SURPRISE SURPRISE

Jared's 24th birthday was 11 days ago, but we will ignore this fact and pretend this is a timely blog.

I started cooking up a wondrous surprise party for Jareds birthday a few, well now more then a few, weeks ago. He would leave for Germany 2 days after turning 24, so I just had to do something good. The day of, I woke up that morning with a crazy migraine. I also planned for badminton and croquet on the lawn but it rained all. day. long. 

I was so nervous planning this shindig. It was just one of those things. My adrenelin really kicked in when he showed up, my hand was trembling trying to light the candles on his Krispy Kreme cake. The result of all of this is literally ONE photo and a shaky video on my phone. Sheesh. 

Funny those weird little things that get us all wound up no matter how hard we try to stay calm...the 12 million miligrams of Excedrin pumping through my veins probably had a little something to do with it as well. 

Jared was truly surprised and had a great day. I’m so grateful for everyone that came out in that awful weather. Good times and chicken nachos were had by all. 

We also celebrated Jared's birthday with a little trip to Disney a few weeks back. It was one of those really great days where you and your boo have on matching Space Mountain tee's and everything seems right in the world. 

What is it about theme parks that just make you look haggard? Not at our best, but we don't come to Disney to play games. That backpack is filled to the brim with rain gear. 

I miss this fellow! Can not wait to see him in three more weeks! 

AWKWARD AND AWESOME FRIDAY

AWKWARD

A poor little blog with a girl who's only laptop is across the sea, enjoying Deutschland with her husband. iPad blogging ain't the same.

Gilligan's new wild lifestyle. Seven months has brought out the true hellion in this dog. Sweet as pie when he wants to be, as soon as you turn your back he is chewing the couch cushions, stealing food and ripping every piece of paper he can find into one million tiny bits. Also, he was groomed yesterday and they gave him a blow out. His hair now  looks shockingly similar to my Grammie's.

Deal of a yogurt lovers dreams: Publix has 10 for 10 greek yogurts WITH an extra dollar off coupon for every 3 yogurts you buy. I bought 13, then proceeded to leave them on my kitchen counter all night -___-

Seriously missing longer locks, above pic tear

AWESOME

Going to see old friends at this weekend for Julie's bridal shower! Woop!

Being able to iMessage and Facetime with Jared, who is roughly 4070 miles away and six hours ahead, for free!

Blue Bell Banana Split ice cream. There are few aches it can not cure.

1 week down, 3 weeks to go: The Alexanders take Europe.

WILD ANIMALS

This week has been an eventful one in the Alexander home. Some of you already know that Sunday night brought the death of our tender little annoying mouse friend Puff. If you haven't yet, see the videos for more info.
 

 Next up was Jared texting me this picture with no comment.

My lipstick had rolled underneath that piano that morning and the joker here decided he wanted to be just like Mama...

All of this rattling in the animal world has boiled down to one simple fact: Jared leaves on Saturday for a month.

Is it possible our animal friends are sensing this great change in the force and freaking the freak out because of it?

Probably not! But who knows.

Other then that, Jared and I have recently begun a little young married and mormon game night. Let me know if you would like to join in. Just be ready to be crushed at Cranium or whatever. You've been warned.

AW SUGAR SUGAR

 This weekend I didn't have any sugar until I had some sugar. My second wedding in a week...I looked the wedding cake in the face and I laughed a maniacal laugh. Slowly turning away thinking about my power over the enemy. Turning, turning, turning, turning to see an entire table of groom's cake.

The groom's cake is probably the most under rated part of any wedding festivity. You see, a wedding cake is usually beautiful and tall and elegant. Also it usually tastes like dry malty dirt. In the best instances it takes on a generic white cake white icing office birthday flavor. I can't vouch for the one pictured above as I bravely resisted it.

The groom's cake however can be whatever that little groomy's heart desires. In my wedding, my groomy's heart desired yellow cake with chocolate icing. Then the bride said HEY that does sound good and we ended up with an 8 foot buffet of cake, pie, chocolate strawberries, cookies, candy and other tasty treats. Our wedding cake was actually the most delicious cake on the planet (French Pantry) and thus breaks the rule of dirt cake heretofore mentioned....but also just truly drives that sweet tooth thing about me home.

Anyway, the wedding reception this weekend was exactly my style with no less then 5 different cakes and an ice cream sunday bar. I saw the fresh strawberry cake and I was done for. Oh well. Back on the wagon and I don't regret it y'all!

On from one sweet thing to another. As April comes close to an end I am reminded again and again of how much I love Jared Alexander. Forgive me a second of gushing. Jared makes me laugh, he makes everything instantly better. He is my best friend and my champion. He willingly dreseds up as an angel and entertained my sunday school class of four year olds, sweeps the floor when I don't feel like it and made me a spaghetti dinner without complaint. Cheers to you Bird!

A NEW SISTER AND A MASTERS CHAMPION

This post has been sitting unfinished since Monday. After the weekends festivities, and housing a certain large blonde (labrador) I have been wracked with some kinda hybrid cold flu sinus things. I even forgot my poor Activity Day Girls yesterday! Talk about Awkward Thursday Blech. Luckily the storm in my sinus cavity is slowly ceasing to rage. On to more important things!

There is nothing like a fresh marriage. Graham and Lacey's wedding day was full of sunshine, and now I have a new sister in law with whom I hope to spend many days thrift shopping and eating boiled peanuts. Solidarity, am I right?

The reception at the River City Brewing Company was a great time. Before it started, Jared, myself and our prodigal son Mitchell roamed around. The place was crawling with prom-sters. How many times are you and your husband in matching blue evening wear? Not so many times. Fun fact: Jared didn't go to his prom. Not so fun fact: I went to prom with my friend Danny and somehow started a holy war feud with my best friend in the process. We ate at Buca Di Beppo, and I wore a navy dress that night, too come to think of it.

I'm writing about last weekend with this one almost upon us. Also, these pictures kinda suck but better then nothing right.

If the wedding wasn't joyous enough, on Sunday Adam Scott, Australian stud and all around king choker of the golf world WON The Masters! Jared was beside himself, doing laps around the pool table, screaming with joy. Twas fab.

PS I didn't even have one piece of wedding cake! Woop!

THINGS I COULD HAVE EATEN

When I was growing up my brothers gave me an insanely obnoxious nickname: HoneyCheeks. Don't ask why. Three adolescent boys need no reasons. The name was used once and my extreme reaction sealed it permanently. It was a haunting reminder of my plump cheeks and...well that's pretty much what I think they were going for, but the name fit my insane sweet tooth as well.

This month a few of my co-workers and I are taking a 30 day break from sugar. Fruit is okay, but no sweets, candy, soda (diet or otherwise) of any kind. My swan song was a poorly made McFlurry, unmixed and Oreo instead of M&M...maybe it's a sign that I really do need to cut it out.

We'll be instagramming all the temptations we encounter throughout the month with the hashtag #UnConsumed. Feel free to join in! Hopefully a sea of treats will be left in our wake at the end of the month. My office is seriously a mine field of temptation and I know exactly where the Entenmann's in my kitchen are hidden. Here goes nothing!

FYI Last nights presentation was a success. As soon as I got there my nerves melted away. Relief.

MIXTAPE TUESDAY

Today as I continue to be strangely wracked with nerves, I am trying to soothe myself with music. The women below inspire me constantly. Enjoy your Tuesday!