Jeff & Rachel's Wedding

Last weekend one of our good friends from ACU was getting married in the Kingwood/Humble area of Houston and we got dressed up, went out, and celebrated their wedding with them! It was really nice getting to be a part of a wedding as a guest being able to sit in the audience and not be part of the wedding crew which is something I am VERY used to, I seem to always be a bridesmaid or just a significant crew member who is very involved in all the behind the scenes stuff so this was nice! But it was even better to be able to see old friends from college and get to catch up and hang out with them and see where life has taken everyone, Jake & I both really enjoyed getting to do that! The wedding was a vintage/1950s inspired wedding so the style of everything was very different than any wedding I had ever been to for the most part. If you know me you know that is my most favorite part of any wedding or event but especially wedding to notice the style of the wedding and all the decorations and the little details of everything. I guess because of growing up in a large family and us always having someone getting married it sometimes feels like I have seen it all when it comes to weddings and I just love noticing and figuring everything that goes into wedding celebrations out!

This wedding was outside at a country club and the weather this particular evening was absolutely perfect, aside from the mosquitoes it was great! It was a pretty small wedding and for the ceremony everyone just sat in the little white chairs with the white laterns lining the center aisle, which added a cute little touch to the small outdoor celebration. Most of our friends were groomsmen in the wedding so it was neat getting to watch them be a part of the wedding ceremony. We tried taking as many pictures as we could but as it got closer to dark the lack of lighting was interfering plus we were trying not to look like the papparazzi flashing pictures all during the ceremony. But enjoy the pictures we were able to get!

 All the groomsmen standing at the front as the ceremony continues on...

 Sorry some of these got a little out of order, but I thought this one was so cute, Jeff & Rachel walking down the aisle together as  MARRIED COUPLE....Mr. & Mrs. Jeff Paxton

 The flower girl and ring bearer walking back as the wedding ends.

 Chase and his bridesmaid escort walking back down the aisle.

 Mike and his bridesmaid escort walking back down the aisle.

 Brian and his bridesmaid escort walking back down the aisle.

 Matt and his bridesmaid escort walking back down the aisle.

 Here are some of the tables all set up and decorated while everyone mingled before the reception officially started. They had some long tables and some round ones, all were covered with white table cloths and cute teal table runners on them along with the red candlesticks in glass candleholders, with red flower centerpieces, with our table numbers and place cards. They also had these really cute teal and red laterns hung all around the patio area where the reception took place along with the cute outdoor lights that were strung around the patio area. All of the food, cake, and drinks was all inside.

 Cute picture of our friends Corey and Rachel

 Here is a fun picture of our friends Blythe, Marshall, and Josh.

 Here is a closer look at the table set up and center pieces.

 Here is the groom, Jeff standing next to the cake table inside before they started cutting the cakes.

 At the cake table they had one tiered wedding cake that was teal and red to go along with everything that was flavored red velvet with a white wedding cake topper and also had an old school style white, sheet cake with a big red "P" initial for their new last name. Also on the cake table they had a few old family wedding pictures of their parents and such.

 The bride and groom feeding each other the cake, although Jeff has his mouth wide open, they were both nice to each other while doing this and didn't make a mess of it which is always good!

 Here is a fun picture of Chase and Jordan while everyone was waiting on the cake to be cut and passed out.

 The bride as she is about to toss her bouquet to a special single lady!

 The groom as he looks for the garter.

 And here is the groom ready to toss the garter away to one of the single men.

 And as I said the wedding was 1950s inspired, the bride and groom left in a 1957 Chevy that the bride's parents had restored for her as her wedding gift, it was all pink and white.

 The bride and groom making their exit through all the bubbles to get in their car.

 Congrats Mr. & Mrs. Jeff Paxton!

A special little touch all the guys added to their 57' Chevy, gotta have all those coke cans tied to the back.

Red River Shootout

Today is a big Saturday in our house along with trying to get packed and everything ready around here since we are leaving for Abilene on Monday to take Emmitt to my parents and leaving for Boston on Tuesday from DFW. But along with everything we have to do to get ready today is a big day in football for our house with Red River Shootout from Cowboy Stadium and a big SEC game this afternoon of LSU Tigers vs. Florida Gators in Death Valley. As we get into the Texas/OU game I realize it is going to be a fight, but we are playing some great defense, especially for such a young team of almost all freshman. Right now Oklahoma is ranked #3 while Texas is #11 so it is a big game for either team, but so far each team is really playing well, I am really feeling an upset hoping that Texas wins, but we will see how it all plays out!

 The top picture OU vs. Texas I love because you can vividly see all the burnt orange and maroon in the whole stadium and I LOVE IT!

Here they are ready to play... LSU Tigers vs. Florida Gators, LSU is ranked #1 right now, while Florida is ranked #17, both teams bringing something challenging to the table, but LSU is downright amazing if you ask me. While Florida has got some great speed so we will see what happens, they are playing in Death Valley so who knows what will happen!

Baby Shower Weekend

Last weekend was a sweet baby-filled weekend and I LOVED EVERY SINGLE MINUTE OF IT! My mom was able to come in town from Abilene on late Friday night to spend the weekend with all of us but really to go to both of my sister's baby showers, we had a family one in Beaumont on Saturday morning and then one at my sister's church on Sunday afternoon. The weekend started early Saturday morning when my mom and sister picked me up so we could head out to Beaumont for the first baby shower of the weekend. And other than getting to be around all baby stuff and feeling like this little nephew or niece is finally going to arrive sooner than later was so exciting. It was also just so wonderful for my soul to get to see and spend some time with all of my family that live in Beaumont. I had not gotten to see most of them since late June or while I was in Methodist Hospital in July and so much have changed since then thankfully! It just felt so so good to finally get to catch up with all of my aunts, cousins, and grandparents I miss all of them and so wish I was able to drive so that I could see them more! My sister and sweet Baby Manges got some really great things at both showers, lots of good baby gear, cute gender neutral baby clothes since the gender is a surprise, tons of burp cloths, and blankets, and some diapers. I for one CANNOT WAIT to find out whether Aunt Gigi is going to have a nephew or niece, I have thought all along from the very beginning of my sister's pregnancy that it was going to be a boy but we will see in just ten weeks. I would so love a little girl to dress up everyday but I would love to have a little boy to have some fun with, I don't care either way! I am beyond excited to have this sweet baby here so I can buy and make lots of fun things, I decided to wait until I knew if it was a boy or girl to really release my creative juices, but I definitely have LOTS up my sleeve. Here are all the pictures I took on my camera at both of the baby showers, I didn't get quite as many as I wanted but I was trying to socialize, see all the cute baby stuff my sister was opening, and also take pictures with my sister's camera for her too! The first set of pictures are from the baby shower in Beaumont with my family, enjoy!

 the party favors :)

 sweet little boy and girl teddy bears that were as yummy as they are cute

 love the boy's bow tie and the girl's little skirt...these were made by my nana & aunts

Since the theme of the baby shower was teddy bears, they did a flower arrangement on one of the tables in a animal cracker container that was a clear, plastic teddy bear that had blue hydrangeas and pink roses which was really cute!

 My sweet nana and sister

 Jenna & life time best friend Cortney

 The guest sign in book along with a few baby pictures of Matt & Jenna with one of my mom's old bears she has always had around her house.

 sweet little Jenna and Adley Ann playing on the rocking horse

 Adley Ann not too easy to take picture of but still as cute as she can be.

The next morning I went to church with my mom, Jenna, & Matt since Jake had to work last Sunday. Since we went to church with them we also went to class with them and got to meet all of their good friends that go to church with which was really nice, I know alot of them prayed for me while I was going through all of my difficult health problems this spring and summer so it was really nice to put a face to the name. So after church and class we all went to a yummy mexican food place down in Sugarland and then went to a few stores while we wasted some time before it was time to go back to the church for the baby shower since their church is a little further away from our houses. While we waited, we went to Target, Dillards, drove around and looked for some other baby stores, and went to get a cup of coffee at a local coffee shop before heading back to the church for the baby shower. The baby shower at their church was put on by the women's ministry and all of her good girlfriends that they go to church with and was very cute! They had a good red velvet cake, some light appetizers, cupcakes, and a yummy punch. And for decorations they did some cute tissue paper flowers hung from the ceiling above the food tables and just around the room, also had a cute banner above the gift table that had their baby pictures hung on it and one also above guest sign in table along with a cute diaper cake. Jenna also got alot of really cute stuff at this shower, so I think the only thing this sweet little baby is going to need are clothes after it is born and we know whether it is a boy or a girl otherwise I think it is pretty much set!

 This is a really bad picture because of the lighting, but here are one of the cluster of the tissue paper flowers that were hung from the ceiling above the food tables.

 Here is the gift table and the banner that had Matt & Jenna's baby pictures hanging on it.

 Another view of the baby picture banner

 This is cute little cousin Reid playing on his ipod touch, which is actually his own ipod, he was so happy and cute the whole time during the shower.

 And here is sweet little cousin Athena, she was so gorgeous, she also has a twin brother, but he stayed home with his dad.

Here is one the older women that helps out in Jenna & Matt's young married class at church that was reading Jenna a special prayer and blessing over her and the baby, it was really sweet, glad I was able to get a picture of it.

MLB Playoffs- GO YANKEES!!!

Is there anything better than MLB Playoffs and the World Series? I think not...I know there are so many people out there who hate baseball and feel like it is the most boring sport ever, not sure how you can think that considering the boring sport of golf! But I also know that some people are just football people, which I totally understand, I love both sports, but cannot see past the true american sport of baseball, the history, how classy the sport and athletes are, the excitement that it brings I can assure you nothing in the world can top it! I could go on and on and on about how special this sport is but I will spare you as that would be a never ending post.

As most of you already know I have true love for New York pretty much anything and everything about it, but have LOVED The New York Yankees for a long time now and there is nothing better to see them in the playoffs, nothing at all! For the 2011-2012 season the Yankees had a great season their regular season record was 97-65, they also clinched their division series. In my opinion the best part of the season has been was Derek Jeter our Yankee captain and veteran who also plays shortstop hit his record of 3,000 hits in his baseball career which made him the 28th member of 3,000 hits club, I will never forget watching that on tv! Also Mariano Rivera who this season who claimed the all-time saves lead of 603 career saves, he is one amazing pitcher! So after we were able to clinch our division in the series against the Tampa Bay Rays we went on to the ALDS against the Detroit Tigers. We started out the series against the Detroit Tigers in New York winning the game 1 9-3, then losing game 2 5-3, then losing game 3 in Detroit 4-5, then winning in Detroit 10-1 which is forcing a rare 5th game in the series in New York since we have home field advantage from clinching our division. So as a recap THE YANKEES ARE STILL ALIVE, but obviously whoever wins tomorrow night in the Bronx takes it all and goes ahead to the ALCS and plays the Texas Rangers, which by the way we DO NOT WANT THEM TO WIN!!!

The starting pitchers for tomorrow night in game 5 is going to be Ivan Nova vs. Detroit's D. Fister I am really looking forward to the game tomorrow night in New York although I will be in Texas haha! I am definitely wishing Ivan Nova luck and all the rest of the team but I fully believe that my Yankees can get a win out of game 5 at the Bronx and go on to the ALCS to play against the Rangers, so anyone and everyone reading this CHEER ON THOSE YANKEES!!!! :)

Christmas Shopping

If you know me at all you should know that all year long I look forward to two times of the year more than anything! Those two times of the year would be the month of October for many different reasons being the beginning of fall and cooler weather, the 22nd of this month since it is my birthday, I love birthdays, the start of baseball playoffs which I love, and for me it is the start of all the holiday fun! With all that being said this month I am already feeling the holiday love that I look forward to and adore so much! In fact I have actually already started my Christmas planning and shopping which always make me feel good. Even though this has been a very trying and difficult year nothing has and will change my joy of loving to celebrate the seasons and holidays and getting to celebrate another wonderful year of life!

That is what brings me to one of my favorite things at this time of the year, which is Christmas Shopping! I know there are so many people out there that truly despise Christmas, shopping, and everything that goes along with it, and then there are the people that don't even do gifts for their families at all, but it is a true LOVE of mine to give through gifts of all kinds to my family and friends, I just love it!! And I can honestly say that I put all my time, effort, and thoughts, and creativity into what I give at Christmas time and I wouldn't have it any other way. But I won't lie the way I choose to do my Christmas shopping for my friends and family does make it more difficult than just going to the mall or getting online and ordering whatever is on their list or just simply purchasing a gift card to their favorite store to shop at. But watching them open the gift I took my time and energy to make and truly think about how much they mean to me, I can promise nothing brings greater joy! So this year I have gotten some really great ideas for everyone on my list, I am no where near finished, but I definitely have a great start since we are barely into the month of October. There are still some holes in my shopping list that need to be filled but I have no doubt by Thanksgiving I will have gotten some great ideas. And what is even more exciting about this Christmas 2011 is that we have another little special family member to buy for and be creative with, sweet little baby Manges, I truly cannot wait to meet that sweet little Christmas miracle! But without a doubt the ones that are always the hardest to figure what their Christmas gift will be are the adults, mostly the men, dads & brothers haha!

I am so excited about decorating our apartment this year it really has great potential to be a true Christmas Wonderland and I cannot wait to make that happen, definitely my favorite part of the season. And since moving to Houston I am very excited about all the different Christmas stuff to do around here, I am hoping to go see The Nutcracker Ballet at the Houston Ballet, maybe driving Kemah for the lighting of the island and the events they have for Christmas, and hopefully more Christmas stuff that comes up around the area which is definitely something I love about living in the big city!

Plush Pumpkins

Well it is definitely that time of the year again and I LOVE IT! Luckily we just got a great cool front that makes it really feel like fall is here and all it makes you want to do is put cute pumpkins everywhere around your house for fall decor and make lots of yummy fall treats. I just thought all these different colored plush pumpkins were too precious not to blog about, I just can't help myself but be over the moon excited that fall is here and all the holidays are upon us, starting with fall then Halloween then Thanksgiving and then I can break out my favorite decor of all! Anyways I found these adorable plush pumpkin pictures on one of my favorite home decor blogs that I read daily, www.theinspiredroom.net, ya'll should definitely check it out! I get so many great ideas for decorating my house, all different rooms, all different themes for all different seasons of the year, such creative stuff, I just think it is great! But right now they are doing a special called "31 days inspired for the holidays 2011" where they do a different special everyday that is inspired by the holidays and there are always such cute ideas!

 Loving all the different colors of pumpkins

 love the green pumpkin and silver bowl it is being displayed in on this side table

 My favorite one of all, the blue, turquoise, and white pumpkins, so different and unique.

But I still love the traditional colored pumpkins, they never get old, orange, white, brown just looks like fall and love how they are displayed.