5 on Friday

With 3 weddings this summer in our boating group, its been tricky to keep each party special but this combined bachellorette/bachelor party was a great time!

We loaded the party bus at the bride & groom's home @7pm & hit the road.

Our first stop was Raleigh World in Norwood.  Its a roughly renovated old barn turned into a bar & grill surrounded by a country style golf course. Unfortunately, there was no live entertainment booked so we made do w/some jukebox tunes but it was a good time.

Here is the bride & groom with her son, daughter & daughter's boyfriend doing a shot together.

the only shot of US from the evening

THE PARTY!

2 more stops for drinks, then we were on the road back home, no one got hurt or lost & everyone had a good time=successful party!!

5 on Friday

the whirlwind weekend was followed by a like-minded week! whew this weekend looks to be more of the same. So today's 5 is going to be a Friday Phone Dump post full of gratefull-ness.



1. PROVIDER APPRECIATION DAY: Last Friday was provider appreciation day & I have some of the best parents. Only one that knew it was that day. here's what she sent w/her little guy!! For future reference, its always the Friday before Mother's Day. Grateful for the people who think of the little things that mean so much!!

2.  ANNIVERSARY: With a photo shoot the next morning, I had a cousin do french tips on my nails. Love them!!  too bad I am so rough on my nails that they are already chipped & nasty looking!  Then I knew which shirt I was wearing as I had bought this purple & white one just for the occassion, next I had shoes & jewelry to decide on.  Here are the photos & questions I sent to my (much younger) fashionistas in a mini-panic Saturday morning:  a) with the belt or without? 

b)  short & chunky or long & sparkley? (necklaces)

Grateful for a wonderful husband of 15 years as well as enough means to have to decide on jewelry.

Flowers for our anniversary (5/3) -the reason for the photo shoot.  He really rocks the fresh flowers lately!!  these he took the time & energy to pick out blue & purple so they were our wedding colors *swoon*  Grateful for his thoughtfulness!

3. ENGAGEMENT: I already blogged a bit  about it on Monday when it was fresh in my heart, but to recap: I was blessed to do an engagement shoot on Saturday evening with friends that refreshed my love for the camera.  Grateful for great friends who did more for my heart than they realize.

 4.  TROPHIES: remember the hog hunt we went on back in February in Oklahoma? hmmmm maybe I haven't blogged it yet since I can't find a post... note to self: blog hog hunt. Anyyyyy wayyyyyy the trophies were done Wednesday so Tim buzzed up & picked them up from the taxidermist.  Pretty cool that we got 2 trophies (plus meat) from one kill.  The head went right on the wall by the antler rack & the skull (european mount) went on my display shelf at the top of the stairs, which in turn meant it was time to switch up the decor there!  I had threaded this empty frame w/twine one evening last week w/o a plan of where to use it.   When the skull went on the shelf I immediately clicked into knowing the photos needed to be displayed on the frame w/the skull! Grateful for the means to get to take trips & share in his love of a sport.

5. CHANGING SEASONS: the back yard is coming alive! I love watching theings change year to year & see what blooms & when  here is a pic of one of the yucca plants getting ready to bloom.

the warmer temps & more sunshine means we are spending more & more time out in the yard.  here is a super cute shot I caught on Wednesday.  Grateful that every day is different!

WHAT IS ON YOUR GRATEFUL LIST FOR THE WEEK??

whirlwind

what a whirlwind weekend! but it was so.much.fun!!

Friday night my cousin did french tips on my nails for our pictures we had scheduled for Saturday morning, then I did the normal grocery shopping too.

Saturday morning we had out photos taken.  First time in 15 years.  We went with what felt natural, the local photographer who did both of our senior portraits, engagement & wedding as well. Where else would we go? Love her, love her style & love her openness to suggestions.  (will post as soon as I have images to link to!)  then we did a little gardening, I didn't want plants from the store, I wanted heirloom organic plants from a grower I got to know last year, but Tim was in the mood to help so we did peppers, cukes & corn then took naps.  Saturday evening I had an appointment to shoot engagement photos for some friends of ours getting married in July.   then they took us out to eat as payment & we all went to the Eagle's for a couple of drinks after.

Sunday we slept in! then took Tim's Mom out to lunch @ our favorite local Mexican restaurant! it was a good time & great food.  then home to edit the engagement photos & squeeze a nap in before I headed off to my cousin's graduation reception.  That was a good time too.  I got to see my lil hearts (my nieces & nephews), grandparents, sisters-in-law, aunts, uncles & cousins! OH & almost made myself sick eating cream cheese mints.. oh how I love them!!! mmmmmmmmmm I got home to steaks & baked potatoes on the grill YUMMMMM so much food in one day!! then I got to take the CD of engagement photos to them! EEEEEEEEEEEE! I was too excited to wait.  They seemed pleased.  That's all I can ever hope for.  I keep thanking them for the opportunity to pick up my camera again.  Its been a long lost friend here lately but I am renewed in my attachment to it :)

What a fun whirlwind of friends, family & treasures this weekend was!! How was your weekend??

another weekend..

at the lake....
*sometimes we start the day w/a beer (in each hand) & a smoke

*sometimes we take naps on the boat

*sometimes we teach the kids the tricks to fire building

*sometimes we don't realize when its time for bed

*sometimes we catch them being good

*sometimes we let the kids play crazy... 2 or 4 legged ones

*sometimes we find 'an app for that'

*sometimes we snuggle the little ones

*sometimes we laugh until we almost wet ourselves watching the puppies play

*sometimes we hang out in the water-where its usually much cooler than on the boats

*sometimes we just hang out on our boats

*sometimes we have a display of diving abilities

*sometimes we learn new things

*sometimes we dream about spending long periods of time on this<~~~~~~ looking at that~~~~>>>>>

 *sometimes we stop here <~~~~~~~for this ~~~~~~> on the way home.

*but we always love our corner of the campground!