my bEsTiE is engaged!

Meet my bestie!

Natalie Louise Branch!

(she is going to kill me when she sees I put her middle name on here!)

She has always said she is going to steal my middle name for her little girl (one day)....so I have always said I would steal hers for mine and call her "Weezie" for short....hehe! Of course, Nat, cringes at that statement!

Natalie (or as I have always called her, Nally) met when we were at the tender age of 11. I don't really what to say next....haha.....something along the lines of inseparable would probably be sufficient! We did everything best friends do....sleepovers, shopping, burning things in candles...and then holes into the carpet, best friend puzzle necklaces, 3-way calls to our crushes, bonfires, beepers that looked alike....to outfits that looked alike.

High school....changes.....new people.....new places.....different classes. We were here and there and everywhere....our schedules didn't match at all. It was sad, but we did what we had to do. After we graduated, I started working at the cancer center at tallahassee memorial and she worked at the coffee shop there.....you know a best friend when the second you lay eyes on her after a years time has passed, you pick up right where you left off. And we did just that. And again.....inseparable would be the only appropriate word here.

And we continued to do what best friends do....late night drives just to talk, sushi dates, beach days, dacing & drinkin, HILARIOUS pictures in the car, concerts, movie & junk food because our latest fling broke our heart.....or we broke theirs.

When I moved to jacksonville to finish radiation therapy school....i wasn't alone much....nally hit the interstate for the first time ever to come spend the weekend with me.

then, i got engaged....and of course (after the rents & my sis) she was my first phone call! I could hardly wait to ask her to be a bridesmaid! I was SO EXCITED to get the very same phone call 2 weeks ago from Nally! She made sure to let me know that I was the first phone call after her parents & brother....and with her excited and oh so squeaky voice, she asked me to be her matron of honor! Her and Austin were attending a friend's wedding in St. Augustine. After the reception, Austin set up a horse & carriage ride. They made a stop under the historic Love Tree and he proposed. After the "yes", Nally returned to the carriage to find roses and bubbly to celebrate! How romantic was that?!?

We have walked together on this crazy path we call life....we didn't always walk to the beat of the same drummer, but we always picked up right where we left off....because that's what best friends do!

I can truly say that I have never seen her happier....ever. I know that she feels like she is living a fairy tale....I can see it in her face, I can hear it in her voice. And I couldn't have hand picked a better man than Austin Capers for the girl that means so much to me!

(the four of us at ICE for nally's birthday last year)

the 'lil hoot!

I had the honor of throwing a baby shower for a set of my groupies Mike & Jenny DeAngelis this weekend! They moved here a couple of years ago from Memphis, Tennessee and started attending TBA last November. The DeAngelis' decided in January to visit our small group....in one night they went from newbies to family! Jenny & Mike are so fun to be around...and FUNNY! In small group we exchange prayer partners for a certain amount of time. Jenny & I were prayer partners one week about a month ago......and have been ever since. I am so thankful for her friendship & faithfulness in keeping me in her prayers....

Since they found out they were expecting, the baby got the nickname "'lil hoot". So, I planned a couples night "owl" shower for her & Mike. We had a big turn out....21 of us to be exact! We grilled burgers & brats, had all the fixins, and cake! Jenny's mom surprised her by coming all the way from Memphis to attend her & Mike's shower!

These are the letters that I made for Isaiah Joseph DeAngelis' room. Yes, they are out of order. I think I arranged these at approximately 3am Friday night! Hahahaha!

The cake....

The favor bucket

...and tags on the rice krispie treats

with the help of my new Cricut...I made these goodies!

the trees with handmade felt hoot owls :0)

Isaiah's gift from the Lewis'

Looking forward to meeting little Isaiah!

a HoUsE iNtO a HoMe...

Mike and I have officially been home owners for a year! Again....WHERE HAS TIME GONE?!?! ...annnnd where did all the EXTRA room go?!?!

I had no idea how I would ever fill the house with what little we had from our apartment. For the first couple of months, our house echoed! Well, thanks to sales at Kirkland's, randomness from Ross, frames from all over, and my gracious family....it is really starting to feel "homey"! It is neat to look back at the pictures that were taken when we first moved...our home has taken on a theme and a color scheme that I never really planned for!

Anyway- a few of the majors.....the kitchen/dining room is no longer mint green (or whatever that was). I decided, after 15 hours of shopping on black friday, that I wanted to paint the kitchen. With Cathy's (Mike's mom) help, we knocked it out in approximately 4 or so hours! I also painted the laundry room a deep red....it was that mint green too. We got a new dining room table and a rug to go under it and fancied up the entry way and walls a bit. :0)

before: (so ugly looking back! haha!)

and to the left of the pic, you can see there was nothing in the "entry way"....

after:

the entry way after:

this is in our laundry room...before:

after:

the plant shelf & walls before:

after:

our dining area before:

and after:

LoOk WhO iT iS!!

Remember the shower I threw for Bryan & Jennifer Stiverson back in July?!?

The little blessing has finally arrived!

Jason Paul Stiverson

Born Thursday August 12th at 8:27 am

7 pounds 9 ounces

(How cute and BIG is that yawn?!?)

The Stiverson Family of FOUR!

....I WAS IN HEAVEN! HE IS SO STINKIN' ADORABLE!

Ellie celebrates her birthday next Sunday, August 22nd. She will be a whopping TWO! I made a bag and adorned it with her name and stuffed it with a pair of SUPER COOL lion sunglasses and a bouncy ball! She, too, is so STINKIN' CUTE!

Ellie shares her shades with Dixie! :)

Ellie loving on Jason....

hAnDs DoWn....

THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE...AUGUST 16th, 2008!

I can recall the day's events like it was yesterday! For breakfast I had a chocolate peanut butter protein bar and watermelon....for lunch I had McDonald's chicken nugget meal (say what you want, I STILL LOVE it!)....and for dinner I had a bottle of Riesling Relax and a bite of wedding cake.....oh, and the 2am snack with most of the groomsmen...wait fooor it....WAFFLE HOUSE! Of course, that isn't all I recall.....

I was just ECSTATIC to marry Mike...I TRULY was the HAPPIEST girl EVER!

It amazes me to look back on our journey and see just how much God has had His hand in our relationship. I LOVED when Dean Inserra, our officiant (Pastor at The Well), said in our ceremony that it was no coincidence that Mike decided to attend college in Tallahassee or that we both (by different people) were led to First Baptist Church of Tallahassee....it was no coincidence that when I graduated radiation therapy school the only job openings were in central Florida...where Mike was born and raised and where he had just accepted into the police academy.

Now, two years later....I feel the exact same. Now, don't get me wrong, LiFe has happened, but it has been through those times that Mike and I have grown closer together. It seems like the funks most often arise when we both are slipping spiritually. I LOVE the triangle illustration when dealing with relationships and God. Mike and I (or any two people or groups) being the 2 points at the bottom of the triangle and God being the point at the top.....as each of us grow closer to God, we ultimately grow closer together. So far, it hasn't failed.

Second to #1 in our life (baby Jesus), Mike and I have surrounded ourselves with amazing counsel from friends (namely, our incredible small group) and family! Without these people in our life......well, I don't want to think about that. :)

Happy two years to the incredible man that loves me through and through!

ps- I am STILL OBSESSED with my INCREDIBLE wedding photographer!

(obviously, I rotate her pics of us as my profile pic on fb...even 2 years later!)

...and how could I EVER forget my trash the dress session?!?

visit her at:

www.foreverbykylene.com

Day 5 & 6 ::: DESTIN, FL

I know, I know! You are ITCHING to know what we have been up to these past two days! Wednesday, Megan and I hit the beach pretty early. I rented an umbrella, as I was still a little pink from Mr. Sun! There was a storm a brewing in the Gulf, so the winds were high, the current was strong, and the waves were HUGE...AND it was BeAuTiFuL ALL day!

For dinner, Mike and I went to dinner to celebrate our two year wedding anniversary (early).....he even got me flowers! :) We had to put them in this pitcher because there wasn't a vase to be found! Hehe. While we were eating...well, all we could think about was where we were going to get dessert. We called Megan and Mike and told them we were picking them up, we had reservations at the Melting Pot for dessert ONLY! :D It was SO FRIGGIN' delicious! (I cannot BELIEVE I didn't take pictures) :(

Thursday....the weather man had his predictions all wrong. We mentally prepared ourselves to be inside all day due to the stormy conditions the tropical storm would bring....so, we slept in. Meg made and AMAZING breakfast and we headed out to do some shopping. We went to Old Time Pottery....never been there, but I would LOVE to go back! If you recall, we only could buy something if we could wear it home! Haha! When we got back to the penthouse (i giggle when I write that) we ate lunch and then dove into our books (Meg and I). ANNNNND.....it only rained approximately 10 minutes. But, it was nice to truly relax in the AC!

After our taco dinner, we relaxed in the hot tub for a while, cleaned up and went to AJ's (my most favorite place). They are located on the water.....live band...dancing....GOOD TIMES! And we had just that! A good time! We stayed out waaaaaay after bedtime!