She's Got the Look

One thing you should know about me: not a big fan of watching award shows. There's a lot of fluff and filler and junk that takes up time in a show that could otherwise be condensed into a thirty minute time frame. I do, however, love some red carpet fashion! Better yet, I love the fashion police the next day!

The Emmy's this year were full of beautiful gowns and dresses. There were also a few head-scratchers. I thought today I would have...drumroll please...

Katie's Emmy Fashion Police!

I'm no fashion genius, but I know when something looks good. So, here are my best dressed nominees...

Dianna Agron, of Glee. Not many people can pull off that much lace, and especially in that pinky nude color. Fantastic.

Amber Riley, also of Glee. This girl knows how to dress for her body type. Love the white and silver combo, too.

Jenna Fischer, of The Office. So classic and simple. She looks approachable and comfortable, yet appropriate. Way to go, Pam.

Kim Kardashian. Unfortunately, she was initially famous for being skantacular, but now she's fun and fabulous and pretty much always has great style. This is perfect. And we all know, she's Ben's favorite.

Cheryl Hines. Loved this gown. So flattering on her. Grey is very "in."

Glenn Close. I want to look this glamorous when I am Glenn Close's age.

Heidi Klum. She's had FOUR KIDS! I would go naked everywhere if I looked like this after FOUR KIDS! Cheers to you, Heidi Klum! You wear whatever you want!

Pretty, pretty Kyra Sedgwick of The Closer, my Mom's favorite show. She pulled off this plum color and the broomstick skirt.

And the nominees for worst dressed are...

Christina Hendricks, of Mad Men. I'm sorry, WHAT? Who told her this was ok? She is a beautiful woman, but she needs some sturdier fabrics. And don't even get me started on that awful dusty lavender color.

Jane Krakowski. There's just too much going on. The flat shoulder that I think should be poofy, the big hip, the metallic thread...I don't know. It needs one less thing. I think it's the shoulder flat poofy that bothers me most.

Kris Jenner. Unlike her daughter, Kim Kardashian, she did not hit the mark on the red carpet. The pattern made her look wide when she's totally not.

Mindy Kaling of The Office. Really? Does she have a full length mirror?

Padma Lakshmi, host of Top Chef, one of my favorite shows. This woman is exotically gorgeous and usually is very stylish, but this looks like she threw on something that was stuck in the back of the closet and forgot to brush her hair. Please pack your necklace and go, Padma.

Stephanie Pratt. I guess she thought she was going to the No Pants Party, because that is a shirt, not a dress. This is the Emmy's!

Rita Wilson. Tom, you look great. Rita, are you expecting a sword fight later? Good thing you wore your chain mail!

Rutina Wesley. I don't know who you are, but you must be the wallpaper thief.

Lea Michele, of Glee. Sweetie, you are young and beautiful! Wear COLOR! And brush your hair! This dress is too old for you!

Well, that was fun! I hope you enjoyed my picks! You may disagree, but I like my picks. Oscars will be soon...the dresses will be better!

Random fact: The "Emmy" was named after an early camera tube. The statuette used chosen from 48 entries in a contest. The winner was modeled after the sculptor's wife. He won a plaque, not an Emmy.

You and I

Today is our 2nd wedding anniversary!

YAY! I can't believe that two years have flown by so quickly. I love marriage. It's really been fun. I thought I would share a few pictures from our wedding day to reminisce.

This was during our "moment" before the ceremony. Yes, we saw each other before. I'm glad we did. It took away all the nerves. Besides, who needs superstition in a Christian wedding?

The super cool groomsmen outside the church. Love these guys.

The most beautiful bridesmaids and best friends in the world. Period.

My beautiful mother and me. I mean, really. Isn't she gorgeous?

My brosef walking me down the aisle to my groom. Such an awesome moment.

I don't remember seeing anyone else but him.

The kiss! Who doesn't love this moment?

Cutting the cake. Apparently it was good. I don't know. I just had the one bite Ben fed to me. His life was threatened if he shoved it in my face.

Cutting a rug. Ben looks stoked, doesn't he?

Ignore the orange pants. We got married on opening football Saturday.

I wore a beautiful white dress and cute red jewelry for Bama and he wore those dang orange pants and that ugly Auburn hat. When he pulled out the garter, which was a Bama garter, the DJ played the Bama fight song! Then, we walked outside and there was an Auburn Cadillac waiting for us! Only in Alabama...

It was a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful day. I wish I would be able to live that day over and over and over again like Groundhog Day. Our wedding day was perfect and went off without a hitch. I loved every detail of it.

Marriage? Not so perfect. Learned that really quick. But, we stick it out. The big "D" word is not allowed in our house. It's not a joke; it's not a threat. On August 30, 2008, we said, "forever," and forever it will be.

I love Ben. There are things about him that drive me nuts. But there are things about him that drive me wild! :) I love sharing my days with him. He is my best friend!

So this is us two years later, all dressed up to go to dinner Saturday night. (Ben is working tonight, so we celebrated on Saturday!) Where did we go? We treated ourselves to dinner at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse! Soooooo...Gooooodddd....

Look what my sweet hubby surprised me with! A beautiful silver and blue topaz ring!

I know the picture is a little fuzzy because I can't ever take ring pictures clearly, but it is sooooo pretty! I have to get it sized down tomorrow, but that hasn't stopped me from wearing it!

And look what hubby gets! A Kobe Bryant Lakers jersey!

He's been begging me for one for forever and I kept telling him no because I thought it was ridiculous, but I finally caved. Whatever. He's still the most handsome guy in the world. Much better looking than Kobe.

This is us at dinner before digging into our whiskey bread pudding at dinner. It was so nice to sit down to a quiet dinner and relax and talk about what we've learned and experienced over the past two years.

I love my husband. We are still very much in love, and even more so than we were than the day we got married. I am so thankful to be married to a man who is so caring, gentle, kind, loving and honest, but at the same time is funny, silly, adventurous, and very much a man's man. He would do anything for me, and I for him. It's rare. We've got it.

Random Fact: Ben and I wrote our vows together and read identical vows to each other during the ceremony. How we came up with them? We googled "wedding vows" and compiled all of our favorite things from the ones we read. :)

My Next 30 Years

Ok, so I'm not 30. 23, to be exact. But I've got a theme going of song titles for blog titles, if you haven't noticed, so this one fits it. Kudos if you name the singer. (Hint hint...He looks GREAT in tight jeans.)

But, it doesn't matter how old I am, I'm not getting any younger. I thought it would be fun to make today's list my Bucket List. The Bucket List is the list of things you want to do before you...well...kick the bucket. BTW, if you haven't seen the movie, The Bucket List, I highly recommend it!

So there are TONS of things that I want to do, and there are several things that I've already done, so I'm gonna write them on here anyways and cross them off. :) Shut up! I want to feel accomplished! Here goes...

1. Meet the most awesome guy ever and marry him.

2. Record an album.

3. Travel to Rome and see the Coliseum.

4. Get a tattoo.

5. Get another tattoo. (I'm thinking a cross or a sparrow...)

6. Learn how to shoot a gun.

7. Adopt a baby.

8. Have at least 2 babies of my own.

9. Own my own business. Like with a storefront and everything.

10. Be president of my kids' PTO.

11. Name all 195 countries. Right now, I'm at 182.

12. See each of my children grow into God-fearing, legacy leaving, contributing people.

13. Travel to Egypt and see the pyramids.

14. Be satisfied with how my bedroom is decorated. (I swear it's impossible.)

15. Learn how to cook on instinct, not on recipes.

16. Get a dog.

17. Teach her not to bite my hands.

18. Break the code of Moe's pico recipe so I can make it at home.

19. Compete in a pageant.

20. Compete in a pageant again. (Most expensive hobby ever.)

21. Host Saturday Night Live.

22. Write a novel.

23. Be an impact in the world by words and actions.

24. Learn how to paint with watercolors so they don't run and get muddy.

25. Sing with Don Henley, Billy Joel, and/or Elton John. Any or all of the three will suffice.

26. Celebrate our 60th wedding anniversary with my soulmate.

27. Travel to New York City and see a Broadway show.

28. Finish my degree in advertising.

29. Love my husband as greatly as possible every day that I can.

30. Leave a legacy worthy of the commission Christ left for me.

That's a pretty hefty list. Some things I'll never cross off, unless I'm a really, really, really lucky girl, or we go majorly in debt. Some are attainable; some are for fun; some are goals that will never be attained, but I will always strive for.

I need to get busy.

Random Trivia Fact: Dothan, Alabama, is known as the Peanut Capital of the World. However, Georgia technically grows more peanuts than Alabama. Furthermore, peanuts are not nuts. They are legumes, and are considered a protein, like a meat. :)

You don't own me...

SCORE!

First Wives' Club is on! I love this movie! I stop to watch it every time I

see it on TV. I tend to do that a lot. This movie cracks me up. Diane Keaton dancing and and singing, "Don't tell me WHAT TO DO!!!" Sarah Jessica Parker as a nobody saying, "Why don't you go find this in YOUR SIZE?" Love it.

What does this spur? A list! A list of movies that I stop and watch every time they're on TV no matter how awful and corny and ridiculous they are. I cannot resist. First Wives' Club is excluded because it has already been

excepted.

1.

"I'd do anything for Selenas!"

This movie is awesome. Nobody J.Lo in a seriously tragic story.

2.

"I'll never let go, Jack. I'll never let go..."

Are you kidding me? I saw this at least six times in theatres. Countless more once we owned it at home. I've read all sorts of books and owned the soundtrack and even had a replica Heart of the Ocean necklace. Greatest. Movie. Ever.

3.

"If you're from Africa, then why are you white?"

Possibly the most quotable movie of all time. I own it, but cannot resist the Friday night TBS marathons of Mean Girls. So funny. And Lindsay Lohan was normal when this movie came out. Poor girl. I seriously pray for her.

4.

"Look at you! You've got a baby! In a bar!"

Love this one! Mostly because people really think Alabama is actually like this.

5.

"Why do you only eat the brown ones?"

One of the few true romantic comedies that I love. Yummy Matthew McConaughey. And when they break the statue in the park? HA!

And now I have revealed a strange obsession with Jennifer Lopez. Two J.Lo movies in one list. I haven't even mentioned her cameo on Will and Grace. Come on, everyone loves J.Lo.

That's my list for today. I must go now. Charlotte has passed out and her toenails are digging in my ribs every time she stretches out her long legs. Pretty sure I'll have bruises there tomorrow.

Random Fact About Me: I cannot stand unnecessary noises, especially when they involve the mouth. This includes food chewing, ice chomping, tongue clicking, etc. I also hate finger ticking, toe tapping, and sighing.

Love Story

In order to fully understand how Ben and I function as a couple, (and since our 2 year wedding anniversary is next Monday) I thought I would

give a little background on us and how we met. It's fun to relive this story.

Ben was born in Jackson, Mississippi, on July 10, 1985.

His parents divorced around the time he was four and he moved to Vest

avia with his Mom when he was five. Both of his parents remarried, so he lived in two great homes in two different states his whole life. He was the cutest kid ever and apparently never changed in looks (dead ringer for his dad). From his Dad (Pau

l) and Stepmom (Robbie), he has a half-brother, Will. His stepdad Gene had two sons from a previous marriage, Denton and Patrick. He graduated from Vestavia Hills High School (he would say "GO REBELS!") in 2004, and after a brief stint in several local junior colleges, he and his mother decided it would be best for him to enter the gainfully employed workforce, where he has been ever since. He is a total guy's guy: loves basketball, football, and most importantly - Nascar. He has had the same group of friends since middle school and they now all hang out over here at our house when they are all in town. He's a killer griller and an upstanding man. He's one of those guys that everybody loves and you've never heard anyone say a bad word about. LOVE HIM.

I was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, on October 27, 1986, to a teacher

mom and a pastor dad. When I was two, Dad took a job in Dothan, Alabama, as a youth minister. I have an older brother, Wes, who is affectionately known as "Brosef." I grew up in and around Dothan as Dad took several different positions as pastors in several churches until he passed away in January, 1999, of cancer. After that, Wes graduated high school and Mom and I moved into a house in Dothan. I graduated from Houston Academy in 2004, and went to college at Troy University. After my freshman year, I was diagnosed with a thyroid disease, so I came back to Dothan to let Mom take care of me. I am a loud mouthed, fun loving person who unfortunately knows the taste of my foot fartoo well. I love to scrapbook, watch tv, and travel. Oh, and ALABAMA FOOTBALL!

Now, to where we get together...Remember when I said I went to Troy? Well, I pledged Phi Mu and met this really cool girl named Claire. We lived in the Phi Mu house toget

her at Troy and she adorned her walls in her room with pictures of her friends from Vestavia Hills High School. Some of those pictures included a really cute guy with shaggy hair and a crooked smile. I said, "Who is THAT?" She said, "Oh, that's Ben! He was my boyfriend in 5th grade! He's one of my best friends!" I said, "He is HOT!" From that point on, he was known as "Hot Benny."

Then, there was this one random weekend that I was in Dothan and Claire was in Birmingham and she invited me to come spend the night with her. My mom felt it was too late

for me to drive to Birmingham, and we got in a HUGE fight about it, so I lied and told her I was driving to Troy. I drove straight through Troy and right on to Birmingham. (She was totally right. I was a complete idiot.) I met Claire and her friends at Birmingham-Southern College.

And Hot Benny.

We were super flirty that night, and even had our first kiss, but he failed to get my number that night (he had no game). I met him again a few weeks later during Spring Break when hanging out again with Claire's friends (yes, this is the same group of friends I mentioned that is Ben's friends from middle school that all hang out at our house...). We talked for

a few weeks after Spring Break, but lost touch because I was kind of dating someone else at the time. I know. Totally skanktacular.

This is where it gets really corny.

About a year and a half later, I was playing on my myspace and I had a friend request from a Ben Parrish. I was like, OMG, that's Claire's friend! Hot Benny! I read on his profile that he was living in Tuscaloosa. I had plans to move to Tuscaloosa that summer, so I messaged him. He told me that he'd "lost" my number, so I gave it to him. He called me that night and we talked until SIX IN THE MORNING, just catching up. We talked non-stop for the next two weeks, and eventually we made plans for him to visit me in Dothan.

Ben came to visit after Christmas 2006. He drove up in his loud, cherry red Mustang GT, hopped out, and gave me a sweet kiss. We went to dinner and came back to Mom's house to watch a movie, where we fell asleep on the couch. The next night, we decided to drive down to the beach. While we were sitting on the beach, he looked at me and said, "I don't know why, but this just feels right. Will you be my girlfriend?" Talk about SOLD!

Mom told me that weekend that I would marry him. I told her she was crazy. The next weekend he surprised me and came back for another visit. He told me before he left that weekend he was going to marry me. I believed him. A year later, we were engaged.

Love is funny, huh? Can't imagine life without his sweet face!

Random Trivia Fact: When they filmed the movie Titanic, they made a life size ship, but only made one side. For shots of the other side, they filmed everything backwards and reversed the film.

Starting Over

So, I used to have another blog, but I have a terrible habit of when I don't like something or I let something lapse for too long, I just give up and start completely over...so welcome to the new blog. I have way more to blog about now than I used to, and I'm actually going to try to keep it up this time.

This is me and my super cute and amazingly awesome husband, Ben. We spend most of our time laughing together. I'm sure there will be many a blog post of the silly things he says and does to keep me entertained. He and I have a crazy love.

This is the greatest and best dog in the whole wide world, Charlotte. Ben and I adopted her about 8 weeks ago. She's a Lab/Terrier mix who is super sweet, and very fun. Right now, though, she's asleep on the couch, farting on me. Awesome. Love that Science Diet smell.

Me? I'm not that interesting. I go to work and then I sit around the house and do wifely things like laundry and cleaning and watch a lot of television. I just have some really interesting things that happen to me and my family that I think are funny and would love to share with the world. There are a few things you should know about me though before you make the commitment to read my blog:

1. I do love Jesus. You will see him mentioned several times. I suggest if you do not love Jesus, but would like to learn more about him, let me know. I would love to share.

2. I do love my husband. There will be sappy posts. Be prepared. There will also be some really funny crap that I post. He is freaking hilarious. But if you do not want to read about my husband, do not read my blog.

3. I am a Republican and a conservative Christian. If the event should occur that I choose to make a social commenting blog, it will be right sided. That is my disclaimer.

4. I like words. BIG words. Sometimes you may need a dictionary to use as a secondary reference while reading my blog. I'm not a freak. I just like words.

5. I think I'm funny. Other people think I'm funny. I hope you think I'm funny.

6. I really, really, really, really like lists. More than likely, each post will contain a list. It is my way of organizing my thoughts into concise points.

7. Each post will contain a random trivia fact because I am the queen of random trivia.

8. Seven is an awkward number to end a list on.

So, that's me. That's what to expect from this new blog of mine. I promise I will keep this updated. I hope that you enjoy my crazy life. I do. And yes, I named it after the TV show. My husband has a thing for Kim.

Random Trivia: You cannot sneeze with your eyes open. It is humanly impossible. You sneeze at over 100 mph. If your eyelids were open, your eyeballs would fly out.