up in some pretty funny situations. We didn't do anything out of the ordinary to celebrate, I hate stuff like that and thankfully Daniel doesn't think he is Fabio so it works out great! We were what we like best: just us and nothing more.

I have learned a lot in this relationship and I feel like I'm becoming who I've always hoped to be. I'm learning the true meaning of happiness that I thought I had already known. Don't get me wrong, I am sure I will find more true meanings of life and happiness along my journey in life such as getting married, buying my first house and making it a home, having a baby, watching my family grow and get older, and maybe even landing a dream job I have always wanted. But for now, I am on a great road and I see it continuing. I have had lots of new things in my life this year: wearing orange, going to soccer and hockey games, going on vacation with his family, horse races, rock concerts, trying an array of new foods, how to let go of the things that bring me down and not to worry with other people's issues and insults, and most of all, how to be me. I love that Daniel wears cowboy boots! I have had cowboy boots for years and I would never wear them as much as I wanted to for people making comments or maybe looking at me strangely. It is a style thing that molds us as being together. This is a small example but it is a big reason why I love him; he makes me comfortable to be me. I even brought back the curls because he knew he would love them. 

There is nothing better than making memories with someone you hope to spend the rest of your life with. We have had so many good memories in this first year We went to the beach for his birthday and with his family, laying on the couch on Friday nights with a bottle of wine and a bowl of popcorn, driving me to the hospital to see my dad, a German bar, going to Nashville for a couple of weddings, dancing at a country bar, the making of the real "you, me, and Dupree", playing gold fish, his car getting broken into, and the moment he told me he loved me. 

I believe Daniel is my lobster. If you don't know about how lobsters love then I urge you to read up on it and watch Friends where Phoebe tells Ross about lobsters. You see, lobsters fall in love and are together for life. They link their claws and don't let go, but if they are separated they can find each other in different waters. I am blessed and thankful to have found my lobster and hope we never get lost in different waters.

Crack

I am officially addicted to Lady GaGa like it's crack. No, I have never done crack before but it makes since, I fean off it and I crave it. I never was a fan, I never gave her a chance. If fact, I thought she was a man at first and was proven wrong when I saw a picture of her as a child....she was indeed a girl. I have a new found respect for her after watching an interview with Barbara Walters (I know, but really no one else gets TV air time so we have to watch her.)

 I just thought she was a freak and really odd like Marilyn Manson, but she isn't. Well, hold up: YES, she is VERY out there, more than creative, but brave to be her true self that so many of us hide and struggle with being in our own skin. She has learned how to be comfortable in her skin. She has overcome the strange looks others give her, the feeling of being different, and knowing that she is not normal. She has earned the respect of the music business and other artists, I mean not every one gets to work with Beyonce! After listening to her CD a dozen times now, I think she is more like Cher and Gwen Stefani. She is incredible, I urge you to give her a shot and you will not be disappointed. You will be hooked and dancing all through your work day!

Where O Where Has December Gone To?

Christmas is exactly 14 days away! I feel like I had a good start and was organized and ready but really, this week is at a loss for me and next week is it! I will be on vacation the week of Christmas and hopefully not rushing around with all the things on my list. I need to get myself in the kitchen, get wrapping paper, and find the rest of my gifts! I am sure you feel the same way, seems like this always gets away from us. I still need to bundle up and go look at lights, sit by the tree with hot chocolate, kiss under mistletoe, wear a Christmas sweater, have a cookie making party, watch "It's a Wonderful Life," and eat, eat, EAT!

I started my holiday season going out of town for work. I went to the capital for a service honoring victims of homicide. It really was a wonderful way to start my holidays off just right, it was something meaningful and for me I was joyed to have my friends and family in my life and not be honoring someone I knew and loved.  After the service, Daniel and I headed to a charming little restaurant to have dinner and left knowing we have found one of our favorite spots to be. It is an old house turned into a sweet, quaint, and charming little number. The food was delicious, the wine was wonderful, and best of all, we get surprised with a girl on a piano singing. If you are ever staying close to the airport in Nashville, make a trip to Ellendale's, you will not regret it! We then made out way to Opryland Hotel to walk through the gardens and enjoy the lights. BTW, if you go there, they now charge you an embarrassing amount of $18. So here is the secret. There is a path from Opry Mills to the hotel. Park near the movie theatre and walk there for free! Here are a few pictures from Opryland. 

There is a fountain where you make wishes in the gardens. This is us making our wish......I'm sure you know what mine was.

This is us so sleepy but wanted to still go to Opryland. I look at this and think why we just didn't go back to the hotel! We are so tired! I guess this is what Christmas season can do to you!

Elephant!

Roll Tide

I must gloat just for a minute. I am so HAPPY Alabama won the SEC Championship! We had a party at my house for the big event, and boy was it fun! We had friends and family, beer and liquor, chips and dip, bagel bites and chicken wings, and of course Ingram and Tebow. First play of the game Alabama came out strong and kept it up all night: we kicked butt and took names! I have never been more proud to be an Alabama fan in all my life. Every team goes through a hardship to get better. Unfortunately, Alabama knows that all too well. To see Alabama back on top is an awesome feeling. I think we are here to stay for a couple of years. I am keeping my fingers crossed that Ingram wins the Heisman....to be announced this week!

It's funny that I say we like I am on the team and out on the field with them running the ball, blocking, kicking, tackling, throwing....

Wesley and I went to last years match up and left broken hearted as we were leading Florida and then the gators came back to get us. However, this year was a totally different story. As Alabama and Texas are getting ready for battle as the National Championship is at stake we will be watching closely and planning the next Roll Tide party! 

There were lots of funny moments at my house while this was going on, but my favorite was Jayme saying that I should name my first kid Saban. Someone asked what Daniel's last name was and he started laughing saying no kid of his will be named this. I made it better with the name Saban Fulmer. Can you imagine? It's NOT going to happen however, that would be a story to tell!

Another moment I will share with you is when Wesley comes in from outside (yes, it was freezing cold outside but he didn't want to come in so he froze), and "rides the gator." This is when he hops around the house like he is riding a pony but sings, "ride that gator."

I love the SEC, we clearly have the best teams in the Nation. I will be gearing up for all the bowl games with SEC as my team to cheer for! 

This is me and Wesley at last years SEC game. As you can tell, my hair was in the grow out stage so it looks pretty bad!

This is a fan that we befriended at the Tennessee Alabama game this year. He just sent us this picture so I thought I would share since we are now officially #1!

Finding Comfort In A Stranger

This is an email I received and just had to share. It reminds me of when I was a little girl and we lost our black lab, Kelly. My mom always (and still does) calls me Elmira, the little girl from Tiny Tunes Adventures because she does what this little girl is doing to her sweet dog. Elmira is famous for saying, "I'm gonna love you and squeeze you all the way home, so you better pack a bag cause it's gonna be a long, long way." This tends to leave the animal to suffer from being squeezed....yes, I squeeze and hold my animals against their will but I love them so much I can't help it! I really relate with this little girl and know that God places things in our lives so that we can learn and do good for others. I hope if I ever have kids, they are as sweet and concerned as this little girl. 

Having dogs when I was growing up taught me one of many meanings of love and having compassion, and just that is displayed here in this story. Being a Christian makes me want to do for others as this person did. I am officially in the holiday spirit! It's the most wonderful time of the year! Happy December 1st!

Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month. The day after she died, my 4 year old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey.. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. I told her that I thought we could so she dictated these words:

Dear God,

Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick.

I hope you will play with her. She likes to play with balls and to swim. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her You will know that she is my dog. I really miss her.

Love, Meredith

We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredith and addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven. That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office. A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had.

Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed, 'To Meredith' in an unfamiliar hand. Meredith opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, 'When a Pet Dies..' Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God in its opened envelope. On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey &Meredith and this note:

Dear Meredith,

Abbey arrived safely in heaven.

Having the picture was a big help. I recognized Abbey right away.

Abbey isn't sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog. Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets to keep your picture in, so I am sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by..

Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you write it and sending it to me. What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you.

I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much.

By the way, I'm easy to find, I am wherever there is love.

Love,

God

It is not known who replied, but there is a beautiful soul working in the dead letter office of the US postal service.