One Week

You think I'm talking about this post, don't you? While I am super excited about that for many, many reasons... we will actually be there on Saturday afternoon. So where will we be on Friday you ask?

And no, that is not where our beach house is. Our beach house is about 3 hours north of this little piece of heaven in South Carolina. We are going there for a much more personal reason. My roommate and best friend from college, Amy, lives there with her husband.

Our story begins Freshman year when we were paired as roommates. I wrote about her in this post, if you remember.

Apparently we liked to do things like destroy signs from the opposing political party.

Sit in boxes.



Hide in corn fields.

Show school spirit.

And hang out our third story window, risking our lives for an awesome snow picture.

Somewhere during out second year at Taylor we drifted apart. I moved to another wing for Junior year to room with another friend, and she stayed behind. We didn't talk as much as we used to. But then...

We shared our engagements together.

Reunited Senior year for student teaching.

Tried on wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses together.

Shared in my wedding together.

Had visits at TU.



She was one of the first to know that I was pregnant with Brooke.
And in turn [the second picture is just foreshadowing] she recently told me that SHE is pregnant.



We graduated together.

I shared in her wedding, 25 weeks pregnant with Brooke.

Had visits in South Carolina. The first picture is from Wilmington, NC, where One Tree Hill is filmed. We share a mutual love for that show and HAD to make a visit.

And then I surprised her at a Panera Bread in Ohio on the way to Philly for Thanksgiving this past Fall.

Amy is one of my best friends. No matter how far apart we are, or how long it has been since we have talked, we can always pick up where we left off. We can be serious together, cry together, and laugh together. Amy is my most honest friend and always held me accountable, and I know that I can call her if I ever really just need to talk.

To say I can't wait to see her would be an understatement.

So I repeat.

ONE WEEK.

Miscellaney Monday

one. If you haven't started following my photography blog yet, you should! You can also follow me on Facebook, just sayin'.

two. The Flying Rat Part II. Dustin caught the first flying rat, which looked suspiciously like a moth. I've decided it was a decoy placed here so that we wouldn't find the true culprit. This baby...

I swear he followed us to my ILs house. With this picture it is hard to capture the horror that is this thing because there was no way I was getting closer than ten feet. Trust me when I say that this baby was probably bigger than my hand.

three. The second horror at my ILs house.

Sugar used to have a personality that lived up to her name, or so I've heard, but old age has turned her wicked. It probably has something to do with her lack of hearing, bad eye sight, aching joints, and missing teeth. That pink around her mouth? Yeah, toothless gums.

four. I didn't inherit my mom's green thumb. Has anyone else managed to kill all of their flowers this summer? Because I did. I have tried to be diligent about watering them on hot days and making sure they are placed in the correct amount of sunlight/shade ratio. This is my first year planting flowers and maybe my last. I meant, I just spent $50 on something that died a week later. That is 50 goldfish I could have had the privilege of naming and then flushing.

five. Molly still isn't walking, but she can push herself up to standing from the floor with out holding on to anything around her. I think that if she just tried she would take off running, but she is content to be carried. My aching back hopes she learns to walk before Kindergarten. At least the elementary school is less than a mile away.

six. Speaking of Molly, I took her one year pictures on Saturday, here is a preview. :)

seven. One month until we leave for the Carolinas. One month until I need to spend the majority of my time in a bathing suit, bent over none the less as I chase toddlers. SO that means one month to achieve some sort of weight loss goal. Hello gym, we are about to become great friends.

News

You should click on this button and become a follower! ETA: Apparently my beautiful link doesn't work. The one on my sidebar does. So we'll cheat a little. ;) http://jmillerphotos.blogspot.com/





Big things happening in the Miller household.

Hobbies

As a stay at home mom I feel as though I need to have hobbies to hold on to any semblance of my sanity. Of course, the majority of my time is spent playing with the girls. Or rather, watching them play with each other while I follow behind and clean up their messes. But sometimes during naps or if they are with their grandparents, I find some time just to sit and do something for ME.

First, I LOVE to read. My goal for 2011 is to read 150 books. I have been keeping track of my progress on Goodreads and so far I have read 74 books! One more until I'm halfway. I get a TON of messages for book recommendations so I might start a mini book review blog here in a couple weeks, just so people can go there and see what I am reading. I LOVE to talk about books so feel free to email me anytime.

Another hobby I have is writing, which kind of goes hand in hand with my reading. The more I read, the more I want to write. For me, writing is just like reading and falling into a story. The imagination, the characters, the possibilities! I have started three books this year. I am pretty good at getting the story part out, it is the editing that gets me. I have two books that need to be edited and I am currently working on writing a third. I am not sure what I'll do with them. I could make them eBooks with Barnes and Noble and Amazon, so look out for that!

Lastly, my biggest hobby is probably Photography. I would LOVE to do this semi-professionally some day. I don't think I could handle shooting weddings or huge events, but I love doing families and children and just portraits in general. I am hoping someday in the near future I can take a few photography courses, but for now I take pictures for family and friends. Here is some of my work...

Be prepared for a lot of pictures in this post!

Sunshine

Whenever I say that word I think of Remember the Titans. "Sunshinnne".

My blog has been greatly neglected for the past week because of the amount of natural Vitamin D I have been soaking up outside. The girls and I have been out almost every day, enjoying the warm weather. I have pictures to upload but our hard drive is full, so that will have to wait.

Speaking of sunshine, did you know that sunscreen expires? I didn't, and I am a sunscreen stickler. I am constantly putting it on myself, the girls, and even Dustin. But Saturday my sunscreen failed me, mainly because it is 3 and 1/2 years old. My chest and arms were beat red all day but have settled into a nice tan by now.

Hopefully I'll have pictures for you soon, I just need to move some old ones off the computer.

Awkward & Awesome Thursday

This week I thought it would be fun to participate in Awkward & Awesome Thursday. If you want to join in the fun, head on over to Living in Yellow and grab a button! Erin and I happen to live about a mile apart, and she happens to be great friends with my sister-in-law.

Awkward

one. Smashing yourself, a toddler, and a stroller filled with the baby and about three diaper bags into a bathroom stall at the mall. And the grand finale would be finishing using the restroom and having your two year old yell "Yay Mommy! You did it! You used the potty!" and clap her hands loudly.

two. Setting yourself up in the front row at Body Pump class and then having some set up right behind you. THEN doing 60 squats in a row in front of said person. Hope you liked the view!

three. Following with Erin's school picture theme. WHAT is up with these pictures? First, the HAIR. I think I was in third grade? Volume much?

Then my 10th grade pictures. I have naturally wavy/curly hair and didn't know how to handle bands properly. The result...

Awesome

one. Wedges. I am obsessed with wedges for the summer. Hopefully I can lose this baby weight and get toned for short/skirt season!

two. Sisters. I have one sibling, a brother, and while he is absolutely AWESOME, I always wanted a sister. Sorry Ben. I am so glad that my girls will have each other and even though I know there will be hair pulling, clothes stealing, and fights over boys, I hope they can form a special bond and be there for each other through thick and thin.

three. Funfetti Cupcakes. Ask anyone on Dustin's side of the family, I make a funfetti cake for every birthday. This year so far my father-in-law, Dustin, and brother-in-law have all had the honor of eating my funfetti cake. I think I would want this to be my last meal if I ever ended up on death row.