The weekend that was about anniversary compromise...

In the words of Eminem... Look whose back... back again.

& to be totally honest here & to show my age. I totally didn't know how to spell Eminem. I had to google it.  #officiallyold #notcoolandhip

Anyways - I'm back!  Back to life, back to reality.
Wait, isn't that another group?

See what happens when you take some time off work?

Man - how to recap this weekend! As usual - BUSY!

Of course, Friday, we celebrated our 21st anniversary - & let me stop right here & thank you all for the sweet words & comments & messages.  It really was such a blessing all day long reading them all.  Ricky even pulled up my phone all day to read them himself.

It worked out so wonderfully because Ricky ended up getting off work early & he got home just in time for me to see all of Rachel Rey & he walked in with white roses in his hands.  Ahhh...

He sent me white roses the day before our wedding & has gotten me white roses every year since. Is that precious or what?

We got in the car & headed out not sure what we were going to do & where we were headed - we just wanted to enjoy the day.

We stopped for lunch at WW Cousin since I love their salad bar & Ricky loves their burgers ... & rarely gets meat living with me so it was a good anniversary compromise.

We then headed out to a new movie theater that I'd heard of but never went to... one with recliners. OK... now that I've experienced doing a movie in a recliner, I'm not sure I can ever go back to upright seats.  It was AMAZING!  & it was even CHEAPER than the movie theater near us we go to. How does that work?

But we went to see Jack Reacher ... which I had no clue anything about this character/book/movie. I guess there was a first movie? I had no clue.  I let Ricky pick the movie ... again, annivesary compromise.  But the surprising thing? I really liked the movie. I thought if anything, I can take a nap in these comfy recliners but I was so into the movie - kicking & punching along with the characters on the screen. I'm not a huge Tom Cruise fan either - but again, really enjoyed the movie. I guess it pays to compromise sometimes.

We left the movie & went across the street to some fun arcade places - like these new HUGE arcades that have laser tag, every game you could want to play, bumper cars... we went for some minature golf.

This is where its fun to blog... because Ricky said, "OH NO... this is going on your blog, isn't it?"... yeahhhh.... I BEAT HIM. Like totally beat him. Like it was funny kinda beating him.  Like, I couldnt believe it myself beat him.

Ricky ready to BEAT ME with the club

Truly... I'm not even joking... I got 4 hole in ones. I thought it was 5. Ricky corrected me & told me it was 4 (I'm still not sure its 5, but ... anniversary compromise....) BUT STILL... FOUR HOLE IN ONES. I honestly felt like someone was in a control booth making my ball do things I had no control over.  It was so funny!  Legit - my ball one time stopped - completely - & then rolled again, into the hole.

I told him it was because I chose the yellow ball to represent Belle! REPRESENTTTTT!

We then left, & headed to our usual anniversary place - the Disney Store. Because we're adults.
I was so bummed out they didnt have a lot of Beauty & the Beast stuff. I expected a whole area of it with the movie coming out in T-5 months.  But nope.

We then headed over to Whole Foods & loaded up on some healthy goodies... & yummy smelling soaps... & then it was late. We ended up getting home with some take out chinese around 9pm. That's some late night date for us.

Saturday was another busy day when we headed out to a friend's wedding, who got SO LUCKY because she planned an outdoor wedding & it was AMAZINGGGGG outside!

Couldnt have been a better day.

It was even better when we come into the wedding & see a few familiar faces...

Yep - our Nashville gang came up for the wedding. The bride is actually Julie's childhood friend who was also in her wedding.  We came to know them through Julie & we adore the bride & her PRECIOUS HEARTED MOMMA!  I honestly cant say enough about this woman so was honored to be able to see her daughter get married.

Ricky & I did go to the reception for a few minutes but decided to take out to finish celebrating our annivesary. It's the one time a year I get to go to Rocky's Italian Restaurant without Ricky complaining about the price for pasta. I get it. I do... but I still love it.

& we got the primo spot in the restaurant too. Right in the corner where we could see the bridges, downtown & the sun setting. It was perfect.

We got home just in time for our Nashville gang to get home from the wedding... & then it was time to chat, play & just enjoy each other.

& play a MAD seek & find in a Highlights Magazine

& then it was time for the boys to watch Toy Story - especially for Will who is going to be Buzz Lightyear for Halloween & Julie said she's not even sure he knows who that is.

He knows now... & he's excited about it.

Sunday had me running out to MSM... I ADORED the lesson for the day - all about JOY. & our small group was especially small. I only had 3 girls, but let me tell you - one of my girls that is so quiet & stays to herself - in this small group, she was so talkative - LOUDER than I've ever heard her talk - even laughing hard with her comments. I LOVED IT so much - I cant even begin to tell you. I dont mind small small groups at all.

I then met up with our gang for some lunch.

We decided to try a new place - Adrienne's Bakery - which I thought was just a bakery - until we saw someone sitting on the patio eating like real food.

In we went... & what a fun discovery.

I ended up getting a veggie wrap & loved that the 'combo' came with a drink a side & a cupcake. YES!  ... except NO... the side I got was potato salad & then discovered it had bacon in it. UH OH!!!!

But there were plenty of hungry people at the table.

& then the best part of the place - the sugar goodies.

... which obviously the boys didn't mind one bit.

& Luke especially loved his vampire donut because that's what he's going to be for Halloween.

He's already practicing with his fangs...

 & they had to head home soon after... always love seeing our ever growing boys.

Can you believe how big they are getting?!?!?!?... me either.

& then it was back to adulting, which I've said many times I dont like.

Bill paying.  Laundry.  Getting ready for work. UGHH... to the biggest UGH you can imagine.

I'm not going to complain though.  I had a wonderful week off & an even amazing weekend celebrating 21 years with my forever love & seeing my fantastic Nashville gang.
Plus, with 80 degree weather?  It just doesnt get any better than this.

Truly.

21 is a lucky number, right?

21 years today, I became Mrs.Vincent.

That just blows my mind...

I've actually been with Ricky more than half of my life at this point. We dated for 3 years before we got married, so I was just days away from turning 21 when we started dating.  I actually think my 21st birthday was our 'official' first day... ahhhh...  - & I am going to be 45 this year. So yeah... more than half of my life, this red head man has been by my side. Crazy.

It's so funny how I can't remember what I did on Monday, but I can remember October 28, 1995 so clearly.

....It was a cloudy, gloomy, sprinkling day.  Brides - don't freak out when it rains on your wedding day. They always say rain is good luck. I'll stand up as proof of that.

....My bridesmaid & my brother's girlfriend at the time is a hair dresser... she went to do my hair in a french twist & for some reason, she totally couldn't get it to work. I sat at my kitchen table with her trying to get it right for HOURS. It actually became funny. & obviously, it all worked out in the end.

....I rode to the church with her in her car & played over & over again Twila Paris, "God is in Control"... that's a throwback song for you Christian music fans.

....They had all the girls crammed in one room & it was so hot, I thought I was going to pass out. We finally got the clear to go in the reception area so I could breath.

I see this picture & see my teeth haven't shifted to a crooked mess like they are now.

...Ricky hates getting his picture taken so wedding pictures were a true torture for him. The whole day kind of was with attention being focused on him. He was a trooper though.

... I never saw Ricky before the wedding, but he told me later someone opened the door to the room he was in & he saw me.  He was just anxious to see my dress because I had him scared to death it was something crazy in style. I had him convinced it was short & something totally out of the 80's.

... I still to this day think my dress is the most amazing dress in the world. I think every bride should feel that way about their dress.

... I also loved my veil. For some reason, it reminded me of Priscilla Presley's veil... & I'm not even a huge Elvis fan so I dont know why I always think of that.  & yes, I wore it down over my face walking down the aisle.  #oldschooltradition

... Our photographers were a married couple - who were arguing the whole time. & the wife was flirting with my brother the entire night. How messed up is that?  Plus, I look back at wedding pictures now & cringe at them - especially doing wedding photography myself.  I mean, there are probably 5 pictures of Ricky & I after the wedding together & there are probably 2 poses.  Only 2 pictures of us dancing.  No pictures of me getting ready, or anything with my bridesmaids except one picture of us all up front together.  I want to do my wedding pictures over again please.

The photographers didn't even get any pictures of Ricky & his family. I just happened to find this picture in an album of prints people had taken on their own. I guess I need to remember this was the day before digital photography. Everything was film.  A different world.

Pictures with Ricky's brother in them now just seem more precious

... I so loved having a candle light ceremony. It made it easier for Ricky to have it darker in there & it was just the coziest feeling. I am such a sucker for candle light anyways.  I can remember standing up there looking at Ricky & just the warm lights from candles made it all so beautiful.

... I laughed the entire wedding ceremony. Like laughed hysterically. Does this surprise anyone?
People thought my back shaking at the front was me sobbing crying, but those that knew me well - they knew I was laughing.  What can I say? I was a happy bride.

... I loved my wedding cake because it had black flowers on it. I was all about the black & white theme. Funny thing, this wasn't even the cake Ricky & I had picked out. My mom had gone back to the cake person & had them add in the tiers to give it height. I actually loved it more.  Carrot cake was our cake of choice - Ricky's favorite.

... Our first dance was to Dan Hill's "Never Thought" ... though we did have Steven Curtis Chapman sung during our wedding & had KISS played during our cake cutting.




... I didnt get one bite of food the entire night. I can remember after the wedding, we took everything back to my parents house & I was ravenous with the food.  That's a long day with not eating.  Chalk that up to being young. It wouldn't happen 21 years later.

It's so funny to look back at pictures of the day & see how young we were.  It feels like yesterday but also like a lifetime ago.
Crazy to think we've been married for over 2 decades now.
A blessing to know that this is the man God brought into my life to share this dance with... & we'll dance on for a lifetime still to go

Happy 21st Anniversary to you Mr. Vincent

Walking Dead support, eye stuff & VACATION!!!! ....Thankful Thursday #95

First I wanted to say, I have been visiting around Blog-land while on vacation... I'm just looking at all my favorite blogs on my tablet, which doesnt let me comment unless I do an extra 5 steps... so just to let you know, I've been reading even though I haven't been commenting.  I'm like that weird stalker you worry about ;)

...moving on....

This week I am Thankful For:

{The numbers go with my One Thousand Gifts Journal / so just ignore them}

935 / Able to pull off a photo session with one eye. That's always good to know that I can handle things that get in my way.  It helped so much having a great cooperative family.

937 / Able to get in the eye doctor quickly.  I was so afraid I wasn't going to be able to get in with anyone but I called & was in an eye doctor's chair in less than 2 hours.

938 / My eye will go back to normal. That was the best news I heard all week.

939 / New glasses.  I'm all about a bargain, so I found a pair of frames in the clearance section.  I dont have vision insurance ... to top all all my insurance woes, health & dental... so I was happy to cut corners where I could.  Ricky actually really likes the frames too so win win.  The lady that helped me was so great too - she knew I didnt have insurance & ended up giving me a 40% off coupon for some of the work I had done.  Any little bit helps.

940 / Baby session turned out OK.  I tend to not do baby sessions because they are all world of their own, but when I have returning clients or previous brides & grooms, I try to do what I can.  So off to see this couple, who I had seen twice previously for other sessions ... & this little guy just wasn't feeling the session.  He probably slept maybe - MAYBE 5 minutes the whole 2 hours I was there.  & not happy about being awake.  The one positive thing is the parents are 2nd time parents so they didn't freak out as first time parents when baby isn't happy.  & I was worried I didn't get great pictures with him being so fussy, but I was so pleasantly surprised how well everything turned out in the end with this session.

I always say it just takes a slick of a second to make a crying baby look like they're smiling ;)

941/ Walking Dead with friends.  OH MY GOSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH..... I knew the premiere for this season was going to be intense. Didn't know it was going to be THAT intense.  So I was so thankful when a friend said they were having a Walking Dead watch party. Better to handle it with others than alone.  Someone there said they wish they had a camera on the couch I was sitting on with my friend Chasity & Audrey.  They said we looked like monkey see, monkey hear, monkey do with the way we were all covering parts of our faces.
... I'm still not over it...

942 / VACATION!!!!!!!!!!!!! .. you know I had to put that in there.

944 / New bedding.

946 / Grocery shopping during the day.  Its like a whole other world. Just calmer & easier. I think I need to be a stay at home wife.

947 / 5K with my friend states away. I love virtual races for the fact that you can do them within a time period that is required - but also love you can make that time you pick for a race the same time a friend states away is also going to run it.  My precious friend Nathalie, who I have talked about before on here for doing fitness challenges with, we added virtual racing to our shared interest... on top of knitting & reading & blogging & dog lovin' for just a few examples... we're just basically sisters.

948 / Able to run the 5k. I haven't ran in MONTHS!!!!! I was actually planning on walking & was concerned with my knee & my low back that has been bothering my sciatica.  Not to mention, the running with one good eye thing made me feel like I may trip over something.  But I'm stubborn, if anything - so thought, I'm going to try it... & ended up doing really good. Surprised myself. I did walk some of it, but ran about 85% of it.  For someone who hadn't ran in the longest time, I was super proud of myself & thankful my body remembered to do what it does.

What good things have been happening in your world this week?

The weekend that I'll never take my eyes for granted again.....

VACATTIONNNNNNN!!!!!!!

YAHOOO!!!!!!

I am one happy girl.  Half blind girl... but a happy girl.

Of course, my weekend was swamped & busy & I was running around from the minute I walked out of my office on Friday until late on Sunday night because.... hello... Walking Dead.  Got home late after a friend had a Walking Dead watch party. We knew we were going to need each other for this.....

An even better reason to love vacation - sleeping in.

But anyways - back to what I was getting at....

Friday, after lunch at work, I started having some weird stuff happen to my eyes. I was having these flashes. & then spots. Like legit spots... EVERYWHERE.  I told Ricky it was like someone took a picture & took a Sharpie & just went to town dabbing dots all over it - that's what I was seeing - out of my right eye. It was literally making me freak out.

I then started getting like tunnel vision.  The side of my eye was getting darker & darker & then my full eye was getting cloudy & I couldnt focus on anything.

Yep... full fledge panic attack at that point.

Except I had a photo session to do Friday night.  Had to reel it in.
& luckily, it was with people I love.  Cousins from Ricky's side.  I just love this family & these kids.  It made it easier when I walked in their house & I told her, "OK, I'm blind in one eye... let's do this"

if anything, I'm honest.

The session was quick & easy & painless... even with one eye.. & a dog in the family pictures....

& then I had to drive home & it was getting dark out ... & I could see NOTHING out of that eye.

I was talking to Ricky the whole way home & when I walked in the door, I seriously said, I'm done ... I got in bed - with my clothes on & everything.

When people say they can't ADULT ... that's exactly what this looks like. Crawling in the bed with socks & shoes on & turning off all the nights & just giving up on life.

I ended up going to sleep about 8pm... & I kept waking up throughout the night & I refused to open my bad eye. I just kept saying, "When the sun comes up, its going to be OK. I'll open my eye then"

... except it wasn't.

Ricky had to go to work on Saturday & before he left, he made me open it & nope - everything was still cloudy & foggy.

So I waited for eye doctors to open & see if I could get in.

Once I told them the situation, they got me in immediately.

It freaked me out when the eye doctor pulled up the pictures they took from behind the eye & was like, "OHHHH YEAHHHH"... ohhhhh LAAAWWDDDD is what I was thinking.

Ends up, it is a posterior vitreous detachment which sounds horrible, right?
But really, not that all uncommon.

Its basically where you get those floaters across your eyes ... & the older you get, the more you get them.

But, he said that mine was the worst he has ever seen. OF COURSE IT IS!! He even said he's read about it in books but never saw someone actually this happen too.

... see that big black part at the bottom - he said he's never seen it all gather in one place like that... & apparently its stretching over a longer area than normal.  He was amazed how far out it went - it actually went further than this picture that the doctor took with my phone after I was like, "Can I take a picture to show my husband?" ... he said that where its at, its apparently in some position that is clouding my vision, hence the foggy eye I have.

He told me that it would eventually heal up - in about 2-3 weeks. Please Lord, let it be more on the 2 weeks side. I have a wedding in 2 weeks.  But I made him tell me 4 times that it would heal up. That it wasn't going to stay this way forever.  He assured me it would & I asked him if I could hug him because I was sure I was having a stroke & was going to die any minute.

Dramatic much?... nah....

I did end up walking out with a new pair of glasses too - bifocals... geez... so at least I made that trip a productive trip.

& my eye is still a mess.  Cloudy.  Looks like bugs are flying all around me.

& I had another photo session on Sunday with that. At least I know I've got this wedding under control even if it doesnt heal up totally in 2 weeks.

I tell you what... it is always something, right?

& he did tell me that since I had it in one eye, its possible & probable that its going to happen in the other eye....
OH LAWWWWDDD again.  I told him to bite his tongue.

& then I wanted to ask him if he was related to the lady who called me out as a 70 year old woman last weekend, because he told me this usually happens to people over 50.

Where's my AARP card?

So ... oh yeah, I never blogged about this... I had another crown pop off last week... yeahhhhhh.... & now, I'm blind in one eye.  & I just got a pair of bifocals....

I'm starting to look like a hot mess over here.

... but I'm on vacation!!!!!

I'll take it.

How was your weekend?

Have you ever had weird eye stuff happen?

How cute are those kids in that picture!!!!!

Friday Favorites

Just a heads up - being on vacation next week, I'm not sure what my blogging is going to look like
...I hope to be around. I may be so bored I blog DOUBLE... 
but if I'm missing for a few days, I know y'all get it

Favorite Sweatshirt

I could wear this basically for 6 months straight

Favorite Beauty & the Beast

Look at the details on this hand cut paper art
... Mrs. Potts, Lumiere, Cogsworth, Chip in the borders... & that hand holding #swoon

Favorite Easy Dinner



Top that baby with some avocado & I could eat this every night of my life!!!


Favorite Reality Truth



Favorite Craft



Isn't this so cute!!!!???
& simple to make really. Some scrapbook paper, hodgepodge, stencil letters?
I may have to try this out

Favorite Book Item

These coasters would be so cute on a table next to your favorite reading spot!

Favorite Halloween Costume



So easy & simple... & clever!!


Favorite Peencha

Favorite Funnies

... me when Ricky comes home with a Starbucks cup in his hand

... when we're running late & I'm waiting on Ricky to even get started getting ready




... how I feel after the last Presidential Debate




... me every day at work after lunch




...me at 4:00 leaving work for vacation!!!



Happy Weekend Y'all!!!