lately

Well apparently I can't be bothered to post more than once a week, so here it is: my quick weekly recap of what's been going on lately!

{happy hour}
Mr. M was out of town last week. I'll admit that now that he's back and I'm convinced I don't have any murdery readers out there on the interwebs. While I missed him, I'm loving that I got to meet up with friends after work and enjoy some fun Happy Hour dates! One HH date was with my little med school friend Mallory. This girl always keeps me laughing, especially when under the influence of tequila. Coincidentally, our HH date coincided with National Tequila Day. Talk about perfect timing!

My second HH date of the week was with two fabulous coworkers- Jane and Tam. Jane, who is too sweet, treated us to drinks and oysters at one of my favorite places- Highlands Bar & Grill. It was fun to catch up outside of work and chat about non-financial bank things. Actually, who am I kidding? We chat about non-financial stuff all the time regardless of where we are!

{nicki}
As I think I mentioned, Nicki Minaj was in town recently and of course yours truly was in attendance. Loved her and loved her show! I wasn't crazy about the venue, but it was a fabulous girls' night nonetheless!

The perfect accessories for a Nicki show: neon clothing, hot pink lips, big bright jewelry, and a best girlfriend!

Quite possibly my most favorite concert t-shirt ever!

{USA}
Stephanie and Kim hosted a red, white, and blue themed party for the Olympics Opening Ceremony. While the ceremony lacked some excitement, the party certainly did not! Very fun night!

Look at all the festive decor! I loved all the signs and the popcorn Olympic torches!

Patriotic little guys!

Speaking of the Olympics, I downloaded this app during the last games and loved it. If you get bitten by the patriotic bug during Olympic season too but still have to work 8-5, check out the free Medal Alert app!

party hard

Among other things, we attended two fun-filled parties this past weekend. (Actually attended a bridal shower as well, but I forgot to take pictures of that event)

First on the agenda was Colin's 1st birthday bash. Kim went all out with the cute blue and green whale theme, and I think her little guest of honor thoroughly enjoyed the yummy cake and endless presents!

Love that chevron cake! And is there anything cuter than a baby with a smash cake? Oh wait, maybe a naked baby in the sink...

Cute whale decor!

Check Baby Colin's cute little audience members :)

Prezzie time!

We also headed to Tuscaloosa to attend my friend Ashley's western themed BBQ. The invitation requested that everyone "Come on out tonight...with your boots on!" and dress in "cowboy casual" attire to party "until the cows come home". Ashley went all out with the food and decor, and I think it's safe to assume everyone had tons of fun!

Delicious Menu

What's a party without a signature cocktail?

And here's said cocktail served in what else? Mason jars!

Collage of the various decor. The spur sign was in the restroom- ha!

Cowboy-ish getup and high school friends!

These two were celebrating their 12 year anniversary! (Mr. M and I went to separate schools in high school because we lived in neighboring towns. Ashley was responsible for setting up the blind date in which I first met Mr. M because she was dating his friend at the time. The party happened to mark the 12 year mark since that fateful blind date. Since this was also the first time Ashley ever met Clint, these two enjoyed telling everyone all night that it was their 12 year anniversary).

The adorable favor bags- complete with cowboy cookies and candy cigarettes for the road!

411

The BLOGGER 411; all you need to know about ME!
{Link-up}

How long have you been blogging? And what got you started on blogging? Has your blog changed?
I made my first blog post ever back in September 2009. After more than 9 years of dating my best friend (high school sweethearts represent!), I was newly engaged and excited to start our wedding. That was precisely the reason for starting the blog- to scrapbook our wedding planning adventures. Even from the beginning there were random tidbits unrelated to our wedding thrown into my posts, but certainly over time as we have settled into married life, this blog has evolved more into a scrapbook of our everyday lives and current events. I love capturing memories with Mr. M, family, and friends here, but I also like documenting my current favorites in music, fashion, beauty products, movies, tv, celebrity gossip, etc. This blog serves as my own personal time capsule, and it’s fun to look back and see what I was doing and what I liked a month ago, a year ago, two years ago…

Did you go to college? If so where, and what did you study?
Roll Tide y’all!!! I am a proud graduate from The University of Alabama, and I can’t imagine having attended any other school. My school pride is no secret on this blog or my real life, and we are fortunate to live close enough for frequent trips back to campus during football season. I majored in Finance and cannot say enough wonderful things about the business school at Alabama. I met some of the most amazing professors during my time there, and still keep in contact with a handful of them. Without a doubt, many many many of my fondest memories occurred while in school there . Older friendships continued to blossom and new friendships started to bud. Today several of my best friends are a direct result of college. I wouldn’t change anything about my college experience.

Where have you traveled?
I have traveled to all the southeastern states touching Alabama, as well as:
South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky, Maryland, DC, Texas, Arizona, and California. Outside of the US, I’ve been to England, Canada, and Jamaica. Our honeymoon in Jamaica was one of the best weeks of my life, but NYC is my absolute favorite city.

If you won the lottery, what would be the first thing you would buy?
Vacay anyone?!?!?! The first thing I would do would be take myself, Mr. M, and all of our closest friends on a 2-week long all-expenses paid Caribbean vacation. After vacation I would set to work house-hunting for a place in Europe, a beach house in the Caribbean, a vineyard in Napa, and an apartment in NYC. And what good would all these houses be without my own personal jet and staff to cook, clean, and run errands? And last but certainly not least, I’d hire the one and only Miz Spears to be my personal dance instructor. Because she’s amazing and girlfran has moves. clearly I’m imaging this to be the largest lottery pot in the history of EVER.

What are your 3 biggest pet peeves?
Slow drivers in the fast lane, gum smackers, and husbands who leave dirty underwear on the bathroom floor.

What is your favorite movie?
Wow, favorite?? I have no idea. You’ve Got Mail, Wedding Date, The Help, Forrest Gump, any and all Christmas movies…

What is your drink of choice; wine, beer, or liquor. Or Water, Soda, Tea?
I won’t even pretend to be fancy- it’s beer. Champagne is a closest second. Ironically enough, I detest “The Champagne of Beers”, which also happens to be this blog’s namesake. More specifically, I love Avondale beer (local brewery), Magic Hat, and plain ole Coor’s Light. When drinking wine, I usually prefer pinot noir. Unless we are celebrating, which obviously calls for BUBBLY! Liquor- vodka and sodas are a stable, and I love a good Bloody Mary.

What is something you enjoy to do when you have me time?
Pedicure. Massage. Book. Blow-out. Nap. Chick flick.

If you could have a $10,000 shopping spree to one store, which store would it be?
Anthropologie. Or Restoration Hardware.

Share with us an embarrassing moment of your past? Or present.
Oh gosh. I don’t even know. I’ve had all the standard answers. Falling in public? Check. Making a ridiculous mistake at work? Check. Texting the wrong person? Check. But I think the most embarrassing moments have occurred because of a “foot-in-mouth” situation.

What day would you love to relive again?
My first thought was my wedding. It all went by so incredibly fast, and I’d love to go back and just slow.it.down. But the more I think about it, I would love to relive Christmas Day 2005. This was our last Christmas with Daddy before he passed away unexpectedly in January 2006, and I remember the day as being so perfect. Waking up to Santa Claus, Christmas breakfast, my family, Mr. M’s family, the big traditional lunch…everyone SO happy and full of love. And together. I’m so fortunate to have such a wonderful recollection of that day with all of the people I love most. But I’m sure reliving the experience would be 10 times as sweet as the memory that I hold so dear.

If your life was turned into a movie... what actor would play you?
Emma Stone- young me. Julia Roberts- middle aged me. Meryl Streep- older me.
Because we look alike? Nope. Because those beeyotches are ah-maz-ing and would make my movie good.

What are the jobs you had in high school/college/the early years?
Runner/office assistant at a law firm in my hometown during high school. Assistant bookkeeper at a law firm during college. Dull, huh? Of course there were the odd babysitting and tutoring jobs, as well.

Show us a picture from high school or college.
You meant picture(S) right? Be glad I limited to 5.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, all expenses paid, where would you go?
Bora Bora, Fiji… somewhere tropical.

Show us the most current picture of you or you, or your family, or anything of meaning to you.

Sadly the only "current" photos I have are phone photos, so this will suffice for current.



Where do you see your life 5 years from now?
Enjoying six years of marriage with my wonderful husband and navigating the joys and adventures of parenthood!

it's ok...

A new link-up for me...

Link up with Neely!

It's okay...

That I’ve taken a questionable amount of Benadryl and gone to bed around 9:30 every night this week. Allergies, ugh.

That I’ve basically given up on fixing my hair this week, what with the 700lb layer of humidity and mugginess in the air each morning.

That I’ve spent an inordinate amount of time looking at pictures of cute braids (to tame said hair in the muggy weather) but have yet to actually attempt one on my head of hair.

That I’ve listened to literally NOTHING this week other than my new Miranda Lambert c.d.

That I got sucked into watching some Beverly Hills nanny show on ABC Family last night.

That I haven’t been motivated to read a page of any book for pleasure in a couple of weeks now.

That in a week I’ll be watching Nicki Minaj live on stage and have NO CLUE what I’m going to wear. Certainly, Nicki calls for something new and hot pink, right??

That I am kinda starting to hate Facebook. Seems like the only thing you can stalk on there these days is what children’s clothes people are hoping to win.

That I swung by Dunkin Donuts on the way to work this morning. Chocolate covered donut- hello lover.

That I’m already reading football articles on a daily basis and getting more than excited about kickoff.

That I finally got my Christmas list finished and have officially bought my first gift.

That I get to go home tomorrow and it’s already all I can think about!

Enjoy your Thursday!!!

WILW

Link up with Jamie!

It's HARD to be a consisent blogger during the summer. That's all I'm gonna say...and without further ado, here's what I'm loving lately:

{frosting}
You guys remember that movie with Kate Hudson and Matthew McYummy? How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days? Well, I've always loved the analogy they use to describe accessorizing yourself with the perfect jewels- "Frost yourself." Yeah, totally random I know and has nothing to do with my next point really, except that it involves jewelry. So my friends have become quite the jewelry-making experts, and I'm amazed at what cute stuff they can produce. I joined in on a crafty session with them last week and made this little frosting for my neck. My talents don't compare to them, but I'm still loving the final product!



{showers}
I love afternoon summer showers! And even more, I'm loving these two silly kiddos playing in the drizzle.


{frans}
I'm always loving sweet friends, a fun night out, and Tin Roof!




{munchies}
I'm loving that any time we have a team meeting at work, everyone brings goodies. This time I whipped up some sausage balls and pigs-in-a-blanket. I'm loving that as I prepared them, the pigs-in-a-blanket brought back football season memories and the sausage balls conjured up Christmas memories! I think this girl is already longing for a break in the summer heat wave...


{melody}
I'm loving my new Miranda Lambert cd. I'm NOT loving that she cancelled her concert last weekend and now I have to wait until October to see her. However, as I pointed out above, I'm over the Alabama summer heat, and seeing her in the fall will certainly make for a more pleasant experience in an outdoor amphitheater. My favorite tracks so far are: Over You (duh), All Kinds of Kinds, Fine Tune, Mama's Broken Heart, Look at Miss Ohio... and I'm sure as I learn more the list will grow!



{tube}
I miss my regular shows, but summer tv is nothing to scoff at. I'm loving True Blood, Melissa & Joey, Real Housewives of New York, and Charlie Sheen's Anger Management. But a surprising new addition to the list is The Newsroom, which comes on immediately following True Blood on HBO. I was hooked after the first episode. Jeff Daniels delivers an amazing performance, and his dry wit and quick remarks sometimes have me in stitches. Plus, I'm also a sucker for the inter-work romances: the budding flirtation between Jim and Maggie and the long history between Will and Mackenzie.



Have a great Wednesday!

miscellany monday: phone dump!

Link up with Carissa!

{independence}
Last week on Independence Day "Eve", we enjoyed a night out on the town with the Stricklands. The kiddos were spending some time at grandmother's and C&J were flying solo for the evening. Those two always equal a fun time! Wine'd Down, Dram, Oak Hill, Dave's- we kinda bounced around all over the place, but it's rare to have a night off in the middle of the week. Had to make the most of it!

{fourth}
We celebrated the 4th by relaxing in the pool, eating some good food, and hanging with friends. Kim was so sweet to invite us to join her family at her mom's lake house for their holiday celebration!

My patriotic dessert

Baby Colin (and a little leftover cookie cake)

A little Despicable Me for the car ride home.

{hilariousness}

We saw Ted last week. I can't believe that I actually enjoyed a movie about a potty-mouthed teddy bear. Seriously laughed my butt off. Oh, and I had Dippin' Dots for the first time in at least...ehhh, five years? Talk about a successful evening!

{visitors}
My SIL and her b/f came to visit this past weekend, and as usual, we loved getting to spend time with them. We had a casual dinner and then hit up several favorite nightspots.

Flame-dancers at Parkside

Yay college friends!

{pretty peanut}
It was nice to be reunited with these kiddos after they returned from their trip to Neenee's. I guess Miss Addison had a bit of an epiphany while she was away, because she politely informed her Monkey that she would prefer to be called "Pretty Peanut" instead of plain ole "Peanut" going forward. That girl kills me!

Hope everyone had a good Monday!