2012 Blogging Party Gift Exchange

Earlier this month, I participated in this little party where you get randomly paired up with another blogger out in the blogiverse.

We were each given the contact info of the other blogger and their websites (so that we could do some snooping.)
 Then you were to provide the other blogger with a little gift in the mail.
It turned out to be a wonderful experience, and I am so glad I participated.
It was SO FUN and I already wanna do it again!
I enjoy receiving gifts, almost as much as I enjoy giving them, and I was so blessed to be partnered up with this wonderful blogger:

Nat @ Take the Cannoli 

She is an absolute sweetheart who loves her precious kiddos and husband just as much as she loves Jesus!
I thoroughly enjoy peeking into her life in California and appreciate her insight into being a great mother and wife.

Go check out her blog here!
You won't regret it, and you may or may not want to move to California and kidnap, I mean babysit, her kids.

The party was hosted by these three other wonderful bloggers: Alycia, Casey, and Danielle!

My gift couldn't have come at a more perfect time.I had just endured a pretty rough day at the hospital, and was thrilled to find this little package of happiness waiting for me when I got home!

(How precious is the wrapping and the sweet little heart? It's a pin! A pin that I will most definitely be sporting on Valentines Day)

I loved her little note, and especially her handwriting! What I would pay to have handwriting like that . . . 

(Sorry I couldn't return the favor with a handwritten note, Nat, you wouldn't have been able to read the card!)

I was so thrilled to receive one of her cross stitch pieces, because I absolutely fell in love with them from her online store.I'm already making lists of which piece I will be buying all of my friends for birthday gifts!Isn't mine the greatest?!?!?!?!

Thanks again, Nat, for your thoughtfulness! I'm in love with my gift!
If you love her gift as much as I do, then be sure to check out her online store to see all the other ones.My personal favorites: 

Check back tomorrow to see a little DIY on my gift I made for the exchange!Happy Tuesday, y'all! 

How we met . . .

One of my favorite stories of all time is the story of how Josh and I met.

I first met this little boy on our family vacation at the beach when I was 12.

We can't quite pinpoint the year, because we went to the beach every year, but I know I hadn't had my first kiss yet and Josh claims I wore bows in my hair (which I'm pretty sure is a huge lie).

Anyways, we stayed in a duplex in Gulf Shores, and ironically, the family in the other side of the duplex was from a little city only an hour down the road from our home in Louisiana.

Our family and the families on vacation with us had a tradition of playing some very intense games every night after dinner.

. . . and whadya know? 

Mr. Social himself waltzed right in and joined us for games many of those nights.

(Thats him up there on the right in the sexy yellow Levi's surf club tee AND jorts)

The parents often referred to Josh as Eddie Haskell, because he was well known for turning on the charm.

(In fact, my mom had him stored in her phone under that name for the first few year of us dating)

Anyways, the trip ended, we added each other on AOL instant messenger (because thats what you did back in 1999, no cell phones for 12 year olds!) but we ultimately never kept in touch.

He was too cool for school and I was a loser with freckles and bows.

. . . until our freshman year of college.

I rushed Sigma Kappa and he rushed Sigma Nu, and while we were both pledges, our first exchange was scheduled with each other.

The theme was 70's/hippie (and unfortunately we don't have any pics together) 

Anyways, the exchange took place, I recognized Josh from across the room and asked another Sigma Nu his name because I thought he looked familiar.

He told me it was a pledge from Monroe name Josh Kerrigan, and then I just started sweating, as well as increasing the amount of drinks I was consuming (coca-cola of course).

Liquid courage?

 . . . cause he sure as heck didn't have the bravery to come up to me and talk first.

He was too cool for school, remember?

We ended up talking that night, exchanging numbers, became Facebook friends (of course) and then started dating within weeks. 

Our first date party was appropriately themed "Opposites Attract"

The summer after we started dating, my family went back to Gulf Shores and little 'ol Eddie Haskell got to come with us.

We even (unplanned) recreated this lovely little pic:

After dating for about two years, Josh dropped his letters (or "lavaliered" me as they say on Greek)

. . . and I got to pass the candle! 

 I'm sure any of our friends from college could attest to the fact that we probably spent wayyyyy too much time together, but living three hours apart for the past year has been pretty beneficial!
 I couldn't be happier to be dating such a hilarious, kind, brave, sweet as can be, outgoing, entertaining guy

. . . who also happens to be pretty darn talented.
He can play any song on any instrument (self taught) completely by ear.
I filmed this video this weekend, and he's probably gonna kill me for posting it.
Oops.

Another Dallas weekend

So pumped to see this little skinny non bearded boy!

(What happened to my boyfriend?)

He has lost over 30 lbs doin p90x and p90x2! 

He's. A. Beast. 

. . . and so pumped to see this little rascal!

Friday night, we enjoyed a little date night at Fireside Pies, accompanied by this blood orange martini.

We fluffed Charlie up.

Doggie bakeries make me uncomfortable.

"woofie pie" 

Remember how I said I wanted a xylophone? 

Well Josh's keyboard has xylophone mode.

Jam. Sesh.

We even recorded a little mini version of Blood Bank with Josh is on the guitar and I'm on the keys . . . but I can't make it upload on here so, sorrryyy.

Off to meet up with Josh's dad and spend the afternoon playing a few rounds of top golf!

This is not a test.

Just kidding.

It is.

A while back, Josh showed me the popular bear playing basketball awareness test, so when he showed me this video I was completely prepared to prove my "awareness".

Fail.

My thought process was pretty identical to one of the comments under the video:

"The bear changed into a suit of armor, not that difficult.."

"21 changes?"

"FFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU"

Anywayssss, I'm in Dallas for the weekend and we're celebrating me passing my 8th rotation AND the fact that Josh has TWO interviews lined up for next week!
Hoooray!
(Prayers welcome!)

Check back tomorrow for the highlights of our weekend, there may or may not have been an impromptu banjo jam session.

Five girls, one three bedroom apartment

This past month, our apartment has been packed full of estrogen.

. . . and contrary to what you may believe, it has been wonderful!

Every rotation, at least one of us has been off in a different city, but this month all four of us are here, plus a sweet little guest.

Not to say that there weren't a few days of pure madness/stress/anxiety . . .

So much that one morning Trish ran off and left her cereal and coffee on the counter all day.

(Leading me to think that the rapture happened)

We spent lots of quality time laughing, gossiping, and palpating lymph nodes (PA school kinda makes you a hypochondriac), with a few family dinners here and there (and maybe a little tear or two).

Oh yea and this happened:

(You may think it is a little graphic, but im ok with that, I found it way too funny to not post)

 I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the VA, and it was a blessing to be able to help care for our veterans.

I'm definitely gonna miss the mousepad with the cute little kayaker that I got to stare at all day.

(Daydreaming it was Josh, of course)

. . . but I most definitely won't miss this little pesky elevator button that gives me a heart attack daily as I nearly push the code blue button thinking its the down button.
Misleading, right?

8 down, 4 to go!

We can do it!

Our first Saints game (and my first PB&J!)

Last fall, my family won field passes to a Saints game, so we ended up making a little weekend trip down south for the game.

We started the weekend off by enjoying an LSU game on a Saturday, then pulling ourselves together to make the trip to New Orleans that next morning for the Saints game that Sunday night.

We even got to visit with our long lost friends Liz and Mrs. Sallie. 

We stayed at Le Pavillion on Poydras, which was in the perfect location right between the Superdome and the French Quarter.

. . . and they offered free midnight snacks, but more on that later.

The quarter was getting quite festive for Christmas . . . 

We've actually lived in Louisiana our whole lives, and somehow this was everyones first Saints game.

(In our defense, they just became worth watching after Katrina)

How cute is this little fella?

Sweet little Sean Payton made sure to high five each and every player while they were stretching.

I think thats the key to success, if I do say so myself.

Since I know so much about success in the NFL.

. . . oh yea and there's the Seahawks with 'ol Pete. 

Whatever.

Our seats were pretty, um, elevated . . . but we couldn't complain, they were free!

After the game we took a stroll down Bourbon . . .

As many times as we had each been to New Orleans, we had never tried The Gumbo Shop, and it quickly became one of our favorite stops!

Pawpaw Stanto over there . . . 

It wouldn't be a complete trip to New Orleans without some beignets and cafe au lait at Cafe du Monde.

I was so proud of my camera's nighttime pics!

Every night at 10:00 on the dot, our hotel provides free pb&js with milk to all of their guests.

You can make them yourself with whatever jelly and bread you want.

Shockingly enough, I had never eaten a peanut butter and jelly until this very night . . . 

and I hated it.

Sorry Pb&J, we gave it our best shot, and looks like we just weren't meant to be friends.

See ya.