nashville tennessee

NASHVILLE. one of my favorite places i've ever visited! if we're being honest, ty is only in the running with for the #1 thing i love in nashville. the music. the scenery. the SHOPPING. the boyfriend. i'm considering a permanent move to honky tonk central, not really, but i would really move there. my trip last weekend was so much fun. my obvious favorite part of the weekend was seeing ty lamont. we went 26 full days without seeing each other. summers are the hardest part of our relationship but they are worth it in the end (i keep telling myself this). oh boy, how i missed this face!

it was cma weekend for all those country music lovers so sunday night we traveled downtown to lp field home of the titans for some cowboy entertainment. with a line up of scotty mccreery, alan jackson, rascal flatts, dierks bentley, we were entertained to say the least. 

 i had so much fun with the wives in the office, my cousin amber who made me look like a local, and ty's aunt diane for showing me a great day of shopping.

i'm so sad that ty's office is moving in a few weeks and i won't be travelling back to nashville for my next visit. i can't believe he has been gone for 2 whole months already...and will be home in 9 weeks. his office is doing amazing and i can't wait to see all there hard work pay off!

brinley ann and the vadels

tuesday night was brinley's first dance revue! she did so amazing! she smiled, knew all the dance steps, looked adorable, but she wouldn't wave at me...too cool for aunt courteney already. i can't believe how grown up she is already! i feel like she was just born yesterday and she's going on her first date tomorrow.

mr. and mrs. sandall

saturday may 12, 2012 our little markie and jardee became mr. and mrs. sandall!! i could not be happier for these two! the wedding was beautiful! everything went perfectly - except makye having a breakdown as soon as she performed her duties as flower girl (but isn't that what 2 year olds are supposed to do?) i'm so excited for them to get home from their honeymoon, so i can hear all about their bahamas cruise and so they can get started on the rest of their lives together! i love love.

a family wedding means...family...and ty coming home!! could. not. have. asked. for. a. better. weekend.

all the siblings waiting for the reception to start. 

mr. and mrs. sandall right before we sent them off!

the rest of the weekend was perfect. 

sleeping in. herm's inn. house hunting. harley davidson. zeppe's. castillos. maddox. 

i already miss him! but i'm so grateful for all his hard work and can't wait to see him in NASHVILLE!

january. 2012. whoa.

Is today really January 19, 2012? I honestly wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it 17,000 times today on my phone, on facebook, on the computer, at work. They all seem to believe that is the correct date so I guess I shall as well. 2012.
If you would have sat me down 5 years ago and told me what my life would be like on January 19, 2012, I wouldn't have thought it could be my future. I never would have chose this life. Not in a million years. I wouldn't have chosen the trials, the speed bumps, the mistakes, the marital status (23 and not married?!?! I would have keeled over dead). But I never would have guessed the strength, the knowledge, the experience, the endurance I've earned through all the hard times I've given myself. But now that I'm here, I have no regrets and I wouldn't change a thing.
There's a reason someone once said "If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans" and everyone on the world wide web has repeated it. It's almost comical the things we think are such a life guarantee, that we expect for ourselves to be rewarded with in life. Everything in life is a blessing. You woke up this morning, pay back the favor by being the best you you know how to be.
I'm obsessive. I'm a planner. I'm a control freak. I'm a princess. I'm in love. I'm nuts. I'm a perfectionist. I'm a gemini. Basically, I'm a girl (obvs). But I have to learn to put that all aside and be a daughter of God who was brought here for a reason, for a lot of reasons. Marjorie Hinckley said "We women have a lot to learn about simplifying our lives. We have to decide what is important and then move along at a pace that is comfortable for us. We have to develop the maturity to stop trying to prove something. We have to learn to be content with what we are."

I'm not in control of everything that happens but I'm in control of what my experiences have taught me. My emotions and the actions that follow are my choice and my choice alone. I want to make the best ones that will benefit me and those around me everyday. I need to be a better me.

Love life and see good days.

November 3rd

Technically, it's the 4th but I haven't gone to bed yet...so it's still the 3rd to me. :)
Today I'm grateful for great friends.
To be honest, family is number one. Always. But I'm 23, I live with roommates, I have a full-time job, and the boyfriend's job adds many more people to the equation. I'm surrounded by my peers, my friends 87% of my life right now. It's a good thing they're so amazing. I know I always have someone there to count on no matter the circumstance, or hour.
I have people to listen, to get my mind off things, to shop with, to craft together, to teach me, to cry with. I'm so blessed to be surrounded by so many wonderful people that I'm so honored to call my friends.