Happily Ever After

So excited to share some pics with y'all from my brother's wedding. I have a fabulous new sister in law and a sweet little niece - welcome to the family Ana and Hailey!

There are more photos on Facebook, so be sure to check them out!

Home Sweet Home

I drove home to Starkville two weekends ago to visit with my parents AND my brother. It was the weekend before his wedding and the four of us rarely get to see each other and spend time together like we did back years ago (when me & my brother lived at home), so I decided to make a visit. I was also invited to a sip-and-see for new baby Sam Shafer and my bestie Amanda was flying in from NYC so yall know i had to make an appearance at the Shafer home Saturday afternoon. I had every intention of posting about my trip last Sunday - but as we see, that didn't happen. It was a wonderful weekend full of family and friends. I hated Trey couldn't go with me but he had 3 baseball games Saturday afternoon and had to stay here and coach.

Friday night mom, dad, Nick & I just sat around the living room talking and playing with the dogs. Stella was really sweet and cuddled up to me while Lilly was glued to my mom's lap (my mom spoils her SO bad).

Saturday, mom & I went and did a little shopping around town. I found a cute dress to wear to Nick & Ana's rehearsal dinner at Deep South Pout. Y'all I promise I could buy everything in that store. We also went to a few of my other favorite stores/boutiques. I got baby Sam a little "happy" to take to the sip-and-see....a super cute "Wubba Nub". A little stuffed animal attached to a passy!

On my "weekend in Starkville to do list" was to make a trip to The Rubba Boot. I have been craving crawfish, and there is nowhere around here to get any good ones, so my mission for crawfish was a serious one! For those that don't know, The Rubba Boot is a new restaurant in Starkville specializing in boiled crawfish. The owner went to school with both Nick and me at SHS & his wife is from Louisiana.....their crawfish is fresh, huge, and SO YUMMY! It was the best I've had in Starkville. The little restaurant is so stinking cute. (See pics below).

Saturday afternoon/evening I went to the Shafer's to meet Sam Shafer! He is so sweet and his big sister Sydney is the most precious girl. Amanda flew in from the big apple and I always go see her when she's in Mississippi. We had a great visit, full of laughs and lots of pics of baby Sam. If you are friends with her on Facebook, she has some really good pics of the event.

Here are pics from my weekend in Stark!

Meeting Mr. Henry

Last weekend, I went on a little road trip to visit my sweet BFF Katie and to meet baby Henry! Henry was born in November and I hadn't met him yet, so when I got my invite to his sip-n-see....I knew I had to go! The church foyer was the perfect place for the party and Katie's good friend Rachel decorated it perfectly! Here are some pics from my two days in Gadsden. Henry is absolutely precious and I can't wait to see him and his sweet parents again!

Leslie Hits the Big Apple!

I couldn't think of a cute title for this post that wasn't too cheesy...so I just used the title of Amanda's Facebook photo album!  Oh my gosh, I do not even know where to start with this post.  I had so much fun & experienced a lot of NYC moments.....

 

How about I start with some pictures?

Everyone loves pictures, right?

 

Rainy cab ride from the airport to the West Village. Here is the Empire State Building from my rainy cab window!

I was SO excited to see my bestie and finally be in New York!
I LOVE THIS GIRL Y'ALL!

Amanda & Ryan's apartment was so cute. Tiny.....but precious!
This is the living room.

A little mini Christmas tree for a cozy little home. (Good job Ryan)

Banjo the Bernese Mountian dog! The most handsome dog in the city!

The view from Amanda's living room window. Breathtaking. Greenwich Village is so quaint and fabulous. I secretly pretended to be Carrie Bradshaw for the weekend.

Times Square!

Radio City Music Hall - home of the Rockettes (and my first pedestrian gridlock experience)

Top of the Rock! Pretty views of Central Park....too bad it was cloudy and rainy!

The absolute most beautiful sight I have ever seen (besides my husband)!
The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.

The September 11 National Memorial. Mesmerizing.

St.Patrick's Cathedral.

My first New York subway ride! It surprisingly not that bad/scary! I had a great tour guide though.

Of course I played the Big Piano at FAO Swartz!

We did a little window shopping.....Harry Winston and Cartier! Hello lovers!

We also took a nice stroll through Central Park. There was the cutest couple taking wedding pics, so of course we snapped some pics of them too!

I will leave y'all with these for now. I have TONS more to share so there will be a New York Trip post #2!!!! Stay tuned!!!!

I've been a bad blogger!

I have been a bad blogger. 

I haven't posted in about 2 months...and so much has been going on!!

 

Shortly after my last post, I boarded a plane to NYC to see my best friend Amanda!!!  I stayed a few days, flew home, and then packed up my bags again and we went down to Gulfport for a long weekend.  After that, we had our first Christmas as the Ward's and did a little traveling to see family.   Followed by a NYE trip to Nashville....then school starting back....ahhh!!!  I feel like our lives never slow down.  I am not complaining what-so-ever, we are blessed everyday by God's grace and we are excited about what 2013 will bring for our family.

 

*Now I will attempt to post about said events listed above!  :)

Thankful: Day 26 & 27

Day 26 & 27

Bubble Baths & Sleep

I have been exhausted for the past two days.  It takes me forever to get in routine after being out of school for a while.  I LOVE my bubble baths...and LOVE my cozy bed just as much (if not more).  And I am so thankful to have both in my home.  These two things should not be taken for granted, because some families don't have either one.

 

Happy Tuesday evening!

 

In case I haven't mentioned it....I am flying to New York in 10 days!!!!!!!

OMG.  I can't stand it any longer!!

I. Am. Ready.

Thankful: Day 25

Day 25

Freedom of Speech

I am very thankful to live in a country where I can say and feel how I please.  So, I am going to vent a little on the blog today {we all have to every now and then, right?}

 

The hubs and I went to the Egg Bowl yesterday.

In Oxford.

The last time I was there was in 2008.

I said I would never go back.

Yesterday, I was reminded why.

 

Let me preface by saying we rode to the game with great friends (who are rebels) and tailgated with them before the game...and they have nothing to do with why I didn't like it there.  They have nothing to do with me writing this blogpost either.  Heck, I didn't even know them when I went in 2008. Thank you to the Rowland's for letting us ride and hang out...we really enjoyed being with yall!

 

And no, it wasn't because we lost.

{both last night & in 2008, 45-0}

 

Maybe it was the snide remark by a rebel fan about Nick Bell and his death.

(who didn't know I was standing beside him and heard him, but he quickly shut his mouth and had no response when I said "He died of cancer.  What's funny about that?")

 

Maybe it was the fact that the seats are very close together and I was sitting by 3 extra large people who took up 5 seats instead of 3 and my friends and I couldn't sit down (not OM's fault I guess).

 

Maybe it was being in a place where I did not feel comfortable.

I mean, do people really want to eat red velvet cake parfaits out of champagne glasses?

 

Or it could have been the old man who after the game said "Well it was our turn.  Yall had it the past 3 years.  It was our turn!"  Like it was a hot wheels toy that we HAD to share.  No, we do not have to share it.  We fight over it year after year and the best team gets to keep it.  A year passes by and we fight over it again.  It is NOT shared!  It just so happens that last night your team was the best.  We will fight over it again in 364 days!  Quit pouting after a win and go get a drink out of one of your two Yeti coolers and tell your daughter that a mini skirt and booties will not keep her warm in 30 degree weather. 

 

I'm not really sure what it was...but I'm 100% sure I won't go back.

 

I DO know that I congratulated several OM fans on their win and I'm not sure if that would have happened if the role was reversed.  Whether we were in Starkville or Oxford.

 

As a wise man once told me...."It's not fun.  It's better if you win - but it's still not fun."

 

I am thankful for my degree from Mississippi State.

I am thankful for my knowledge of football.

I am thankful to have been taught that you win some & you lose some and that football games are never shared.

I am thankful to be a bulldawg!