True Friendship

Let me first begin with telling you I have the most amazing friends a girl could ask for...really anyone could ask for.  Even though I live hundreds of miles away from most of you, you continue to amaze me with our friendships.  So, this post is by no means  to discount our friendship.  I cherish each and every one of you more than you know.

As some of you know, a dear friend of mine, Ashley had her little baby last Thursday.  There are no words to describe our friendship.  Ashley probably knows more about me and my annoying tendencies or what I'm going to say before I do!  She and I were two peas-in-a-pod and can't really think of another person I would love to be more like.  She was the planner, I was more spur of the moment.  She was more cautious (probably to keep us out of trouble) I was an instigator.  She was my rock through just about every challenging aspect of my life.  It's crazy to think that she is now a mother, but I can't imagine anyone that will be any better.

I thought today about some of girlfriends that have had babies this year and it made me realize something extremely special.  Fultz's Emersyn turned 1 year ago yesterday.  My friend from elementary school, Lindsay had her baby boy in November.  Savannah had her little girl a few days after Valentine's.  And now Ashley has her little one.  It's amazing that I'm just now realizing this, but I've realized such an incredible thing about friendship this year and really just this week.  I realized this week after Riggs made his precious debut that I am literally so in love with someone that I don't even know.  I'm dying for pictures posted or for updates from Mom and Dad on how they're adjusting.  It's honestly a love that you can't really explain and I'm not even the one with the baby!!  I already love their baby almost as much as them.  I've discovered that, that's what true friendship is.  You don't have to talk to that person every day or see them every weekend or even every Christmas.  True friendship is measured by loving something about them that you don't even know or know how to explain.  I have been lucky enough to experience that 4 times this year.

I cannot wait to meet Riggs and my blessing for him is that he finds precious friends like Ashley and Watson.  I pray that he gets to experience the joy and friendship like his Mom and Dad have shared with George and myself for years and years.  xoxoxoxo

Bridal shower before Ashley's wedding '06

Graduated college together May 2006

We were in each other's weddings and our husbands were also in each other's weddings!
My wedding 2007

Countless Game Days together

Traveled the world together-Italy 2010

I cannot wait to add a plus one to our crew of 4...I have a feeling little Riggs is going to be a fabulous addition!

xoxoxo

Yea, Mon!

Last Friday morning at 6:00 A.M. (yes that means we got up at 3:30 A.M.) we actually caught our Delta flight without any problems to Jamaica for some fun in the sun with old friends.  

One of George's friends, Chad 

got married to his sweetheart on Monday. Chad was also a part of our wedding and a dear friend, so it was obvious that we were going to Jamaica to witness the nuptials.  

We had such a fabulous time...all you need to know is there was sunshine, a beach, good friends and a swim up bar.  Yep, my week was perfect!!

Our "Ocean View" room...hmm....

The wedding site

Matt's ready!!


The trouble makers

Kendra and Chad



Chad, Matt, Justin, George and Chris

Chad and George at our wedding in '07

We had some not-so great entertainment and some fabulous entertainment.  Check out these guys and their mad talent on the steel drums sporting some Michael Jackson!!!  I was seriously fascinated by them!  The sound quality isn't great, but you will get the idea.
 

*Disclaimer....I do not know the lady in the blue, but she is hilarious*

Such a great time and I hope to get back somewhere warm soon with the hubby!!

6 Happies for a Monday

So I have a top 6 going on in my life right now and want to share!

1.       The Civil Wars “Barton Hollow” -best $8 I’ve spent in a looooong time. Simply amazing.  You can buy it here

Find Them Here!

2.      Blueberry Martinis from Alchemy Restaurant in Midtown-Suuuper yummy, you will thank me later!

3.       Girlscout Cookies… I’ve already eaten 3 boxes of Tagalongs and 1 box of Samoas.

4.      JCrew Spring Tees-I have bought like 5 different ones and they are on sale!  Perfect for this time of year

5.      All my pregnant friends and their new babies!  Got to meet Savannah’s new edition, Elsie this weekend and celebrate Beth’s up and coming hunk, Bo!

6.      GCB on abc-it stands for Good Christian Bitches and there is nothing Christian about it, but it’s hilarious!!

Here are 6 happies for a Monday!

MBA...Almost check...Yep You Heard Me Right!

I cannot even believe I am about to start my last class in my MBA.  I sure know why they save this one for last because it's going to be a doozie!  However, I am so grateful that I work for a company that values continuing education and will pay for it!!  THANK YOU FEDEX!  My background is in education and had a really hard time finding a job outside of teaching that would put it to use, so I went into sales right out of college.  I liked it and was good at it so took another sales job at FedEx.  Knowing nothing about business other than what my friends did and talked about in college, it was imperative that I get a masters in business.  Me, Katherine...a masters in business.  Sounds like an oxymoron, but I couldn't be more proud of myself to bite off something this challenging for me and accomplish it.  Well, ask me again in May if I accomplished it...surely to goodness I will though!

Seth Wood

I have been slacking on writing a bit lately, but this post is sure to make your ears happy.  I have a friend that I went to middle and high school with who has stolen my heart and my ears lately.  I recently noticed an interesting post on his Facebook that grabbed my attention.  I always knew he was into music and talented.  In high school Seth would walk around with a guitar…all the time…at least once a week.  He would make up a song about you as he greeted you in the hallway or just try to cheer you up by playing a few quick notes.  So, seeing this post about his music career, didn’t surprise me.  I wandered onto ITunes and sure enough…..Seth Wood “Abraham.”  I of course downloaded it after I previewed only a couple of songs because I knew it was going to be good. 

Couple months later, I am still listening to his tracks.  I hate to see that it was produced in 2009...two plus years I’ve been missing out!  I noticed on ITunes it recommended some artists you might know if you liked Seth’s music such as The Civil Wars, Mumford and Sons….all things fabulous is what it should have said.  I dare you to download the whole album…after all he is an aspiring artist so you better not copy it…and listen to “Amy.”  If you don’t fall in love with that song tonight, then I give up.  So there, my gift to you on a Wednesday night.  

Link to ITunes to purchase:   http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/abraham/id306891655

Music = My Obsession

 It is no surprise that I am obsessed with music.  I live to talk about it.  I love talking about artists, music lyrics, the meaning of albums and all that weird stuff.  Some of my earliest memories are wrapped around music and how it had such an influence on my life.  My first memory of music was a tape by the Miami Sound Machine, “Primitive Love.”  God what a great album!  My favorite tune was first the “Uh Oh” song or formally called, “Falling In Love” (Uh-Oh). My parents hated that I loved that tape because I would sing “Uh oh Uh oh” all the time.  They always thought I had tipped my juice cup over on the carpet or slammed my finger in something.   I’m pretty sure I was about 3 years old when I fell in love with Gloria Estefan.   the "Uh-Oh" song for all of you who haven't a clue! The next album that I played on repeat was Dolly Parton’s 1982 Greatest Hits.  Let me tell you…that title doesn’t even tell you the half of how great those songs were!   “Here You Come Again” is a song that I still catch myself still singing. Dolly  Then the big one came.  I’m trying to remember the first time I heard her and honestly I can’t tell you.  The album says 1987 and it couldn’t have been too long after the album was released that I became seriously infatuated with….the one...the only….if you know me then you know….DEBBIE GIBSON.  I have absolutely no shame that I sang Debbie Gibson songs at the end of my driveway for years.  I have no embarrassment that I had the hat, tights/skirt, denim jacket and sang “Lost in Your Eyes” at a pre-school talent show.  I am absolutely not scared to tell you that I have every album by her in addition to the official “Out of the Blue” VHS.  I can also tell you that I have mastered a Debbie Gibson dance move.  I love the girl and still get butterflies in my stomach when I hear her. I'll give you my all time favorite Debbie Gibson song...Foolish Beat

After all the obsessions with those ladies, I also have a craving for 60s and 70s rock that grows stronger every year that I get older. (PS Happy birthday Janis Joplin today...she would have been 69). When I was growing up my parents always listened to music.  Little did I know at the time, that they were creating a monster in me and embedding this love for music into my soul.  For years and years we would go up to our rec room and listen to albums.  One of my favorites that I could always convince my Dad to crank up was Derrick and the Dominoes', “Layla.”  The real version, not the Eric Clapton unplugged…I mean electric guitar, drums and the whole crew of Derrick and the Dominoes.  (I know we differ on this Taryn!)  I said for probably 10 years, my first born daughter would be named Layla.  Those were some good Friday nights. ~Layla~

With all of that being said, I feel like I know good music.  I probably lost a few voters with the Miami Sound Machine and Debbie Gibson, but in all seriousness, I know it when I hear it.  My original thought for this blog would be to write about Memphis, but honestly that hasn’t panned out too well.  However, I have a Memphis post!  There is a band coming Saturday night to Brookhaven that you have to check out.  They are a personal favorite.  One of my friends asked me today how I know them.  After I thought about it, we go way back.  I followed this band around since I was 16.  Yep, 16.  I used to have to drive my friends Ashley and Lindsay to see them because they couldn’t even drive yet.  We would all meet up at Wings to Go in Franklin to listen to the John Sutton Band.  Wings to Go was a tiny place with only a few tables, but we would cram in there.  MD, Kyle, Dave, Zane,  Jenny, Ashley and myself were regulars.  We LOVED JSB.  Not only does JSB bring back such great memories to me, but John is an incredible musician.  I highly recommend checking them out at Brookhaven Saturday.  They come to Memphis a couple of times a month, so if you like him (which you will if you like Dave Mathews, Ben Harper, Jack Johnson, Jimi Hendrix, or JSB originals), then you can start coming to all the Memphis shows with me!  PS: if you live near Franklin they play at Buganut Pig a lot.  I have included some links for them so you can check them out!

http://www.johnsuttonband.com/

Here's a little tune to help get ya ready!  So Fine

(Just for old times sake!)

The Shivley's

My dear sweet Anna Banana got married this weekend.  We had the most amazing time in Union City.  Marcy and Anna make such fun of the big UC, but I’ll tell ya…every time I’ve been…I’ve had a blast.  Anna was a beautiful bride, if that surprises anyone.  I mean seriously, could she be any prettier?  I am so excited for her and Trell.  Poor Trell and the fact that it took them 8 years to get engaged was the joke of the weekend. They are perfect for one another.  They know everything about one another…probably more than Anna or Trell would like to know!  It was so great getting to spend the weekend with their sweet families and all my friends!  WINNING!!  Congratulations to Anna and Trell!!

Probably my favorite dress!

Everything was so wintry...gorgeous!

My lovies