Happy Birthday Lil Bro!

Happy 23rd Birthday to my little brother, Casey!!

I'm so proud of him and his amazing talent as a drummer AND that he is traveling around the country with his band Darling Parade, doing what he loves! Today he is in San Diego and I'm hoping he and his band mates get to enjoy some of the beautiful scenery before their big show tonight!

Happy Birthday - make it a great one.

These are the years you will look back on, so make them count and enjoy!!

How do I love thee?

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight

For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.

I love thee to the level of everyday's

Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.

I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;

I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.

I love thee with the passion put to use

In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose

With my lost saints,—I love thee with the breath,

Smiles, tears, of all my life!—and, if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death.

{Elizabeth Barrett Browning}

A Cup of Joe

I just returned from the Gulfport area for a conference I attended and am looking through photos from our work, fun, and food from the past few days.

We found a charming coffee shop on the second day called the Mockingbird Cafe. It was so adorable, cozy atmosphere, and the walls were covered in local art - which I always love. Each table had a small vase of fresh flowers. I love it when restaurants and cafes do that - it's a simple touch that just adds a little cheer! I snapped a photo of my cup of goodness and the flowers - makes me want a cup now!

R.I.P Etta James!

Today we have lost a legend, Etta James! I have loved her song "At Last" ever since I was a little girl! It was and is a classic and will live on forever! Her music and voice are timeless!

"At Last" is probably her most well known song - but she has some others classics too!

One I have always liked (and actually sang at at a karaoke bar on our honeymoon) is "I Just Wanna Make Love To You"

Another - "Somethings Got a Hold on Me" - or may be better known as "I Get a Good Feelin" - has recently been mixed in with Flo Rida's latest song "Good Feeling" - which I love (it's a great workout song too!!)

Etta has passed on, but her music is living on! If you haven't heard Flo Rida's song "Good Feeling" here it is - that's Etta singing in the beginning and through out! You know you are a legend when your music is being mixed with the sounds of today!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZAGMAz9Kl0

Rock It Rachel!

Stumbled upon this photo of Rachel McAdams and I am just loving this entire look!

{image via people.com - credit: landov}

Her coat, dress and of course the shoes! Love that nude pump with the black ankle strap! Fab- and look at those legs! It's classy with a little sass too - the kind of look I adore! She was in London promoting her latest movie "The Vow" - also with the incredibly handsome Channing Tatum! (ooh la la!) I CANNOT wait to see that movie!!

Hope everyone is having a great week!

Brotherly Love

This weekend my little brother came home from Nashville. His band Darling Parade is getting ready to go on tour and so it will be a while till I see him - so he came home to hang out for a few days! His birthday is coming up in a couple weeks and since he will be on the road at that time, I wanted to celebrate while he was here. So yesterday I took him to lunch in Midtown, then we went and did a little shopping at Urban Outfitters & Target. Instead of picking a gift out for him and wrapping it, I told him to pick a couple things out and I would get it for him for his birthday. So he got a new hat, new jeans and couple other little things!

Us on the way to lunch

We ate at Young Avenue Deli. It was Food & Football FUN - he was into the game!

I also told him to pick any dessert he wanted and I would make it for him over the weekend. He chose a Chocolate Pecan Pie! I had never made one before, but it wasn't hard at all! You simply make a pecan pie, but fill the bottom of the pie crust with chocolate chips before adding the filling. It was very good!

Making a wish!

My brothers dog Bentley and my doggie, Mr. Big

Me, Myself & I {my hair is down for once-can you believe it?!?!}

Is that you Zac Brown? Oh wait - no . . . . that's my brother, Casey! He's been growing a beard and I'm not used to it - but it's "growing" on me - no pun intended!

So that was pretty much my weekend! I loved watching the Golden Globes tonight! I just LOVE the excitement of award shows, the fashion and the speeches! How many of you watched? I may do a post on my favorite gowns tomorrow!

Hope everyone had a great weekend! My eyes are getting quite heavy so I think it's time for me to hit the hay! Sweet dreams!

Stylin Stars

Every couple of days I like to check out entertainment sites and see what's going on in Hollywood AND of course what our favorite celebs are wearing!

A couple of my favorites this week:

Fergie and her fab airport style! LOVE her b&w striped jacket paired with red jeans!! But yikes - what's up with Josh Duhamel's stache??? Not a fan! But maybe it's for a film . . . . let's hope so!

{via people.com - credit:Erik Justin/National Photo Group}

Victoria B! Well - she's always fab - but I loved this picture because of her and her baby girl. She looks like she's holding a little baby doll - love that little dress too! Presh!!

{via people.com - credit:Credit: Pittam/Xposure}

Hello J-Lo!! She is looking gorg in this tangerine wrap dress and nude strappy pump!

{via people.com - credit: Danny Moloshok/AP}

Pretty Pippa! Love her animal print scarf - which is a must have in my closet in the winter! It

can totally transform a simple outfit!

{via people.com - credit:StarTraks}

I'm not always a fan of Michelle Williams - I'm not sure why - sometimes I like her, sometimes

I don't - but I love her dress here! I'm a b&w fanatic so I really like this!

{via: people.com - credit: Jason Merritt/Getty}

I can't wait to watch the Gold Globes Sunday and all of the lovely (and not so lovely) gowns on

the red carpet!!!

Happy Friday!!!

Sunglasses

I love all my accessories - but there's nothing better than a favorite pair of sunglasses!!!

A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes

I'm up late, as usual, although I told myself I was going to get in the bed earlier tonight. I don't know what it is, but my mind comes alive at night and I have all kinds of ideas, thoughts, visions & tonight DREAMS! Do you ever have an idea and it continues to get bigger and bigger in your head? Often times I do - but then I do nothing to pursue those ideas, thoughts, visions and dreams.

I want that to change! I can't expect my dreams and passions to come to life if I don't do something about them myself! I also believe that things are not going to happen for us unless it is in God's plan for our lives! With that said - some thoughts, ideas, visions and dreams I had tonight - I gave to God. If it's meant to happen, if it's meant to be, if it's meant to be a success - God will do it and put the resources, people and path my way! I'm not going to worry about it - but will simply BELIEVE!

Sweet "dreams" . . .

{quotes via: http://pinterest.com/search/?q=dreams}

New Year, New Look, New View

Now that it's a new year, I figured it was time for a new look for my blog! I created new blog header last night. Kinda hated taking a picture away of us, but I figured that I'm always posting pictures and I have some of my favorites permanently on my blog - so it was okay.

Anyone who knows me knows I love black and white - so I went with a black and white stripe header with the name of my blog. I put emphasis on "be" and may change the color of that word throughout seasons! A blog should reflect you and your personality and while we are all entitled to have our blog look how we want - I'm not in to my blog being cluttered and too busy. So I wanted my new header to be bold, while also clean and simple! And I think I achieved just that!

With that said, a new view or resolution I have for 2012 has to do with my blog! My blog has taken a back seat this past year. I do social media and a blog for the bridal magazine I work for, and that takes up most of my computer time which doesn't leave me much time or desire at the end of the day for my own blog. I enjoy keeping my own blog up and posting fun things, but I'm not going to feel pressure to do it. I used to feel guilty if I didn't get something posted or post a ton of photos - but I'm not anymore! Plus it takes the fun out of it when you get to feeling that way. So my new view for 2012 - if I get a blog up, great - if not - that's great too! I'm not going to beat myself up over it! When you work full time (especially in social media) it's hard to make time for things like this - at least it is for me at times. I do however enjoy blogging sometimes late at night. It's kind of like "me time."

So that's my new view on my blog for 2012! Don't forget about me though - I love to hear from all of you! It always makes my day!

Catching up . . . . Christmas 2012

It's officially 2012! Hope everyone had a Happy New Year and wonderful Christmas! I can't believe it's all over! Boy did it go by fast! Too fast! I'm always sad when the Christmas season is over! It's the excitement of family getting together, gift giving, and just the magical feeling in the air. But it has come and gone and now it's back to the busy, day to day schedule! I'm needing to get back in gear and work, work, work, but I have been under the weather this week with a terrible cold! Hubby had it last week and now I have it! No fun at all! But I think I'm starting to get well!

Wanted to share photos and more about our Christmas. I'm going to pick only my favorite photos so I don't do a photo overload - however there will still be several - so bear with me!

Let's start with Christmas Eve! We did our traditional Christmas Eve eats & treats, went to church, and exchanged a few gifts (which is always new Christmas PJ's!) We've been opening new pajamas on Christmas Eve since I was a little girl. My Mom started that tradition and I still look forward to it each year!

Me and my fam at church

My Parents

Favorite part of church on Christmas Eve . . . . the candlelight service! So beautiful!

A few Christmas Eve eats & treats!

Opening Christmas PJ's

My brother playing some Christmas tunes!

My sweet boys!

Me & Ashley

Ashley & my Brother

Mom & me!

Christmas morning & STOCKINGS!! I love goodies in stockings!

Our little family on Christmas morning before the gift giving and gift opening fun!

My brother playing with M's new guitar I got him!

Coffee & the German Christmas cake, Marzipan Stollen. My maiden name and dad's side of the family is German and I started the tradition of eating Stollen on Christmas several years ago when I learned about it from working at the German jewelry company, Charlotte!

Dad opening a gift from me - I purchased a drawing of downtown Memphis from a local artist over the summer, then got it framed. My parents lived in Memphis for many years and recently moved to TX and I wanted him to have a part of Memphis at their new home or at his office at work! He loves Beale Street and the blues and his favorite place is Rum Boogies and BB Kings - so this was just perfect because it shows both!

Table set for Christmas dinner!

Our shrimp cocktails we have before Christmas dinner every year!

Our annual Beef Wellington made by my mom! She's been making this for 28 years!!! We always look forward to it! Such a great tradition she started! Not to mention - DELISH!!

My Mom and my brother! This was right after dinner and clearing the table and she still looks great after literally being in the kitchen ALL day!

Us!

Such a wonderful Christmas!! So blessed!