Awesome Giveaway!

Today I came across a lovely blog giveaway from Money Saving Mom, check it out here. This blog always some great recipes, advice, menu plans and GIVEAWAYS! Have fun exploring!

PS if you haven't seen julie and julia you definitely need to.

I am proud to announce..

Brandon Cayle Stanley will be completing a four year oral maxillofacial surgery residency at Wilford Hall in San Antonio, Texas!!! That means that we will be moving on up and moving on out to Texas summer of 2010. He selected from the cream of the crop and is one of two that will start the program in 2011. It is our big adventure and we are so excited that God has truly blessed us with this great opportunity.

Fall Break

I love the sun, the sand and a drink in my hand! And that adequately describes my entire past week; we went with about 15 of Brandon's classmates on a cruise to Progreso and Cozumel. We relaxed, snorkeled, played beach volleyball, played on ocean trampolines, sea kayaked, and got lots of sun. Oh did I mention, we ate...alot. Lastly, our new found AWESOME liberating activity...throwing plates off the back of the ship, amazing. This activity though must happen at approximately 4 in the morning the last morning of the cruise...it's let me repeat, awesome. Here are a few highlights of the trip that I have, unfortunately the camera went past its alloted 10ft in the water.

The Ship, The Carnival Holiday:

Brandon and Me before dinner, on the catamaran headed to snorkel and Brandon diving to see the coral up close:

Happy Fall Break!

We are now home and getting ready for work and the remainder of Brandon's senior fall break.

Pray for us over the next few weeks, we hope to find out good news regarding residency!

Getting Started

I have been in awe of these women recently who post on their blogs about $35 a week grocery budgets. I have read and read and read early in the morning and late in the night how these women do it some with children! I then read a post of Suzie's that said her local grocer had a seminar about how to save money and how we really should be good stewards of our budgets. Then I started feeling a little guilty about my random trips to the grocery store and coming out with $50 worth of junk. So I have decided to join the ranks of money saving women out there. Methods include printable coupons, purchasing multiple Sunday papers, AllYou magazines, only purchasing items that are currently on sale, meal planning, one day a month baking/cooking, organizing coupons, joining clubs, using toolbars, shopping CVS only, Walgreens only, Publix only, and the list goes on and on.

So I decided to start with...Walgreens, what a suprise right? Yeah, I work there; therefore I boost my retirement account, increase my profit sharing, see the great people I work with and, oh yeah, get an extra 15-20% off. So I went to buy a few items that are currently on sale and I have coupons for. When Leigha is ringing me up, I'm thinking I'm getting the hang of this couponing thing. I bought $110 worth of wonderful buys for $54, with $56 savings and tomorrow I'm going to buy more cereal since it's so cheap and I'll never get it that cheap again. (I bet I'll want to buy different cereal by December.) I also did not get my $12 RR so my wonderful manager will refund that to me tomorrow as well. Yeah for couponing!

Here are some of my favorites so far: Money Saving Mom, Saving Money and Living Life, and I Heart Publix!

New Project!

I am so excited, will you look at the gem below...

I have two! Yes they are NOT in any sort of condition to let people sit in but I can't wait to stroll through long aisles of fabulous fabrics. I would love suggestions as I start my search for the right fabric! Have a great Saturday!

I have a confession...

I love to read blogs. Not only my college friends blogs like ERay, Dana, Aubrey and Suzie but also highschool friends blogs like the newly discovered Emily Lilley, and Maggie Richards. But let me tell you my favorite thing to do...read random people's blogs. Now let me tell you most of these randoms are links in friends' blogs. I absolutely love seeing each day's pretty on the Newlywed Diaries, the new adventures of Wolo, the style of blue hydrangea and the list goes on and on. One of my absolute favorites is Ricki Chester of Red House Studios, can I just say wow. She is awesome. Well enough confessions today, I feel better letting you know that I love this blog world.

The application process

Saturday was Brandon's GRE and it went well! Congrats to him, he conquered one huge hurdle on the way to applying for residency. Pray for God's will to be revealed in the next several months-years. This is a very exciting time in our lives...we'll see soo soon!

Welcome Baby Will

My dear sister in law and brother in law welcomed their new bundle o' joy in to this world three weeks ago and he is darlin'! Welcome to the world Will Beckett! I can't wait to meet you!

Graduation, Europe, Externships, New Job, and of course, Wedding Season!

YEAH!! I graduated. Here are some select pictures from the day we have all been waiting for:

Me and my Hubby- Thank you for driving me to my interview just a few four years ago, bringing me dinner to the study rooms in the pharmacy school and supporting me throughout my school years!

Me, my parents and my grandmother- The backbone of my support group. Thank you for everything over my entire twentyfour years. You are each so special to me I am proud to have you in my life!! I love you and thank you thank you thank you!

And the fabulous Papaw and Mert! If it weren't for them I wouldn't have clean clothes to wear to school! They are absolutely wonderful and supportive as well! Thank you thank you thank you!

So after graduation my mother and I went to Europe. Starting in Chattanooga we drove to Atlanta, flew to Barcelona, got on the NCL Gem and saw the fabulous view of Spain, Malta, Italy, and France. Highlights to follow.

While Mom and I were on our girls' trip dear husband worked his hiney off! He visited Knoxville, TN; San Antonio, TX; and Fairfield, CA. He didn't sleep much and learned a great deal about oral surgery.

Then mom and I came back...and work started. The Walgreens in Roebuck took me in and taught me to be a pharmacist. Wow, it's a big girl job!

Weddings were EVERY SINGLE WEEKEND! It was certainly a busy busy wedding season! Family, Friends, Roommates, Classmates CRAZINESS!

Well that's all for now...

Another One!

Look at this great skincare giveaway at Bergdorf Blondes! I'm keeping my fingers crossed!
Also this great big giveaway over at Making Lemonade, so exciting I would LOVE the cupcake book!!

Look what I found!

I'm so excited; it's a giveaway at: Sweet Tea Diaries! I love the stationery that has been picked for this one!

Happy Spring Break and Hoppy Easter

The past two weeks have been so great; Brandon and I got to visit with his Uncle Keith and Nancy in Breckinridge, Colorado, then I went to visit my grandmother in Naples, Florida, Brandon's dad came to Birmingham to help construct a fence for our precious puppies, and my family then came down for the Easter weekend. Skiing/snowboarding was excellent, we had fresh powder many days and it was just a little windy at the top on some days. Here are some highlights:

Thi is before snow mode:

This is after we got the camera working right:

We had a ton of fun! A big thanks to Keith and Nancy for letting us visit. Then, like I said I went to Naples to visit with my grandmother and David...here are some highlights

Dinner at Trulucks:

At the piano bar in Trulucks:

These two are so much FUN! I can't tell you I enjoyed myself to no end! David and Mamaw-thank you for letting me visit!

So, you ask, what did that handsome husband of mine do while I was off in Naples?? He began a HUGE project here in Birmingham that included landscaping and fence building! YEAH!! There is now grass growing and fence posts in place! I love my husband!! He rocks!

And that's all for now...have a great day!

We have a new spring friend...

It's our bird! With a few eggs in the nest, Brandon couldn't bear to take it down; therefore we have a bird for a little while. Usually when I take the dogs out the front door it vanishes, but not this time...it stuck around long enough for me to go back inside and get the camera to snap a picture. Happy Spring!

Yes, it's been awhile...

and for that I apologize, but in my defense, we've been busy. I now have five days left of my last rotation for pharmacy school. After those five days, my requirements for graduation, not including my 616 research project, are complete. Fortunately, I am off for my research project in April and to work, for moola! On the weekends, we have a few places to be...Breckenridge, Colorado; Naples, Florida; Birmingham, Alabama; Nashville, Tennessee; Rogers, Arkansas; Pensacola, Florida; GRADUATION; Oneida, Tennessee. This is our schedule for the next few weekends; most weekends are weddings, but we also will be skiing/snowboarding, hosting/dying eggs, and GRADUATING! Happy weddings to those who are getting married! I will have to give a few shout outs-Mary Keown, Amanda Lewis, Mandi Stanley, Quinn Swanquist, Casey Adkins, and Matthew Price, Brandon and I are excited to be a part of your big day!

SO, what have we been doing in the meantime? Brandon has scrubbed in on surgeries, completed lots of requirements and I have had several great rotations with some of the nicest preceptors of the year. We aren't all work though- this weekend- we went to the North Alabama Whitewater Festival in Hayden, AL. Here are a few highlights from the new camera.

Us on the way up I-65, ready for a break

Camping!

Watching the competition...

Playing pranks...

And kayaking.... we.re absolutely loving life.