Wamp's Birthday // 31 {Fri} day Challenge - Favorite Childhood Book

Today is a special day ... because today is 

{WAMP'S BIRTHDAY}

My sweet girl {and muse for all things I've made beautiful} is 9 years old today.  So I thought as a little tribute I'd post some of her best moments.

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My favorite childhood book was: Curious George Flies A Kite

From the ages of 3 to 8 I lived with my mom {biological} and I have very few good memories from that time, but one of my favorite was reading this book.

I can distinctly remember sitting in my room and reading this book all the time.  I was SO proud of myself when I finally figured out how to read the word "another" in this book.  I don't know if this was my favorite book because I could read it or if it was because it was the only book I had.  I wish I still had it, although if I look hard enough I think I do actually have it somewhere.

A lot of times when people ask for books instead of cards at baby showers I try to find this book, and I WILL for sure find a copy of it when I have children so I can read it to them. 

What was your favorite childhood book? 

Life Lately

My very favorite part of my Life Lately ... is getting to FaceTime with this handsome little guy!!

Mr. Blake Christopher Pirrone

Isn't he just the cutest little thing you ever did see?!?!

My cousin Amanda just gave birth to this little nugget on May 4th ... I can't wait to snuggle him!

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One of Mike's clients suggested this place for some great seafood.  Mike is all about suggestions to really good {usually hole-in-the-wall type} local restaurants.  So we went to check it out. 

I had this bowl with Jumbo Shrimp, Potatoes, Sausage, and Corn.  It was SO good! 

Get your hands dirty - finger lickin' good!

Mike had Ribs, Pulled Pork and Chicken Wings {and some of mine} 

He loved the Pulled Pork - said it was the best he's ever had - now that's saying something.

If you live in the area its called Kevin's Crab Shack in Palmetto.

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My mom found this little guy when she was taking her dog for a walk.  She spent the entire day sending me pictures and videos of him! He was just too cute not to share!

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On Memorial Day Mike and I went golfing!  Now this is usually an activity he does on his own with friends or family {I think it is important to have something that your significant other doesn't participate in all the time}.  So I was excited when he asked me to join him.

Side Note: Brandy and I tried out for the golf team in High School - we didn't quite make it but we we pretty good ;) 

Sunny Selfie 

He's good - I'm hit or miss.

I asked him to take a picture of me {for the blog} and instead he got this gold! A slow motion video of my swing ;) 

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I just completed a website that I built from bottom to top ALL BY MYSELF so I am very excited.  It is a client from my day job at SDE-TECH but I wanted to share it here anyways because I'm proud of myself.  It is for an insurance company here in Sarasota.

McBride Group

www.gomcbride.com

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Oh!! And our Orange Tree is blossoming!! 

Mike's family got this for me for my birthday - had it planted and everything as a surprise.  

It smells SOO good! - I can't wait until it has oranges.

That has been my life lately ... I'm not going to share with you what Wamp has been up to lately ... because she is getting a special post on Friday ... for a special reason :) 

How To Survive Creating Your Wedding Registry

I don't know about your significant others but mine HATES shopping and while your registry isn't shopping per say ... its still being in a store for more than 5 minutes.  I also do not like to purchase things unless I REALLY love them {in this case, I don't like to scan anything without REALLY loving it}.  

Mike and I are fortunate enough to have had our home for almost three years now so we already have a lot of the items couples register for.  However, that makes it difficult to find things to put on a registry.

With all that being said I had to come up with a game plan for us and I'm sharing with you some tactics I used:

1. Take Inventory of Your Home: What do you need? What needs to be replaced or updated? What do you use often? And of course MAKE A LIST.

Examples: Sheets, Pillowcases, Towels {bath and kitchen}, Baking Sheets, Pillows, etc.

2.  As a follow up to number one ... Keep A List.  When you inventory your home, write it all down and keep that list with you.  When your cleaning and something pops in your head that you'd like, write it down.  When your out and about and see something you'd like, write it down.  You wont be able to remember everything when the time comes.  You WILL be overwhelmed. 

3. Stop Buying Things for Your Home {preferably once your engaged} - It may bother you for a few months when you really want new accent pillows but fight though it because people are buying you presents in the next couple of months.  I have been wanting to change our bedding for months now, and although its driven me nuts I'm happy I waited.  When you think of something you want to change in your home ... write it down.

4.  Do a Dry Run.  The day before we went to do our registry I went and walked through Bed Bath and Beyond {an easy, universal place to register}.  I looked at stuff that I know I would have to consider and think about {i.e. bed sets, sheets, towels, art, etc.}.  That way I didn't have to mull over it when I had Mike with me.

5. Stick to Your Guns.  The very helpful people at BB&B were sure to let us know how many gifts to put on the registry and offered ideas on things to scan.  For some people this might be great but for us we knew what we wanted {our list} and we didn't want to register for things we really didn't want or need or waste time "thinking" about that avocado slicer.  We were up front and let our BB&B rep know this and also let them know that we didn't want to spend 4 hours there.

6.  Take Advantage of the Online Tools (if available).  I had already made changes to our registry when we got home using the online tool.  After thinking about it on the way home I wanted different colored towels and was able to change it instantly.  I will also use this tool after my shower in case the gift selection gets low.  Also, its great for nosy people {like me} to see what has been bought so far.

I hope some of these tips help you! In the end just have fun, I mean when else do you get to go around and make a big list of gifts for people to buy you?!?

31 Day Blog Challenge - Dream Job

Ahhh I've been excited about this one coming up and how great that it comes up during my month of Spring Cleaning! My dream job is to be the person on Hoarders that cleans out all the CRAP!

Yes, I would love nothing more than to shovel the years of stuff piled everywhere.  Now I do want to make note, I DO NOT want to be the person that convinces the hoarder that they have to get rid of everything.  I just want to be the one that gets rid of it ALL!!

I love getting rid of things and donating things and selling things ... and then turning around and making a place for everything {and everything in its place}.  You can only do that so many times in your own home ... so my dream job would be able to do that in everyone's home and even more so in homes that need it terribly.

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Also, don't forget ... Graduation is right around the corner.  There is a great selection of customized printable graduation announcements for the Class of 2015!

Life Lately

whats been going on in my life ... lately 

This was actually from a long time ago but I didn't want it to get lost between the {Weekend Wrap Up} and {Life Lately} - This is Mike, Marie, Jason {Marie's Husband} and I at the Tampa Bay Lighting vs Detroit Red Wings Playoff hockey game.  It was a great time ... even though the Red Wings lost :( 

As you can tell the couples were routing against each other!

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So Wamp has been staring under our dishwasher for a week or so now.  At first I thought maybe a lizard or a cockroach was under there {we live in Florida after all} and she was waiting for it to come out.  After a few days though I thought whatever it was ... kept going back under the dishwasher ... a mouse???

The other morning I was sitting at the table and I saw out of the corner of my eye, something run out {wamp chased it of course} and run back under ... I thought ... OH GREAT ... a mouse!!!

I put Wamp in the bedroom and waited for whatever it was to come out ... well this little guy made an appearance.

A Squirrel!! A little baby Squirrel!! He was so freakin' cute!! {Mike said we weren't allowed to domesticate a squirrel} so I got it outside to let him go.

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In some of my spare time I've been working on some fun side projects.  

I recently completed two logos. 

This one was actually a refresh for my friend Brandy's Photography business.  You can check out her work {HERE}

This one was for a friend of a sister of a friend of mine {that's a mouthful!} She is starting a company that creates camouflage with flowers incorporated for women.  How cool! 

If you are interested in have a logo created or branding, feel free to contact me at {wampdesigns@gmail.com} 

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One of Mike and I's favorite entertainer's is Kevin Hart.  He is hilarious in anything that he does! Mike bought us tickets to see his live show in Tampa {super excited}! A couple days before we went we decided to rent one of his new movies:

Loved It! I would say it was about an 8 on my movie scale.  It did remind me a little of {I love you man} with the whole best man thing but it had some great parts.  If you looking for a funny light-hearted movie, grab this one.

On Friday {of this past week} we went to see his live show.  Below is the ONLY picture we got because they were so strict with cell phones at the show ... he doesn't want any of his material to get out.  Mike's sister's {Brittany - Blonde and Nichole - Brunette} came with us and all of us were in tears almost the entire time.  There was one point where I thought I was in trouble because my throat was closing and I couldn't stop laughing.  If you have an opportunity to go see it .. GO!

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I've been working on a lot of wedding stuff  - which I'm mostly keeping to myself until after the wedding {I'll do a TON of posts after} - although I thought this picture kinda summed up a lot of what I've been working on with it .. so here's a sneak peak. 

That's about all for what has been happening in my life lately {that I have pictures of - still working on making sure I do that!}

Oh ... and this is what Wamp has been up to lately {besides hunting squirrel}