august = celebrating life!

who wants to celebrate their 22nd birthday at the beach??

who wants to attend a wedding that could easily be

confused with a (classy) college date party??

oh yeah -- this girl!

Natalie, Melissa, & I went to Destin with Toni's family during the first week in August. the week was spent reading, playing in the ocean, soaking up the sun, eating way too much, & relaxing. Toni's mom & aunt went above and beyond to make me feel special on my 22nd birthday! we made memories i'll never forget!

the beginning stages of baking my 3 layer birthday dessert

[i'm creative, huh? ha!]

before we went "out" for my birthday!

[i had forgotten how much i loved parasailing

andddd how nervous it made me]

after we left Destin, we headed to Tulsa to celebrate Lauren & Will's marriage! We got to Tulsa Thursday night and the wedding festivities commenced Friday evening. We had the rehearsal at the church in Tulsa then headed to Bartlesville for the dinner!

house party + the barbie doll bride.

5 of us were in the house party & Kate was a lovely bridesmaid :)

lauren + will ... such cuties! i can't even get over them!

some of my gorgeous friends!

i had been anticipating this week for months. give me any reason to celebrate & i'll do it whole heartedly.

i love baking in the sun, laughing until i cry, eating snacks, drinking yummy beverages on the beach, seeing Lauren glow with genuine happiness, being reunited with my best friends, talking in british accents & dancing the night away.

Lauren + Will's ceremony and reception were truly fairytale like. His love for her is so evident & she just basks in it. every detail went flawlessly, the Heavens waited to open the flood gates until after the ceremony, & the reception was literally a date party post college. the love that night was so thick you could feel it. if i could repeat their reception once a month -- i totally would.

what a fabulous way to end the summer and start our new lives.