oh spring.. you're so pretty!

Uh can we just TALK about how beautiful these flowers are?! I was in aww of them outside of my work when they first started blooming but when the green leaves showed up on these pretty trees earlier this week I was so in love.

They're so pretty they make these iPhone pictures look goooooood. 

There's just something about the combination of pink and green! I just love it. 

Of course thanks to the frost these babies are already gone.. spring you're such a tease, so pretty for such a short time! 

knitting!

You guys. I actually finished a knitting project!! Like for real finished! Weaved my ends in and everything!! 

I'm so proud of this baby blanket!! And I know a certain little miss is going to love it too! :) 

And it's a good thing I'm on a knitting kick, because this happened this weekend: 

Here's hoping my little nephew will get his, you know.. before August hits because you clearly need a blanket in the heat of summer. :) 

tuon.

Around ten o'clock every night Tu mysteriously disappears.

She's had enough of us and puts herself to bed. 

On our bed. 

She loves it even more when the bed's not made and she can really snuggle herself in the bedding. 

We're fairly certain this is where she spends most of her day, while we're working.. 

which would explain all the dog hair all over MY pillow. 

It's a good thing I love her. 

And I do thank her for warming up my side of the bed. 

She's thoughtful. 

one darn cute family.

So with my pretty new camera Lar asked me if I wouldn't mind taking some family photos of them. I may have answered a bit too quickly because I'm fairly certain I cut her off mid-sentance with a YES!
I'm SO thrilled with how these turned out! Paul and Lara have a beautiful backyard and it's in full bloom right now.

Here's the adorable Dudley family!  

Love them, so much! 

And I'm so proud of these photos! 

my new baby!

I bought a new camera! And I'm SO in love!! I've been thinking about upgrading my camera for a bit and I've been researching what would be a good next step for me. However, on a whim last week I got on craigslist, just to look and my jaw dropped. Posted was not the camera I was looking at upgrading to but the next level of DSLRs-- she was the mac daddy camera of cameras AND within my budget price range.

I freaked. And ran to Thomas. 

Four hours later and a thirty minute drive to Manchester, I grilled a guy about his camera and stood in the parking lot of a Waffle House taking pictures and inspecting every INCH of this camera. Needless to say I took her home with me, and I negotiated the beautiful 50mm lens into my asking price too. 

It was a good day! And Pep-- I got a really good deal. :) 

It all happened so fast! Of course I killed the battery on the way home from Manchester so once we got home I felt like a impatient little kid as I waited for the battery to charge. 

The next day after work is when the fun started.. fun, as in me throwing things onto my window sill to take pictures in the last minutes of day light. 

It's the worst picture in the world, but my brother REQUIRED a picture of my new bundle of joy.

Here's my new baby, the night I got her. 

SO EXCITED! 

twenty seven.

I pretty much claimed this entire weekend as my birthday celebration. I didn't plan it-- but it just happened like that. And quite frankly I'm perfectly okay with it!
Saturday Lara and I drove up to go see that cute little nephew of mine-- and my adorable sisters-in laws made a cake for me to celebrate my birthday a day early. I laughed so hard when Jenny pulled out the only candles she had.. age doesn't matter, right?! haha!

Apparently in teaching her second graders they celebrated the 100th day of school. It was quite a mystery to all of us as to why she had 100 candles.

They were a little top heavy on my slice of cake but I loved it nonetheless. 

Also just look at these cute mama's!! 

      

And their cute kiddos! 

   

After our visit with the Hollars' family and Cindy, Lara Liliana and I drove back to Murfreesboro and the Dudley's threw me an early birthday dinner. Filled with one of my favorite things.. artichokes!!! 

I seriously ate them that fast too. ;) 

There were other grilled goodies too, but these were clearly the star. 

Lara also made me an apple crisp hot out of the ovenwith a dollop of vanilla ice cream. 

It was heavenly. 

As always with the Dudley's, we had such a good night. 

On Sunday, my actual birthday, Thomas took me out for breakfast and then as if we didn't hang out with the Dudley's enough we met up with them for some bowling!! 

I love bowling, I also LOVE this picture: 

When Thomas and I got home after bowling he told me of his plans to make me a birthday cake. However thanks to the previous day we had 1/2 a pie and a good chunk of cake thanks to the Dudley's and his sisters! So I asked him to not make me more baked goods, but I wouldn't say not to a trip to Dairy Queen. Which I think was a perfect end, to a perfect Birthday weekend. :)