Remember to Stop and Smell the Roses

Things have seemed so crazy lately...I was wondering last night if it will ever slow down. And I am pretty sure the answer is NO. If you know me at all, I am a perfectionist. I want everything to be done perfectly and on-time. I was blessed to receive a promotion at work two months ago and therefore have taken on some new and exciting projects, but of course with that, comes more stress. Matt is doing so great in school (I really don't know how he does it) and is scheduled to graduate as an RN in one year. We have so much to be thankful for and this post is a reminder to me that I need to quit stressing about all the little things in life and just enjoy the moment. It's not going to matter if I don't clean the house tonight, or if Jovie gets a bath before company comes in town, or if the document my boss needs isn't early (like it usually is), or if I don't get by the cleaners or the grocery store. (actually the grocery store is a must...have you seen how much my husband can eat? Don't know where it all goes:)

Matt says it best, "Kia, if you don't get it done today, it will be there for you to do tomorrow." And this is why he and I are the perfect couple. He is so laid back and while I worry about things getting done, he reminds me to just relax a little bit. That's why as soon as I sign off of here, I am not going to worry about any of these things that need to be done, and I am going to curl up in bed with my wonderful husband. It will ALL be here for me tomorrow....

Julianna's Bachelorette Weekend

I had the BEST weekend with girlfriends!! I love my husband so very much (and was ready to see him Saturday night) but sometimes a little girl time is all we need! We had a lingerie shower at our house on Saturday for Julianna. Great turnout too, about 25 people. It was full of beautiful girls and sexy presents. We played a game (Heather's idea) about decorating granny panties with markers. It made for a lot of laughs. We wrapped the morning up (after 3 hours of food and mimosas) and I layed down for a 2 hour nap. Little did I know it was essential, for we didn't get home until VERY late Saturday night/Sunday morning.

We started with dinner at Ferneau around 8:00, headed to Star Bar (yes, I will be ok if I never go back there again) and then went down to Ernie Biggs. (Thank you Coy for getting all 17 of us in for free and for the VIP section - if you can really be VIP in Little Rock?) I don't think I have ever had so much fun dancing and watching all my girlfriends have a blast. (especially the bride-to-be.) I have not been out downtown in over 2 years (much rather prefer the patios in Hillcrest/Heights) but it was well worth the trip for one of my best friends in the world, Julianna. I am very happy for her and Jason. Here are a lot of great pictures from our big weekend!

Kyndall and Me

Heather, Julianna and Me

Kristen, Ev and Me

The Fabulous Bunch

Jules stocked up!

The Beautiful Bride-To-Be

Jessica, Kyndall and Me @Ferneau

Jules and Me

Me, Jules and Sabrina @ Biggs

Another Biggs Pic

And the dance party begins...

Having a ball!

Best Sister Ever!

There are so many more pics, just tried to pick a few. I am grateful to add this weekend to all the memories I have with wonderful girlfriends.

Viva Las Vegas

WHAT AN AMAZING BIRTHDAY!!! Las Vegas was such a blast. I am so blessed to have been able to celebrate my birthday with the best husband, the most wonderful sister, and three friends who God has blessed my life with. Nick and Lindsey (I have known them both since birth) and Christi made the weekend that much more special. Where do I begin?

We had a limo pick us up from the airport and take us to the Bellagio, where we stayed all weekend. My favorite hotel there, hands down. (Well the only one I have stayed in while in Vegas :) We enjoyed some gambling and cocktails with everyone until about 2:00 a.m. (This girl isn't 21 anymore...the late nights were rough.) On Saturday we enjoyed brunch on the patio of Mon Ami Gabi (best Bloody Mary's) and then we tried our luck at Blackjack in Bally's. I was up $40 after playing for a while and Matt was up about $130...we decided it was time to walk away. Of course while on vacation, we found time to fit in a 2 hour nap after some casino time. We enjoyed drinks before dinner on Saturday and then headed to Yellowtail Sushi for some birthday dinner. While we are eating sushi, I look up and Taylor Swift is walking by our table and heading to the bathroom. I will just say that she is as beautiful in person as she appears on t.v. - class act!! After finishing dinner, we gambled for a bit and then headed to The Bank, the nightclub inside the Bellagio.

We had VIP passes and didn't have to wait in line or pay the $35 cover charge. (Don't ask me how we landed that, but we did:) We made up for it while inside though, drinks cost a fortune. Beer was $10 a bottle and mixed drinks were around $20. But, I really didn't care...it was my birthday and we were all having a blast. The boys wanted to go gamble after a while, but the four of us girls danced for a least 3 hours, maybe longer. Such a great time!!!

On Sunday, we all walked to Caesar's Palace and ate lunch before Nick and Lindsey had to fly out. They flew home around 3:00 and Christi, Kyndall and I headed for the shops. We went to the M&M store, Louis Vuitton and just enjoyed the afternoon. Once again after a nap, we headed to dinner. The four of us ate at Olives in the Bellagio. (One of my favorites in Vegas) After dinner, we watched the fountains outside the Bellagio for about an hour and then Matt and I were headed to bed. Two days of non-stop fun wore me out! The plane ride home on Monday was fine, we were just all exhausted. I have spent most of this week just trying to catch up on sleep. Today, I think I am finally feeling back to normal. Here are some great pictures of our trip.










Oh yes, and one more thing...my birthday present

Only 4 more days in my twenties...

Today has been a great day. It's been busy with work, but Matt and I ran 3 miles when we got home and grilled salmon. It's amazing how much better I feel after working out. (I need to keep that in mind for motivation.) It's going to be a busy week getting ready to leave for Las Vegas, but when Friday gets here, it will all be worth it. Some people may dread turning 30, but frankly I am very excited about it. My twenties were great, I learned so many lessons and had LOTS of fun. (Probably too much at times :) But I am ready to embark on my thirties with a wonderful husband, beautiful home, great job, loving family and an amazing God. I will post when we get back from Vegas!!

A couple of pictures to start with...