birthday re-cap + a moment of true happiness



I had a wonderful weekend. A birthday weekend at that.

I like to call it perfection.
Thank you ALL for all the birthday wishes. They made me that much
happier as I was receiving them throughout the day.
I feel very special.

♥

Friday night, we went to celebrate a birthday for a hometown friend, Michael

out at one of the hunting clubs located up the road. Aaron and I both enjoyed seeing

faces we don't get to see much including one of my favorites, Caitlin from a country nest. It was a great night - so great we arrived home at 2am.

Saturday evening, we had a birthday cookout out by the pool.

Besides the heat index of 102, it was the best evening spent with our wonderful friends & a handful of family members. Aaron & our good friend, Jon spent that morning recovering grocery shopping for  a low country boil, my favorite.  We had about {guessing} 40 people come over, again it was so wonderful. It took me all of 10 minutes of being outside before I was in the pool. It was craZy hot. I am ALL for the AC and not a big fan of sweating. Sadly, I did not take many pictures because well... I was enjoying myself that much and never thought of it until the very end of the night. And by that point I had drinken a little too much wine && the few I just captured, somehow deleted. I'm still confused about it.  It was 4am before we hit the pillow this night. Whoa, it's been a while since we've done that.

Sunday, we had a big day planned however I wasn't moving to fast && had a slight hangover from wine. Which incase you have never had one its awful.
We were supposed to be going to a park downtown Savannah for lunch & to spend the day, instead we had a late lunch at Jalapenos {which was really good}

I had to take some kind of picture to capture my 27th birthday...

even when I felt like poo.

Later I received a gift from my in-laws in which I've been wanting for SO long

now. Shutters for our house. It's been on our waiting list for quite some time &&

since the Easter Bunny did not bring them I was super happy to see these.

The hubby & I then went home ... && crashed for a little bit.

We were so exhausted && needing more than one hour of nap time but

unfortunately we had a visitation to attend that evening.

My BIL & Sister invited us over for steaks after the visitation

in which was really nice. We enjoyed it very much.

27th BIRTHDAY = marking something off my bucket list.

Yesterday, I laughed until I cried.

It was pure awesomeness.

My niece Emily {2.5 years old} performed for me && then on several accounts performed

for ALL of us.  It was so awesome & filled this heart of mine with so much happiness & laughter. What's not better than that?

{please excuse the coloring of the video.

I've yet to figure out how to manage that on YOUTUBE - it was not recorded like this. }

Is that not awesome? May I say that she has never taken any type of
dance lessons. She's a fan of "So You Think You Can Dance" & also watches her
two sisters dance all the time.

We ended the night with adult conversation while the kids were
wild && dancing all over the place.

Chloe & myself.

Punkle Aaron & Emily {love this photo}

{Definition of Punkle = Punk + Uncle = Punkle}

&& before we left that night I was receiving all sorts of calls & text messages
about our whether back home. Apparently we missed a small hurricane, thank goodness -
but when we did arrive at the house there were trees everywhere && half of our chimney was detached from our home. Wow!
Oh & no power.

It was a wondeful 27th birthday.
Cheers to another year!

Farewell 26.

photo credit

Today is my twenty-seventh birthday - how fun♥ I love birthdays of all kinds. But I must confess that turning twenty-seven feels bittersweet. Cheers to another year of life - Thank you Jesus!  It is not because I hate growing old because I am probably the only lady you will meet that actually likes growing old. What, how, & why - right? Every year gets bigger, better & happier. Why would I not?  But saying farewell to year twenty-six and welcoming age twenty-seven has probably been the birthday that I've actually thought about what really happened in my life and where I've been. What is next? What can ever top age twenty-six? Can happier exist? 

My twenty-sixth year of life was definitely the most memorable year I've ever had, hoping it won't be the last or the only. As good as life has been in all my twenty-seven years, twenty-six was my most comfortable, my most joyful and the one year where I grew a completely different outlook on life and definitely on love with a lot of small memories in between. That being said, I also realized that every day is a new day and you can never take for granted the people in your life.

Speaking of getting old, I've realized some changes with my age this year:

1.} I've weakened in the catagory of "motion sickness".
On our honeymoon, our Bahamas Vacay & our Deep Sea fishing trip - all three
I was at some point weezy from the water. That's never happened before.

2.} When I stick my hands under the blow-dry hand machine in a
public restroom, my skin ... sadly it has more elasticity && it's not as "tight".

3.} Life is to precious to take for granted.  I've always known this
but this year, my eyes were really opened to how valuable life really is. It scares the shiii outta me yet I've learned to appreciate every waken second - my life is precious
& so is the people around me. Tomorrow is not promised.

4} Changes in my body.
I never understood when people said the older you get the harder it is to drop weight,
I thought they were nuts - well I am experiencing it now.
Also, my face is no longer take a nights rest with a days worth of makeup.
If I do not wash my face before bedtime, I pay for it.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cheers to 27 years of life. It's been so awesome words can not describe.
Life is great. I'm happy. I'm healthy. I'm in love. && I'm MARRIED!

I look forward to what this year has to hold.
Let's see if it can top it?! Ya think?

Uh, Duh? Of course!

photo credit

Birthday Week

Today officially starts my birthday week!

Ekkkk!

photo credit

This is something Aaron never understands but since my birthdate falls three days before a holiday, Independance Day it's only fair that I get to stretch it out.  However, July 4th falls on a Wednesday this year, so I'm pretty sure It's gonna last until the following weekend.

Makes sense, right?

Duhh.

I love celebrating birthdays.

Whether it's mine or yours. I think they are special && no matter

what age you are it should always be celebrated. It's another year of life - what's not to get happy about?!

birthday list?

No list. For the past two years now, I haven't had a birthday list. I just love having people around. Nothing in this world could make me happier than being with the the people

who make me happiest - making memories together.

There is nothing that can fit in my hands that I can or have received as a birthday gift that I can really remember of the top of my head but what makes a birthday the greatest is

what's given to me at heart && that's memories. I can keep them forever and you better believe, I do.

I'm looking forward to the weekend - Aaron hasn't said much of what's going down

but that can swing two ways ----

1) he isn't thinking about it... yet  2) he doesn't think it's a big deal

 I say that as I chuckle with love. He'll put something out of his ACE.

He always does.  Until then, I'll keep reminding him by repeating

"Whose turning 27 this weekend? I AM!"

[26] Birthday♥

  

[via]

26

reasons why this life is so happy♥

♥Twenty six years ago God blessed everyone in this life.
He brought me into this world. [Haha!] Happy Birthday to me!

♥We are headed out for a weekend getaway!
St. Augustine here we come! My parents are already down there
so we are looking forward to spending some quality time with them and
sitting on the beach soaking up the sun rays! Chloe & Austin [niece & nephew]
are with them.

♥Last night I came home to dinner cooked and ready to be served.
Mr Wonderful was showered and patiently waiting for my arrival.
He's so amazing!

♥Not only was dinner ready but he had the table [completely] set for two and for the first time, we used a lot of our NEW pot/pans, silverware, pyrex tupperware, and glasses we were gifted at my shower this past Sunday. It was nice! He even had a movie picked out.
NO wedding. NO cell phone. No one else, just us!

♥LOVED my evaluation [at work], which lead me to
getting a raise. Whoop Whoop!

♥My wedding invitations were mailed out t.o.d.a.y! Yippie!

♥Wednesday [June 29th] I spent a little time with my niece Ashlyn.
This is the first year my two oldest nieces didn't have a "family" birthday party.
They both had sleep overs with friends. I finally got to spoil Ashlyn a little by
taking her for ice cream and getting her a mani and pedi! She loved it.

♥Yesterday I made the very last payment on our honeymoon.
It's [been booked] paid for! Yay! Now if it could get here already.
We are so ready.

♥For ten years & four months I've been head over heals crazy in love
with my mr. wonderful, my everything. He's the best thing about me.
And I'm marrying him in sixty four days. Which is two months and two days.
In other words eight weeks.

♥Tuesday, June 28th we welcomed a new addition to our family.
My cousin Johnny & his wife Kaylee had their first baby,
Shane McCrosson Hernandez
5lbs 4 oz 19 Inches
True Story:
Kaylee is [awesome] full blooded Irish and its always been BIG in her family.
So, not only did they have the nurse write down the sex of the baby the day they were able to find out but they went to where their first date was [An Irish Pub] to have dinner and open the paper TOGETHER. They agreed on not telling anyone his name until he was born. Shane means John in Irish. McCrosson is Kaylee's Maiden name.
Isn't that just great? The two of them a.l.w.a.y.s do amazing things and keep everything so intimate between each other.
♥I got all [40] thank you notes finished and mailed out by Wednesday [29th].
I'm pretty impressed with myself. I'm bragging, yes!

♥I have great bloggers friends who love me even if I am the worlds worst at
responding back to comments. [Oh by the way, [please know that I'm reading your posts. Usually I comment, however my computer won't ever let me. It just boots me out. But I'm reading. I promise.]

♥LOVED how my bestie, Holly posted an early birthday wish on my FB wall yesterday and it lead to a pile of people [Over 25] wishing me a wonderful birthday. Wonder what they are thinking today. Kinda scary how things travel so fast. Yikes!
♥I love The Bachelorette episode on Monday. [Sorry I didn't post about it.]
I was glad to see Ashley's lack of common sense come around to 'F You Bentley'.
Way to go Ash. Very surprised to see Mickey go home.

♥SUPER pumped about meeting our soon to be [and PROBABLY LAST] nephew.
Aaron's sister is on her last month with her pregnancy. They finally decided
on a name... Ryder. She is due August 1st however I believe she will go early.

♥Received an early birthday present from my in laws on Wednesday.
A monogrammed beach bag. Hold up... that turns in to bag which turns into
a chair cover and it even came with a clip on cup holder. How great?
Along with a beautiful butterfly necklace & cash mula!

♥What would a girl do without her best friends?
I have so much love and support from my girl friends. God blessed truly blessed me.

♥Speaking of friends. I had an amazing dinner date [last week] with two of my
favorite ladies, Danielle & Kristie. Nothing like a good belly laugh [x 2].

♥... and of course my blog friends. I love y'all too.
Future goal: make it to a blog meet up!

♥My Mom.
Geez, the woman it amazing.

♥... and the rest of my family.

[have I reached 26 yet?]

♥We finally agreed on a first dance song.
yippiieeee!

♥Life, love, & friendship!!!

Good Bye Age 24!!!

 I am NO LONGER 24 years old!!!!  
Welcoming myself into the world of 25!

If you've read my latest blogs this week, you'll know that I've already had a few birthday bashs! Again... I'm a Birthday Queen! My Friends && Family know this. Besides Thanksgiving, This is my FAVORITE time of the year!!!!

Last Night ... I fell in love all over again!
 Aaron took me on a date. Now... We go on dates quite often! I'm spoiled! We definitely take advantage of our time together. But, they usually are the same thing! Dinner & Movie or Dinner & Putt Putt - NOT COMPLAINING... I love them all!!!
He changed it up last night a bit!!! We had the BEST time EVER!!!!

We started off having dinner together at Carlitos, Mexican Resteraunt downtown!
Downtown = Savannah [my favorite place] It's a little out of Aaron's comfort zone... He's better way back in the sticks... I'm all about a city && the fuss!
Dinner was so wonderful. There is nothing I love more, than to have dinner && sit && TALK for hours && We did, Two Hours... After 10 years, we are still  able to just talk about nothing.. and have the best time.

The Waiter offered to take a picture...

It was a little akward, due to the ginormous tables!

"J, lemme get a picture of you!"

Well, there's more! Across the street is a Chocolate Bar, LuLu's && it is ANOTHER favorite of mine. I love this place! Perfect place to cozy up, fall in love, && get romantic.... Noooo, not yucky love stuff. I'm not a PDA kinda person! It's also a place I loooove my girlfriends & I to visit on a ladies night out!

Broughton Street... I love this place!!!

This place is INCREDIBLE and always sweeps me off my feet!!! Check LuLu's Out!  The atmospere & the surroundings make me feel like I'm in NEW YORK CITY!  Savannah isn't "fancy"... it's gorgeous, but not "fancy". Ohhhhh How I love the City Atmosphere.

You can order unbelievable tasting dessert like:

To View their list of DELICIOUS cocktails, Go Here:

                              http://www.luluschocolatebar.net/1802538.html

Aaron ordered the Dreamsicle Martini

&

I order the PineApple Upside down cake Martini

They both were [strong] && Delicious!!!

Dessert!!!!

Yummmy...

Together, we picked the White Chocolate Rasberry Cheescake!!!

OUT OF THIS WORLD!!!

&& A OLD flame flew in when we ordered the Strawberries!!!

MANY years ago...

it was Valentines Day....

When we first fell in love....

We both TRIED to go out of our ways to make it special....

Didn't have a clue....

I brought Melted Chocolate & Fresh Strawberries...

We planned to "feed" them to each other... Like the MOvies....

BELIEVE ME WHEN I TELL YOU....

Not everything you see in the movies, turns out graceful....

Of course, being young and .... young...

I thought you had to be sexy...

When Aaron feed me my strawberry...

Who knows.. I guess I did it right... [What's Right?]

When I feed Aaron HIS strawberry...

He devoured it in one bite...

I left out telling him we were supposed to be sweet and cute when we ate them....

that moment... I died laughing at his face && have never left that night of eating strawberries...

When we ordered them tonight...

After a few drinks...

We laughed harder than HARD...

It was great..

Tears were filling the eyes && we were re-living a moment from 8 years ago.

It was the most special moment of the night!

Let's go home....

My 25th Birthday was the BEST ever! Whoever said growing old was rough... I disagree! Growing up && getting older... gets better every year! Life is TRULEY Amazing!

Happy

Giddy
Joyful
Excited
Appreciative







- my five -

1. Cupcakes && Cocktails

                            2. Dinner with my Ladies at Vinnie Van Go-Go's

3. Early Birthday Present - The Fan I've been saving $$ for!

4. The BEST date with my FAVORITE person....

5. My NEW but old Blog Title, that's right, I'm bringing a past blog title back!

& adding a NEW header... and...

Well you'll just have to come back && see more later!!!

Everything is still in the making!!!

I can't wait!!!

Have you been Vajazzled?


Head over to Mommy Loves Stilettos


to check her out!


♥ miss jla
 

A weekend with the LADIES

 Welcome to a NEW week... My Birthday Week! [Although the celebration has already started]If you don't know, I'm a HUGH birthday celebrator. I try to make sure SOMETHING is happening in all the lovely people in my lives on their birthday! I also believe it's not just one day... it's a week all about you.Anyone else with me?
Last week my girlfriend threw me & my bestie a Cupcakes & Cocktails gathering to start celebrating our 24th & 25th birthdays. Keep reading and you will find recaps of the party!!!!
Click HERE to see MORE photos of Cupcakes & CocktailsFriday Evening, after clocking out... I went grocery shopping for  a party I was hosting Saturday NIght.After getting home, my amazing girlfriends, Rachel & Holly came over to help me prepare!  We got a lot accomplished!!! Thank you girls! Saturday = Busy! I clocked in at 10am. Yes, that's right... I had to work! Ugh! It wasn't bad. ONly four hours. As SOON as 2pm hit the clock, I was out the door to attend my cousin's 2nd birthday party. Mady ShurlingIsn't she Adorable?

She has the BEST personailty of a two year old!

Aaron & I didn't get to stay long, due to having to get home to set it.

Rushing home to start baking the dishes we prepared the night before!

[REWIND] when I left that morning for work.. I gave Mr. Wonderful a Honey Do! NEVER thinking or expecting the bigs ones to be done...

The Honey Do consisted of:

• 
  
  Trash [was expected to do]
• 
  
  Fix the Man Room Door [Maybe a little expected to do]
• 
  
  Remove the wheelchair ramp attached to our front porch
• 
  
  Bring Chairs Up [ was expected to do]
• 
  
  Hang up my kitchen Cornish Board [really wanted it, but didn't think it'd happen THAT day]
• 
  
  Get our tables from my parents house...[My Dad is a glass man & put glass table tops on our side & coffee tables && it was expected to do]
• 
  
  MAYBE BABY, would you refresh my flowers???

It was ALL done! Everybit of it...

Okay, Sorry... I had to brag && give him LOTS of credit!

Thanks to Rachel coming over early, I was able to get out of my PJ's and look half way put together.

Thanks Rach! You're Awesome!

 6:00pm came FAST! My guest were arriving && EVERYTHING was ready! My first time hosting in our new home! It was a wonderful turn out. I had 18 woman + the Consultant! It was great. Although, I didn't even get a chance to participate in the presentation... I was chatting, filling up drinks, making plates & of course giving tours!I didn't even get a chance to snap many pictures.. However, I did manage to take a couple snap shots with my Camera Phone during the action && ONE after the food had been devoured!I served::

• 
  
  Grammye's Strawberry Dessert with Fresh Strawberries
• 
  
  Spinach Dip [Amazing, Click HERE for Recipe]

• 
  
  Veggie Pizza [Click HERE for Recipe]
  

• 
  
  Bacon Wraps
• 
  
  Pigs N a Blanket
• 
  
  
• 
  
  Cheese Cake from the Cheese Cake Factory
• 
  
  Boiled Peanuts
• 
  
  
• 
  
  and then had bowls of chex mix on all the tables where the presentation was being held.

Sweet Tea, Coke, Sprite,  Diet Coke & Bottles Water were also available.

SUNDAY... I was up at 7am. Started the dishwasher, && cleaned the house a bit, before heading to my MOther in Law's house to make her, My sister N law, Bridget, & my Brother in Law, Patrick's Beautiful. Meaning their Hair. Once upon a time, I was a Hair Stylist. I also cut my Dog's hair.. Jackson. After a few hours of color & cuts, I came back home to Mr. Wondeful! I love him so much. He's truely the greatest thing, & I'm blessed to have him.
Every year, I have a mini birthday celebration with my girlfriends. I know I know, I had that Thursday right? Well Cocktails & Cupcakes was kinda last minute, & Sundays Dinner was already planned.

PLUS, Not everyone could make it to Cupcakes & Cocktails & Not everyone to come to Sundays Dinner. Last year, We met up & went to a  Mugs & Movies to watch The Proposal! [GREAT movie]

So...We packed up & drove downtown Savannah Georgia, 30 minutes from where I live to eat at a FANTASTIC restaurant, Vinnie Van Go-Go's. It's an Italian restaurant, and if you've eaten New York Pizza, this is as close as it gets! Yuuummmmmy!

Take a second to look at our Sunday Fun!

Ohhhh, and how could I forget... it was smoakn' HOTT & we were melting by the minute. YUCK!TT!

I had Pepperoni & Spicy Italian Sausage

Bridget, Ashly, Me, Rachel, & Holly


Heather, Bridget, Rachel, Me, Holly, & Ashley


We decided we were going to try a JUMPING picture.. My first ever...
It was HILLLARIOUS!

Rachel jumped up & not down...I die laughing EVERYtime I look at this picture!


THis was the best there was... We laughed so hard!
It wasn't graceful like the pictures I've seen before...
Made the perfect memory.
Being we were all melting to death... we didn't stay long.
Once we arrived home... I snapped a few more pictures!

You Met Rachel at my Cupcakes & Cocktails party...

Meet Holly,
Another Bestie of mine..
Went went to High School together, Cheered, & have remained friends, yet grown SO much closer through the years!

This is Ashely, Holly Sister in Law.
I haven't been privledged enough to hand out with her a lot
Although, we've done the girls thing a few times. She's Great & Needs to come around more often!
When I walked in my door, from the crazy heat... this is what I found!

MY FAN!!!!
I've been dying for this!!
Happy Early Birthday
From my Sister In Law, Bridget, Brother in Law, Patrick &
cute little Nephew, Reid...

After starring at my ceiling fan for 20 minutes, Aaron arrived && we were out the door to play some Tennis with Friends! It was great. We both played in High School, and used to play all the time.. but it's been a while. I still have an Amazing Back Swing! But.. I'll admit, I do have a hard time running the court when playing Singles. Due to a lightning storm, our tennis time didn't last long.
We came home for some OT on the couch!
So, my weekend was absoultely TERRRRIFIC! I sit back && feel so grateful, honored, & completely out of this world happy! I'm the happiest I've ever been in my life... Everything is just going great & I LOVE being grown up!  Life is truely the best gift & God is graciously amazing to me!
I couldn't ask for a better life than this!
I'm just SUPER happy & want the world to know!
tootles

♥ miss jla