Yay for a fellow Houstonian winning the Frat Collection Giveaway!
Congrats Stephanie!! I'll give your info to Frat Collection!
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Friday, September 28, 2012
Pinterest Says It Perfectly
I'm turning to Pinterest today to let y'all know how I'm feeling about life right now...
Here's to hoping next week is better.
Thanksgiving Break can't get here soon enough!
Thursday, September 27, 2012
On Being a Good Dad
I don't talk much about this subject on the blog, but thought today would be a good day since it's someone specials birthday.
My parents got divorced when I was really young (I think I was 4). My brother was a newborn. I honestly don't know much about what happened because my mom never discussed it or talked about him in a bad way. I think he just checked out... He never really was a dad to me after that. He promised me things and didn't follow through and I know he didn't pay child support like he was supposed to. I grew up always disappointed by him. And to this day, I call him Steve, not dad.
My mom got remarried when I was in 1st or 2nd grade. I can't remember exactly. He ended up adopting me and my brother (that's where my last name Cooper comes from). Over the years, I started being disappointed by him too. Yes, we had a better relationship than my first dad and I actually called him Daddy. I was in band in middle school and high school and he never once came to any of my concerts, football games, or shows. My mom was at almost every single one. She even flew to Indiana to watch us at a competition. He was not supportive and cared more about himself than anything. When it was time for me to go to nursing school and I had to move to Houston, he told me that he wouldn't pay for me to have an apartment. I remember the conversation like it was yesterday. We were standing in the kitchen and he told me I would have to live in his trailer (he deer hunted and had a trailer they used for that). So, I ended up taking out $20,000 in a private student loan to get me through school the last 2 years and I moved away.
I'm not going to go in to all the dirty details of my family. But they ended up separating and getting divorced during my last year of nursing school. Since then there's been very little contact. He's still my sisters Dad so I try to leave my thoughts to myself because he has tried with her and they still communicate. But with me, as far as I'm concerned, he's not really my dad. He's not even invited to our wedding.
Now on to the more happy part.
My mom got remarried a few years ago. You've heard me talk about my step dad and my mom's husband, etc. Well, that's Tim. My mom's new husband. In the last 5 years that my mom has known him, he has been more of a dad to me than either of my first 2 "dad's". He drove to Houston to help me move all of my stuff out of my ex-fiance's house, he helped with our plumbing and house problems and replaced our hot water heater. He's paying for our wedding....
The main thing is how happy he makes my mom. I feel like I have parents when they're together... not just a mom and a dad doing their own things. We're a family. He's stood by my mom and helped her follow her dream to go to Cosmetology School and truly loves her and she loves him.
That is being a good dad.
He loves me and my sister unconditionally even though we aren't his "real" kids and I can see how happy my mom is now with him.
The topic has come up about who is going to walk me down the aisle at our wedding since I don't have a relationship with my "dads" and I haven't asked him or told him this yet, but I would love it if him and my mom together, my parents, would walk me down the aisle to start my new life with John.
Happy Birthday Tim.
John and I love you and thank you for EVERYTHING you do for us and for making my mom so happy.
The main thing is how happy he makes my mom. I feel like I have parents when they're together... not just a mom and a dad doing their own things. We're a family. He's stood by my mom and helped her follow her dream to go to Cosmetology School and truly loves her and she loves him.
That is being a good dad.
He loves me and my sister unconditionally even though we aren't his "real" kids and I can see how happy my mom is now with him.
The topic has come up about who is going to walk me down the aisle at our wedding since I don't have a relationship with my "dads" and I haven't asked him or told him this yet, but I would love it if him and my mom together, my parents, would walk me down the aisle to start my new life with John.
Happy Birthday Tim.
John and I love you and thank you for EVERYTHING you do for us and for making my mom so happy.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Wedding Wednesday - Bridesmaid and Hostess Gifts
I mentioned in this post that I was giving my Bridesmaids their gifts at our couples shower this past weekend. We won't all be together again until we all arrive in Mexico and with all the other decorations and stuff I have to fit in m suitcase, bringing 3 extra bags of goodies just wasn't going to work!
I am really pleased with everything I got for the gifts! I even ordered one of everything for myself too ;)
So, here's the run down...
Monogrammed Turquoise Seersucker Bag
Monogrammed Beach Towls
from The Pink Paisley on Etsy
Personalized Tumblers
from Sticky Chic Boutique on Etsy
Personalized Shot Glasses
from Alisha's Designs on Etsy
Personalized Passport Covers and Matching Luggage Tags
from The Rabbit Hole on Etsy
Flip Flops for the Reception
from Old Navy
Pink Jewelry for the Wedding
from Sam Moon
Hair Flowers for the Wedding
from Sam Moon/Hobby Lobby
Personalized Shirts to Wear While Getting Ready
handmade by me
I thought I would also share some the gift bags I put together for both of our moms for hosting our shower. Our moms have very different tastes so I had to do something different for them.
Bags with Initial Letter
from Hobby Lobby (iron on letter)
Small Candles and Hand Soap
from Bath and Body Works
Personalized Luggage Tags and Passport Holders
from The Rabbit Hole on Etsy
Personalized Shirts to Wear While Getting Ready
handmade by me
For John's Mom:
Dishtowl
from Francesca's
Personalized New York Notecards
from Cami's Paperie on Etsy
Vase
from Kirklands
Recipe Cards
handmade by me (with help from Paper Source)
For My Mom:
Owl Light
from Kirklands
Owl Hanger
from Francescas
Cross
from HEB
Cross
from HEB
Personalized Notecards
handmade by me (with help from Paper Source)
I was really pleased with how everything turned out!
I can't wait for all of us to use our new bags, beach towels, and tumblers at the resort in December!
The shirts were so/so. I'm glad I did that instead of spending a lot of money getting them made because I know they'll never wear them again. I bought cheap shirts from Target, made the design in Microsoft Word, flipped it, printed it on an iron transfer, then ironed them on. They're not perfect and will probably only last through one washing, but that's ok. They'll be good for us to wear around the resort the day of the wedding and getting our hair done in the spa.
I think my favorite thing are the tumblers! If you've ever been to an All-Inclusive Resort, you know they give you drinks in dinky plastic cups that last about 2 sips then you're done. These are going to be perfect for all of us to fill up with a pina colada and everyone will know we're the bridal party :) And I think these will get used after the wedding too!
I think they were all happy with what they got!
What did you get your bridal party?
And don't forget about the Frat Collection giveaway going on until tonight!
Enter HERE
Monday, September 24, 2012
Phone Photo Fun!
Ashlee and I are back for...
{sunbathin'}
{Lucy loves to roll in the dirt}
{she cries at the front door now to go outside when I get home}
{My new 31 lunch box!}
{My newest phone background}
{OOTD for our couples shower on Saturday}
{After we got home with everything Saturday night - the gifts took over our house!}
{the kitties were in Heaven!}
{John putting all the knives in the new knife block}
{lovin our new counter top decor!}
{Jenn got us a basket full of goodies and Lucy took over as soon as I got everything out!}
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Frat Collection Giveaway
Have y'all heard of Frat Collection?
I first heard about Frat Collection from another blogger and knew I had to order some for myself!
I ended up with these 2...
The Jaclyn on a Marlin T Shirt
The Anna Reese on a White T Shirt
The first time I wore the blue shirt I noticed there was a hole in it where the pocket meets the shirt. I was really disappointed and tweeted about it...
Within 30 minutes I had an email from Frat Collection...
They gave me a refund, they're remaking my shirt, and gave me a store credit for my original purchase price!
Can you talk about amazing customer service??
And the hole must have been just a fluke, the white one was perfect!!
I will definitely be ordering more shirts from Frat Collection... I am going to use my store credit for 2 new long sleeve ones for the fall/winter!
And now for the even better part...
They told me I can give one of my readers a $50 store credit!!!!!
Just use the rafflecopter gadget below to enter and you can win $50 to pick anything on their site!
Good luck!!
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