TENNESSEE, Ya'll

Last week B & I loaded up the car, left the dogs with my parentals (have I mentioned our close date is in 48 hours? No? Well I'll get to that in a later post) and left for Liz's Wedding Weekend in TN, yeeehaw!

I've never actually visited Nashville, or Memphis for that matter and I kept asking myself why I hadn't the entire time. If any of you know ANYTHING about this gal, you'd know my love for music bust especially blues. Van, Bobby 'Blue Bland', BB King, Eric Clapton, Muddy Waters, you get the point. Well, let me tell you, it's the blues capitol of the U.S and I wish I could have more of it. I would kill for ONE blues joint in Columbus let alone have them (and good artists might I add) on every corner; needless to say I'm already planning my next trip there. Once we arrived in Memphis after our stay in Nash-Vegas, we connected w/ friends who were in town for some day drinking (fave) and music hopping. It was SO great to connect with some of my loves from college cheer days. There aren't many others who I share so many insiders and true, great memories with so it's always a full belly laugh of  a time when we get together.

The wedding was so special and we all could not be happier for Liz & Mac, she looked gorgeous! I'm so honored to have shared her wedding day with her by being one of her bridesmaids. From the days of the 'Dirty South' WSHS, to cheering together at OSU and working summer camps at Americheer since we were 15, Liz and I have shared in so many memories & ups and downs in our lives together. She has a contagious laugh that always lifts my spirits. She's a friend for life and again, I was so honored to have been asked to be a part of her day.

O.H.I.O

I adore these ladies and couldn't have asked for a better long weekend away! Fave quote of the weekend from Emily Brutus (far right hottie above who was 1 of 3 Bruti when we cheered). While walking through the hotel and wearing an OSU T shirt a guy approaches her with--

Random Guy: 'So, you're a Buckeye eh?'

Emily: 'No, actually, I was THE Buckeye'

Random Guy: <insert jaw drop>

BOOM!

Fave photo of the weekend (next to one of Blair & Andy carring our purses for us while half stumbling home from Liz's wedding) is the one below. If this doesn't capture 'Hell of a Wedding/Weekend', I don't know what does.... 

<Journey 'dont stop believing jam fest from the best wedding band I've ever heard>

Cheers, to The McDaniel's & a fabulous weekend away!!! Already looking forward to Alumni Weekend this Sept....

xox,
Andi

Dad's Day

I hope everyone had a wonderful time celebrating their Father's, Grandfather's & main men in their lives today. I feel incredibly blessed for the men who are in my life that have helped shaped the person that I am today. My Dad always worked hard to give us the life that we deserved even if it meant being on the road more often than he'd like to be with work. Some of my first memories were our bedtime rituals after bath time; he'd layout my one piece jammies with the zipper from foot to neck out on my floor like a bear skin rug. He'd zip me up and grab me up by the zipper (stomach) and swing me back and forth until I launched high into the air and into bed. I'd comb and part his hair, pretending I was a hairdresser and I'd pick out which 'style' he was getting that night while he told me bedtime stories about when he was a little boy. Most of them revolved around growing up on the farm, or his brother Mike, who was killed. Dad can tell the best stories, he always painted a clear picture and each story always ended with me asking 100x "Tell me another story about when you were a little boy, Dad!!"

He supported my athletics both financially and in guidance, always coaching my sister and I's softball leagues. Some of my favorite memories with my Dad were those summers we played for the Phillies. We'd spend many weekend hours fielding balls in the yard or celebrating wins with ice cream trips. He had a love for Camero's and I loved riding in his! I was barely seen in those low bucket seats with the T tops off singing 'Bad Company' at the top of my lungs. He was the coolest person to me, HA!

I always say that he deserves a purple heart with putting up with 3 women in the family; even both dogs we've had were female.....

Here's to you Dad, the best one I know. I love you more than words can express & I am so grateful for all that you do and all that you are.

xoxo,
Andi

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY





some quick snapshots during a diaper change, HA! Cant wait to take more during some 1+1 time w/

Gorgeous, Gorgeous, Mr Isaac <3

xox,

Andi

Isaac Daniel Little, LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

This weekend I discovered how much love one can have for a baby.

Absolutely nothing like it. I could stare at baby Isaac Daniel all. day. long. I mean, what a BABE!!

My sisters water broke at 5am last Saturday May 19th and after a  fast delivery (130pm) baby Isaac came into the world. He's a very LONG (24 inches) little man; weighing in at 8lbs 3oz, he's a total peaceful, well behaved mustache man. He popped out with a blonde head of hair, face & upper lip (obsessed) & his feet feel like velvet. Kid you not. I couldn't be more smitten kitten with this little man & I CANNOT wait to take the camera his way, see him again, & get some good shots in the new nursery as a newborn.

I want to eat him.

xo,

Auntie Andi <3



Mid year ReCap

 A few months back I wrote about making this year more Adventurous; that adventure would be the 'key word' to cultivate in 2012. To get out there & try new things, to tap into my creative 'playful' side more than usual. So far this year i've really had some wonderful moments stepping out of my routine & comfort zone & wanted to take a moment in this blog to pat myself on the back (which we seldomly do in life, espeically as women) & leave a reminder, if you will, to myself when I flip back through these blogs, on some of the moments this year where I truly felt like I was growing & learning.

I've spent more time with nature, with my Canon DSLR (discovering it through Photography workshops & trial & error) and just really enjoying the minimal time I get to learn with it on the weekends. Last weekend Blair & I took a stroll through our soon-to-be neighborhood, parks @ Alum Creek area & got some great shots!

We stopped by the house & I got some pics of some of my fave details (arch ways, wanescoting, staircase & a pic through our soon to be filled with a doorknob, front door)!!!

I joined a bit of a random 'Girls Group', jokingly calling ourselves the 'The Real (Middle Class) Housewives of Columbus'--and let me tell you, they are all a hoot. A friend of a friend & I met once & hit it off instantly. She organized the collaboration of the girls & planned a wine outing last weekend. At first I was hesitant to get out of the norm, but i'm SO GLAD I went out on wine weekend last weekend with all of them. They are all so fantastic & I know it'll be the first of many RHOCBUS events to come, ha! :)




THE FOUNDER OF RHOCBUS, Megan :)



Wine Country, aka Canal Winchester's Vineyard-- Hilare. I can hear Bravo fans gasping now!

Also, 'Project Wedding Anniversary Pillows' were completed & I think they turned out fabulously. They'll look great in our living room on the new couches! I picked some of my fave lyrics to the song I walked down the aisle to by Train, 'Marry Me'....

just call me 'Do it all Debbie' with these folks...

With that being said, i'm off to workout on this beautiful Friday afternoon & enjoy a relaxing weekend after a RIDICULOUSLY long two weeks of work + many hours. Cheers!

xo,
Andi

MAY CLOSING TIME

HAPPY EVE OF MAY Y'ALL! 30 Days until we close & we move in the first weekend in June :)

Hope to have you all over sometime. They did the spindels, are starting the tile on the fireplace, kitchen cab install, wansecoting and pouring the driveway as of 4.28. Cant wait to see what 5-1 brings!

xoxo,

Andi

One Year + One week

Spending our first wedding anniversary apart wasn't ideal, although we celebrated the weekend before I left for my business trip in AZ. We of course utilized all of the technology platforms that i'm very thankful for these days (FaceTime, FB, cell, email) so it made it AOK. I mean, who wouldnt want to be sitting in a board room for 13 hour days instead of celebrate with the one you love? :)

People always told me throughout the years that things would change once I was married. That they "didnt know why, but it just, does". Yes there are challenges your first year married that you dont have to deal with adjusting to in years thereafter like merging bank accounts (ie: sharing money, which for someone who is on alert with my finances & spending was difficult to do). There are times where you want to strangle eachother and just throw the peace sign & go stay with a friend for the night vs. crawl back into bed and have to deal with it like a responsbile adult (ie: make sure you dont even brush against eachothers legs you're so irate let alone make up). HA! There are times you feel overwhelmed (during our coaching seasons when we only see eachother on Sunday's & are ships sailing through the night every other day of the week), but considering those are the only things I can gather up about the changes in the past 365+ days, I'd say the first year of marriage was an overall success! :)

We've learned to pick our battles pretty quickly and to take turns with who get's to win or raise their white flag. We dont criticize the other. When waiting at the airport for a pickup too long or when one person is overserved & the other becomes the parent. When spending time with friends over eachother & doing our own thing becomes necessary every now and again, it's all good in the hood. We make sure to brag on eachother as often as possible, even though it's probably never enough bragging.

Mostly, we think of our marriage to eachother as permanent. Blair will be with me until I die. Now that sounds obvious, but I think truly letting go of doubts in your head if awful conditions happen or if needs arent being met allows you to let go of the idea that marriage can be temporary. Yes, if found in a horrible situation divorce would be necessary, but going into this marriage Year 1 with escape somewhere in the back of our minds causes for unnessecary angst. We accepted the day of our marriage that he's going to stay with me and i'm going to stay with him, forever. We've learned in year one that we'll figure out how to make that work vs. living with the 'what ifs' and 'if whens'.

We are loyal and trustworthy which no doubt will be wind to our sails enough to at LEAST get me to a Year Two post ;) Year One we rented out our condo in the city & moved into my parents for a few months until our home build is complete (end of this month, THANK GOD). We both coached winter season sports allowing us to see eachother & barely catch up on the other persons life one day a week. We pulled ourselves away from our everyday comfort zones & found everyday comfort in one another. Honestly, there is no doubt in my mind Blair & I will celebrate many, many more years. Frankly, we're too competitive, stubborn & in love with eachother not to.

I may not like him everyday, but I always love him. Strangely, more & more as I did the day before. To me, that's the biggest change that I would sum up to people as my "I dont know why it changes, but it does" response. As I sit here concluding this post, I get a text from Blair (who's downstairs) that says 'Downstairs ironing shirts, Love You Today Monkey'.

See? ....reason #7 today that I love him more than yesterday......

xox,

Andi