Babies Don't Keep.

This sweet little mini turns TWO tomorrow.
TWO, FOLKS.
As in no longer a baby at all {except to me...always}.

These have undoubtedly been the fastest two years of our lives.

An awful lot can change in two short years.

Here's proof.

Is he not the sweetest thing you've ever seen???

I'm working on a letter to my soon-to-be two year old angel boy today.  Feel free to send copious amounts of Klenex my way.  ;)  More tomorrow as we celebrate our sweet J-Pie.......... in the meantime, here's one of my very favorite quotes {I shared it here when Jackson wasn't even a month old}.

Here's where you can find me if you want to follow along!!

Facebook // Bloglovin' // Instagram

Hello, Mexico! + help needed!

Today  the hubby and I celebrate our EIGHT year anniversary.
Eight years ago today we were married on a pretty beach in Mexico!

On Saturday, we're headed back {just a few miles away} to celebrate!

To say we're excited just doesn't do it justice - we're elated and ready to get our toes in the sand {and a drink in our hand.... and no, I'm not trying to rhyme here - it's just happening for me - ha!!!}.  I must definitely admit that I've learned a few things over the past month as we've planned this trip --- coordinating all the details of going on a vacation is OH, SO MUCH harder when you have a mini!  And yes, "baby" J (who turns TWO on Thursday --- oh my stars!) is staying at home.... this is just me and the hubs!  My parents are flying down (they are 12 hours away) and staying here at our casa with J.  They fly out one morning and then my brother will keep Jackson that entire day until we get home late that night.  This is our first time to be more than a few hours away from him overnight, but I know we'll do great and he's going to have an absolute blast spending 4 days with his Pops + Cita!!  It'll be good for everyone!  Or at least we all better or I'm going to be one pissed momma because the work put into making this happen is no joke!!!  Ha!

Anyway, that's our big news!  He's put up with me for 8 years and we're off to Mexico to celebrate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! {I could go on for days with those exclamation marks.... days!}.


But, I do need your help with a few things if you don't mind?

1.)  Good Beach Reads -   any recommendations?  I've been wanting to read Sparkly Green Earrings....  any thoughts on that one for the beach?

2.)  Floppy Beach Hats - I don't know what has happened in this department.  As of 3 or so years ago {yes, the last time we went on a vacation!}, adorable floppy beach hats were everywhere.  Now?  Not so much.  I've tried everywhere it seems without any luck.  Have you seen any cute ones that I don't have to order... as in we leave Saturday morning, so I need to be able to run to the mall / etc. to pick it up!!

3.)  Anyone know how to lose 15 lbs in 4 days without giving up a limb???  Anyone??  ;)  Okay, mostly kidding there.  I guess I'll just suck in for as long as I can or until the frozen cocktails kick in and I no longer care!  ;)

<<< AND BECAUSE I'M FEELING LIKE A REAL GIVER TODAY >>>

Here are a few of my favorite / absurd wedding photos {years later, these are reallllly, really funny}!  There are so many advantages to having a destination wedding (I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat), but you have to roll with the punches and welcome the dad from American Pie to your wedding ceremony with open arms.  And please sir, please  make sure to wear your super tight gross swim shorts and creep on us while I'm walking to meet my groom.

And this one..... it can't beat the photo above {nothing can}, but it's pretty awful.    If you've been reading this little blog for long, you KNOW that this is NOT what I had envisioned for my wedding cake and in no form or fashion did it resemble the cake photo I'd sent them saying "this is perfect --- THIS is exactly what I want."   You win some, you lose some.  We laughed.  A lot.  And then I tried to hide the cake so it wouldn't be in any photos.  Now, years later, knowing how over the top, detailed and crazy I am, this is just really funny.  Please take note of the tin-foil at the bottom of the cake.  CLASSY.

Thanks in advance for any help with the random questions above.  

As for the last few photos --- I'll just go ahead and say it :::::  you're welcome.   Bahaha!!

Happy Tuesday, friends.  

Here's where you can find me if you want to follow along!!

Facebook // Bloglovin' // Instagram

Father's Day - How We Celebrated Our #1 Guy

I'm going to take the day to brag on my husband for a little bit if you don't mind?  I know I talk about him often here on this little blog, but there's a whole lot more to him than just being the hot guy who puts up with my nonsense.  ;)


My husband is really good at a long list of things [as  in I often wonder if he's superhuman seeing as how he can do things in an 1/8th of the time it takes me??].  But the fact that we just celebrated Father's Day aside, I would tell you every day of the week that the thing in this world that he is the VERY best at is being "da-da" to our angel boy.  He does it with such grace, patience and whole-hearted love.  He was meant to be a dad.  From the day we brought Jackson home, he has been 100% "hands-on" and involved in everything.  He knows most all that I know with regards to the mini.... all his likes, dislikes, his schedule, his moods.... he knows it all because he is very much an equal partner in this parenting gig.  And that was all his choosing and by design.  He makes being the provider for this family, the leader of our little circus, the master of the bedtime routine,  the one who can fix anything and everything with a hug.... well, he makes it all look easy.

Cason, we love you with every ounce of our being and are so thankful that God chose us to be yours!  You seriously knock this dad gig out of the park ---- Jackson is blessed beyond measure to have you as a role model, confidant and partner in crime.  My love for you grew threefold when I saw the kind of dad you were going to be.  You make our dreams come true.  Love you.... and then some!!

<<< And here's a sneak peek at how we celebrated our #1 guy yesterday! >>>

We kicked off the morning with a surprise donut cake and little breakfast table setup.

[adorable chalkboard print by Lia Griffith]

Clearly, Jackson didn't get enough donuts. ;)  I'm pretty sure he took a bite out of all 12 of them.

Then we sent "da-da" out the door to hit up the golf course!  When he got back home, we had a surprise BBQ lunch {his very favorite!} ready and waiting for him along with a mix of new beer to try, sweet tea and his very favorite.....jalapeno cornbread {none of which was homemade because I'm amazing like that}!  

[chalkboard print and bottle wraps by Lia Griffith....she's amazing!]

Jalapeno Cornbread - the way to my husband's heart.  

Kisses for dad after he got home from golfing!!! 

We love you, babe and sure hope that you had a fantastic Father's Day and felt spoiled, loved and so appreciated!!   Cheers to TWO YEARS of being an amazing dad!

**And an IMPORTANT REMINDER, friends...  the "SUMMER PARTY PLANNIN' GIVEAWAY" ends today!  A winner will be announced tonight!!   Have you entered yet?  It's SO easy ---- read more about it and enter to win right here! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Here's where you can find me if you want to follow along!!

Facebook // Bloglovin' // Instagram

Five on Friday Link-Up!

WHAT A WEEK.  It's been a really good, really FULL, really fun week.  But as always, I'm thrilled to see Friday roll around!  Bring on the weekend!  Believe it or not, this Friday marks the 4th "Five on Friday" link-up that I've co-hosted along with April, Christina and Natasha!  And I have to tell you --- I look forward to it every week.   I'm always so excited {as in extra dorky, like you need to get a grip, Darci!} on Thursday night when I sit down to type up my five things to share for the week and kick off this little link-up.  We had a huge turnout last week {as in 200 awesome bloggers linked-up!!}.  Say what??  I was completely shocked!!  We're so excited that everyone else is enjoying it as much as we are.  So, if you weren't already planning on it, come on, make smart decisions and go ahead and join this little party.  ;)

- ONE -  

I have some big {to me} news to share!  I'm officially a new contributor over at House of Rose and I'm featured there today for the first time!  Mandy and I have been blog friends for years and I'm super excited that I get to be a part of her fantastic blog every now and then!!!  Today, I'm giving the scoop on "How to Turn Your Favorite Quotes into Chalk Art".  Here's a sneak peek..... stop by real fast and see what you think and say hello {y'all, I'm the new kid.... please help me not look like the new kid with no friends --- ha!!!!!}!

- TWO -  

I met up with my blog-world turned real life friends, Emily and Vanessa for dinner and drinks this week.  We chatted, laughed, sipped some wine, got caught up on what new things all of our minis are up to, toasted over chocolate cake {no, as in we clinked our spoons filled with cake and ice cream together and toasted..... that's how you know you're friends with the right people} and then we laughed some more.  Dinner lasted 3 hours, so I'd say we had fun.  ;)  I'm truly thankful for this little group of girlfriends..... so real, kind-hearted and just joyful to be around!  

Ps- If we're Instagram friends, you're probably seeing this photo and a few others for the 2nd time....  sorry, I over share - plain and simple. Ha!  Pss- (yes, I'm in middle school), no clue why I always have the devil eyes that even the "red eye fix" function can't really fix.  Awesome.

 - THREE -  

I've been working on a few small Father's Day surprises for my main man.  Can you handle the cuteness that is this photo?  Because I cannot.  Cannot!!!!  I'm looking forward to a day of celebrating him!

- FOUR -  

Yesterday was filled with all kinds of baby goodness.  I had lunch with a sweet friend, who just so happens to also be an old colleague {back in the day, we both used to wear high heels, suits and such on a daily basis and now we're stay at home mommas.... life changes fast!!!}.  Anyway, I got to have lunch with Anita and her 8 month old baby girl who is pure perfection.  I mean, y'all....  she's a roly poly and is just drop dead gorgeous.  I held her, made her giggle and watched her "dance" for her momma.  Too cute.  And then, I headed over to my friend Lindsay's house to hug her neck and meet her brand spankin' new baby boy, Cade, who is the epitome of a perfect baby!!!  He is the cutest and it took me back to this exact time TWO YEARS ago when my little nugget was in fact.... a nugget.  You forget how teeny tiny they are!  Anyway, my afternoon was spent with sweet friends and their precious angel babes.  Nothing better.  :)  

- FIVE -  

This teepee, which is Jackson's birthday present {he turns TWO on Thursday!} is maybe my all-time favorite purchase.  What is it that makes mini teepees so precious?  I guess because they are mini.... and teepees.  That'll do it.  We set it up in his room on Saturday just to make sure we liked it and then took it with us that night for family photos on the beach.  We're hiding it between now and Thursday so we can give it to him {again?} and call it his birthday present!! :)  Can't believe my baby boy will be TWO in just a few days!  Who's coming over for cake and ice cream??????????

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN ----  LET'S SEE YOUR "FIVE ON FRIDAY"!!

It's this easy::::

{1}  You blog about 5 things.... things that you're loving, things that are on your mind, etc.  Really, any five things --- how easy is that?

{2}  Grab the "Five on Friday" button below so you can link back here {copy the html code and post it into the html view of your post}.

{3}  Join the link-up at the end of this post so you're a part of this little blog hop and get to "meet" other great bloggers (all while a whole lotta new eyes are seeing your blog!).  It's a win, win....right?

<div class="THE-GOOD-LIFE-BLOG-FIVE-ON-FRIDAY-button" style="width: 275px; margin: 0 auto;"> <a href="http://www.the-good-life-blog.com/search/label/FIVE%20on%20Friday" rel="nofollow"> <img src="http://i1351.photobucket.com/albums/p782/thegoodlifeblog/5onFridayLogo-Final-forblogsidemenu_edited-1_zps7fcf6068.jpg" alt="THE GOOD LIFE BLOG" width="275" height="275" /> </a> </div>

Here's where you can find me if you want to follow along!!

Facebook // Bloglovin' // Instagram

One of the Smartest Choices I've Ever Made

Some may think I go overboard, but to me, having professional photos taken frequently of my little fam really and truly feels like one of the smartest things I've done in my almost 2 years of momma-hood {yes, it's a word}.

Y'ALL!  These photos.... oh! these! photos!  They make my heart swell and my cheeks hurt from grinning from ear to ear.  This angel boy is all mine - this is OUR family.  MY family!  Thank you, Lord - thank you!  A snapshot in time that I will always remember.  I'm so glad that even though none of us were really feeling like having photos done on this particular evening {you know, the mad scramble and chaos and overall drudgery that is sometimes induced by planing for / getting dressed and ready for professional photos......tell me we're not alone in that????}.  Well, it was a non-negotiable since Jackson's 2nd birthday is just a week away and I wanted to make sure that we had some "two year" photos of our sweet little man.  Am I ever glad that we made this happen.  Are these photos not an absolute treasure?

And I cannot, cannot  thank KariBeth of KBG Photography enough for capturing such beautiful images of my family.  She is unbelievably talented and always gets way more stunning shots than I can imagine!  If you're anywhere near the Houston area, look her up!  Her prices are very budget friendly and for the quality of her work, you are getting a truly amazing value {but really}.  Not to mention that she's just fun.  I thanked her for "hanging out" with us this past Saturday, because really it felt more like running around and chatting with a friend --- while she took our photos!  Thank you doesn't cover it, KariBeth, but thank you again and again!   KBG Photography has been such a blessing to our family!  We're so glad we found you!

<<< For my Houston area friends ----  KBG Photography is still offering beach mini sessions!! >>>

 If you're interested, contact KariBeth via her blog or Facebook.

 

AND A FEW REMINDERS FOR THIS WEEK::

Don't forget to enter to win the "Party Planning Giveaway" below ---- the giveaway ends on Monday morning and one lucky lady will win a store credit to Wants & Wishes Design Studio and a Target gift card!  Full details can be found here!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

We're hosting the "Five on Friday" link-up again on Friday, of course!  We had almost TWO HUNDRED bloggers join last week!!!  Say what?!?!  I hope you'll join us and link-up this Friday!  {Note:  the link-up goes live at 6 a.m. CST}  Grab the button below {copy the html code and paste it in the html editor of your blog} to link back!

<div class="THE-GOOD-LIFE-BLOG-FIVE-ON-FRIDAY-button" style="width: 275px; margin: 0 auto;"> <a href="http://www.the-good-life-blog.com/search/label/FIVE%20on%20Friday" rel="nofollow"> <img src="http://i1351.photobucket.com/albums/p782/thegoodlifeblog/5onFridayLogo-Final-forblogsidemenu_edited-1_zps7fcf6068.jpg" alt="THE GOOD LIFE BLOG" width="275" height="275" /> </a> </div>

Here's where you can find me if you want to follow along!!

Facebook // Bloglovin' // Instagram