happy birthday, my dear friend.

This is Alison. Today is her birthday. Even though these are a little cheesy, I thought it would be fun...

A - Always. always my friend, always making me laugh, always on the other end of the phone line.

L- Love. loves her cats, loves her man, loves to travel, loves to be a girly girl. loves me. loves LOVE.

I- Inspiring. knock her down and she'll get right back up. she inspires others to do the same.

S- Sweet. Sweetest girl I know. But don't let that fool you. Maybe I should've used "Sassy" instead.

O- Optimistic. I've never met someone who can see the 'bright side' quite like Miss Anders.

N- Naughty. Have you not seen Alison's mischievous side? You really, really should.

Alison- you've been such a dear friend to me for over two years that the term "friend" doesn't even cut it for you anymore. I love you like a sister. I can't wait to see what 2012 holds for you and your bad ass 31 year old self.

Now... go 'Treat Yo Self' with some cocktails tonight. Can't wait to celebrate with you over a hibachi grill.

(God how i love this show...)

congrats from across the world.

This afternoon Jeremy sent me a sweet comment from our wedding video that took us here...

11.6.11 from Joachim Wemel on Vimeo.

I left a comment and later got this email from Joachim & Ayco- "We are together for almost ten years now, and have two wonderful kids. We had been thinking about getting married for years, but it wasn't until we saw your video that we really made up our minds to do it this way. Thank you for inspiring us, and giving us the courage to do it. We're so happy."

I am not anti big weddings, but I am appreciating the practical weddings and elopements more and more. I know my feelings come from being in the industry and seeing what kind of cash people drop, but more than that- it's the shift in focus of what a wedding commitment really means and how it's handled. Don't get me wrong- I see huge elaborate weddings that still maintain romance and sanity, but so many times the bride and groom are far more zoned in on the way a table is set than the time they spend together on their wedding day. Bums me out.

I've asked myself a couple of times this year "hummm... maybe we should've done the wedding thing?" But seeing Joachim and Ayco's video makes my heart race and reminds me of all the reasons why it was right for us.

In other news, I am 7 years old when it comes to my love of a water slide.

happy half anniversary, jeremy.

Remember those two crazy kids in this picture?

That ran off to San Francisco 6 months ago today, picked up some flowers, then a cake and went to City Hall and got married?

I love those two.

They make good decisions.

I will never regret a single day or experience that brought me to 11:23 a.m. (look how happy!) on October 18th, 2010.

Cheers to the best days of our lives.

disclaimer: we're newlyweds. we're allowed to be this cheesy for the first year.

jessica.

This is my dear friend, Jessica.

Several years ago, Jessica changed her beloved sewing room into a bedroom for me when I needed a place to live after leaving my ex. Up to that point, Jessica and I were casual friends, but through the next 6 months, Jessica became something to me that I can't really explain. Looking back to that time in my life, I'm just not sure how I would've made it without her. It was the most difficult and transitional time in my life, but Jessica made things so much better. I've joked before that moving in with Jessica saved my life. Maybe that's a dramatic statement, but I can confidently say it saved my spirit.

Last week I was in Nashville for work and stayed a night with Jessica back in my old room. It brought back so many feelings for me, but what was striking was the overwhelming feeling of comfort. Everything about Jessica's house is lovely to me. It's bright, breezy, peaceful, and natural. I think what I like the most about it, though, is that everything in her home has a purpose. I just wanted to share a few photos so you can see what I mean- she can make the most simple, old items so very beautiful.

I just love this old wooden crate that serves as a table and also as a nook for George!

I wanted to steal this and run out the door with it before Jessica woke up. A vintage Tennessee flour sack that Jessica made as a little curtain above her kitchen sink. me loves!

Jess is the queen of healthy snacking. Here she's made herself a little ball jar collection of yummy treats of course with a list of other healthy items she needs. I use to love reading her lists when I lived with her.

My favorite- love the color. and i would just pee myself if i found a map of tennessee like that one.

I took some film photos yet to be developed of other nooks around jessicas. can't wait to get them back and save them in a box of things that made me feel good.

love you, miss cheatham. and a happy belated birthday to you.

p.s.- look at this amazing picture of jessica's parents on her wall. LOVE!!!

contentment.

its a peaceful snowy sunday here. I'm sitting on the floor by my record player, listening to one of my very favorite albums on vinyl. jeremy is asleep on the couch behind me, penny asleep in his arm nook. his hand is resting on my shoulder and you couldn't pay me anything to move it.

I hope you all are having the type of Sunday that you want.

I couldn't have dreamed up a better Sunday for myself.

Marry Him.

A few weeks ago I was getting my hair did, sitting in the chair, eavesdropping on the conversation happening between the stylist and the girl next to me. The girl in the chair was about 35, attractive but not a 10 (more like a 6), sounded moderately stupid, but not full blown idiot. Here is a snip-it of their conversation:

the 6: so i'm dating this great new guy!

stylist: OH! tell me more!!!

the six: well he's incredibly nice, handsome, has a great job. he doesn't play any games. he calls me back when he's supposed to and asks me out for another date while on the current one.

stylist: he sounds perfect! I'm so happy for you!

the six: well... there's this thing.

stylist: oh no, girl. what? alcohol issues? dating other girls? WHAT?

the six: he's about 2 inches shorter than me. maybe not a full two inches, definitely i can notice it. i know i shouldn't care, but it really bugs me.

stylist: so you don't think you can get past it? i mean, is he a keeper? the marrying type?

the six: yes. he is. BUT i just never imagined marrying a guy shorter than me. not sure if i can go there. shallow, i know, but it's a bit of a deal-breaker.

At this point, I almost leaned over and pulled a Miranda. You guys know what I'm talking about, right? To refresh your memory....

Except I would've leaned over and said: "MARRY HIM. Are you seriously saying that you're going to dismiss Mr. Perfect for TWO INCHES?"

But I guess I shouldn't be too hard on The 6. Before I was went through that awful break-up, I was the same way. I chose the wrong guy and I realized that the looks, the height, the money, the rock band (collective ughhhh), the life-of-the-party personality...

It means nothing if you don't have the patience, the care, the friendship, the honesty, the holding your hand at your worst moments, the ability to work through the issues, and the putting you as #1 on their team- above anyone else in their life. And when you find that, you care less about the curly hair and blue eyes, the two inch height difference, the whatever it is that just never seems to make it "perfect".

But I've found my realistic version of perfect...
and I'm going to marry him in October.

my first of three beautiful bands.