Lauren D's Birthday Celebration!

Yay, Yay, Yay for Lauren's Birthay!!

Last Wednesday, my sweet friend Lauren celebrated her birthday! Lauren and I have known each other for as long as I can remember! We grew up in church together and got really close after she moved back to Meridian after college!

Lauren and I enjoy the same things. There was a time in American Idol History when she came to my house every Tuesday night to cheer and scream "Pick Pickler" every single time that Kelly Pickler graced the Idol stage! Lauren and I also went to see the American Idol tour the year that Taylor Hicks won... oh yeah, and Pickler was there too! Ha!

Even though Lauren now lives in Jackson, we talk frequently and see each other when we have weekend get cookouts and celebrate the birthdays of some of our friends!

Last Friday night, our sweet friend Joy (pictured above) and Lauren's boyfriend, Brandon, helped get everything together for a celebration. We ate, and ate, and ate again as we scarfed down her, you guessed it, "American Idol" birthday cake! And the gifts went along with the same theme!

Joy had this wonderful idea for us to contact Courtney from 'AngelCourt Jewels' and get Lauren something really special for her birthday. You see, AngelCourt supplied all of the jewelry for the American Idol finalists this year. So after Courtney came over and displayed some of her awesome pieces, we chose two things that were perfect for Lauren. I have spent a while looking for pictures of Shioban and Katie Stevens in this jewlery to prove to you that they've actually worn it! I'm going to keep looking. It's really cool and Lauren was speechless! She couldn't believe that she was wearing earrings that Siobhan wore in Idol Season 9!

After countless hours of socializing, eating and laughing at our goofy selves from attempting to play Taboo, we ended the night! It was so fun!

Elizabeth, Joy, Lauren, Terry, Brandon, Dylan and David, I had so much fun with ya'll! I still haven't stopped laughing from some of your words in taboo!

Oh, and if you're wondering, her boyfriend Brandon gave her tickets to go and see Carrie Underwood in Birmingham the night after her party!

Graduation and Birthdays!

Our baby cousin Emily graduated from Pelham High School in Birmingham on May 27th. She was one of 18 (I think I'm right) Valedictorians. A few years ago, her sister Sarah (pictured with me and Em below) was a Valedictorian, too! They're both really smart girls, and have big futures ahead of them! Today just happens to be the birthday of two special ladies in my life and that's why I included the picture above! My mom and Emily share the same birthday and we've always thought that was really cool in our family! I hope you both are having a fabulous day! I love you both so much more than you'll ever know!

You Made "DeWyze" Decision America!

So, I'm definitely on cloud 9 today because my pick for American Idol won!! Over and over this season, I've looked at people and said, "You know, Lee might just walk away as the winner..." and I'm so glad that he did!! If you missed the finale, have no fear! Here's a clip of the last 4 minutes or so! Enjoy :)

Meanwhile, this week, I attempted to make my very first Chocolate Chip Poundcake. EPIC FAIL! I'm kidding. It tasted really, really good, but it didn't look so pretty. It stuck in quite a few places and it made this perfectionist really mad. I didn't even take a picture because I didn't like the looks. A little powdered sugar on top sure helped it's feelings though.

For Mother's Day, my mom had my grandmother over for dinner on the deck. She made this fabulous looking Strawberry Pie. It's a Paula Deen dish... so you know it was good!

On another note, look at this little cutie patootie showing off her fab dance moves!! You'll just have to turn your head to the side and watch because I can't get it to rotate! Ugh!

So Sorry!

It's been 18 stinkin' days since I have updated this blog. The last time I updated, I said that I would was "back" and that'd I'd be blogging more frequently. So sorry that I haven't stayed true to my word!! I've just been a busy little bee! I'm really embarrased though, especially since my blog went out for a "blisit" in the new Locals Magazine a few weeks ago, highlighting my blog and I've been so busy that I've not even taken the time to give new readers anythign to read about! If you haven't found a copy in Meridian, you can visit here (393Mag.com) online and view the new magazine. Check out page pages 14 & 15 for sure, wink wink!!

I will go ahead and tell you that Harper girl makes her first appearance in a local magazine and she thought she was a hit for sure whenever she saw it!

The month of May has FLOWN by! I can't believe that next Tuesday is the first day of June. Since I didn't get to go to Trinidad, I was able to spend mother's day with my sweet mom. She's been working really hard trying to get our deck and backyard looking quite cheery for summer. She wanted all things dealing with the outdoors for her Mother's Day gifts. So, she got a new patio umbrella, two hanging wall planters, and a gift certificate to Plant the Earth to go and get her some plants.

She's made the planters look fabulous!! This one has zinnias and this new-to-me plant called "Creeping Jenny" that I think is so cute and fun! I don't have a picture of the other planter, but it's full of "Mexican Heather." They're both really pretty!

Oh, and this past week... well it's pretty much been all work related. Yesterday we had our Baccalaureate Service. It was really sweet and was so special to me because it was my very first group of graduating seniors in my youth family. I also was called to "PREACH!!!"... okay so not in the big worship service, but last night in the churchwide study we've been doing called 'Externally Focused Life.' I can honestly say that I had a pit in my stomach all day yesterday and was so relieved when 7:00 p.m. arrived last night!

Oh, and last week was filled with some excitement since Casey James on Idol was sent packing and my husband-to-be, Lee Dewyze (yeah, that's never going to happen) and Crystal Bowersox are in the Idol Finale THIS WEEK! Oh, how I squealed with some excitement!! I really do like both of them.. I just really do LOVE Lee!

Lee
+

Abby = just a really cute pair!

Tonight, we're grilling on our brand new grill and staying in for a night of the Dancing with the Stars Finale. This has to be my favorite week of TV all year!!

Different Plan...

Remember this post??

Well... my plans have changed. I won't be boarding a plane, going out of the county or getting any new passport stamps. My back has been giving me some trouble and I'm having something called "trigger point" done on Friday morning.

Please pray that this little setback will help me heal to the fullest and by all means, please still pray for the team that's leaving tomorrow!! They'll be working with kids at the orphanage, leading a sunday school, doing some construction and forming relationships with the people of Trinidad. I'm hoping to go next year for sure!!

Last Graduation

Please just let me say that getting to sing in the Riley Center on Friday was amazing!! I'll admit that I was incredibly nervous... legs shaking behind the podium nervous. It was so worth it though!

We celebrated my cousins high school graduation on Sunday at my grandmothers. Grannie has always given a big family luncheon in the graduates honor since my high school graduation in 2004. We've all had our share of picking the menu and getting showered with moolah, but now it was Emily's turn.

Here she is...

The soon to be Pelham High School Graduate!

Our sweet grannie!

COUSINS!!

Many people describe their grandparents in many ways... but we describe our grandfather in one word: HILARIOUS!! He's the funniest man you'll ever meet!

As we were watching Em open her gifts, Harper kept grunting and pointing at the cake and picking up her spoon!! That girl loves the good stuff!!!

My grandmother picked up a picture frame matte for everyone to sign. This is my uncle Randy's attempt at being cool... we guess.

Congrats "M" (For EMily)

Luv U!

Ha!

Harper giving Dottie some love!!

This weekend was SO fun!! I loved getting to catch up with everyone. Emily, we're so proud of you and can't wait to see you walk at the end of this month!

Maroon and White!

I was asked to sing at Mississippi State University- Meridian's graduation tomorrow...

held in the Riley Center...

My very first time to ever sing on that stage...

and this will be my view (packed with people, of course!)

Can you say EXCITED??

Abby H gets HITCHED!

Even though Saturday was a nasty, nasty day with TONS of bad weather all over the south, the night had a beautiful ending! My friend, Abby, got married and everyone had a great time. I love the picture above. That's Christina, Sara, Abby D., Abby H., Hallie and Jessica. We were all friends in high school. The whole night was nothing but a big reunion for a lot of people that haven't seen each other since High School graduation.

Abby and I have been friends for a long time... like 1st grade I think. I remember spending the night at her house and playing with Lucy and L.J. (her dogs), and having her dad draw us breakfast menus on Saturday mornings. If they had cereal in their house, he'd draw a bowl of cereal, or a piece of toast, or an egg, or milk, etc. Whatever they had to offer, her dad would draw it perfectly on paper. We would wake up and choose what we wanted, then we were off on our bikes to ride the ins and outs of West Hills Elementary and Northwest Jr. High School. We always had so much fun together.

There were several things that I loved about Abby's wedding.

1. She looked so fabulous and so fun!! She's a fun person and her dress suited her perfectly!

2. She asked me to sing in her wedding, and as I was sitting behind the piano during the prelude, I saw that they had their pianist and guitarist play "Heavenly Day!" One of my absolute favorites!

3. I'm a music lover. She had four songs in her wedding. I sang one, there was a duet, and then she had two other soloists sing. I was introduced to two knew songs and I loved them.

4. Their first dance was to Cory Smith... oh I love him, too!
5. Everything about her wedding was fun. Her dress. The table cloths. The food. The Lanterns. The band. So fun, so Abby & Robert!

(look at those awesome centerpieces)

Abby's Cake...Robert's Cake

6. THE PHOTO BOOTH... enough said!!
Congratulations Abby and Robert! Your wedding night was so much fun... just like the two of you!! I wish you the very best!

Jennifer and Frank tie the knot!!

March, April, May & June are always busy wedding months. A friend of mine got married in March, two of them in April, two in May and then another in June. I was asked to sing in two of these weddings and had the best time. Jennifer and I met in Middle School I'm pretty sure. We've been friends for a long time. We got really close in Jr. High and the beginning of High School because we also attended the same church. Jennifer was always really sweet. She lived with her dad growing up and had a set of twin siblings (brother and sister) and then a younger sister. They were always really close and so funny to be around!

Skip a few years and enter the 9th grade!! Jennifer meets Frank. A sweet, country boy that goes to a different school but they fit perfectly together!! Frank likes to hunt and fish, and Jennifer, even though she was a girly girl, would spend her weekends with Frank everywhere he went!! The summer after we graduated from high school, everyone went their separate ways. I stayed in Meridian and Jennifer went to Ole Miss because that's where Frank was and that's where she wanted to go to school. I'm pretty sure that Jennifer and I ran into each other, um, maybe once, through our college years in Meridian.

**Side note: Everything was held outside at the Marascalco home; the rehearsal dinner, wedding and reception. The picture above is the back of the home. It was beautiful! Sorry, the picture just doesn't do it justice! They also have a big barn close to the orchard where the rehearsal dinner was and Jennifer had some of her bridal portraits made there. The picture below is her sitting in the loft of the barn... how beautiful is this?!

After nine years of Frank and Jennifer being together, they are looking forward to the rest of their lives together! Jenn & Frank, everything about your special day was PERFECT. Thank you for asking me to be a part of your wedding celebration. Happy beginnings!!

Leadership Lauderdale

Hey Ya'll!!

Long time, no blog!! I know... I'm going to get better at this. Things just need to slow down for a bit first!

A few weeks ago, I was honored to be asked to be a guest at the Leadership Lauderdale Youth Banquet. Leadership Lauderdale Youth is a program for 11th grade students to learn about the Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens.

Several of my youth participated in this program this year and I was so proud of them. They each had to bring a guest and they had to stand up (in front of probably 200 people) and tell who their guest was and what habit best described their guest.

I was Shelby's guest and she said some really sweet things about me and why I fit into the "Put First Things First" category. We had a great time learning about the service projects they worked on all year and just watching them be "leaders" that night made me smile!!

(we even wore matching shoes, hee hee!)

Thanks for a great night friends!! I'm proud of ya'll!

Ready to Follow??

...Because we've got a lot of ground to cover in this post!

First things first: I'M BACK!! It's been forever since I blogged about something that was worth reading. I'm glad that things have fallen into place for today so that I can have a few extra seconds to share with you.

With that being said, here we go...

How incredible was your Easter weekend? Oh, mine was phenomenal!! Please let me explain this picture. One of my youth had a little happy for me whenever I came to church on Easter morning! I have mentioned to them several times that I don't like to eat fried chicken with my hands. I just prefer to use a fork. Well, one of them was looking out for me when they found this great find of "Wing Tongs" so that I don't ever have to get messy!! How cute :)

I also got to see my sweet friend Mary Kathryn from Washington, D.C. She was in Meridian seeing her family over the Easter weekend and she stopped by our church Easter Egg Hunt!

Spending time with my family was the highlight of my weekend, for sure. We had such a great time chatting and eating great food, and of course, hiding easter eggs. It's been YEARS since we've had an egg hunt in our family because we haven't really had any younger children in town... but this year, the egg hunt was back on and the little hunters came out in full force!!
and these just happen to be 3 of my very favorite people: my sweet cousins...If you're my friend on Facebook, you saw that I mentioned in a status update about a pair of shoes. Well, these are the ones! They were lucky enough to be the Easter shoe choice for 2010 and i thought they complimented my outfit perfectly! Plus, I can wear them with a lot of other things, too!!

Oh, and since Spring is here, it was high time that I set aside a night to clean out my closet and transfer the spring and summer stuff in. I'm pretty sure I just cleaned out my closet a few months ago. It's amazing how much stuff you can accumulate!I told you that I had a lot of cathing ya'll up to do on this thing, so here's my favorite thing for the week. This candle is AMAZING!! A friend of mine in Jackson has a huge candle like this and it burns all of the time. Because I wasn't sure if I wanted a really big candle, I was in Francesca's one day and picked up a little 4 scent sampler pack. This scent is by far the best!! You can get them at Francesca's or Anthropolgie I'm pretty sure. LOVE!!! I'll be at a Leadership Banquet tonight and will be missing Idol and GLEE!!!!!! So, I'm pretty sure that I'll be up until the wee hours of the morning trying to watch both of these shows. We'll talk about our opinions tomorrow!! Until then...