thankful thursday {link up}

{Link up at the bottom of this post or over on Jamie's blog, Our Family of Four}

This Thursday I am thankful for:

1) Harry Potter. Who will be my date this weekend when Lance is out of town. I plan on having a Harry-Potter-movie-marathon-weekend as I attempt to call #29 done on my 30 by 30 list. I read books one and two... but am now switching to the movies due to time constraints. Don't worry all you crazy Harry fans... I'll eventually pick back up the books... promise.

2) Kolo albums. I love these albums. I'm currently working with 2 different Kolo albums for 2 separate projects... and I am quite pleased so far. Kolo's products flawlessly combine luxury and simplicity. And their assortment of colors and styles leave little to be desired.

3) Real people. As in people that aren't afraid to be real. People that are transparent and vulnerable... you know... just real. This seems to be a recurring theme for me lately. These people encourage me with their vulnerability and their willingness to share the deepest parts of their hearts... all while challenging me to do the same. There is so much freedom in laying it all on the table... so much beauty in being real.

Feel free to link up your own Thankful Thursday post below... it's always so encouraging to read what you are thankful for... keep joining in... and keep being thankful.

ABC's of me...

A) Age: 29 (barely... only 36 days before the big 3-0).

B) Bed size: King... the key to a successful marriage.

C) Chore you hate: Putting my clothes away... especially since my closet is downstairs.

D) Dogs: Who needs a dog when you have Little Cat?!?

E) Essential start to your day: Dr. Pepper... lots of Dr. Pepper.

F) Favorite color: I'm really into yellow these days... especially this yellow pillow.

G) Gold or Silver: Silver... especially from James Avery (which is much harder to find if you live outside the state of TX).

H) Height: 5' 10" (unless it was my college volleyball stat sheet... then I was 6').

I) Instruments you play: Yeah... ummm... none. I've tried my hand at the guitar, but didn't quite work out. Actually... anyone interested in purchasing a really nice guitar??

J) Job Title: Staff Accountant.

K) Kids: Nada.

L) Live: Louisville, KY.

M) Mom's name: Mary Womer Leslie.

N) Nicknames: ummm... Jules or J (just not Julie... Julie does not classify as a nickname... totally different name people).

O) Overnight hospital stays: None.

P) Pet peeve: When people call me Julie (see above in letter N).

Q) Quote from a movie: "Smiling's my favorite." -Buddy the Elf

R) Righty or lefty: Righty.

S) Siblings: Yep... one... the coolest sister ever.

T) Time you wake up: 7:52am (the beauty of working from home:)

U) Underwear: Like, do I wear any? Most days. What kind of question is this?

V) Vegetables you dislike: Beets. Does anyone actually like these things?

W) What makes you run late: Deciding what to wear... and picking out my shoes. (these are important decisions people)

X) X-rays you've had: Left leg... tore my hamstring sophomore year of college... not fun.

Y) Yummy food you make: This amazing dip.

Z) Zoo favorite animal: Monkeys, for sure.

Feel free to copy and join in... be sure to leave a comment if you do, so I can stop by and read your post... and make sure you really know your ABC's:)

thrifty bathroom revamp

So, I don't believe I ever allowed you guys in our bathroom during either one of my home tours (part I or part II)... it was intentional. This space just is not my favorite. Don't get me wrong... it does the trick... It's extremely functional, and a decent size... just a little sad looking.

Our bathroom is also home to our washer and dryer... which is super convenient... just not the prettiest. But you see... that's just the thing about rental houses. You are limited to the changes you can make. And you don't want to spend a bunch of money on changes you simply can't take with you.

So... this brings us to Project Bathroom Revamp. This little bathroom makeover cost me a total of $37.

Let me show you what we were working with...

I think this little prison-style mirror is what pushed me to make the change. I just couldn't handle brushing my teeth in this little oval mirror any longer. Our bathroom counter is a decent size and the little oval mirror just looked dwarfed on the wall. Sad looking, right? You can be honest. No need to spare the feelings of the mirror.

This is the view from the door, opposite the sad little prison-mirror. The washer and dryer are to the right as soon as you walk in the door, then the shower is after that. Nothing spectacular.

And here is the view of our laundry "room." It is an extremely functional space. I just got tired of seeing all of our crap behind me in the reflection of the little prison-mirror.

So... I decided to do something about it.

You might remember the day I talked about our "new" bedding and the terrible pillow tragedy... Well, it was on that same TJ Maxx trip that I found a spectacularly large framed mirror for only $30. Yes... thirty dollars. Awesome, I know. Told you... TJ Maxx is the bomb digity.

I bought that $30 mirror and didn't look back. What a difference, right? I love how it actually fills up the space on the wall. It's amazing what a simple change can do.

But I didn't stop there. I then went to Target and bought a $7 shower curtain rod. I already had brown curtains from our days at the lovely 161 house. Now we have a clever way to hide all that dirty laundry:)

Overall, I'm quite pleased with our $37 makeover.

What do you think? Do you have any thrifty makeover tips?

cat nap...

This is what I wish I were doing right now...

That's Little Cat. Ahem... he was little at one point... I swear. He has a busy week ahead of him, so he needed a little nap... More on Little Cat soon.

Linking this to Allie's blog for Happy Monday!

sweet shelbia drew {louisville baby photographer}

Meet little Miss Shelbia Drew. This little cutie pie will simply melt your heart. Just look at that head full of hair! And that sweet little face! Oh... sigh...

Which one is your favorite?

{For every 10 comments Shelbia Drew's parents will receive a complimentary print.}

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happy weekending...

I will be crossing off one of my 30 by 30 items this weekend... and freezing my tush off in the process. I hope your weekend is equally exciting:)

Be looking for a Black Tag Photography session spotlight tomorrow...

i don't like salad... but i'm trying

I'm not really a salad girl. I've never been one to order up a big salad as my dinner. I've even been known to order a taco salad... without the lettuce. Yes, I do realize that lettuce is the main component of a salad... but have you had those taco bowls?? I mean, I would eat cereal out of those things.

But back to the subject at hand... salad. I have recently realized that it is really just iceberg lettuce that I don't like... and I'm totally okay with spinach and spring mixes. So I'm trying some new stuff out... I'm in Spring Salad Training, if you will. Not because I want to be super healthy or anything, but because I've actually found a few that I enjoy. Trust me... if you saw the salads that I put together... they would not be called salads... so not healthy.

Here is my most recent favorite... a simple blue cheese salad. Yum.

I start with the essentials... baby spring mix, a tomato, a sweet yellow onion, a cucumber, blue cheese crumbles, and Litehouse Chunky Blue Cheese dressing.

If I wanted to be super healthy I would stop here. You know, just the veggies and a sprinkle of blue cheese crumbles.

Yeah right. My salad is not complete until I pour on the dressing...

On extra special days, I will add a left over Chick-fil-a chicken strip. Now that makes a good salad.

What about you? Do you have any salad favorites? Anything I should try for Spring Salad Training?

thankful thursday {link up}

{Join in your Thankful Thursday here or over on Jamie's blog, Our Family of Four}

This Thursday I am thankful for:

1) Health. For mine. For my family's. For little Jack (that you read about here and here). I'll be honest... it's something that I don't think about much... especially when everyone is... well, healthy. When my friend Amy called me the other night to tell me about little Jack's hospital visit, it really scared me... It was a reminder that something we take for granted so often, like our health, can be shaken in a heartbeat. Thank you for your prayers... little Jack is starting to breathe on his own and the doctors sound optimistic... but keep those prayers coming.

2) Baptism. We celebrated 4 baptisms this Sunday. All 4 were in our community group. It was such a beautiful celebration. I loved hearing the testimonies of these 4 friends... seeing how the Lord has changed their life... and sharing this special moment with them. What a beautiful day.

3) Zappos. Yes, the shoe place. I know, I know... how in the world can I, in good conscience, add Zappos to my list of health and baptisms?? This is mainly due to the fact that I bought a pair of adorable, perfect-for-spring, orange, Corso Como ballet flats for $5. Yes... five dollars. This, my friends, is how Zappos made the list this week.

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So... here's how Thankful Thursday works...

:: Write up a little post about what you are thankful for. I always pick 3 things... (but that's just me, and how I started TT on the very first post). You can pick how ever many you want. I mean, I'm not the Thankful Nazi or anything.

:: Remember the simple things. This Thankful Thursday is yours... and you can be thankful for whatever you want... but what I love about doing this every week is that it forces me to really think about the simple pleasures in life... both big and small.

:: Add your awesomeness to the Thankful Thursday linky list below. Please be sure to add your actual Thankful Thursday post... not just a link to your blog home page.

:: Tell your friends. Link back to this blog and invite your other bloggy friends to join in Thankful Thursday. If this works out and you guys want to do this again and again... I will work on getting some type of Thankful Thursday button... promise.

:: Be sure to visit some of the other blogs on the list. Share the love. It's always to encouraging to read what everyone else is thankful for.

:: Be thankful.

embrace the camera

This is me and my sister.

She is awesome.

The bluegrass band we saw this particular night was also awesome.

As was the sketchy bar we attended to listen to above said band.

And don't forget the awesome turn-you-yellow-flash on my iPhone.

But none of it was as awesome as the middle-aged man dressed in black pants and a black turtleneck that danced his heart out.

I mean, seriously... dancing machine.

Nope, nothing compared to that awesomeness. Nothing.

{Thankful Thursday link up is posted... Go here to join in!}

little jack update...

I just talked to my friend Amy and she said Jack is doing better this morning. They still don't have the results from the meningitis test, but should get those sometime today. The doctors were very encouraging last night and seemed to be confident about Jack's recovery. Amy and her husband, Ross, are checked into a hotel in Birmingham and have lots of friends and family there to offer support and encouragement. Please continue to pray that the meningitis results come back negative and for a speedy recovery for little Jack.

Here are more detailed updates from Jack's daddy Ross:

They were ready to (on 3 different ocassions) to perform a spinal tap (still in Opelika) but because the little fellow was fighting so hard, they had to delay the spinal tap until he arrived in Birmingham. In the meantime, he began to have several seizures--still struggling to breathe...

Once he arrived in Birmingham, they called us (while we were on the road to Birmingham) and said that he was dehydrated and on the ventalator (still not breathing by himself, but thankfully, he was now getting the oxygen that he needed and his levels were improving...

Then they performed the spinal tap procedure (looking for the possibility of meningitis). We were then able to spend some time with Jack at about 3:00 a.m. and then we left to find a place to stay and grab some sleep. The good news is that his lungs are responding and they doctors are hoping to gradually get him breathing on his own again today...

The results of the spinal tap are not in yet, but the doctors seemed confident in his improvement and told us that felt that he would make a full recovery in a few days. We are hoping and praying that the spinal tap does not show meningitis. The main priority now is to keep his oxygen levels up and get his little lungs working on their own again...

praying for little jack...

Amy, a very dear friend from college, called me tonight in tears. She just begged for my prayers. Her newest little baby boy, Jack, is in the hospital. Jack is their 3rd child and is only 2 months old.

He was diagnosed with RSV the other day, but now, as I type, they are testing him for meningitis. They will be taking him to Children's in Birmingham. I had no words to offer my dear friend as she cried into the phone. I could only promise her that we would pray. We would pray, pray, pray. And I would ask others to pray.

That's all I had to offer... but it is enough. It is far better than any "words of wisdom" I might blurt out. So Lance and I prayed. We were in the car on the way home from Community Group, and we just prayed.

So, now I ask you to join me... please pray for my dear friend Amy and her sweet baby boy, Jack.

"But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. I call out to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy mountain."

-Psalm 3:3-4

top 2 tuesday

This week's theme is Top 2 Dream Rooms... ummmm, yes please...

1) Dream Craft Room. Ohhh... sigh. Isn't this just beautiful? I could craft for hours on end in here. I love the colors and the soft feminine feel in this room. That dresser is just to die for. And strangely, I even like the soft pink on the walls. I'm in love. Seriously.

2) Dream Bedroom. Isn't this room awesome? There is just something about exposed brick walls... it gets me every time. I love the bedding... the dark walnut floors, and that rustic chandelier. Just perfect.

What about you? What are your Top 2 Rooms? Head over to Taylor's blog at The Undomestic Momma and link up!

happy monday {spring}

Spring is finally here...

Go outside... Read a book... Play with the dog... Take a nap... Do some spring cleaning... Pick some flowers... Blow bubbles...

Linking this to Allie's Happy Monday photo contest.

And PS... I totally won the texture theme last week with my baby toes photo!! Thanks for voting:)

go vote... ummm... please.

The photo I entered in last week's Happy Monday photo contest was selected as a top 5 finalist!

Go vote for your favorite on Allie's blog here... but hurry... voting ends tonight.

My photo is #4 (Julia)... you know, just in case you decide that mine is your favorite... :)

brynn & richard :: engaged! {louisville wedding photographer}

Meet Brynn & Richard.

They are in love. Way, way in love. And I was lucky enough to capture the proof during a quick little engagement session we scheduled when I was in Mobile, AL last month.

This was the first time I had ever met these love birds... but they were so easy going and laid back, I felt like we were all long-lost pals. Their affection for one another was so sweet and they simply made my job a breeze. I'm thrilled that I will be capturing their wedding this fall in New York!!

Aren't they adorable? Which one is your favorite??

{for every 10 comments, the couple will receive a complimentary 5x7 print}

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Congrats you two... I cannot wait to be a part of your special day!!