So Artsy

For a while, I have been dying to try one of the painting classes here in Nashville. There are a few different places where you can bring your own refreshments and learn to paint a picture. Last week I finally got to go to Paint and Canvas! It was sooo much fun! I also had such fun company. Thanks Jason and Adrienne for this amazing gift!

Here they are hard at work.

There were some seriously painters in our class, but I think ours turned out pretty great! Jason made friends with EVERYONE in the class and his painting was very popular. I can't wait to hang it up somewhere soon! I am VERY proud of my work!

Away game in Arkansas

Last weekend I made the long trip to Northwest Arkansas to visit my sister Amy, Kory, and Kaitlin. We have all been looking forward to this trip for a long time! I was excited to get to see the Vols play while I was out there too!!

My flight to Arkansas was sooo early, but it was so fun to be traveling with lots of other UT fans! It made the flights so fun to talk SEC football! We all became like family while traveling! Side Note: I always make good friends on flights. People should fly with me more.

Then I got to spend Friday with Amy and Kaitlin and we had the best time! We had a girls lunch and then spent the day playing in Kaitlin's kitchen, going to a birthday party, and watching Dora. Seriously makes my heart so happy to spend time with those girls!

The game.... well it wasnt the best. We played horrible and it was about 20 degrees plus winds of about 50 mph (Am I being dramatic? Maybe, but it seriously felt like it). At least we had great seats! Here I am with the team listening to their game plan.

And my FAVORITE part of the game! I Love Smokey!

My trip back to Nashville was a little more eventful. Cracked windshields, canceled flights, turbulence, layovers, more turbulence, barf bags, and new friends! But I made it back safely and had such a fun time in Arkansas. Can't wait to get back there soon!

Mother's Day in November?

I got Mom tickets to see Straight No Chaser back in May for Mother's day! And finally we got to celebrate and enjoy the show!!

Straight No Chaser is an acapella group from Indiana that my friends Adrienne and Jason introduced me to a few years ago. They are amazing!! Seriously...... soooo good!

It was so fun to have Mom and Dad in Nashville and so fun to have Jason come with us! He is so fun to take to concerts!

Halloween

Halloween is my favorite of the non-big holidays. Of course Christmas and Thanksgiving are the best holidays ever....but I love to dress up in costumes so Halloween comes in close to the top!

I am very sad to say that this year I got so sick during the Halloween weekend. I had all these exciting ideas of going out with friends and dressing up, but ended up staying home all weekend on the couch. I ended up having a cold (virus) , somehow hurting my back ( I sound so OLD), and got some yucky eye infection (ewww). Soooooo basically I looked and felt like quasimoto.

I did get to enjoy some Halloween dress up during our Wilco all county Halloween club! I went as Rachel from Glee. Here are some of my other BA friends at our Halloween Club.

Adrienne and I get an annual Halloween picture at Young Life! We always have the most random costumes ever. This year.... Adrienne wins for scariest costume!

Some of my favorite people ever at our YL Halloween Club! Love my Young Life team!

Even though I got sick, Im glad I still got to dress up and enjoy some YL Halloween Club! Cant wait till next year!

Fall Break Part 2

The rest of my time in Knoxville was so much fun! It was a lot of time with my parents and my Knoxville friends. It is just so great to be home! I got to visit with some of my precious Young Life girls who are now at UT and I also got to catch up with some sweet ladies from church! It was just so great being home!

After a brief stop in Nashville for a UT alumni event at Yazoo, I continued my tour of Tennessee to Memphis! I finally got to meet Lindsey's new baby Ellie! She was so precious and so good!!

With the boys and Ellie, Lindsey has her hands very FULL! I was exhausted just spending the day with them! Lindsey and I also went to see the new Footloose movie. I LOVED it! So much fun!

My fall break ended back in Nashville for Anna's bachelorette party! We all went to Arrington Vineyards for the afternoon on Saturday and it was just so perfect! I loved being outside in the vineyard.

Later that night we went down to the Honky Tonks to celebrate! "Just a small town girl...."

Fall break was so wonderful. I got to see so many of my friends and family, it is hard to be back to reality. I am so thankful for a whole week off to spend time with the people I love most!

Fall Break Part 1

HOORAAY FOR FALL BREAK!!!! Whew...... I am so thankful for a whole week off for fall break. So excited. So thankful. So in need of rest.

I spent my fall break doing lots of fun things. The first fun thing I did was head home to Knoxville to visit my family! I love my parents!

I was so happy that Amy and Kory and Kaitlin were there too!

We all went to the UT/LSU game together. Despite the loss, we had the BEST time at the game. Laughed a lot with these two! So much fun!

I tired to get Kaitlin to play with me, but she was more interested in her movie.

But finally after a tickling contest, she sat with me. I could do this all day....

I just loved this day! Perfect fall weather, my whole family, and UT football! What a great start to my fall break!

Sharp Top 2011

I had the pleasure of taking a precious group of BA girls to Sharp Top last weekend!!

We had such a fun group of girls go with us to camp.... about 14 Sophomore and Junior girls all together!

The weekend started (for me) at 11:30 Friday night when a few of us got on the late bus and headed to Georgia for camp. We got to camp around 5am and woke up the rest of the BA girls and laughed and had quite a fun time at 5am. I think I am still tired from my lack of sleep.

who doesnt love a jumping picture?!

We all had a great weekend! Sharp Top is a very special place! It was so fun being with an awesome cabin of girls and two fun leaders :)

Thirty, Flirty, and Fabulous!

Happy Birthday Amy!!

It's a big birthday to celebrate!! In honor of her birthday, here are 30 things that makes Amy so awesome!!

1. She is a great big sister

2. She is Peyton Manning's number 1 fan

3. Loves the color orange

4. Amy wanted to be Hannah Storm when she was growing up

5. Loves breaking news

6. Sang "Tomorrow" at Musical Theater camp

7. Was the star at Musical Theater camp :)

8. She knows more about football than most boys

9. She is a great Mom

10. Easy to talk to

11. Not afraid to try new things

12. She is such a LOYAL friend

13. Amy loves ribbons in her hair (note: I said loves....not loved).

14. Won't leave the house without sunglasses (on her head).

15. She looks good in every color.

16. Never finishes her drinks, but leaves them in every room

17. You can tell when she is unhappy about something because she sighs very loudly.

18. She has a very tender heart

19. Made up the best dance moves to NKOTB and MC Hammer

20. She has the most beautiful blue eyes

21. I would consider her a morning person - well compared to me!

22. Amy loves to snuggle

23. She is a natural encourager and cheerleader

24. She is a great decision maker. She helps me decide what to eat and which outfit to wear

25. Amy is very generous

26. Loves chick-flicks (seriously, notice the title....13 going on 30)!

27. We could recite parts of "You've Got Mail" in everyday conversation

28. She loves to read (but would love it more if she read Twilight hint)

29. Diet Dr. Pepper is her drink of choice

30. She is FABULOUS!!!

Hope you have a great day! I love you!!

Katie's wedding

Katie and Gary's wedding happened a while ago, but I have to share a few pictures of the weekend! I just LOVED being a part of this weekend with everyone! I have known Katie my whole life, so it honestly felt like family getting married! The weekend was so fun because I knew all the bridesmaids from college, and I knew all the groomsmen from high school.

The weekend started off with a fun bridesmaid luncheon at Cook's Loft and the rehearsal dinner at Calhouns on the River (my favorite Knoxville restaurant). Both were filled with lots of laughs and lots of tears.

The wedding weekend was perfect. The weather couldn't have been better, and everything was just so fun! It was so fun to be with everyone getting ready on Saturday.

And I LOVE the robes.

Typical Rachel in hot rollers. Some things never change....

And I am so thankful for my fabulous parents.

It was the best weekend. Congrats to Katie and Gary :)

It's been a while

I don't know why it has been so hard for me to blog lately. I love my new job, but I have been pretty exhausted. And to be honest, I haven't made the time to do anything else but survive haha!

But now I'm (hopefully) back! Back to blogging and back to being awesome.

update

Well, A LOT has happened the last few weeks. I keep trying to get it down on the blog, but I have a hard time finding the right words for all my thoughts. It is kinda a long, dramatic (not really dramatic, just Rachel dramatic) story. So, we will go with the quick version for now. I am sure I will do a long and emotional blog post later.... but for now....

I got a job!!! I am thrilled to be working as an elementary school counselor! It is crazy to finally be working as a counselor! I went to grad school for three years for this so I am so happy to be in a great school.

I havent been blogging as much because:

1- I am exhausted

2- I am a little overwhelmed with trying to get everything ready and working long hours

3- I haven't been on the internet very much since I started my new job! gasp! I know! It's just too busy to get on facebook or pintrest or blogs!

I am so thankful. Seriously, so thankful for a job and to be able to serve. And for a job. And now I'm crying....which means time to end the blog for now! So happy!

Katie's shower

This weekend was so fun getting to celebrate Katie! I am so thankful for Katie 's friendship and I can't wait till her wedding next month!

I have known Katie since we moved into the house across the street 22 years ago! I cant believe it has been that long!

This shower was so fun to catch up and see some friends from high school...

And get to hang out with some friends from college!

It was also a special time because our families have become really close over the years. I feel like they are family! I love this picture of me and Katie and our moms! So cute!

After we all took naps and relaxed after the big brunch, we went out to continue the fun!

I had the best time with these girls this weekend! It was so fun to be home!

Final stop: Portland

What can I say about Portland....

It's kinda weird. And Portlanders (is that even what they are called) love that they are weird. They embrace it.

We did all the touristy things.... saw the sights.

Saw the world's largest independent bookstore!

My favorite thing that we did in Portland was go to the Rose Garden. It was amazing!!!

That's really all I have to say about Portland! haha I think we were just all ready to head back home at this point.

Such an amazing trip. I had the trip of a lifetime. Love my parents. Loved seeing this beautiful country we live in! USA :)

The End!