mm

link up here

One.

I'm loving this quote today:

"If the world were merely seductive, that would be easy. If it were merely challenging, that would be no problem. But I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world.  This makes it hard to plan the day." -E.B. White

Story of my life.

Two.

I'm excited that Susan is coming over to watch The Bachelor with me tonight.  You can always count on Sus to love reality TV!!! I think it is just as much her 'guilty pleasure' as it is mine.  And I'm starting to like this season a lot!

Three.

I love the sermon at First Baptist Orlando yesterday.  It was on prayer.  The series, beginning with the New Year, has been "Seek" - a series through Matthew 6.

This is extra special to me, because Matthew 6 is the chapter of the Bible that got me through the overwhelming emotions I faced in the days surrounding the fire.  Someone from my sister's Sunday School class had asked my sister to read a passage to me from Matthew 6.  The sermon series at FBCOrlando hasn't gotten to this particular part - about not being anxious - but to be honest, I can't wait to hear Dr. Uth preach on my favorite passage... (and am totally anxious, but in the good way!)

Anyways, this past Sunday it was on PRAYER and the sermon was awesome.  Dr. Uth is a good teacher and church leader and that is something I respect more than ever.  A huge point that he preached about was that if we do not forgive others, God does not forgive us.  That is why I am such a fim believer in FORGIVENESS and every single person I've ever dated or been super close friends with knows that to be the complete truth.  So when people won't forgive me or won't TRY to forgive me, I am unable to understand it.  I believe the Gospel is about love, and love is all about forgiveness so that is why it is the greatest lesson of all and something that the Lord DOES NOT compromise with.  At the end of the servivce, we were asked to put down on a small piece of paper the names of people that we need to forgive in order to move on and receive the blessings that God gives us when we decide to forgive and love our enemies and to remember the most important part of being a Christian - forgiving others.  I prayed that these people would also forgive me for the things that have crept between us and caused the tension.  I wrote down three references to people that I pray for reciprocating forgiveness from:  C.M., C.S., and P.C.  I felt free - that I had broken the chains that have loomed over me for a long time - some longer than others.  They are all people who mean a lot to me, in completely different ways, but forgiveness issues always kept us away from ultimate happiness - and that is why I hope some of my prayers will be seen now that I have decided to forgive them in my heart.  Freedom in forgiveness is the surest way to peace of mind, I continue to learn. 

Four.

I love this quote, too:

"So, this is my life. And I want you to know that I am both happy and sad and I'm still trying to figure out how that could be." -The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Has anyone else read that book... don't you just LOVE it?

Five.

I'm really pumped because JOSHUA RADIN is coming to Orlando soon and I'm pretty sure I'm going to freak out if I don't see him perform. 

He handles my blues oh so well.

Joshua Radin - One of These Days from Paste Magazine on Vimeo.



Six.

Hello NEW FOLLOWERS!!! You are the coolest :)

peace&love

baily

friends bring laughter

Yesterday was a ‘Sunday Funday’ for sure.  I hung out with the world’s greatest friends at Cassandra and Mike’s 24^th Birthday gathering… they’re my fraternal twin friends.  It was a GORGEOUS day in Orlando so we had a great time hanging out in Baldwin Park.

Susan and I

Ashley, Jillian, Cassandra, Baily, Beth, Posi, Susan

Baily, Posi, Beth

Baily & Cassandra (the birthday girl!)

Ashley, Baily, Jillian

      

It was such a fun day... I had a really good time.  I was in a giggly mood, for sure.  It's hard not to be around some of my friends.  This friend right here is just plain hilarious (always has been, always will be...)  I mean, look at her Harry Potter 'Snuggie' and suitcase(??)... Only Beth...

After we hung out at the pool and at Cass/Posi/Beth's place in Baldwin Park, Beth and I went and hung out with some of our favorite guy friends.  Here's a pic of me and one of my best guy buddies, David...

I missed these friends so much when I was in Alabama - it feels SO GOOD to be home with them.  I know that I am cared about and supported here, and it was the best decision of my life to come home and get my bearings again in the place that will always call me one of their own.  I realized yesterday how truly blessed I am to have these friends!

My cheeks and abs seriously hurt from laughing so much yesterday... and for that, I'm not complaining!!! It was an excellent start to my new week and ending to my weekend.  Thanks, friends!!! And Happy Birthday, Cassandra & Mike - much love!!!

Speaking of BIRTHDAYS! Guess who was born yesterday???

PIPER NOELLE NEUMANN

7 lbs 7 oz

Oh my goodness... she is so beautiful.
Elena said she's healthy, happy, and gorgeous! I can't wait to get back up to Birmingham to hold little Piper.  I am looking at flights and making an itinerary ASAP!

peace and love
BAILY

...I live to love and laugh a lot, and that's all I need.
-kenny chesney

A Happy Weekend, so far... :)

There's nothing better than a weekend full of friends, family, and relaxation - right?  Well, for me the only thing better is a little bit of achievement or productivity to go along with the relaxation so that I don't feel like I wasted the time away without getting things done.  And that is EXACTLY what I have done this weekend - hung out with good friends, spent some quality time with family, relaxed, and was productive in getting a huge project done. 

On Thursday, Mom and I moved all of that furniture and got my little sitting room set up and looking oh so Baily-like!!! And Baily does indeed like!!! I'm enjoying my new big tv and my little "me area" back here.  Here's a peep:

Thursday evening I went out to dinner with my friend, Adam, and we met another friend, Anthony, at Carraba's.  It was so yummy - I am obsessed with their chicken marsala.  It just never lets me down. Ever.  So it was good food, and we had a good time hanging out and telling funny stories.  Love those guys!

On Friday my 'Mamaw' drove over from St. Petersburg to visit for the weekend.  She and her husband "snow-bird" over on the Gulf coast and I DO NOT blame them!  There's no way in h-e-double hockey sticks I would want to be in Asheville, North Carolina during these blizzard-like months.  Brrr.... Alabama was bad enough, and needless to say, I am loving that I am a Florida girl again.  Trust me, on some of these chilly nights my litte free-bird self wants to migrate even further South. 

A pina-colada in Key West, anyone?!? 

Anyways, Friday night we went to Daytona to eat at Vince Carter's restaurant.  It was a nice family dinner in celebration of Daddy's health.  Twelve years ago to the day (yesterday), Dad was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.  These are special milestones, every year, because we were uncertain whether we would ever see these days with him.  He's a man full of honor - he fought for his life, for his family, and he continues to live a very healthy lifestyle cancer-free!  He's my hero, to say the least, and I was BEYOND GRATEFUL for sharing that special dinner with my family last night.  We missed Ashley & Tyler (Sissy & B-I-L) but I know they were celebrating this family victory in their own way.  So yay - praise God!!!

And my food was SO GOOD.

This tomato, mozzarella, and balsamic salad was absolutely perfect. 

I'll probably crave it for months now.

And my Chilean Sea Bass was perf as well.  I really loved my meal.  Can you tell??

After dinner I went out hang with a few friends at my friends Justin & David's house.  We had a bonfire in the back yard and it felt good to hang out with some good ole Oviedo folk and kick it like we did back in the day.  I brought graham crackers, Hershey bars, and marshmallows to make s'mores and they were a HUGE hit, to say the least.  Who doesn't love a good s'more every once and a while???

Then today we started off browsing the flea-market in the nearby town of Sanford.  Apparently, it's America's Largest Flea-Market... woo hoo, right??  It wasn't how I remembered it... it has lost it's "bazaar/market type feel" that I remember it having.  I found a little gold-mine of vinyl records at one of the vendors places.  But, skimming through used vinyl is something I MUST do on my own - I DO NOT like being rushed through my favorite thriftly hobby.  Maybe I'll go back... maybe not. Ha!

We went to 'downtown Sanford' after that - over on the St. John's River.  It was a BEAUTIFUL DAY in Central Florida - so this was a nice daytime outing for me.  Sanford was having their farmer's market at the little town square area and I bought some amazing kettle corn to snack on before we ate lunch at a German cafe. 

I also bought this new bracelet.... 

You better believe I don't hit up a farmer's market

without buying something artsy to take home with me. 

It's a must! And it was too cute for $10...

I'm loving this big win for the Tar Heels over N.C. State that I just watched as I blogged this.  I just love Saturdays... always good games on television and usually lots of opportunity to hang out with some awesome people in my life.  Who knows what the rest of the day holds for me... as far as I'm concerned this trifecta with my lazy butt, the t.v., and this couch is working out just fine & dandy!!!

HOPE EVERYONE IS ENJOYING THEIR WEEKEND!!!

Tomorrow, church and a friends birthday party are on the agenda.

What will YOU be up to tomorrow?!?

peace and love

baily

bc i have nothing else to blog about...

Today I am being a little busy bee and moving furniture.  When I moved home from school, I decided I would "live" in the room that my Sissy grew up in, I would change my childhood bedroom into a "sitting room" slash "tv den" and I would turn the 'Guest Room' back into a 'Guest Room' because for years that room had been the "tv den" or whatever you want to call it.  So, basically - we've played musical chairs with the furniture on this end of the house. 

To say that I'm a little tornado would be an understatement.  But, it is coming together!  After the fire, instead of replacing some of the outdated electronic devices that I had and lost, I put that money toward the replacement money for the mediocre t.v. I had and bought a 47 inch LCD tv.  I'm really pumped about it, and I can't wait for it to get set up. 

While I was cleaning out my drawers today and moving everything around, I came across some extremely nostalgic and silly things that made me smile and remember such great times growing up.  I had a good time doing this and I came across some things I hadn't thought about in years.

Like this Fourth Place finish at the Freshmen/Sophomore County Championships.  I'll never forget this race for the rest of my life.  It was a Thursday afternoon, I wasn't feeling well AT ALL, I had gotten in trouble at school and  I was freaking out that my parents were going to ground me, and it was about 400 degrees outside.  My co-captain, Jenny Barringer (who is a professional runner now. Oh yeah, and an Olympian) couldn't run in that race that day because she was sick.  In the case that she would have ran, that ribbon would have said "Fifth Place" - just in case you didn't get that.  So I was all nervous on  ths start line because all the other teams in the county had multiple freshmen and sophomores on the start line and in matching uniform.  Not me, I was there all by myself... the only girl in an Oviedo uniform, and wigging out on the start line (like I always did) But I ran my tail off, by myself, and was proud of my finish.  (Even though I knew that since Jenny hadn't run I was actually the fifith fastest freshmen or sophomore in the county that day.  But hey, you gotta compete to count, right? ;)

Then I came across this little 'love note' from high school.  I have NO IDEA why my "first love" and I had this thing with Garfield cards... but it seemed like we always did that for some inside joke of a reason.  It was funny - sitting down  and reading these leftover memories of such young, wild, and innocent love.  I have thought about him a lot lately... not in any romantic or lovey dovey way.  But because I wish him well.  It seems like ever since I got home, everyone asks if I've seen him.  If I've seen "them", I should say.  He is married now... he got married the weekend I moved home.  He married his "second love", and so did she.  I am happy for them.  They are both beautiful people, and the proof is in their precious little boy... who I have only seen pictures of.  It really isn't that weird - my "first love" being married with a baby.  I know he probably makes her so happy... I never doubted that he'd be a good husband and father someday.  He has a wonderful family that taught him the good lessons in life, and I know that is what will take him far.  I'm proud of him - and I wish very badly that we could be friends - but for reasons like our past, I know that will never be a reality.  Still, I have no idea if they'll ever see this - but I've always wanted them to know that I wish them the best and that I pray for wonderful things for their family.  On a lighter note, it was extremely fun to reminisce on that special time in my life.  When I first learned all the many lessons that fall under the category "love".

Happy Valentines Day Sweetie!

It is so exciting to experience all the holidays and birthdays with you

as my amazing girlfriend for the first time.  I love being your boyfriend, Bai!

I think about you all day, every day until the next time I see you.

It's obvious that we both love each other A LOT because after all our

little fights we always go right back to being so happy!!! I hope to spend many

more Valentine's Day's with you, because you mean the work to me, BJ!

Love,

Alan

I love it. Haha! How precious.

Then I found my "Junior Year" yearbook picture.  Haha - cheeeeesy!!!
I always sort of HATED picture day... and it was always at the end of August which was my birthday.  I never liked sharing my birthday with picture day!

Then I was reminded of my many days at Oviedo High School's famous Mikler Field as the Lions' batgirl.  This was suuuuch a BIG deal to me.  You have no idea! 

You better believe that I was one of the best little bat girls that team ever saw ;)  But, not kidding - I was SUPER GOOD at keeping the books, taking care of the team, keeping the 'umps' hydrated, and flirtin' my little butt off with those boys!!! Haha.  I wasn't Class of 2005's "Class Flirt" for no reason, folks! ;)

I was one hell of a good-luck charm, too! Exhibit A:  This isn't the only game-ball I received for kissin' it before a big game and the Lions getting the win!

I found a couple of these today actually...

I always love running across all my old notes from high school.  No, of course I don't mean school notes, I mean the juicy-gossip notes!  Y'all know me as a blogger/journaler, so you can only imagine what I was like as a little Queen Bee note-writer!  My freshmen year of high school the majority of my notes were written to Adam.  And they were rarely ever full of juicy-gossip but rather stupid, nonsense that is typical of Adam and I and our relationship.  I still read these every time I come across them.  They always have the best nicknames for me on them... and they were always written to make me smile - and they still do!

Happy that tonight I get to go on a best-friend-date with

 Adam for some yummy sushi!! woo woo.

I love that we are still as close or closer than ever - after all these years. 

He's a true gem!

I  found these little daisy hooks that I forgot I had!! I remember I had them in my room in high school, when it was yellow/red and daisy themed.  I think I can probably use them in my little sitting room/tv den, so I am going to see what I can do with them once I get to hanging stuff on the walls! :)

I had a huge smile on my face when I saw this picture.  It  is SO COMFORTING that the majority of us girls are still SO CLOSE and have ties and bonds that distance, time, and changes just don't threaten in the least bit.  I love these amazing women with all of my heart.  It is hard to believe how long it's been and how strong each one of us has become.  I hope they know how much they mean to me. 

They have been one of the BEST parts about 'coming home'. 

Tiffany, Jenn, Cassandra, Baily, Justine, Dana, Beth, Landon, Savannah

Well that was fun... gotta get back to my project and finish this game of furniture edition musical chairs.  Aaah, but it's going to be SO WORTH IT when it is finished.

And I'm stoked about my sushi outing tonight! YUM.

Who is ready for the weekend already???

peace and love

bai



 

VLOG :)

"I like living. I have sometimes been wildly, dispairingly, acutely miserable, racked with sorrow, but through it all I still know - quite certainly - that just to be alive is a grand thing."

-Agatha Christy

I finally did my 'Dialect Vlog' today.  I have been meaning to do it, but the camera that is built into my laptop was giving me some audio problems and I needed to charge my Sony Bloggie.  I got it figured out, though, and I finally have it for you!

The only technical difficulty that I had was the phone is ringing at the end, but you can still hear me.  It was fun to do, and everyone should join in! :)

Here's the list of words to say and questions to answer:

Aunt, Route, Wash, Oil, Theater, Iron, Salmon, Caramel, Fire, Water, Sure, Data, Ruin, Crayon, Toilet, New Orleans, Pecan, Both, Again, Probably, Spitting image, Alabama, Lawyer, Coupon, Mayonnaise, Syrup, Pajamas, Caught

▪ What is it called when you throw toilet paper on a house?

▪ What is the bug that when you touch it, it curls into a ball?

▪ What is the bubbly carbonated drink called?

▪ What do you call gym shoes?

▪ What do you say to address a group of people?

▪ What do you call the kind of spider that has an oval-shaped body and extremely long legs?

▪ What do you call your grandparents?

▪ What do you call the wheeled contraption in which you carry groceries at the supermarket?

▪ What do you call it when rain falls while the sun is shining?

▪ What is the thing you change the TV channel with?

peace and love

bai

truth.

After a while you learn the subtle difference between holding a hand and chaining a soul.  You learn that love does not mean leaning and company doesn't always mean security.  You begin to learn that kisses aren't contracts and presents aren't always promises and you begin to accept your defeats with your head up and eyes ahead with the grace of a woman, not the grief of a child.  You learn to build all your roads on today because tomorrow's ground is too uncertain for plans and futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight.  After a while you learn that even sunshine burns if you get too much so you plant your own garden and decorate your own soul instead of waiting for someone else to bring you flowers.  You learn that you really can endure, that you really are strong, and that you really do have worth, and you learn.  You learn. 

With every good-bye, you learn. 

-Veronica A. Shoffstall

WILW

Link Up Here

I'm loving the SUNSHINE that I woke up to this morning...

it's another beautiful day in Orlando (even though we've had some severe thunderstorms lately but we're used to that here in the Lightning Capital of the World)

I'm loving my new shoes that I bought last night!!! I have wanted these since LAST spring, and they are on sale and still as fabulous as ever in my eyes!  My itty-bitty size 6 and extremely narrow foot fits PERFECTLY into Jessica Simpson pumps.  I can't wait to rock these in Orlando one night! ;)

They are that really pretty patent-leather pearly color.

I dig!!!

I'm loving that our movie theater is only $5 on Tuesdays.  Last week I went to see Black Swan with Michelle and last night I went to see Country Strong with Momma.  With my Regal Card I was able to get some good, buttery popcorn for only $2!  A $5 ticket + $2 popcorn = DEAL!!!

I wasn't loving the part about our 'movie night' last night when the projector-reel BROKE and was not fixable!!! So Mom and I got to see 70% of Country Strong and we are welcome to go back with our "FREE READMISSION TICKET" that the Regal Cinemas manager gave us.  I was a little bummed, because I was TOTALLY INTO THE MOVIE!  It was wonderful.

Gwyneth was awesome and I am offically OBSESSED with Garrett Hedlund now.  Cowboy, take me away.... (just sayin!)

via

I'm loving that it's almost time for my favorite Spring-time fashion!

Bohemian Dresses!!!

...if you don't think I rock these all Spring, you're crazy! ;)

I'm loving this ANTHROPOLOGIE one...

Ya dig?!?!

I'm loving that my hair is finally growing!  It must be my extreme paranoia about it's inability to grow more than an inch past my shoulders.  I swear, it gets to this length and just stops.  It's ridiculous!  So I've been taking my vitamins, washing it when it's dirty but not over-doing it and drying it out, wearing it wavy & straight so that it's not damaged by doing it the same over and over, and keeping my fingers crossed that I can get it back to being as long as it was in high school.  It probably helps that I got it cut in DECEMBER for the first time since JUNE!  Sooo bad, I know.

Is anyone else bad about that?!?

I'm loving my NEW FOLLOWERS!!! Y'all are awesome & I look forward to learning more about you and reading up on y'alls blogs!!! I really do love how I have met SO MANY amazing people via this wonderful world of bloggers! It is the coolest thing, I wish more people "understood" haha ;)

peace and love

BAILY

Tuesday Ramblings...

Today is a busy and productive day for me, as was yesterday.  Even though I'm not feeling my best right now - nothing major, just not feeling 100% - I've still managed to get a lot done.  Some of the things on my to-do list are little errands here and there, and then some are bigger - like looking for a part-time job, ordering my bedroom furniture, and figuring out some of these "life goals" that went sorta haywire on me.

I'm getting a lot done, but I couldn't do it without the help of this record du jour that has kept me occupied for hours (especially since it's a 4-vinyl set, which means 8 sides of music!)  I wasn't really a fan of John Mayer until I bought this amaaaazing record that has seen me through many highs and lows over the past year...

John Mayer Where the Light Is: Live In Los Angeles

it has a band set (2 vinyls) and an acoustic set (2 vinyls)

To say the least, I fell in love with his music when I bought this (not sure If I love him-him, but I love his music - there's a diff!)...

And, a cool/creepy thing is that the album cover has smoke stains from the fire... but it survived (thank God) and it's definitely carried me through.

As I got some stuff done around the house this morning, this is what brought a little extra joy to my day...

I just love these little girls!!!

Momma looked so cute before she went to work today.  She was rockin' her new Lucchese cowboy boots. Are we not the same or are we not the same?  See where I get it from now!?! ;)

I am in a better mood than I usually would be when I'm feeling achy & crampy, but I slept so good last night and I think this is probably why...

Nothing is better than nice, clean, fresh linens!!!

I even shaved my legs and put fancy lotion on them to get the

ultimate clean sheet experience...

I think it is something you learn to savor & relish in once you've lived

the college life for a few years.  Clean sheets = luxury!!!

But I've always been good about it - it's like a treat for myself (especially with the newly shaved legs and lotion) Haha, I'm so weird.

Hope everyone is having a TERRIFIC TUESDAY...

just remember...

peace and love

baily

the miscellany

One.

I'm in love with this song right now...

Two.

Yesterday I went to First Baptist Orlando with my parents and Michelle and heard a great message on "fasting" and how we can grow closer to God by giving up something that distracts us from spending time on our spiritual relationship.  I really enjoyed it and I think the pastor, Dr. David Uth, is an awesome speaker!

Later last night, I went to "Status" with Savannah and felt another tug at my heart that it is time to take my relationship with God to the next level. I know that I have a special heart for missions work, volunteering, and serving, and I am so ready to get out there and help people in some way!!! I am praying that God points me in the right direction to serve where HE wants me to serve, not just where I want me to serve.

I signed up for a couple of small-groups.

I think I am going to take a class on "Love" that goes off of C.S. Lewis' books.  I also signed up to get to know some of the people in the "Living Water Surf Ministry."

I visited with some of the guys and this really nice girl, Grace, and they invited me to be a part of their little group ministry - I told them I don't surf but I would love to take pictures and video with my Bloggie & Holga camera and hang out with people who enjoy the ocean!  Plus, grow closer to God??

Sign me up! ;)

Three.

I am thinking about saving up some money to buy a monogramming machine.  Does anyone have their own and do their own monogramming? 

There are shops EVERYWHERE in Alabama that monograms everything under the sun - for cheap! But not so much in Orlando.  The Southern girl's love for monogramming everything we own isn't as prevalent in this part of the country - although there are enough steel magnolias and sorority girls around here to get some business if I learn how to do it well enough!

If you have one, help me out & tell me what machine is best and all that good stuff! Thanks :)

Four.

 I was making some munchies to take over to my friend Susan's tonight when I got attacked by the kitchen sink.  Of course I was wearing one of my really classy white wife-beaters and I was pretty much white t-shirt contestin' it for a second there.  I had dogs sliding in my mess, but I got everybody dried off...

I got a good laugh out of it (and of course I was by myself so I'm sitting in the kitchen floor laughing hysterically and Millie is cocking her head like why is my Mommie so weird?!?)

I had to change after the hose-down by the sink...

I'm just trying to make some Jalapeno Poppers :)

Five.

I'm so ready for SUMMER to get here!

via 

"I've never dropped anyone I believed in."

-Marilyn Monroe

peace and love.

baily.