Sunday, May 31, 2009

If at times you don't succeed, eat.

Have you ever had one of those out of body experiences when you've had something so precious taken away from you? Lauren and I had one of those today. We were so sad to leave the beach (more about that later), but so excited to eat at our fav restaurant Mi Ranchito. That's right you fellow Harding-ites; it's the same one that is in Searcy. It's the BEST, and I should know since I'm part Hispanic. Well, to my surprise we pull into the parking lot and see that our fav restaurant has A DIFFERENT SIGN! I pull right up to the door with my car (I was definitely in the restaurant's grill fo sho) and this is what the sign said, "Due to parking lot issues, we are closed." What?! Who closes because of parking lot issues? Just tell the truth and say you are closing because you went bankrupt because the only people who ate your delicious food were Lauren and me. I had a mild mital cardiac infarction. So you know what we did? We cheated!!! We went to Senor Tequila where I barked at the waiter because I said I wanted fajita chicken and not shredded and WHY is that so hard to understand???? I guess he didn't know that I had lost something so precious to me.

Goodbye my love :(

That's my only sad news...luckily. Yay for me though! My friend Lauren and I took a major roadtrip to Auburn, Gulf Shores, and then to Smackover. We left Monday for Auburn to visit some of Lauren's good friends from college, Lauren and Rhett Lashlee. They were so kind of enough to let us stay with them for two nights. I felt like I've been friends with them for ages :) Lauren T. and I got facials at Lauren L.'s spa where she works. It was so needed. Wonderful, wonderful and then just hung out. I unfortunetly had a sinus infection that was bad enough for me to get a Zpack, but oh don't worry...it didn't stop me from any of the festivities.

Me, Lauren L. and Lauren T. before going out to dinner.


Our findings along the way...


a snake...not in the best condition huh

After our wonderful time at Auburn, we trecked down to Gulf Shores Wednesday morning where we stayed with Lauren's mom, sister and cousin. We had a wonderful girl trip for sure! Highlights: eating at Lulu's (an awesome restaurtant on the river/gulf? owned by Jimmy Buffet's sister) where I ate the largest 8 oz cheeseburger in paradise known to man that was slathered with jalapenos and bacon (my dad refers to those types of burgers as man-burgers); choked on ice cream; got burnt to a crisp and just relaxed. I have never eaten more junk food in my life, but luckily since I'll never see any of those people ever again in the lifetime of my exciting but sometimes drab existence, I let Petunia (my stomach) hang out all she wanted.
Just a glimmer at the smorgasbord of junk food we had the privilege of eating.

My choking episode take one.
Choking epidsode take two

ooh la la...i'm albino compared to LT.
Our photo shoot on the beach before eating at Lulu's.

My last day :(


I left a day early because my cousin Seth was getting married. I left around 6:30 on Saturday to make it to Smackover, AR by 3:30. I've never taken that much of a roadtrip by myself before, and I must say it was BORING. I talked to myself some, but mainly had concerts. When I was a few miles from Monroe, LA I was talking to a friend on the phone. You know how you get that itching feeling in your throat when you need to cough? Well I got it. I didn't want to hack on the phone, so I just waited. My eyes start watering and my voice gets real squeaky because I'm about to choke to death when she finally says "bye". I close the phone and start coughing. More coughing and more coughing later, I start dry heaving. Swerving on the interstate I'm thinking to myself, "I've always wondered what it would be like to vomit on yourself while you are driving. Today's my lucky day. Luckily I'm wearing a long dress to catch the vomit." I'm sure the passers-by were getting the show of their life. Two red, crying eyes and one red face later, I'm still dry. No vomit. Good girl. I tell that story to tell you this: If you have to cough and are on the phone, just hang up. Don't try to tough it out or you will be that road goober everyone makes fun of. I pulled over at the next gas station because I thought that nearly losing my life constituted buying white, powdered donuts. Yum! I get in the car, open up my package of goodness and start to chow. I instantly gag. They taste so awful I thought I would surely vomit. I've never been so stinking disappointed. So I finally get to El Dorado where I stop at a college friend's house to get ready. Then I drive the 5 min to Smackover. Have I ever been to Smackover? No. Will I be ok if I don't ever go back? Yes. Nonetheless, my cousin Seth got married to a great girl, Julianne in the most amazing garden I've honestly ever seen. It's something you see in magazines. Shoot, it probably has been in magazines. It was a beautiful day! No rain...hip hip. And guess what else? I caught the bouquet!!! Aw, I know. This makes the 3rd one since June 14th of last year. That means my love life sucks, and God is getting a good laugh. No just kidding or maybe so...who knows.
My wonderful parents!

Brother and sister

Seth and Julianne

Most of the Jamison clan--missing eight.

A little reunion--Scott, Randy and cousin Wes.

cousin Tela

cousin Seth--the groom

So if you don't succeed, eat. I made a pie for my neighbor today since he mows our yard for free. There are nice people in the world :) With the left over pie crust, I put butter, sugar and cinnamon on it, bake it then eat it with a big glass of milk. And I wonder why Petunia won't leave me alone.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

HAPPY MADRE'S DAY!












In honor of all the mother's out there who birthed us, I pay homage to you. I love you, Mom! Special thanks to my sister, Brittany the photographer and to her boyfriend, Waylan my sudo-husband.

she said YES!


Audra and Cole's first dance as husband and wife!!

Audra and Cole's wedding was a success. and i say success because it literally came a flood. we thought we were going to have to build an ark. on friday, the water was over the tires. i like to say that the car was "swimming" down the road.



I love this one!

saturday came. we got up to get our nails and toes done around 10 and it was only misting. the day kept floating on and still no rain. we were crossing our fingers. 5:00 rolled around and IT WAS CLEAR! you could even see the sun peeking out. audra was so excited! she was going to get her outside wedding after all. 6:00--a giant, black cloud floated right over the wedding. we prayed some more and the good Lord was gracious. it didn't rain the entire night! so yay! though i must say my hair was flat as an ironing board, but audra looked stunning.


Audra and me.


The bridesmaids and Audra with our darling gifts.

it was so wonderful to be back with my college friends again! i am so thankful my parents made me go to Harding. i would be a totally different person without them. i did miss little Erin though. she couldn't come because she delivers in a few weeks. we did miss her terribly though!


One of my best friends Meredith Bryan and me.


Caroline, Valorie, Sarah and me at Cantina Laredo.

the weekend was also filled with sadness. a girl that we went to college with was shot and killed by her husband, who also attended college with us. it makes me sick thinking about it. you think your home and family is a place where you don't have to fear for your life, but, like in Micah's case, it is. please keep the Rine and Pate families in your thoughts and prayers. only the Lord can imagine and heal their heartbreak.