NUMBER 235

zta formals 2007 - back when we were babies.

not too long ago, some of my favorite blog gals did a q&a with their lover-boys. since i'm a big fan of q&a’s, [see my brother’s, here], i thought i’d give the boo a shot:

how long have you been married?
he said: 3 and a half years
she said: 3 years, 7 months [or, if you’re asking me in a conversation, i usually just say “almost 4 years”]

where was your first date?
he said: poor billy’s in blacksburg
she said: poor billy’s in blacksburg, va

where was your first kiss?
he said: in her sorority house bedroom*
she said: in my sorority house

who first said, "i love you"?
he said: i did
she said: he did, at a diner in radford, va

what were your wedding colors?
he said: black, green, and white
she said: black, white, lime

what is her most commonly used phrase?
he said: “it’s okay”*
she said: “i'm hungry”

who is her celebrity crush?
he said: part of me wants to say carrie underwood, another part says ryan gosling
she said: michael buble, jude law

if she was ordering drinks for both of you what would you each get?
he said: she’d get me a bourbon and coke, she’d get a beer
she said: makers and coke, fat tire

what is the best meal she has ever cooked you?
he said: man, probably the fried chicken
she said: fried chicken

what is the worst meal she has ever cooked you?
he said: maybe meatloaf?
she said: meatloaf

what is the most-played song on her ipod?
he said: i know it’s carrie underwood
she said: all american girl – carrie underwood

what would she say is your most annoying habit?
he said: being loud
she said: i can’t think of one [honestly!] maybe his occasional late-night smoke?

what is the last thing she does before she goes to bed?
he said: kiss me goodnight*
she said: set the alarm, snugs

if you could throw out one item of her clothing what would it be?
he said: those raggedy socks, the blue ones [the hole-y ones]*
she said: granny panties [i know i’ve got some in there]

what would you say is your favorite thing about her?
he said: her personality or her butt
she said: my smile

what's her go-to drink at starbucks?
he said: chai latte
she said: grande nonfat dirty chai

what's her blog's name?!
he said: our life in the queen city
she said: our life in the queen city

*he was right
i had to dock his points for forgetting mr. buble, but he got a little extra credit with the carrie underwood answer(s). i'd have to say that he definitely gets a 98%. i'm beginning to think he knows me better than i know me – especially with the socks. i love those holey socks.

thanks for playing along, boo! you’re a good sport! xoxo

and another, because you know you love ‘em.

NUMBER 234

so, per usual, this weekend was awesome and went by entirely too fast. we had an unforgettable time staying up late night [friday] with old friends and backyard grillin' [saturday] with new ones. these summer weekend nights are what keep me going during the daily work-week grind [surriously] – that, and the occasional after-dinner cookie.

i just wrapped up a super cute blog design with sweet katie, otherwise known as miss dixie. if you haven’t stopped by to see this lady and her sweet family, i highly suggest you stop and go take a look! katie came to me seeking a fresh design and a love list that includes: pink, gold, stripes, simplicity, and her sweet baby boy, weeks [duh!]. here’s what we did:

 

NUMBER 233

it's friday again [HALLELUJAH!], and i'm linking up with some favorite blogger girlfriends for the weekly five on friday! here are a few exciting things from this week, sprinkled with items for the weekend and right this minute:

1  |  i'm a big fan of dressing up neutrals or a comfy maxi dress with bold statement pieces. right now, i've got my eyeball on this gorgeous statement necklace from poppy style.

2  |  twice a day, every day for the past 7+ months, andrew and i have been driving past the construction site of our new grocery store. (it's on the way to/from work, we're not just creepin). yesterday was FINALLY opening day of the new harris teeter in plaza midwood! conveniently, we were out of eggs last night (a night that called for breakfast for dinner) so i made a quick stop by. the thing is as big as walmart, i swear.

3  | summer is the season for backyard cookouts, and i'm so so excited to be attending the season's first at matt and christina's. i know it will be nothing less than "pinterest perfect"!

4  |  i designed some bridal shower invitations for my sweet friend, and sorority sister, liz. i love seeing how this event is coming together and that i had a small hand in it!

5  |  j.crew had a BIG sale on monday, and i'm kicking myself for not loading up. right now, i'm especially loving their printed shorts and this sleeveless popover.

HAPPY WEEKEND!

NUMBER 232

hi there! just popping in to share one of my most recent pretties: stefanie from the house spouse. stefanie was so awesome to work with. i hope she looooves her new design – it ranks up there as one of my top favorites (they’re all my favorites, obv)!

NUMBER 231

did we just have a 3 day weekend? i'm asking because my memory is just a big blur. our memorial day weekend was spent celebrating birthdays, babies, beer, and burritos (actually, all junk food, but burritos fits best here).

friday: i drove down to my parents house to spend the night halfway to danville. i enjoyed some sweet jack snuggles, delicious dinner at lucky 32, did some design work and called it a night around midnight.

saturday: drove down to d-ville with my mom to celebrate my gorgeous mom-to-be bff, lauren. she’s in her 3rd trimester already and, i swear, the gal is in better shape than me. headed back to charlotte saturday evening to nurse my week-long head cold with a tall beer and salad with my boo at big daddy's (i like the old name better).

sunday: up early to celebrate sweet chelsea with brunch at peculiar rabbit and some a moderate amount of day [and night] drinking. oh! and gnarley kitty snugs.

monday: spent the day sleeping until noon, eating fast food, posted up on the couch in front of the tv, vowing to get back in the gym this week, and having my body hate me for the sunday’s activities.

NUMBER 230

i'm so excited, a few of my blog gal pals (here and here) are hosting a new link up: 5 on friday, and i'm so pumped to join the partay! here are a few things that i'm super excited about:

1  |  we went out last night to celebrate one of andrew’s coworker’s (and good friend’s) bday. we ended up going to VGBG and had a ton of fun playing trivia and eating cake. we made our way over to an invite-only concert next door at the fillmore. this was my first concert there, but it won’t be my last! what a great place – such an intimate setting! the free booze provided didn’t hurt either! andrew and i ended the night lounging on the couch, listening to jack johnson and o.a.r. reminiscing about the good ol college days. ahhh.

2  |  NO. i am not with child. i'm NOT preggs. one of my very best and long-time girlfriends is flying in from dallas for HER baby shower this weekend! i'll be going to danville on saturday to celebrate her and rub her little bump! one of my go-to baby gifts right now is a wubanub – which might be the cutest little thing ever. i know i would have been all about this as a child – seeing as how i didn’t let go of my tiny stuffed rabbit friend, “beans”, until i was in middle school.

3  |  memorial day is monday and the unofficial start to summer. this means short shorts are IN season! last year, i did a little tutorial on my american flag cut off shorts for the NASCAR race, and i might just be brining them out of retirement!

4  |  how gorgeous are these kate spade earrings? they would have been perfect for a cinco de mayo bash!

5  |  i've been using this face wash for a week now and think i've found my second life partner. i've mentioned before that i have horrible skin - actually, i'm pretty self-conscious about it. i have really deep pores (damn genetics) and i rarely feel like my face is really clean – even after washing with a clarisonic every night. i can honestly say that my face is softer and brighter and i could tell a difference after just 1 use. -- plus a $7 price tag certainly beats what i've been desperately throwing away at sephora.

look at me! back on the blog-wagon!

HAPPY [HOLIDAY] WEEKEND!

NUMBER 229

i'm back from radio silence to share a project that i worked on over a month ago with sweet sweet lindsay of linsday wynne photography. linsday reached out to me not long ago about a blogger promotion she was hosting and after reading the first sentence of her email, i was hooked! from that point, we scheduled a meet and greet and started gathering our ideas for the shoot. linsday was so awesome throughout the whole process. even though this was totally her idea, she fully indulged my creative side as we started collaborating on a pinterest board to plan the shoot (what a GREAT idea!).

the morning of the shoot, our hair and makeup gal arrived at the house with a suitcase full of tools and we got to primping! i have to say that this was one of my favorite parts - i could watch youtube tutorials on hair and makeup for hours on end, and having someone else do mine on a daily basis would be money well spent! ok ok! now to the good part…

here are just a few of my favorites from the shoot:

thanks so so much, lindsay, for making me feel so beautiful! you truly are an artist and one of a kind! i had a blast doing the shoot and look forward working with you again soon!

i promise not to go another 20 days before i post again!…famous last words

NUMBER 228

via

i appreciate you sticking with me in the last few months - my posts have been pretty bare. 4 in the month of april!? eesh.

i was putting together one of those "fluff" posts today, and halfway through, it was TOTALLY evident that it was just that - filler. i think it’s only fair to me and to you, that i wait until i'm truly inspired to write about something legit. deal? until then, i'll keep sharing some happy, lovely new designs.

as a side-note: thank you for the outpouring of support from friends, family, strangers, and especially my husband and for allowing me to do the work i love to do!

NUMBER 227

HOW is it already may? i guess that's what happens when you spend all month traveling, working, and having visitors! i promise to have a real post coming up soon, but in the meantime, i'm popping in to share one of my latest favorite designs:

i recently had the pleasure of working with leigh, a fellow carolina gal, from hines-sight blog! check out her new, fresh design and follow along as she reviews the finest hotels and restaurants in the country! maybe i can sweet talk my way into her suitcase for her next trip!

NUMBER 226

this past weekend was one of the most fun weekends i've had in a looong time! the older i get, the more i appreciate a low-key weekend with great friends and wonderful family. my dad’s newest hobby is brewing beer, and since he had 2 little kegs ready at the same time, we decided to celebrate a successful brew with a crawfish boil! the weather was gorgeous, the beer was delicious, and the crawdads were spicy – all elements that add up to a perfect afternoon! here are a few of my favorite shots from the shindig:

the eligible bachelor

still alive and pinchin’

this is only a little bit. we had 50lbs of crawdads!

pretty/sweet/awesome lori beth

my handsome husband

sweet sweet charlotte girlfriends, chelsea and kristy
(awesome hurr stylists in charlotte @ t.reid – give ‘em a call!)

oh, and jack got plenty of attention. i promise he's really loving it!

our gracious hosts/the best parents ever

p.s. special thanks to chelsea for letting me steal a bunch of her pics for this post! xoxo