My first Gender Reveal Party

Last night I had the priveledge to attend Matt and Martha's gender reveal party.  This was my very first one to ever attend.  I have seen videos and pictures from other people's, but never have I experienced the excitement and joy first hand.  Beth (the proud aunt) and I met and road up together.  She and I both had blue on, but I was still torn, so I had packed some pink shoes just in case :). 

I had already looked at the chinese birth chart predicter, but I wasn't sure on the details I used.  Beth checked it again and that's when I realized there are 2 different ways that this can be read...

First way - To predict what sex your baby will be, locate the age the mother will be when she gives birth and the month the child was conceived. 

Martha - will be 28 when she gives birth and she conceived in December = Girl

Second way - Take note of the mother's age at the time of conception.  Take note of the month when the baby was conceived.

Martha - was 27 in December = Boy

I have always heard the second way of figuring it out and plus it matched what my gut was saying.  When Beth and I got there the only other person there was Beth and Matt's dad, so we were hoping that Martha would accidently slip and say something, but she never did.  We pointed out everything blue in their house, just to see if Martha would budge.  Oh Martha you got blue couches and blue pillows.  You guys just painted the porch...BLUE!!!  She decorated with all pink and blue!!

Aunt Beth casting her vote!!  Go BOY!!!

Shannon getting some blue lemonade!!

Pink Lemonade drinkers!!

Martha had baby pictures of people her and Matt's family and one of the games was to guess who was who!!

Matt and his Memaw.

Pink and blue cookies and candies

This is where you voted.  Martha had a boy outfit and a girl outfit.  She also had a bucket to give the new parents advice!

The blues with the mommy and the daddy!!  Matt and Martha already knew, so they wore black :).

The pinks with the mommy and the daddy.

The whole group!!

They made us suffer through dinner before we could find out.  I scarfed my dinner down and was like OK I'm ready!!!  I did have my video camera there, but I haven't uploaded it just yet.  Matt and Martha handed out the cupcakes she had made and then read one final poem.  Everyone bit down and then started cheering.  I couldn't bite into mine because I was video taping, so I just kept saying, "what is it?  what is it?"  Finally I got a peak inside someones and it was BLUE!!!!!!!!  YAY!!!!!

Congrats to Matt and Martha!!  We all can't wait to meet baby Riley!!!!!!

Happy revealing,

World Down Syndrome Day

I'm a couple of days late to celebrate this holiday on March 21st, but I had to share this video with you all.



Happy Late World Down Syndrome day,

Leigh and Nathan - Wedding Trailer

Here is a wedding trailer I just finished.  Actually I had intended to have it up sooner, but for some reason the file got deleted and I couldn't find it, so I had to re-edit it again :(.  It happens and it's really sad when it does, but all that matters is that it's here now!!  Enjoy!!

Nathan and Leigh had such a FUN wedding!!!! This trailer doesn't even touch the moments of laughter, humor and excitement that this day held! George and Jay Houston of Click Photography did an AWESOME job getting the bridal party to feel comfortable and allowing them to be themselves in front of the camera. Leigh is such a gorgeous bride! She glowed the whole day! You couldn't knock the smile off of her face and the laughter only increased as the day went on. You can see the love that Nathan and Leigh have for one another and I hope they enjoy their wedding trailer!

Love and Laughter,  

Another Announcement!

The first picture was taken and the first heartbeat was heard!  Yesterday it became 'facebook official,' which in a lot of people's minds is the most official of all these days.  That's right...my best friend Rachel is PREGNANT!!  Ohhhh am I soooo excited!!!!  She tells how she told everyone on her blog.  My favorite reaction is Alex, Rachel's son's!  He is going to be such an awesome big brother!! We all think it's going to be a boy, but they aren't going to find out until he or she is here.  I'm super excited for that because she has asked me to video the birth...EEEKKKK!!!!  November 1st is the big day!!!! 

Keep Lee and Rachel in your prayers for healthy baby!

2Hyrs Camp-out

2Hyrs is a group that our youth minister's wife started. Our youth group is called 2HYM (Highland Heights Youth Ministry) and Alison played off of that for the 2Hyrs name. I honestly can't remember what it stands for, but the girls get together once a month without the boys to do service projects or just hang out. This year they decided to add mentors in the mix. There are several mentors and we are all in different age-range, so it's been really fun when we have the activities that a lot of people are able to come to.

Monday night I got the privilege to camp-out with some of them!!!  Yes, I worked all day Monday and came into work Tuesday morning :), but I just couldn't tell them no.  I am helping teach their bible class this quarter and I am LOVIN' IT!!  The girls are so sweet and I'm learning so much from them.  I hope they can say the same about me.

We went to Cedars of Lebanon and it was so perfect!  It will definitely not be the last time I go out there to camp.  We arrived at the camp at about 4:30 to start setting up the tent and get the fire going before it got dark.  Once we picked our site I went back to the camp check-in to wait on the ranger.  Christie decided to send me an action picture of what was going on...

From right to left - Not sure what Shelby and Morgan (the lumberjack) are doing.  Haley is jump roping and Jessica is putting together Morgan's tent.

I waited at the camp check-in for about 30 minutes and then decided to call and make sure someone was coming.  The number I had called earlier went to voicemail, so I dialed the next number and the guy said the ranger will come around and find us...really I didn't have to stand there.  Well, now I know :).

When I pulled into the site we unloaded all the food and drinks from my car and Christie said, "Did you bring wood?"

"Nope sure didn't.  Girls, time to search for some dry wood."  They went on the hunt.  The ranger came by and a guy with a ton of wood in his trunk.  I tracked him down later and found out the BP at the entrance of the park sells it.  So, there I am in the middle of a state park, named CEDARS of Lebanon mind you, going to buy wood...interesting picture huh?  Well, I got a couple of bundles thinking it would last us the whole night.  Oh I forgot to tell you that while I was searching for the man with the wood in his trunk, I found a vacant campsite with very large logs sitting by the fire pit.  I decided to snatch a few of those as well.

When I got back the tent was in the final stages of standing on it's own and Christie had a timer going to see how long it would take them.  She started the timer about 15 minutes after they started working and stopped the timer at 49 minutes!  Wonder if we had some guys on the trip how long it would have taken them?  We should have started the timer when we started the fire, but alas we did not.  I do know that we were all starving so the longer it took the more we complained.  Jessica came through and rescued us as she kindled the coals back to life...

And look it's still a little light outside. 

Jessica and Morgan had already been on a tree climbing adventure and came back telling us about 2 guys they met that wanted to meet up with them later that night.  Shelby was the most excited because she is single :).  We had it in the plan to meet up with them at 10...it was so fun being with these girls all night, really took me back :).  In the meantime, we ate dinner, went on a bathroom run, Morgan tried to become a knife thrower

we had a dance party and probably my favorite part of the night was when the girls were singing.

Isn't it beautiful!!  It really reminded me of when my roommates and I would climb on the roof of Porter Terry and just sing!!! 

The night seemed to go by so slow, which I am thankful for, but finally 10pm rolled around and we all headed to the ball field to meet up with Brent and Miles.  Brent was described by Morgan as dark skin and dark hair, very dreamy and Miles was described by Jessica as a red head with frekles and SUPER CUTE!!  Christie and I just kind of hung back to let the girls have their time and not look like we were smuldering them.  Morgan and Jessica walked over to the ball field and waited.  Finally, the moved into the shadows of the trees where we couldn't see them. We figured the boys didn't want to be in the light that was shining right on them so they called them over there.  They said they had some friends and came to where we were and grabbed the rest of the girls...long story short... there was no Brent and Miles and the girls just really wanted us to believe it!!  They are soooo silly!!!! 

Once we got back to the campsite we made our beds up and sat around in a circle and told ghost stories. I told one (happy hollow bible camp) and Morgan told 2. After those were over we all started winding down. I slept pretty good that night. There were a couple of times that I woke up, but nothing too crazy.

I got up at 5:30 and headed to the shower house.  It felt like I was at camp getting ready!  I just loved it!!  Most people probably would have driven home to get ready, but it was way out of the way to do that and I'm not picky :). 

We just had such a good time!!  I really hope the girls had fun and that we can all do it again soon!!  Thanks for inviting me girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!