Happy hump day...

Happy Wednesday! Would be happier if I was on the plane heading to Key West like some lucky people... my Mom, aunt, sister and her boyfriend. But regardless, the work week is half way over and that in itself is something to be happy about...

The self-portrait...

Fabulous weekend. Photos to share, but first I need to finish up some things around the house. Monday always comes too fast. Congrats to my little sister, who completed her first triathlon today and even won an award. Kick ass. I'm so proud of you!

Here's a photo of the hubs and I from yesterday. It was the infamous attempt at a self-portrait. Didn't quite turn out the way we planned, but sometimes that's for the best...

Our Wedding...

Only a year and half later, here is the debut of our wedding slideshow. Our photographers get the images to us in a lightening fast two weeks and it takes me this long to put together a slideshow. Terrible, I know. The wedding album, unfortunately, still has not been completed. I'm working on it. Kind of. I have no excuses. Call me narcissistic, but I adore our wedding photos. They make me indescribably happy every time I see them. So I'm mostly posting this so that when I can look back on it whenever my little heart desires. Like most Mondays when I'm wishing that I was anywhere else but my cubicle. I hope you enjoy it as well...

Photo credit: the amazing, Del Sol Photography

Bee magnet...

Lavender is a bee magnet. There is a patch of lavender in our garden that has become completely infested with bees. They love it. Who can blame them? It's tall, beautiful, smells lovely... all the things you want in a flower. It does make it intimidating to have to dart past the swarm of bees on your way in/out of the house. But it's kind of an adventure. And the view is well worth the risk...

Bad Momma...

Notice anything different here... ?


How about here...?



Yes, she is wearing a band-aid on her foot. We had a little mishap with the nail clippers last night. Cutting Chloe's nails has always been my responsibility. I swear, it was the first time that I ever drew blood. I'm sure that I was far more distraught over the whole ordeal than she was. I almost cried. Seriously. And then I convinced Kev that we need to run to the pet store immediately to pick up some 'quick stop' before she loses too much blood. Ok, so it was a bit dramatic. She actually didn't mind wearing the band-aid. And I tried to compensate for my bad momma skills with excess treats for the girl. I wonder if she'll have forgotten about it by tomorrow when I have to finish off the other 14 nails...

Kenny rocks...

The concert last night was amazing. Kenny Chesney's Poets and Pirates tour, for those non-country music fans. The line-up was Gary Allan, Leann Rimes, Sammy Hagar, Keith Urban, and Kenny Chesney. We got there late and only caught the tail end of Gary's set from the parking lot. We ran towards the stadium singing, "rainy night in Georgia, Kentucky rain, here comes that rainy day feeling again, blue eyes crying in the early morning rain, they go on and on and there's no two the same, oh it would be easy to blame all these songs about rain." Kind of disappointing. I would have preferred to see all of Gary Allan over an hour and a friggin half of Sammy Hagar in the 90 degree heat. Why did they squish him square in the middle of all those country singers anyway? Keith Urban played after Sammy Hagar and he rocks in concert. Love him and his tight jeans. And of course Kenny rocked it out at the end. I probably sent my sister 10 inaudible videos by cellphone during the concert but I was so excited and wanted to share them with her! Safe to say that my first country concert was a very good time...

Keith, in all his yummyness...


Kenny...

Not a warm weather dog...

Chloe's trying to beat the heat. She doesn't do well in the hot weather. Nor does she do well in the cold. She's a neutral weather kind of dog. This week is supposed to be the hottest of the year. It's unfortunate that tomorrow I'll be in tight quarters with thousands of other people in 97 degree weather. But I'll be damned if I'm going to let this heat wave keep me from seeing Kenny Chesney in concert! Don't worry, I'll be stocking my purse with as much water as I can...

Sweet tooth...

Yesterday, Kev stopped at the grocery store on the way home from work to pick up a few things for dinner. I opened the bag to find garlic-stuffed olives, which thrilled me. Individually, I love both olives and garlic. But together they are a whole other level of deliciousness. And then I spied this sweet surprise...

He sure knows the way to my heart...

Bad to the Bone...

Here's the slideshow for Molly's photo shoot. We had a lot of fun playing around, even though she snubbed the dog treats that I tried to use as bribery. Don't be deceived by how innocent she looks in the photos... The song is more of a representation of her attitude. Kidding... mostly...

Fiesta Friday!

I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend. Please send some good travel vibes for my Mom... she's been trying to come home since Wednesday but hasn't been able to get out of the Pensacola airport due to nasty weather. Hope the skies clear today!

Here's Molly, rockin' out in her sombrero...

Slideshow...

This is the very first slideshow that I was able to make. Pretty excited about it...

Beautiful Gift...

My friend Krista got me the most thoughtful gift. A very talented co-worker of hers sketched this wedding photo of mine of my Dad and I. Wow. It's breathtaking. I'm sure my photos don't convey the emotion that it captures. I'm most grateful. And I'll cherish it always...

Thank you again, Krista...I can't tell you how much this means to me. Love ya, chica!

Belated Birthday...

We took these in honor of Lorenz's first birthday. Thankfully, Krista has been very, very patient. We started out around the house...

Yes, I understand that we can only see the top of Lorenz's little noggin in this shot. But I think it's so typical of life with two boys...

The birthday boy...

and the aftermath...

Waking up to...

This is what I love to wake up to.

Just flowers...

Just two purty flowers from our Mother's Day visit to Chanticleer gardens. That's right, I said Mother's Day. I'm catching up on my insane backlog of photos... I'm almost through the end of May. Go me!

Mexi-dog...

I thought those Taco Bell commercials scarred me from being able to like chihuahuas. This one changed my mind. Mandy and her Molly came to visit, complete with a mini-sombrero brought home specially from Mexico for the little princess. More photos of those shenanigans to come. Look at those ears. How can you not love them? Molly has the funniest little diva attitude. Cue will.i.am... "I got it from my mama." Ha. 

Decked out...

We really like our deck. Like, really like it. It's perfect... big enough for the two herb planters, a tomato plant pot, grill, patio furniture... and will hopefully soon include a new lounger so I can kick back with a good book and a mojito. Living the good life.

and me, being stupidly amused by the fact that I can capture my own reflection in our table. Ha! What can I say... I'm easily entertained...

My Rock...

I don't know what I would have done without this man, helping me hold it all together these past three weeks. He's my rock. And he's not too bad on the eyes either. Bonus!

Bittersweet...

This weekend is bittersweet....

Today = my BIRTHDAY! My 29th. Let the farewell journey to my 20s begin. =)

Tomorrow = Father's Day.

Why?

The question that will never have an answer. Why? Someone tell me the reason for taking my Dad when the pain is still so fresh from losing my little brother 7 years ago. I don't understand. I don't think I can do this again.

Last Friday, May 30, my Father passed away. And it still feels far too surreal to type that. I am completely heartbroken. Shocked. Devastated. Lost. In denial. Grieving the loss of the most selfless man that I've ever known. Trying desperately to hold it all together. They initially told us that it was a heart attack. A few days later we found out that it was an accident at work that is still unclear. And now there are so many questions that closure feels out of reach. I want to say that it's unfair. But it never is fair for a girl to lose her Daddy.

The service was Tuesday. It was a beautiful service and I was overwhelmed by the number of people that came out to support us and to show what an amazing influence my Dad had on their life. What an honor to have a Father that has touched so many. He truly was an incredible man. I feel like I'm lacking the words right now to do this post justice. At the service, I read something that I wrote for him last year, so I will leave it here as a tribute to my Dad...

While many kids have fathers that golf, fish, smoke cigars, and wear ties... I do not. I have a Big Don. To say that he's far from conventional is an understatement. But he's the reason that my childhood was so colorful. So full of laughter. So much fun. He's the only Dad I know that drove a baby blue minivan, tinted, complete with a sound system; amp, sub woofers, the whole works. And he'd come cruising down the street with country music blaring and bass pumping. He'd tell dirty jokes in the most inappropriate of times. He's had a mohawk. He started food fights. He once let us dye his hair purple with grape Kool-Aid, and got angry when it just wasn't purple enough. He drove a Harley Davidson. And then a crotch rocket. I've been lucky enough to witness him sing 'I'm too Sexy' in rabbit-skin briefs and a feather headband. He has a tattoo. He had a tongue ring. He laughs at himself. He enjoys life, and doesn't care what anyone else thinks about it along the way. I think this picture pretty much sums it up... This was his choice of attire for my birthday party. At McDonald's. Now that's classic.
He's everything that other Dads were not. And I adore him for that. I wouldn't change a thing. Because beyond the abundance of humor, he is the most kind, hardworking, selfless person that I know. He was always willing to drop anything to help someone in need. I don't know anyone with a bigger heart.

My Dad was 50 years old. Despite reaching this milestone, I think we all knew he would never truly 'grow up'. And that's just one of the many things that we all love and will miss about him. These are some of the memories I will forever cherish.

I love you Daddy...

Photo credit: Del Sol Photography