Tribute to Emily

Ok - I have to just shout out to my sis - I just love this picture of her! This past weekend D'Arcy had a babyshower for the upcoming twins (Peyton and Benjamin). More to come on the shower...but this picture I got of Emily just cracks me up - she was listening to D'Arcy telling a story and aparently it was a good one! Our family has a nack for telling good stories...so, here's my tribute to Em...my favorite things about her.

1 - her laugh - so contageous and fun-loving.

2 - her commitment to God - she has always, always followed Him

3 - her ability to look stylish in any situation

4 - her home - it is beautiful and i'm jealous of her style

5 - her dog...in his short 6 months on earth he has torn up a futon mattress, all of Em's beach towels, a few dog beds, a hose pipe, piping under their house, and many more objects I'm sure I don't know about...

6 - her hubby - Jonas is like a brother

7 - she loves "hunkin'" clothes...hahahahaha

8 - she's a great shot - annie oakley

9 - she's on gchat w/ me all day and keeps me entertained

10 - she keeps me up to date on fashion and jewlery (note my b'day gift from her)

11 - she always pays me back

12 - she takes great pictures and loves to talk about them like me!

13 - she loves her family

14 - she finishes my sentences

15 - people think i'm her when they hear my voice (and vice versa)

16 - she always stretches out my shoes...its ok Em

17 - she's a quick shopper

18 - she loves a good movie - only person I know who can watch movies all day, literally

19 -she's an amazing cook - love everything she makes

20 - finally...back to # 1 - her laughter reminds me of my childhood - that laugh would fill our house every night (especially at dinner time).

I love you Em! Thanks for a great photo and a chance for an easy blog update!

Meeting Duncan!

I got the privaledge to spend a few hours with Caroline, David, and Duncan Cheek this past weekend in South Carolina. I couldn’t be more blessed by my friendship with Caroline – she has been a loyal friend to me for so many years and has seen me through the best and worst times. I’m so thankful God blessed me with her when He took us both out to Colorado for a semester in college.

This pic was from a trip to Charleston where Caroline's family has a great beach house - probably 2 years after meeting at Focus. This picture is from my second trip to see Caroline in Raleigh - she had just moved in with Courtney and Erin and I got to visit. This is pre-David! :)

anyway, back to last weekend...

Mom came down to Birmingham last Thursday and went with me to meet Duncan over the weekend. We had a great time talking in the car; we didn’t even turn on the radio for four and a half hours! It was nice to have mom as company all weekend.

We got to Greenville Friday afternoon and immediately started playing with Duncan. I have to say, he is about the easiest 7 week old baby I have ever heard of. He loves to sleep so we had to wake him up for every feeding – it was so hard to unbundle him while he was sleeping and warm! Saturday we went to a great little baby store in Greenville and looked around at baby paraphernalia and such. We had to run a few errands and of course Duncan slept through the whole outing! Saturday night mom and I cooked spaghetti for Caroline and David and hopefully we got it to the perfect consistency for Mr. Cheek – he’s a picky one. After dinner we continued our lazy weekend of playing with Duncan and watching the conference basketball tournaments on TV.
I am so thankful for a fun weekend with Caroline, David and Duncan. My time with them is few and far between and always cherished. I can’t imagine how much Duncan will change until I see him again – I told Caroline she’s got to post more pics on facebook so I can keep up with him! Enjoy a few pics of Duncan – he’s adorable!

Beach w/ Jenny and Conner

Last weekend I got to make a quick trip to the beach (Destin) with Jenny and Conner. Jenny let me come along while they made a trip down for some new updated pictures of the condo. I was of course delighted to go and take a few pics for them, hang with Conner, and get my first taste of the sunshine for 2009. It was pretty warm by the time we got down there but still a little chilly when the wind would blow. We got to play with Conner in the pool mostly and on the beach a little. He also started walking a lot over the weekend - he is going to be running in circles by his first birthday!

Enjoy a few pics of Conner, none of me and Jenny though - maybe next time!

My favorite Rays...

So, I can't get a thing done and its b/c I'm thumbing through pics of these little guys! I had a long play date with them yesterday morning and it was much overdue. They are my sweet nephews Jesse and Levi...enjoy these pics...more on the weekend to come later!

It was a good one!

So if you are like me you enjoy a birthday WEEK, not merely a birthDAY! I'm wrapping up one of the best birthday weeks ever. I appreciate everyone helping me celebrate all week long - from facebook b'day wishes to travelers coming from TN, I loved it all! Here is a recap of all the fun!

We started off the celebrating last Friday afternoon when Aunt Em and Cousin Stoney came in town to watch my 5K on Saturday morning. We had a yummy dinner Friday night and the dogs enjoyed beating each other up! Here's Stoney w/ Elle's bone...

Em brought me a very cute new top for my b'day (picture of the top coming later...) and these YUMMY cupcakes all the way from TN! They were gourmet and delicious!

Saturday morning was an early one, Em and Stoney were troopers going downtown to watch Jenny and I run the BE&K 5K race the day before the Mercedes Marathon - maybe next yr we MIGHT be up for a 1/2...but Matt wants me to stop at a 10 K due to my knees, probably not a bad call - we'll see! Here are some of the pictures Em capture of race day.

This is our 5 K training group - it was a HUGE group!

After the 5K Em headed home and I started getting ready for mom and dad to show up on Sunday. After church on Sunday mom and dad came down to take me to dinner for my birthday. I chose PF Chang's (or as Gee Gee likes to call it, "PJ Fang's) and we had a great meal. I was glad Matt wasn't on call Sunday night so he could go with us. After dinner we had a little b'day party...here's a few pics from that!

Hand made card by Brian! Gifts from Jesse and Levi!

(Thanks for the cute top Em!) Mom wanted a picture the next day w/ my pasta bowls! Mom gave me two of my pasta bowls that match my wedding dishes and dad helped me pick out some of his prints for my dining room area! We came up with a seasons theme so I chose pictures from each season and he's working on my prints - I can't wait to see how they look! Thanks mom and dad for making the 16th so special like you always do!

Monday night Matt was on home call so he couldn't plan anything for me so of course my friends jumped in just in time! Jenny made my favorite meal - taco salad. She made it just like my mom made it for every birthday dinner growing up. It was so yummy - tasted just like mom's!

It tasted better than it looks! :)

Kerry and Jeff made me a McDonald original cake! It was a peanut butter cake with chocolate frosting and Reese's cups on the top! Couldn't have asked for a more yummy cake! I totally pigged out - thanks girls for making me feel so special and at home on my birthday!

Oh, I'm not done yet...I skipped the Mercedes Marathon! Jeff and I walked down to Highland Avenue on the morning of the marathon to catch a glimpse of Kerry, Cara, Jennifer, Randy, and more friends running in the 1/2 marathon. It was so motivating to see all the runners - way to go Kerry! I'm so proud of you!

Most wonderful time of February...

So - this next week is a very exciting one for me every year. Valentine's Day is coming up and that means two days later is my birthday!

Valentine's Day has always been a fun holiday for me to celebrate because usually as a child we were having either a family birthday party or a friend birthday party on that day. So, yeah, that sounds a little selfish, but I do love celebrating my birthday! Well, I heard earlier this year of a tradition my friend Laura has had with her mother for Valentine's Day that sounded so much fun. Laura's mother always had a day where they would create valentine's for one another, home made ones! So, every year her mother sends her a valentine box with all the supplies to make home made valentine's for whoever you would like - friend, mom, dad, husband, even dogs...so you know Elle has one coming haha just kidding...

Last Saturday Laura had a great little valentine party at her house. Meredith, Laura, me and Leah got together and made some of the cutest, most original hand made valentines ever! I can't wait to give the three I made away! Here are some pictures from last Saturday! Thanks Laura!

Some of the supplies

Laura has enough supplies to last us a few more years!

The new mom hard at work on her creation for baby Lee!

The pro (Laura) at work!

Leah's turned out so cute for Muffin!

One of my finished projects...not going to say who this one is for!

Saturday Surprise

So...last Saturday (I know, I'm a week late) my friend Jenny called to see if she and Conner could stop by for a few minutes while they waited on a prescription to be filled - of course I said, "YES! Get your cute little boy over here!" so they came and we had a great visit. Jenny and I caught up chatting while I took about 80 pictures of Conner! I'm loving my new camera Matt got me for Christmas and I'm trying to capture good pics for my friends. Here are a few with Conner....

This is my fav of Conner!

So then, later that same day my good friend Wendi called to see if she and Owen could drop by for a little bit. Of course she got the same resounding YES that Jenny and Conner got! Wendi and Owen stopped by for a little bit then we went to babies-r-us to grab a few things with Wendi's sister. Babies-R-Us was a zoo - but I had a great time entertaining Owen while Wendi and Shelly shopped. Owen is really great at rolling to get where he wants to go but I got to witness him up on all fours for the first time last Saturday! Of course, said camera was on my hip so I caught him in action! Enjoy this little cutie!

Look mom! I'm moving!

Look mom! I'm on all fours!

This is my fav of Owen