let's linkup!

here we go, another round of okays.
you know you love them, and you know you relate in so many ways.
who doesn't?
it's nice to just sit back and laugh at all of the craziness in your life and say-
you know what, it's really okay!!


it's ottttayyyy!!!

that last night i cried to my mom on the phone (like a 2 year old) for a solid hour about where my life is headed. she's good for that. she's also good for kicking my butt into gear and making me realize what's really important.

that the entire left side of my face was numb for a good 4-5 hours yesterday evening... getting my last cavity filled was the cause of that. don't ignore your dentist for 5 years, friends!!

that i am obsessed with hunter hayes' song "wanted" right now...

and now you are too, you're welcome.

that i have no idea what i'm doing to watch our say yes to the dress: bridesmaids episode tomorrow night. all the girls we filmed with are in different parts of the state/country right now for summer. all i know is wine WILL be included. 

to be eating m&ms at 9am. they were in the trail mix, okay!

to be ending this post now because i really need to get back to work.

SYTTD:B.

my sorority "little sister" liz is a little outrageous.
she had a goal set by the time she got to college that before graduation she would have a ring on her finger... and that's exactly what happened.
last year after her engagement, she applied to be on the TLC show- "say yes to the dress: bridesmaids". and go figure, she got chosen to be filmed.
and of course, yours truly... her "big", is a bridesmaid.

myself, my little liz, and my grandlittle kennedy.

now they film hundreds of episodes for the show over the course of a few months and then pick and choose which ones to actually air.
we kept getting emails saying we were in, they loved us, etc. but we weren't positive we'd gotten it until we read the headline for this friday's show.

if you could only meet liz you would know why it was chosen- she's over the top and downright awesome. i promise that you would love her as much as i do.
the moment i heard her say these few things, i knew we were in...

"there will be 100% chance of snow at my wedding because i will have snow machines. it's basically going to be a winter wonderland"

"i want my bridesmaids in white. sorry kim k- i had the idea first, and my wedding will outlast yours."

liz-"no i don't have my dress picked out yet."
lori- "aren't you doing this ass backwards then?"
liz- "well no, i want to know what my bridesmaids dresses look like first so i know what to out-do."
yup, truth.

signing our release forms- heyyy camera crew in the back!

but keep in mind if you watch the show this friday... that we really are nice girls, swear, haha. and we really do love each other very much.
you see, every episode has some sort of "theme" that the network tries to portray. we had no idea what our theme would be except that we were a big group of sorority sisters.
until we got there...
liz's childhood best friend leah is also a bridesmaid. she's actually the only one that was not a part of our sorority.
so go figure the producers picked up on that.
once we were there and started talking about the wedding... it became obvious what theme they were going with for us... leah was our target.
and we knew that after this little conversation...
producers: "so leah, you and liz grew up together... best friends, all that good stuff."
leah: "yep, best friends for years."
producers: "but you aren't her maid of honor- samie, her college friend, is. doesn't that make you jealous? don't you think you should be the maid of honor?"
leah: "......... (silence) i guess i never thought of it like that...."
and there we have it. that was it.

to be honest, i'm pretty nervous as to what they're going to actually air and how they're going to make us look. reality tv is so staged and fake. i know that for a fact after this experience.
especially when they told you to "act natural"
but would grab you, turn you around, and tell you to look at someone and say your exact sentence all over again.
they hung on our every word and made it exactly how they wanted to.
pretty crazy.
but also, pretty entertaining. we got a lot of laughs out of this experience.

sidenote: i almost died in the boots i was wearing. pure suicide.
sidenote #2: lori needs more makeup.

i hope you all tune in on friday at 9:30pm on TLC!!
over and out,
j.

feels like monday.

that would be my face today. so, so, so beyond sad that my long weekend has come to an end and i'm now sitting at my desk at work. ugh.
i so wish i was back in school so i could be starting my summer vacay right about now.
but since i'm not... let's just go ahead and talk about my fabulous weekend, shall we?

it was fun. very fun.
movie night friday with my bestie, steph.
shopping saturday and then getting all dolled up for my 3rd wedding of the month. this wedding might have just topped all others in the history of weddings though.
arnold palmers, sangria, blue moon, and reisling prompted yours truly to think she owned the dance floor.
it also lead to hot tubs, a fire pit, and about 30 wedding guests sleeping at the house the wedding was held at, myself included.
and i'm pretty sure the dj was found sleeping in the dining room... under the table.

sunday, which didn't feel like sunday at all... was spent poolside.
there's a great tiki bar/pool right down the road from me that shuts it's doors to anyone under 18 on sundays and always hosts a live band for sunbathers.
and if you're too lazy to get off your lounge chair and walk to the tiki bar... the waitresses that come around every 5 seconds are more than happy to refill your strawberry daq or ice water.

that night me and steph ended up at this cute little bar in maggie valley for girl talk. her hus-bun was out of town all weekend so we got quality bff time.

monday, in memory day, was actually really lazy day for this gal. the past weekend shenanigans wore me out. i did some cleaning, some napping, and had lunch with the family.
then i got these bad boys, which i'm SUPER pumped about. i'm now officially ready for summer hiking, camping, and canoe trips! wooo hooo!

you definitely don't wanna miss tomorrow's post. and you probably want to go ahead and program your DVR to record this...

it's about to get real. and i may or may not be on tv.
say whaaaat?

in memory day.

because that's what it's really about, you know...memorial day and all.
remembering our troops, our brothers, our dads, our friends. the ones that have sacrificed their lives for us. maybe they served years ago, maybe you weren't alive when they served, maybe they're serving now. it doesn't matter when or how- it just matters that they have and they did.

while you're all out celebrating your long weekend (bow chicka wow wow).
keep in mind what it's really about- like every other holiday.
so hug a soldier at some point... even if it means hugging the hott army guy at the cookout- you have my full permission... and my utmost admiration. mmm those muscles.
in all seriousness- this would be my FAVORITE veteran of all time, ever.

my dad, my papa bear.
he was a Marine in the Vietnam War and although he has some hilarious stories that remind me there was a young, wild man behind that preacher's face... i also know of the trauma and heart ache he endured. he is truly my hero.

both of the above pictures were taken at weddings. my two best friend's weddings to be exact. my diddy was the officiating pastor at both of them- he's a sweetheart i know. and he also knows he better be the one at the end of the alter marrying me & my future hubby... if that ever happens.

hope everyone has a great friday and a great loooong weekend. i know i'm going to. i'm already booked with girl's nights followed by pool days at the tiki bar, my 3rd wedding of the month, and lots of sunshine. make it a good one fraaands!

surprise post!

...or maybe not.
no, no surprise post here.
but... you do get another link up!
wow wow wee waaa! that's me being excited for you.
i wanted to get all creative today and write some good shit down for you. but that just isn't happenin'. my creative juices got lost somewhere in my work filled brain today.
so here we go party people.




that i love link ups that lead to new blog followers and friends. it's even more okay that i just sang "my milkshake brings all the boys to the yard" while writing this.
sidenote: why in the world did anyone, including myself, like this song?

that i get an outfit idea in my head before i go shopping and then will not, simply will not, buy anything except said outfit. this happens especially when i pinterest right before i go shopping. thanks a lot pinterest... my wallet owes you big time.

to be going to another wedding this saturday. and to love this picture even more because of that fact.

well said barney, well said. and no- not the purple dinosaur barney, silly.

that it's been mooonths since i've had coffee or any form of caffiene, and i just drank a cherry coke zero (which is amazing) and i'm incredibly hyper right now.

that all my nail polish for the season is a pale pastel color, and i feel 5 every time i paint my nails... and then chip the polish off... again, it's okay.

that every morning when i watch the news and they advertise "the morning wake up call" (which is a contest for who has the most embarrassing morning picture)... i so badly want to enter just to win the mustache mug they give away.

a change?

my life is just a little complicated these days i feel like.
i mean... i have an incredible job, that i love...
that even pays well with great benefits.
i'm only 45 minutes from my family.
i've made some great friends here in waynesville.
and the town i live in is beautiful... and safe- and that's a big deal to me.
especially since i live alone.

however... i've had this feeling for the past 2 years since graduating and moving here, that i'm really not where i'm supposed to be. i'm not living the life that i want. i'm not living for "me."
i'll go through stages where i'm really happy, focused, and content. and then the next thing i know i'm searching for more.
i think a lot of this has to do with the fact that i'm still single.
granted, i know i'm only 24 and i've had a rough (really really rough) past few relationships. but i think God is trying to tell me something. why else would my relationships keep failing? why else would i be getting depressed and feeling even more lonely than i ever thought i was?
all i do know is that my relationship with HIM is growing more than it ever has. and that's the one thing getting me through this patch of uncertainty. i know that whatever path my life takes it is His will for my life. that's all there is to it.
i owe a lot of this self discovery and my growing relationship with Christ to

another thing is the fact that even though i love my career and i'm helping individuals on a daily basis- it's not what i envisioned myself doing. it's not my "dream job." although my dream job involves me living in an orphanage in kenya. probably not happening.
adoptions would be a little more of a realistic dream job.

i guess where i'm going with this is don't be surprised if i'm all of a sudden moving somewhere, or taking on a new job, or... something.
all i know is that i need a change, or... something.
let's just say i'm opening doors and letting God take control. i even opened a few doors today. but shhhh!

i'll leave you with this quote i found while studying my bible. it was from a devotion i just happened to stumble upon. umm... perfect!

"It's only God who can fill our deepest longings, who never cancels for an appointment elsewhere, who never replaces us with someone he likes better, who promises never to leave us totally alone. He is the only one who wants to be & always can be the unfailing companion on our journey."

j.

miscellany.

here we are again, monday.
taking it like a champ as always... and looking forward to my 3 day weekend coming up!!
thank you memorial day- i'm thinking a lake trip might just be in order.

a little weekend recap is what we're here for today.

friday's relay for life was such a hit! i took my two oldest nieces with me for face painting, balloon animals, and ice cream that was ate too late at night for an 8 and 5 year old.
this was the conversation held on the car ride
back to my sister's house friday night...
lexi, 8: aunt julia- can we tell mom about our trip for ice cream?
(i sometimes let them do things but make them promise not to tell their mother- that's why i'm the best aunt in the world i know)
me: yeah she can know- we got her a treat too, so it would be pretty obvious.
layla, 5: oh... i thought both of those ice creams were for you.
me: haha, no, what did you think i was- some sort of fatty?
layla: well... you do have a big butt.
all i could do was laugh. she's right- i do have a ghetto booty.
if i ever need an honest opinion. i ask layla. she holds nothing back- obviously.

saturday i attended yet another wedding. by the time august rolls around i will have been to 6, yes 6, weddings this year. and that's only counting the ones i've gotten invites for thus far. helloooo reality check.
this weekend's wedding was another gorgeous one though. held at snow hill inn, in my hometown of franklin, nc.

meet tori and gabe mckay. adorable entrance to the reception.

saying goodbye. loved the sparklers!

wedding daaaate, ryan.

sweet klara- ultimate dancing partner. and the bud trailer in the background.

sunday ended with a dinner date with momma and a great phone call from my sister on my drive back to waynesville. i'm having some trouble figuring out my next step in life and if i'm really where i should be. being a single, independent, 24 year old career woman i'm ready for something new... but i'm not quite sure what that is just yet. the support and guidance from the two closest women in my life really help keep me focused and remind me that i've got a lot of life to look forward to.
of course my fortune cookie from dinner left me thinking as well...

... hmm... what shall i take a chance on ;)

happy monday,
j.

boom.

boom shaka laka- IT'S FRIDAY!!!
today we're dancing. and writing some letters for a linkup.

 

dear greys: i'm so sorry i missed you last night, i was out with friends instead. i promise i'll watch you this weekend. however, if the rumors of who died is true- i might just be devastated. but i will probably still love you.

dear relay for life: celebrating you tonight in my hometown. you keep so much hope in people's lives and i admire you for that. thank you for raising money, awareness, and allowing the world more birthdays. we lost cindy crane to cancer last fall after an 11 year battle and tonight is for her. she is my best friend stephanie's mother and quite possibly the definition of a fighter. we miss you, beautiful.

leading the survivor's lap in 2011 with steph & their family.

dear GCB: um, really, your CANCELED?!?!?! ABC- what are you thinking?? hands down, one of my favorite shows on tv right now... and now you're not coming back. such a shame. all my bloggah friends- if you loved good christian bitches as much as i did, you should probably go and SAVE GCB. (yes that's a petition, and yes i signed it because i feel THAT strongly about saving the show- no judging allowed). good thing the tv show was based on a book series, and good thing i'm about ten seconds away from ordering it.

dear sunshine: i promise i'm gonna try and let my body see you this weekend. i'm tired of hearing the song "blinded by the light" play in my head when i put on my bathing suit.

dear verizon: you suck. getting rid of unlimited data when you renew your contract? peace out homeslice. hello at&t (or someone better).

dear blog readers: i love ya.

have a fabulous weekend.
over & out.
j.

thursday link up

it's thursday, which means a few awesome things around here:
1. the obvious- tomorrow is friday, and of course i'm a fan.
2. we're linking up with neely at A Complete Waste of Makeup
for It's OK Thursday!


IT'S OKAY.....

that i was making fun of the two cars in front of me fighting for a close parking spot at the gym monday night... mainly because you're at a gym and your sole purpose should be to work out... but then had a "yessss" moment, maybe even with a fist pump, when i got the spot they wanted.

to visit all my friends that have dogs mainly because i secretly am longing for that pup lovin again. yep, still missing my ava.

that i'm so obsessed with the hunger games that i'm almost falling off the elliptical at the gym every night because my face is sucked into a book. don't worry- i'll alert you if i actually hit the ground. i've had a few of those "oh shit" moments where you have to jerk back and re-compose yourself... all while hoping nobody saw you.

to really want a green thumb and lots of plants for spring... but realizing that my house is where plants come to die.

that i had a dream the other night that i was a nanny in russia (of all places)... and then i googled au pair positions around the world the next day... just in case that's supposed to be my next move and all.

that i left my house after my lunch break in my slippers today and had to turn around to put on my real shoes. such is life... probably should've just left the slippers on.

that i'm kind of in love with the skinny girl vodkas... hello scrumptious... trying the cucumber next!!
(same people that make the skinny girl margaritas)

yum.
xoxo,
j.

a letter.

i need to keep reminding myself of this and stop trying to force things to happen in my own way, in my own time. i have a hard time realizing that i'm not in control around here.

happy hump day!!
j.

bachelorette. nc style.

reality tv and i have a love/ hate relationship.

i can't stand the thought of finding your "true love" on television with the entire world watching and judging and i swore i wouldn't watch another season of that show... until i heard emily maynard was the next bachelorette.
i mean who could resist little miss emily's southern charm?
single mother, independent, fellow north carolinian, sweet as pie, and gorgeous!!
i would LOVE to see her find happiness.
and it also gives good reason to act all girly and paint your nails while drinking a bottle glass of wine by yourself on a monday night.
plus the show was filmed 2.5 hours east of me... in charlotte. kind of a big deal.

and these are my top picks for her after last night... and exactly how i remember them...
1. charlie- guy who fell off a porch and ended up with a brain/head injury.
2. doug- single father whose little boy wrote her a letter.
3. chris- gave emily bobble heads of the two of them (i agree- a little weird)
4. ryan- held up a sweet note at his intro.

emily, darling, feel free to send these gorgeous men a little further west in ol' nc when you're done. i would gladly take them off your hands for you.
who are your top picks?

in other news. you might just see yours truly on tv soon

as in june 1st soon... on TLC.

i promise i'll try and give you the details this week.

j.

Miscellany Monday

it's a yucky, rainy monday out right now.
and today's post is a little on the random side.

i honestly don't think i've ever been able to say that i've had a bad weekend. it's just hard not to have a good time when you're off work and surrounding yourself with great people.
this weekend was no different.

lots of time was spent with family, friends, and celebrating my mother.
friday consisted of meeting my coworker's precious baby BOY!

meet hampton lee mason
the only newborn baby i've ever seen with a head full of blonde hair.

friday night followed up with a yummy dinner and a night out in my hometown with fun friends.

saturday was spent at the ball fields watching my nieces play softball
and having rolling races down the grassy hill.

letting my brother drive my jeep and 3 of my 4 nieces.

saturday night we had a get together at my mom's house to celebrate
her recent college graduation and mother's day.
it was filled with homemade wine, giggly middle aged women, and great food.

sunday was breakfast in bed, sleeping through the rainy morning,
and spending time with the mothers in my family.

now for the sole reason i'm making it through today...
last night i just so happened to catch the trailer for the movie magic mike coming out this year.
it's about male strippers. channing tatum as a male stripper to be more exact.
i'm dyyyyying right now just thinking about it.
i mean holy hell.
see for yourself.

now go wipe the drool off your computers and have a great monday!
j. 

a good day.

that's what today will be.
a good day.
and not just because it's friday people...

first of all,
i get to work today and this little gem is sitting in the hallway.

it belongs to a coworker- her name is gail.
and she's straight up haaa-larious.
this woman is not only the BEST social worker in haywood county,
she's also got the craziest and most outgoing personality of anyone i've ever met.
and this isn't the only blow up doll she's brought to work.
one time it was a deer. the other time a cat.
but she always ends up finding some kid within DSS to give it to by the end of the day.
a little crazy, but such a sweetheart.
and this is what happens if you leave your flamingos laying around...

the other reason today is so fab is because it's baby day!!!
not for me, silly friends.
but for my coworker jennifer and her husband rhett!
she's having a scheduled c-section today at 12... that's how we already know when she's having it.
the most exciting thing about this is that they have gone 9 months without finding out the sex of the baby!
no idea what it is. none at all.
how cool is that?
this was the cake we had at her baby shower a couple of weeks ago.

i know... we're a great bunch to work with!

it's a good day.
flamingos and fridays are my fave,
j.

awkward and some awesome.

i usually like to do those whole "awkward and awesome" posts... but my week's just been a little more awkward than usual.
so we're gonna stick with that.
you'll get a little awesomeness thrown in though.

let's start with the fact that all week i have thought it was thursday and the following day was friday. i haven't been right until today. and let me just tell you that i had to check my calendar just now to make sure that tomorrow REALLY is friday.

at some point.

things got a little awesome on tuesday though when my mother graduated from SCC
with her associate's degree... which she's using to transfer to WCU
so she can go fulfill some kind of dream we're not entirely sure of yet.
you see, she's been a full time nurse, mother, foster parent, child counselor, kids book author, etc. for the last 30+ years and she all of a sudden decided she was sick of it and going back to school.
right on momma bear!! we're all so incredibly proud.
i thought it was hard to juggle a social life, a sorority, and full time school... but this woman did it with a home to take care of, 2 foster kids, a 15 year old son, and a stubborn husband.

so proud of our mom!

of course tuesday night couldn't have just been awesome.
no, we had to have something awkward happen.
like when we all got up to leave and my sister had just got done feeding her 6 month old little girl sophia, whom i insisted i had to carry out for her.
i even fought my dad over who was going to get to carry her.
i should have just let him have her...
because as soon as we start walking down the aisle of the auditorium filled with people, i feel this warm sensation running down my arm, my dress, my leg... and a woman yelling at me
"hey lady, your baby is throwing up!"
pure joy.
thanks lady, like i couldn't tell.
this is what happens with babies though... they throw up... on you.
and i proceed to crack up while trying not to gag.

she's too cute to ever be upset with- throw up and all.

and then today i get ready for work and since it's so nice out,
i decide to wear a dress and some cute sandals.
i somehow forgot the fact that i had scheduled home visits all day today though...
(and we have to wear close toed shoes to all home visits... agency policy)
so i end up in a dress and tennis shoes all day.
guhhh-reattt.
i even had an elderly lady look at me and say
"honey, bless your heart... are you serious??"

the awesome part...
is the fact that even though i looked a ridiculous mess in my dress and tennis shoes...
i still got the most incredible hugs at each home visit
with "i love you's" whispered in my ear.
they make everything i do worth while.

i know, right babe?

over and out,
j.

let's play catch up.

...shall we?
this weekend was definitely one for the books, friends.
it consisted of incredible company, a road trip, cinco de drinko margs (celebrated on friday), a night out in charlotte, a gorgeous wedding, a hotel after party, and an ikea trip.
it... was... fabulous!
oh and it was my pledge sister amy's wedding, just fyi. 
here is a shot from the beautiful and talented Ruby People's Photography,
who photographed the wedding we attended saturday.
tell me that is not the most breath taking site you've ever seen...

it was taken at the chapel at camp cheerio in elkin, nc... where the ceremony was held.
the reception was just down the road and thankfully we had a shuttle taking us
to and from the hotel and wedding sites.
(i mean it was cinco de mayo after all).
here are a few more wedding pictures courtesy of Ms. Ruby...
sidenote: they had one of THE best photo booths, of all time. i'm patiently waiting to see the rest of those babies and once i get my hands on them i promise i'll share!

i know, they're presh.
stay tuned... i have 2 more weddings this month
and i'm sure you'll get to hear all about them.
happy hump dayyy,
j.

a good reminder.

... to be happy with your life and where you're at.
it's all out of our control anyways.

happy monday.
j.

another friday, another letter.

dear friday, i love you.
dear amy and nick, i am beyond excited to be celebrating with the two of you this weekend. your wedding will be gorgeous- just like the two of you!

dear weather, please don't rain while i drive to charlotte. i'm already afraid of big trucks and if you add rain it will likely send me into a panic attack. thanks.
dear blogging friends, i probably won't be posting again until monday. sorry in advance but i'll be  
crashing a wedding all weekend.
dear cinco de mayo, you've always been a fave. don't worry- i'll still celebrate you in style tomorrow.
dear lexi, layla, mya, & sophia, i miss you. a lot. i will be coming to see you asap.

 

j.