a GOOD day

So, you know its been a good day

when you buy a pair of shoes that are named after you...

(sidenote 1:  these shoes also reminded me of my super chic design friend, Kelly, who blogs for Elizabeth Stuart Designs in Charleston, SC - she is seriously talented, fun, and beautiful!  Check out their blog @  ESD!)

(sidenote 2:  yeah, I had a photoshoot on the dock with my new shoes - I'm cool, I know)

....and you are a new owner of a Micheal Kors clutch that was on sale... 

(which I sorely needed)

....and you have a new book to read....

(And yes, I caved, and bought my first book of 2011 - I've heard it was worth it!) 

and its a good day when 

....you have a homemade chicken pot pie in the oven, that you didn't have to make(!)...

 

....and a nice glass of wine waiting for you...

...and this view....

Yay, for good days!

Hope you had one, too!

xx.

To My Daddy

I may look just like my mother,

but I act just like my father (some would consider this a good or bad thing - can you say, hardheaded?)

That being said, I think he is wonderful!

He is a great person, friend, and confidant

We have spent hours and hours together at the barn or on roadtrips

I can still remember falling asleep in his lap on the long rides

I've never seen someone so good with animals 

He loves them, and they love him back

Our dog, Maddie, follows him everywhere

And he is a hardworker

Whether he is in an office or out on the farm

Plus, he is an awesome family man

When we get together we laugh and laugh, which to me, is the best thing in the world

I'm so lucky to have him as my Dad, and I love him dearly!

Happy Father's Day, Daddy!

Meet the flock

I've been home this week, as in my parent's home

My Mom had a hysterectomy last Friday - We women get to have all the fun, right!?!

So, I came home to help out - wash dishes, clothes, dispense pain meds, and feed the animals.
She is doing much better, and I'm grateful I've been here to help, even if its not much.

So one of the best parts of the day is feeding the ducks.
Remember these little guys?  Well, they have grown

See that white blob?

That is them coming in for breakfast - you would swear they could create a tidal wave, they swim so fast - They are some hungry ducklings!

Some of you may notice that our flock has increased.  Our neighbors decided to donate their two to our brood, and now all 5 are one big happy family!

I can't get over how fast they grow!

And here is my helper...Keeping a watchful eye on his siblings (maybe too watchful)

Headed back inside to eat his own breakfast

Speaking of siblings, my brother has just graduated college and temporarily moved back in with my parents (can you guess what the keyword in that sentence is?).  Anyway, I walked in my parent's dining room today only to find it has been turned into my brother's pantry...

How classy is that orange cone?!?

Sunflower seeds, baked beans, instant grits, fudge stripe cookies

A college man/child's diet...

My poor mother

So, mothers of boys, you've been warned - this could happen to you!

He has a great job, so let's hope he finds a suitable house to rent soon

xx.

Nature Ride

Most afternoons these days are spent on the dock

Some nights we have a cold beverage - we are soaking up the outdoors and life on the lake

which is wonderful

Usually, after dinner we hop in the boat and our biggest decision of the day is whether to go up river or down river

We decided up river the other night

Excuse the no makeup look

We live on the lake after all - my foundation these days is sunscreen

Driving up river requires you to stay between the buoys

very Jimmy Buffet

I can't get enough of the view and the water and the sunsets 

There are really no houses up river...

...except for this little plantation house...

Can you see it through the trees?

It's so beautiful and what a view they have!

Love the moss and trees on the water

If you look close you can see a turtle!

There is wildlife everywhere...which is good and bad (snakes...enough said)

One day I'll tell you all about the time T took me alligator hunting ... at night ... and he made me hold the light...in the 90 degree weather...bugs, more bugs, and bugs...Lets just say I could have divorced....well nevermind

Love that everyone waves

and all the lilypads

and our pink house

Happy Weekend, Everyone

Enjoy a sunset or two!

PS.  

How chic is she?  That dress is perfection.  I am beyond obsessed.

via

Life's a Beach

Whew!

Summer has been crazy so far - Is it me or has this year gone by super fast?  

T, myself, and some good friends of ours headed to Destin, where T's parents have a condo (that is beyond cute and decorated to perfection)!  The beach was incredibly crowded for Memorial Day, but it's the beach, so who can complain?  Sun, sand, friends, a cold beverage or two...so perfect!

Unfortunately, I didn't get any good beach pictures.  I took my camera down to the beach, and almost had a mini heart attack.  My camera aka baby had been out of its bag for all of two seconds and was covered with sand particles!  No thanks.  

The beach house had a great selection of old magazines to read - Lots of "vintage" Coastal Livings and my favorite, Southern Accents.  Can we please start a petition to bring this magazine back?  

You would have thought we had three children and nine adults with all the stuff we toted down to the beach each day.  Umbrellas, chairs, magazines, coolers, food, hats, towels

and lots of this stuff

I know 100 SPF sounds a bit extreme, and applying it is sort of like slathering on a coat of Elmer's glue, but the freckle population on my face is rapidly growing - ugh.  I still manage to get sun even with this stuff - and yes, I repeat and reapply!

I checked out Sara Gruen's, Ape House, before we left.  It is a great book!  Of course, it doesn't have the love story of Water for Elephants and its not as good (WFE was hard to beat though), but I felt like I learned more from this book.  Sara seems to take a lot of her writing from true historical events and things that happen to her.  I was still very impressed.

Check it out!

We headed to Seaside for dinner one night - I love Seaside.  It's so cute.  The houses and the architecture are simply to die for!  If you have kids, it's a great place to visit!

My only picture of the night.  How great is the courtyard - I can't get enough of the lights and the adirondack chairs!  Classic.

We had so much fun - and, as always, we were very sad to leave, but there is always...

next time 

On another note, I'm dying to read The Help!  I'm also excited to see the movie!  I can't decide whether I should read the book first or see the movie - I'm usually disappointed in the movies, so I'm thinking if I see it first maybe I'll enjoy it more!

And in other news, I LOVE Pintrest!  Thank you to Tessa @ Nine & Sixteen for inviting me!  The only things I've pinned are Halloween images.  I think I'm the only nut, who is planning a Halloween party in June.  I love Halloween/Fall! I'm going to have to implement some of these ideas...

I especially like this one...

Now to come up with a costume!

I know, I'm weird, forgive me...

Hope everyone's summer has started off wonderfully!

xx.