trash or art

i'm gonna go with art.

when amelia came to houston, i wanted to show her some cool things around the town. so i naturally used it as an excuse to visit the beer can house.

i did not know this until i got there and saw the guest book, but this is a houston tourist hot spot. who knew?! it is pretty amazing what this guy built. 

i was obsessed with the texture and all the different ways he used every part of a can or bottle.

what are some other houston gems?

i love this stuff!

sweet summertime

for the first time since i got an iphone, i have uploaded my iphone photos to my computer. 

i love looking back on the pictures i took with my phone. 

they are usually random and remind me of a sweet time. 

.: here are a few of my favorites from summer 2011 :.

my father-in-law sent me this picture.
it reminds me of how i enjoyed
every moment of my wedding day.

honeymoon in sonoma, california.
we took a drive up highway 1 to the redwood forest.
chase stopped many times for me to take pictures. love him.

after the honeymoon, it was back to reality.
i work on the 44th floor of this building.

spending the 4th of july holiday with the gentry family @ galveston.
days were filled with...
reading, wave surfing, games, and sweet family time.

i loved getting to hang out with friends in the summer.
abi and i are waiting to go into the civil wars concert.

the civil wars.
they are amazing vocalists.
i loved being able to sit and enjoy their music.
(and uncontrollably laughing at chase's silly facials)

summer softball.
crazy awesome fans (and friends :-) and summer breezes
(and getting to watch our boys play some good ball!)

lazy evenings
where you see families playing sports in the yard until dinner
just getting to stop and enjoy each others company

3D movies with my man.
(he is obsessed with 3D, which means i am too)
and don't forget the movie theatre popcorn

lunches at work
where i was dying to get some vitamin D
but only if i could get a spot that had at least a little shade

dog-sitting Kirby for a weekend
and learning that we will not be getting a puppy
until we have a house and a yard

shopping with my mom
and getting home decor ideas
from Langford Market

celebrating the 14th birthday
of my favorite sissy in the world
Megan.

going to Onion Creek many times with good friends
and sitting for 3 hours just chatting

getting to spend a weekend with Amelia
who drove in from Dallas
SO good to see her!

it's good to look back on past times and remember and smile.

sometimes i wonder where my summer went...

but now i remember.

do you remember?

they fell in love

my new sister (in-law), hannah, got engaged last weekend to matt

i could not be more excited for these two....

congrats to the newly engaged couple

and they arrive at the party

lots of tears

show me your ring!

pawpaw greeting hannah

sister lovin' - brooke and hannah

B-E-A-UTIFUL

you couldn't wipe that smile off her face

toasts and laughing

telling the engagement story

more telling of the engagement story

they are getting married !!!

the men

future brothers on the right

the cutest bride and groom strawberries

the newly engaged couple with pawpaw and meemaw

the newly engaged couple with big frank and gigi

classic

the pi phi's 

the gentry ladies

matt and hannah with lisa and craig

GREAT party

GREAT friends

GREAT family

psalm 118:24

"this is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it"

best wishes in your engagement matt and hannah. love you both.

SURPRISE!!!

last weekend started out with a birthday celebration. kiel had been planning a surprise party for abi for about three weeks. and we finally got to celebrate at the guarino's cute house.

the guarino's were supposedly "out of town" so abi and kiel had to stop by their house and feed the dog before they went to dinner. they arrived and walked around to the gate to go in the backyard (which abi noticed was unlocked... oops). we all were there and yelled "SURPRISE". then the party began.

{sweet memories}

red balloons

family

hotdogs

laughter

cake balls

hamburgers

double chocolate cake

dancing

good friends

Abi arrives...

what a great boyfriend to plan such a fun party!

hugs all around

Abi and Kiel's "1st Birthday" to celebrate together

Abi and Kiel

pinning on her birthday hat

the beautiful and yummy double chocolate cake

Shelby came in from Dallas to see her.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ABI ... we love you!