"Now that I`m older I`m more aware of things that make me feel more complete as a person. I`m trying to concentrate on those things as opposed to things that make me feel empty." mary-kate olsen.

love,
m

Change = Good. 
and so is FALL!
Yesterday I painted the upstairs bathroom from a robins egg blue to a very light citrus-y color. I replaced the window valance and kept the details simple. However, I love the change.

I wasn't ready to stop with the changes because I was on a roll. So I didn't. I rearranged the den. Flipped the couches ten different ways and finally came to an end with both couches in a new place. So that totally turned around the area. Score.

Every window in our entire house is open. Hooray for fall! There is something sexy about fresh air blowing in through the windows. The change inside fits perfectly with the change outside....
Now all we are missing are the PUMPKINS! (I was reminded that yesterday by the boyfriend. He surely is on top of his game this Halloween) I picked  up a mum last week so if I can keep Joplin from pouncing on it then the front porch is covered. The mama snuck surprises in my car for me over the weekend. Front door decor, basket, HALLOWEEN PEZ (in memory of my boo kitty boo which made me tear up) and another set of 4 plates matching the others that I bragged blogged about a couple weeks ago.... she hooked a sista up! :-)

ShopStyle says:
the color of fall is camel.
*i support that*

It is a perfect day for a picnic in the park.... Oh wait, I live on the dirty water and do not have a nearby park. So maybe the pier will be picnic proof.

My scarf collection is slowly making its way out of my closet now that the weather is getting cooler.

Oh yall, I love fall.

m

Today I am thankful for:
the appreciation my mother and grandmother have for even the little things.
Our PO Box had two of the sweetest thank-you notes in it today. My mother and grandmother were both thanking me and David for their birthday presents. Those two ladies have such a way with words. Receiving their thank-yous again (this time on paper) brought a bright smile to my face. It was neat to see how they both put their appreciation in their handwriting in such a similar way but yet so sincere. I pray that I will follow in the footsteps of those two caring individuals. Anyone can read something that they wrote and know that it is real and from the very bottom of their heart.

love,
m

This is the boyfriends attire to our little down the street honky-tonk.... where most men have more confidence than they do teeth.

love,
m

We watched the Bama game Saturday at Millers Ale House before we ventured to the concert. You can tell it was a serious game by the look on Brooks and Davids face.


Good friends, good friends.
love,
m

W is for women.

love,
m

this is a panic banana.



Last time the boyfriend and I went to Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Alpharetta before this weekend our experience was somewhat heart breaking. Okay, pretty darn hard-core heart breaking. But we kept calm and carried on. And last weekend decided to return with a clear head. I haven't shared this story with many but here goes....straight to the point.
WE BOUGHT FAKE PHISH TICKETS!
Yes, the price paid makes you a tee-bit sick to your tummy. Not to mention that we got all siked, waited in the forever long line anxiously with our friends only to get to the front to hear this beep that matched none of the others when our ticket got scanned and hear the lady say "these tickets are no good". Then we trot through the mile long line filled with excitement of others the wrong way. It was similar to walking a hall of shame. I was so hurt. It would have been our first Phish show, by the way. How could someone (who I am pretty positive could care less about good music) do something so terrible to a couple of music lovers. They don't understand what pain this causes. Instead they just take the money and run. I get worked up telling this story and this blog is supposed to be my happy place. So with the bad part of the story being told (I'm serious when I say it was a upset to both of us) I will explain what I took from this particular experience. The world we live in today is, so unfortunately, filled with untrustworthy people. I have a hard time with understanding how dishonesty could play such a strong role is some peoples life. It really opens my green eyes to the things worth appreciating though. Yes, there is alot of bad that we are faced with. But there is good. You just have to tip-toe around all the bad and dance with the good. When you are faced with a situation dealing with the bad (insert the most recent hurtful situation you have been in here....big or small...and apply it) and choose to quietly bypass around it and search for the good it's always a dance party. Situations are not always in your control. If you don't like the surroundings you are faced with it's important to remember the appropriate time to tip-toe until you find that happy place...  a place with smiling facing and dancing shoes! The good doesn't come easy but the adventure getting there is always a ride with a valuable lesson. Don't stop and settle with the bad when you can keep on trucking and find the good. Life is too short to be anything but happy. And that is just what we did after purchasing fake tickets to Phish. Daivd and I both had our heads held super low but it didn't last long. I wasn't going to let it. On the way back to our car I spotted a girl standing by herself with this "i just bought fake phish tickets" look on her face. Me being the friendly girl I am said to her "what's wrong? did you just by fake tickets, too?" YES! She did. I called it! So we convinced her very mad/sad husband to get out of the car and the four of us pulled the lawn chairs out of their trunk and sat in the parking lot and became the best of friends that night. We had a blast. It wasn't easy when we would recognize a really good song coming from the amphitheater so to steer clear of getting upset we would just crank up Widespread Panic (yes, in the parking lot of a phish concert) to remind us that (ironically) we all have a huge common ground of loving Panic and can make a party out of the situation. it is possible to make a party out of ANY situation. I believe it.

love,
m

happy hump day.

i think the boyfriend and i are finally recovering (mid-week) from a week-end [jam] packed with fun. we went to atlanta, georgia to see widespread panic.... and friends, of course. FACT: it was a wonderful concert. wonderful.


waiting on a taxi.



this is my happy man at panic.



this is another happy face.

We had smiles so big that I am pretty sure the band could see it from stage.

love,
m

text convo.
"i just had thi spiece of toast (with creole seasoning to be exact) And Coby snatched that shiz right from my hand and ate it like an ape on speed with a steroid banana."

"what is going through his brain to make him think that was an okay move?"

both of the above are sent from my sisters creative brain.

love,
m
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

This past Tuesday night was the norm for us around here.... we grilled out and followed our tummy fill up with a boat ride. I complained a little later in the night about my tooth hurting. I kid you not.... by the time I got home I thought geeez, this IS a tooth ache and it quickly took over my emotions. I turned in to a massive cry baby. I did not get out of the bed yesterday due to the pain until middle of the afternoon to attmept eating something. Burger King was the closest place to grab something quick. I am not usually a fast food eater unless it is a Chick-Fil-A. I will say this.... the lady in the drive through window had beautiful teeth (they were SO white) and she loved Ziggy, but who doesn't. There was a small problem with the french fries she put in my bag. They tasted like cold buttery pop-corn. I made the boyfriend (who is such a good nurse to me-I am probably the most terrible, whiny, patient alive) taste a fry and he agreed that they tasted like pop-corn. It was strange. Back to the tooth ache. It is the devil and that devil is not wearing prada. I was finally forced to get out of bed and head to the dentist this afternoon. (today I am thankful for having a dentist who is a relative....the squeezed me in) The pain is FINALLY better. It still hurts but nothing compared to what it was doing.  Oh but the news that freaks me out.... I am scheduled for a root canal on the 5th of October. Whaaaaa? Nooooo. WHY?! I had a nerve die. Are you supposed to have a funeral for those things? It stinks. Really really stinks. So from now until then I am in spaz mode freaking out. Seriously. I do not handle these type things in a calm way. A root canal just sounds scary. So in the place of Joran Van Der Slooty Pooty nightmares I'm sure I will wake up sweating about a  dentist dream gone bad.

love,
m

GOOD TUNE TUESDAY.

The sister of mine swore up and down that I had a twitter account the other day. She was so sure that I had created an account and forgotten about it. That's untrue. But there is a MalPal2011 or something like that and it is followed by only people from my hometown. Oh and under the info somewhere it says my first and last name. After pointing out a few things the sister finally came to an agreement that it was in fact, not something I had done and forgot about. One of those things being the name choice. MAL-PAL? I have had some peeps call me that in the past (and that is fine) but I have never, i repeat never, referred to myself as Mal Pal. I will leave that to others and stick with calling myself pretend names much cooler... such as Janis. (that is my palm reading name) Anywho, after the twitter confusion, or tweeter as I call it, I found it a must in my near future to have my own.for.real. tweeter name so I can stalk people like Chelsea Handler, Chuy Bravo, The Kardashians and other crazies. Just a little fyi.

love,
m

chalk talk.

Pretties from my Memo.

love,
m

Where the wild things are birthdays were celebrated.

love,
m

Two things I am very much looking forward to:

- widespread panic this weekend. that includes seeing my lovely laura.
- tq coming to see us in a couple weeks.

Heck, I may just do solo freestyle performance for you guys while I am anticipating those two things.

love,
m

I have a confession.
If it were up to me I would still wear  matching outfits (swimsuits included) with my sister and toally feel confident that we could make a matching statement of dressing alike at our age.

love,

m

We celebrated two very special birthdays today in Troy at my parents house.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my MEMO and MAMA!

They are both such an inspiration to me. My grandmother and mother both know how to love. They are two of the most thoughtful people in the whole wide world. They are a (HUGE) blessing in my life. When I count my blessing I count them twice.

I am hoping to continue this celebration throughout the afternoon with a TROY win.

So how about you guys do a happy dance for two extremely special birthdays!
And make a toast for your homies and enjoy your Saturday.
Mainly because I said so.... but if that isn't enough then do it for yourself. It does the body good. A promise that is. :)

love,
m

John Derian's new collection that came out September 5th.

i love.
          i want.
                     i need.
i have!

These pretties easily caught the attention of my mother and i. welp, I put them to use tonight for the first time. one of them anyway. although, If I made four rounds it would have been a must switching out plates each time.

i think i am in love with this pretty little collection.

love,
m

I have some very exciting news.
It's something that I've been dying to share.

One of my most favorite couples on this planet are.....        

( wait for it )



HAVING A BABY!

Kayla and Kyle are having a little one!!!!
Kayla is such a jewel in my life and I know she is going to be such a loving mother. She just naturally has it in her, trust me....I know. The friendship Kayla and I share holds many memories and I can hardly wait to hold Baby Bryan and share all the stories we are together a part of. The good, bad, ugly, the truth and nothing but the truth. I can't recall a single "bad or ugly" story that Kyle and Kayla are a part of with me.
Kayla and Kyle, CONGRATS!
This is such happy news.
You both are going to be the coolest little Mommy and Daddy, ever.
No. Doubt.
Kayla and Kyle are having a little one!!!!
I have been saying those words quite frequently since the day I recieved the phone call from Kyle spilling the beans about him becoming a Dad. The excitement these two have about the baby news is simply beautiful.

Oh, I am dying to see a baby bump!

love,

m

Ah! Love, Sweet Love.

Alabama/Penn State game.
9-11



three bama men.


Friday night we shacked with a lovely couple in Birmingham. Saturday we rode a charter bus to the game where it was super hot and it rained. Bummer on the weather but we had a great time. David and I both got to see friends that we had not seen in awhile. That is always excitement for me.

love,
m



What are your thoughts on the death penalty? This is curious george mallory talking.

love,

m

good tune tuesday.
love,
m

[ yesterday ] was grandparents day. i am very lucky to have two sweet grandmothers and an outstanding grandfather in my life. they are all three so special to me. when i was a little buckaroo in elementary school we always had a "grandparents day" program.  each class had their own way of  honoring grandparents. we would sing songs and make them some kind of craft. the best part? checking out of school at lunch and spending the afternoon with my grandparents. of course i enjoyed singing the cheesy songs and making a craft for them but anything to leave school early was a plus. and with my grandparents. oh heck yea!! after entering high school the teachers obviously felt that the age wasn't as appropriate for us to participate. what nerds. i am still young at heart and if it was up to me i would have put on a sing  [ and dance ] program all about my Meme, Memo and Grandad yesterday. saying "happy grandparents day" just doesn't qualify as enough in my opinion. i mean, not too many years ago they were getting treated with more than a phone call. and i was getting treated with a half day at school. i feel i should start making up a song and dance for them asap. i need tap shoes for this performance. my grandparents are a pretty big deal. maybe my harmonica will just have to do. and ziggy even said she would willlingly do a little dance for her grandparents. they spoil her and she knows it.

love,
m

chalk talk.

Have a great weekend, party people.

love,

m

Seriously, how can you not love college football?
Football is something for us to share.
It is something we tend to get worked up over, invested in, and get so darn excited about.

Last weekend was filled with football festivities and so was last night. 

As for this weekend, it's the same routine but different location. There is nothing quite like a fall afternoon filled with football and friends.

love,

m

One more make-over to share.

before

After.
This bird hizzy with a new do is sitting pretty under our pavillion facing the dirty water.

I love bird houses.
and birds.
They have such a beautiful way of life. (minus the poop)
To think I was terrified of (all) birds when I was younger sorta' blows my tiny little mind.

love,
m

It's not Easter so I changed it up to a more appropriate decor for the fall.

(Dont worry, this was in a closet. It was put up after Easter was over)

Wah-La. That's more like it. Eggs turned footballs.

HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE!
love,
m

Ketchup.

Just please, No Mayo.
It is so much easier to just order things plain Jane.
So I am going to catch you up by keeping it simple.
pictures, duh sillies.
Is it not so much easier? Especially when things get super busy and you tend to lose track of what all the latest with your life is. So here goes.... [no certain order]

....this was a treat for the engineer before he went to a meeting...
curious about what's in the "throw away shot glass"? It's grape salad that my good friend (and personal at home hair dresser) made with me the other night while she did my hair. yes, i love my lifestyle. and my new hair.

Scenes from a sunset cruise casual style.

We were cleaning Bayou Lena (the boat) out in the middle of the dirty water. Pretty smooth move for making an intense cleaning project peaceful if you ask me.

recycled hair bow from my cheerleading days on spirit day. Coach Ward always told me when trying to keep me focused "history repeats itself" salute coach ward, I feel that is the truth.

learning to wake surf? cowboy up and you will never fail.

Scenes from a TROY gameday.

Sometimes you need to cross the state line. If you are feeling lucky, don't hesitate.

This is a birthday treat I made. And I can make more :)

yep, a dip in the dirty water. well, sort of.

ziggy + hoody + shades
oh i die.

I love the vibe I get from Troy Trojans. Especially these two. This is the parentals and myself ready to venture out on Troy's first game.

Gosh, there is so much more. So much.
My cat (which I think is actually a Maine Coon, google it if you are curious) rides the boat with us.... her choice. I've never known a cat to hang like Joplin does.
My grandparents, Mama and Sister visited us on Labor Day. Such a treat.
TROY started the season off with a win.
The sweet sister got to spend a night with me at the dirty water.
I have played my harmonica and bongos alot lately for small crowds.
TQ [a flippin best friend of mine] is coming to BAMA from DENVER in a couple weeks and she is staying for three weeks in Bama. One of which is all mine. Hello, Lady - get ready for the southern ways real quick! the ones you most appreciate, that is!

Tomorrow, peter pan and I will head to Birmingham to stay the night with Kellen and Nick and wake up early Saturday [screaming GAMETIIIIIME] and then head to Tuscaloosa on a charter bus with Davids old college crew. Other than missing Ziggy, very excited I am. New dress? check. Shoes? I'm not a member of that shoe dazzle the dash sisters do.. so no check there. I'm a-ok with making something from my closet now happen, though.

So chances are.... I'm out again at least for a few days. But for you [yes, you] HAPPY WEEKEND. Wear a fresh flower in your hair or a tattoo on your face supporting your favorite team..and act like something magical is happening in your life.
"You've got your whole life to do something and that's not very long" ani difranco

love,
m

Computer Karma Again?

Oh. My. Goodness.
What in the world have I done to all these laptop chargers for them to turn on me like this? Apparently something. This would be laptop number two and charger number three for me in the past couple of months. So that's the explanation of me being mia. It is zero fun and I hope to have a working laptop again soon. Until then I will practice my one handed cart-wheel and fuss about my unhealthy looking hair thanks to my last (bad) hair cut. Oh Happy Hump Day, pop-tarts.

love,
m

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Gooooo TROY!
I've had important company and been doing super cool things.
I'll have to inform all when I slow my roll.
Have a wonderful SATURDAY filled with football cheers!
love,
m

tickle-box-turn-over

Without a doubt I get my laughing hysterically at inappropriate times honestly.
My precious Grandmother, Meme, is guilty of this I know for sure. The two of us have gotten our "tickle box" [i love those two words together] turned over IN CHURCH several times. So bad it was a shoulder dance performance for every single church goer sitting behind us. And truth be told - Daddy made a small smirk like involvement in our laughing hysterically at inappropriate times hoo-ray. He didn't take it as far as the shoulder dance level.... He just flashed his cute dimples towards his daughter (that's me) and mother (that's Meme) direction. What do I do? Make this gross awful snort like noise trying to keep the laughing inside my noise maker thingy.

I was with a friend the other day and -we'll just say-  we were grocery shopping. No particular reason we busted out laughing in the cashiers face. Okay I'm lying there was a reason but I don't want to say too much....filtering this story is shocking me, BIG TIME! So we laughed, snorted, tried forcing words out of the mouth and failed miserably. The only communication was obnoxious laughing. Why is it that with certain people I do this. 

The sister and I tend to have the more extreme cases. I'll just call this lady involved in this story Tin. Well, Tin was obsessing over our outfits and basically begging us to let her purchase the dresses we were wearing right then and there. The laughing rolls in. Tin quickly rolls these two questions and one statement all together "What are yall laughing at? Are yall laughing at my toes? I need a pedicure".  The sister is quick to respond [think before you speak Marley, think before you speak] "No, I was laughing at that boy out there washing the window" Do whaaaaaaaa? That boy? Washing the window? There was no boy washing the window. Not.Even.Close. So what does the other monkey do? I laugh harder. Much, much harder.... and then I scurry out the door to leave the sister there helplessly trying to explain herself about the window washing kid.


A good friend and old co-worker, Lauren, was a many times trapped in the tickle box turn-over with me. We would usually play the "whoever ducks behind the counter first" wins game. And if you were left standing you were also left with the customer. Why is it that the norm was for it to be a sweet, slow talkin' old lady with the brightest red lipstick on the block. I love old people. How could this happen? And why? Why in the world it couldn't have happened when a bridezilla came through the door raising you know what about something silly beats the heck outta' me. 

love,
m