A little PSA for summer....

I love summer, ya know? With summer approaching, and with the weather getting warmer and warmer, I thought i'd take a little time to spread the news. I was at the farmers market today (Sappington) and i thought that i'd walk in and smell the aroma of watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries, hell, even onions.

nope. And this is why i am writing this today. Obviously this phenomenon of this product that's been around since the dark ages hasn't caught onto everyone. So that you all know, there is this product out called DEODORANT. It's made to prevent wetness and odor. Did you catch that----ODOR?

It's not hard to put on either, swipe and your done. So, for the sake of small children, and the elderly, and me, please buy some today. There are soooo many kinds available--roll-on, spray, gel, and even kinds that go on clear. I don't give a rats ass what kind you use, just freaking use it or stay out of public area.

I know that it might be new to some of you, but try it. All the cool kids wear it. You won't be disappointed, and neither will your friends and family, hell, the girl at the grocery store will be DELIGHTED you did.

I'm squeeling with delight!

My slideshow of the wedding is up!

http://www.browersphotographyblog.com/2008/06/amyblake-show-stillls.html

I laughed, and I cried. Well, worth the wait.

This and that....

I caught an episode of Friends the other day. Man, i miss that show.

I am SO excited for this weekend! We have NO plans! First time in like, a looong time. I'm pumped.

My dog is the laziest dog--ever! I was off on Monday, and she hardly got up all day. Is that all she does all day while we are at work? I mean, when i got up, she went from our bed, to HER bed. Even still, she is too damn cute. Look at her as a baby!

She finds the wall really interesting!

She's on the right, that's her brother we gave him to Blake's bro (who gave him away without tell us! GRRRR)

• Little did i know, that getting married and changing my last name would cause so many problems. Well, at work it's causing my computer to do crazy things, since we changed my username, i've lost log notes. not cool. who knew changing my name would cause so much chaos?


• I am so frustrated right now. The car accident was almost 2 months ago, and the freggin pain hasn't gone away. PT is helping, but I'm miserable. I've gained like a million pounds bc i can't do anything. I am so tired of going to appointments and yep, gotta go again tomorrow, I called my doc to see if i could get an MRI to see if there is more to it, and she wants to see me. GAH. Stupid car accident. I just want to be back to normal again!
  


• I heart Popsicles. Its weird tho--as a child i used to love the purple and cherry--and now i find myself liking the colors i hated as a kid. I'm also finding that i hate bugs. I used to be SUCH A TOMBOY as a kid. I remember when i was younger, my cousin and i used to squish worms in my dolls baby bed my dad made (i know, weird. what were we thinking?) Now, they repulse me. Blake and i (well, mostly blake) got rid of ALL the stupid rocks in our backyard, and every time i picked one up, i found a worm or 1,000's of rolly polly's. and i want to hurl. when did i grow up?
  
• I am going to attempt to get my haircut this weekend. I am SO sick of it right now. Wish me luck. I haven't had a real hair cut other than a trim in like two years. Scary!

Going for something like this:

Please, I hope i dont end up like this--somehow i just don't think that could happen!

Ah, tomorrow is friday! Friday's kick ass!

A month ago today.....

I got married! I cannot beleive it's been a month already!

It feels just like yesterday I was kissing my HUSBAND for the first time!IHO of our first month as a married couple, here is a little conversation I had with my mom after we opened gifts. It makes me smile and went like this:

mom: so, did you come out even (meaning that with all the cash we got, and with what Blake and I spent on our wedding)?

me: nope.

mom: really? (as she has NO IDEA how much a wedding costs these days.) was it all worth it?

me: HELL FREAKING YES.

mom: would you do it all over again?

me: IN A HEARTBEAT.

Mom: well that is all that matters.

Even though he is driving me nuts lately, i do have to say that i love him more than i ever thought was possible. It seems like forever ago, that I sat down and looked across the table to see his face. We had a conversation that lasted a split second but little did I know at that time, i had just met my future hubby. (I'll divulge the whole 'how we met' story another day)

Before we know it, we'll be an old married couple!

My latest obsessions...

My latest project has sucked the energy out of my body--literally. The cabinets are ALL painted, now I just need to buy and add hardware! Woot--and I am working on talking my dear hubby into buying me this: and once I get this, I'll need the matching components. It's going to take a while to convince him that the money we spend it worth it when our properly working yet unmatching appliances are still in working order. Plus--it's honestly, driving me nuts that they do not match. I NEED MATCHY MATCHY!


So, in attempt to update our kitchen on a measly budget (and let me tell you, there has been A LOT of F-BOMBS involved in this project, and next time, i decide to do something this crazy, hit me in the freggin head please.) I have been scouring the blog-o-sphere and www for fun ideas. I found these two funky pieces on bhg.com--and i am in love with this idea. i don't know what it is about the baskets, maybe it's because they are so orderly looking, and um, yes, lined up. Now, i wouldn't ever be so brave to go all out with these funky colors but I'm thinking of adding one of basket goodness!

Since the cabinets are now painted, my goal is to find some baskets. Two places come to mind: gardenridge and world market--two places i could seriously do some damage at. Now, prepare yourself for the next thing, i am so obsessed with this, if we were ANYWHERE near finishing our basement, and I'd sell my right arm to get this:

I found this on Dwell, but searched ASKO's site, and this is what they say about this magnificent creature.

The ASKO Laundry Care range is the world’s most co-ordinated range of
laundry appliances. It is totally modular for flexible configuration, comes
with a range of concealed door finishes and can even be integrated with your
own cabinetry. And with a range of hidden helpers and storage solutions you will
enjoy more freedom, options and space than ever before. Of course, like all ASKO
products, the range reflects our tradition of pure, minimalist, ergonomic design
and our commitment to the environment.

Sigh. I want.

Weekend recap and random bits of goodness....

This weekend was kinda weird as it was basically a girls weekend for me, not a bad thing by far but haven't done one like that in a LONG LONG time!

Friday we had our annual spring picnic, and then caroused over to a few coworkers homes for cocktails. Ahhhh, cocktails.

Speaking of cocktails, I had more on Saturday night with some lovely ladies for an awesome GNO (girls night out!.) It's been a while since i attended any of the get-togethers, and i was finally able to go! woot! I am a sucky blogger bc i brought my camera and didn't take any pics. Luckily, Jen did. Thanks, Meghan for being an awesome hostess. i love how her hubby came home and she told him to go away and watch some manly movies!!!!!

I decided that i needed to add a pic in this loong blog of unpictured goodies...so i stole one from Nikki who i had the pleasure to meet last night. I stole this one bc it had the doggy in it!


This is only a portion of the girls, so check out Nikki and Jen's blogs to see more! Plus, next time I plan on actually taking pics! All in all, I had a crazy week so it was great to relax this weekend, with good food, good friends, and freaking sweet ass drinks!

Now, regarding the random bits of goodness.

• I have gotten over my wedding hangover....(thank god. ) I think that it's a combination of just being so relaxed, loving life, and realizing that while some bad shit happened over the past year, it's cool...why cry over spilt milk, there are worse things in life. While most of you know, i work with kids with disabilities, and i met with one of my parents and kiddos last week (after not seeing them for about a year) and suddenly, my whole world didn't matter. Some of the kids I work with are terminal, and to see a frail little body, all skin and bones, you start to feel like shit bc you worried so much about a freaking tiny detail that really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of life. So, i am back to being my normal sappy, and happy self. I love my job for this reason, it keeps me grounded and teaches me that the important things in life are worth waiting for, and worth everything. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful group of friends, and a supportive, loving family, and the BEST HUSBAND in the world, who loves me no matter what. Life is too short to cry about spilt milk, so we must move on! Moving on---
• I am 90% done with my cabinets. Can we say, WOOT!


• I freaking love summer. There is nothing like waking around in flip flops, and relaxing in the sun.

I can tell it's summer for two reasons besides the effing humidity--junebugs, and the laughter of kids enjoying summer vacation (oh, how i miss those days....) Speaking of summer, i've made a few goals!!!

1. Get to the gym and stop eating like a lard ass. Well, i am going to start being more healthy. with the wedding, school and everything going on, I stopped being so good. I have gained SOOOOO much weight, and am so tired of feeling like crap ALL THE TIME. I am planning on going to spinning at the butt crack of dawn so wish me luck! I am a bit nervous i am going to hurl all over the place.


2. Once I am finished with the cabinets, my goal is to replace the appliances and the kitchen table that i detest. This ones going to take some time bc the hubby doesn't understand the need for things that don't relate to TV's or Video games....stupid boys. :)


3. With my whole going the gym thing, I want to loose 30 pounds before my dear friends Steph's October wedding. I am ready freddy!


4. Learn something new---whatever that may be, I am going to learn it. I'm loving entertaining and cooking so maybe something of that sorts!
   

I am going to go back to work now, booooo! those cabinets aren't gonna paint themselves!

I'm on a posting rampage lately!!!

I can seem to stop posting with all this time i've got on my hands...ha! I am going to flood this post with wedding pics my dear friend nikki took! She was one of my readers and wow, she sure can read!

I can say this is the first installment of what the hell is Amy doing?
It is a good shot of my bouquet tho! I sho' do love me some peonies!!! Becca, jen, and nikki on my sweet ass trolly!!!
Um, them again? Nikki likes to take pics.....
If i had to guess, I think I would say that this may be after a few bottles of champagne?? Whatcha think T???
Awww....maybe if Jenny would stop running away from bouquets she might just be the next one to walk down the aisle! Ha, just kidding--you know i wuv you!
Noone is looking at this camera but hey, i'll take what i can get right now.....

Dave looks like he is concentrating REALLY hard at reading those programs....

There's tony hamming it up like he does bestThe boys, but i do have to wonder why the heck Joel is pointing to his crotch????

I think matt thinks it's time for him to get married.....and i'm glad to see Blake was smiling before he saw me!!!! Oh, and if your super anal like me all you can notice is that the stupid coordinator forgot to give the boys their bouts. Stupid lady. First you show up to the rehearsal 45 mins late, and then you forget the flowers. GAH!

LOVE LOVE MY CHURCH!!!
Damn, those boys are looooking goood!
I MADE IT!!! (and without falling down the aisle, or losing an eyelash!)
We are married! What a sweet moment, huh? (Note my awesome photog capturing it all!)
Hopefully, we'll have some REAL pics soon!!

Stand Up 2 Cancer

This is the PSA...Stand up for Cancer....

Very Cool...Stand up to Cancer

I had to post about this. I am sure we all know someone who is fighting cancer, or someone we had to say goodbye to way too soon. It is that one word that we all know, and we pray that we don't have to hear.

I have heard it too often this year as my grandma was diagnosed with cancer late last year. Thoughts crossed our minds, and my poor grandpa was distraught but luckily with chemo and radiation, she is now in remission. (YAY!) I have had several friends who have lost loved ones to this. I remember when Brock's mom was diagnosed with colon cancer and about four months later she lost the fight.

I saw talks about this on E! and it immediately gave me chills.....ABC, CBS, and NBC are all partnering up for an event on September 5th at 8:00 pm. I found this on their site:

On Friday evening, September 5, 2008, the networks will donate one hour of prime time for a history-making interactive television special, uniting the nation as we Stand Up To Cancer, including: Performances by legendary recording artists.
Over 50 of the biggest names in TV, film, sports and music will participate in the
live phone bank, answering calls from viewers who want to donate. Stand Up To
Cancer plans to auction celebrity video chats where viewers will have the opportunity to chat in real time with film and television stars. Segments on
cutting-edge research -- likely to be reported by network news anchors Katie Couric, Charles Gibson, and Brian Williams -- will include intimate dialogue with the renowned scientists who are making the big, potentially life-saving discoveries. Celebrity performances and participation in special live and filmed pieces designed to educate, inspire and entertain.

You can go to their site to learn more, donate, and join the fight, .

This made my heart melt!!!!

The Constellation is a tribute space to honor anyone who has received a cancer
diagnosis. For a donation of $1 or more, you can add a star to the
Constellation in the name of someone you love: a family member, a co-worker, a
friend. We invite you to search the Constellation and become a part of something big.

So, who wants to be part of something big???

I have to give a shout out.....

Most brides don't thank who i am getting ready to thank, at least i hope not...( Julia---you'll enjoy this post......) Three weeks before the wedding, I remember sitting on the couch, balling my eyes out to Blake. I was terrified that I wouldn't enjoy what was supposed to be the best day of my life.

If you all remember, I was in a car accident on 270 three weeks before the big day. Luckily, i walked away without a scratch, but started developing neck and back pain immediately.

I went to the ER, and eventually to my doc bc it was 3 days later and i was still in pain. I was freaking out because i was getting married in less than 3 weeks, my to-do list was exploding and school/work was already out of control. Luckily for me, my doc referred me to physical therapy.

They put those freaky little electrodes, and used traction to whip me into shape. While the pain has come back, (booooo!) I felt amazing on my wedding day.

So, i had to thank Hunter, and all the staff because this moment may not have been as amazing and memorable as it was..........

I was completely walking on clouds that day, and could not stop smiling, and after going to PT 3X's a week, i was so ready for that aisle. I remember telling the bridal party to walk faster so i could get out there!

I'm going back to PT tomorrow! Woot! I heart PT! So, I get to tell them tomorrow!!!

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(oh and thanks to the Browers for the pics....)

Now that the weddings over......

Since I have a wedding hangover, I'm obsessed with redoing our house. I have 5,0001 things i want to do. For some strange reason, I started with the one that I decided on last minute, and it is an exhausting, loong process---I am painting our cabinets. Since it's a bigger pain in the ass ( I mean process) than I thought, I figured i'd post some pics of our new casa (well, somewhat new, we've been here since Oct.


This is what our living room looked like when we moved in. I love yellow, but this was overkill, and it matched nothing else in the house. So, I got creative, and wanted something different...
(Disregard that weird thing next to the sofa--think it was a seasonal deco, and those brown things bc i made Blake get rid of them....they are the biggest, and most ghetto speakers known to man. I made him get real speakers...ha)

Here is the eat in kitchen thing, and a semi-decent pic of the 2nd color I chose. Now, don't get too used to that stupid table because that is the next thing to go. (glass table=pain in ass to keep clean for super-anal retentive person....) I wish i had gotten pics of the light fixtures before we took them down. God awful ugly is the only way to describe them.

Gah, more freggin yellow. This was the crappy before pic i took, before we painted it greenish.
And here is work in progress....i took out the bottom plates bc i am a messy painted (and from what I have been told since all the cabinet doors are off, that I am super anal, and weird all bc i like things to line up and be in order....geez)
Now, prepare yourselves: the next two pictures are nauseating and quite sickening to view......so those who are sensitive to hideous style, look away!!!

our two hallways BEFORE......

This first one is AFTER i took off 6,004343 layers of hideous borders. WTF is up with the pukey, poopy brown?
I don't have an after pic yet bc we still haven't hung up all the crap we want to yet. but we painted it an almond color. I'll post pics later of it....

After I finish the cabinets (i'll almost done...) i want to stain the deck, and work on the bathroom but first i want to get this TV hung up and replace the stand with something higher. (note, this is Tony, and yes, he is single. Any takers?? he's lots of fun)

So, wish me luck on my first BIG project, and remember, if you are single (i think i might know one or two single girls) or have single friends, Tony is available. :)

Why jenny won't be walking down that aisle anytime soon.....

Jenny my dear, if you want to catch the bouquet, you shouldn't run in the OTHER directions. This picture and the ones im posting are what i have from fam and friends to stare at until we see more from the photogs....this one is just so amusing to me. Especially if you know her..... I can thank Ame for this one....I loved my cake to pieces, and was so sad to cut it.

Remember the blue hat from our honeymoon......greatest speech ever!
Our awesome photog team.....they rock!

Randomness outside the church....
I like this one....look at Blake and Dave, endearing eyes.....lol

Here is your job for the day.....find the bride!

what i learned on my honeymoon...........

Blake and I went to Riu in Ochos Rios, Jamaica. It was beautimus, and the people were beyond nice. We still had fun, even though it wasn't what we thought our honeymoon would be like--and that brings me to the first thing-- this was us on our first day in Jamaica----and basically blake's last.

Always listen to your wife, she is ALWAYS right. Before the wedding, i kept telling Blake to go tanning. Did he listen? NO!

and this is what happened........well, sorry for the crappy sideways pics but his whole body was completely fried after our first day there! He had such a bad sunburn, and was in so much pain, and eventually developed nasty blisters, we finally made a trip to the 'doctor.' well, we go inside, and there indeed is no doctor, but a nurse. We could give them our credit card and a doctor could be called....yes....anyway, the nurse tells him it's bad, and to stay out of the sun. Great. It's our HM we are in paradise, and he can't enjoy it. So, moral of the story is listen to your wife. And don't go to Jamaican docs.

Since Blake couldn't make it to the beach, I went out by myself, I brought the beach to him. (sorry for sideways pic again, i have no idea how to fix it right now....)

I won a bottle of rum by tossing a ring onto it, and oddly enough i was given a coconut too....i can now say that i have drank out of a coconut. sweet.

Notice, how excited he looks, and how he is burnt in an odd way. I think he might have spelt out something with his burn.........

When you ask other people to take a picture of you, random people, make sure you tell them how to work the camera........otherwise you get pics like this because they had the camera backwards.

Jamaican breakfast is awesome....they had crepes--yum, but my three favorites were right here. Fresh mango's, and fried crap (doughnuts, and hash browns...there's fruit so it's healthy)

Here goes the damn sideways pics again, but i need this machine. Anyone know where i can get me one? They make coffee, but the best part is that it makes this mocha thing that is like the bestest thing in the world.

See....even blake agrees!!

In Jamaica, everything is in English---the people that live there are extremely nice. They definitely are more laid back and have the 'no problem' attitude. I bought this and had to give it to blake. it was too cute!

Now, the next lesson is one that we learned on the way back to the airport, we can thank our bus driver for this one. Avoid riding in buses/cars/taxis that Jamaicans drive bc i thought we were going to die! He was driving a bus with about 20 people on it and not only was he on his cell phone, but he also was fooling with this thing, while driving probably 80+..........no wonder we almost got into an accident. (Seriously, he slammed on his breaks and we all screamed, and luggage went flying. He felt the need to report the car in front of him to the police. Apparently, it is legal to drive like a maniac)

So you ask, what movie was so important he had to watch while driving around scared Americans? well, lucky for us, it was more for his listening pleasure than his viewing pleasure.....it was R&B's greatest slow jams. Yes, you heard me right.

Now, this might be a weird coincidence but this was plastered inside of the bus. what do you think of when you think of Bob Marley?

Speaking of illegal things..........

Apparently, this is where you go if you need to purchase them..........

Food cooked on the beach in a giant pan is really really good..... here he is making Paella. Seafood, and rice.

This one has no real lesson other than don't drink and dress up (this hat has a great story behind it and was a part of our best man's awesome speech), maybe ill share it later.....

This salad was scrumptious.....no lesson learned but it was good

Jiggy coffee is not a kind of coffee, well, it kind of it. it's coffee with rum in it--that's why it makes you feel so silly.......

So, your sunburned, its your last day, and you try to make it outside to enjoy your honeymoon. And you wear this shirt........not only is it nice and dark, but it says "Stand back, I don't know how big this thing gets." Makes great jokes for the Jamaicans!

Jamaica really is beautiful........and i found a spot for my new home....

\

Who wants to go with me???

Lastly, one of the most important things i learned, well, it speaks for itself

All in all, it was a blast despite Blake's 'issues', and we got a chance to act like honeymooners. I stole a kiss from Blake while he ha food in his mouth, apparently the janitor thought it was interesting........

Going home sucks........................