Pink Coffee Photo Blog

Like most of you, our Easter weekend was busy! We kicked off the celebration Thursday night at our church's Maundy Thursday service. It was absolutely incredible. I left with a grateful heart for all Jesus has done for me. I'm so undeserving, but so thankful that He loves me anyway! 

Friday our good friends Ben and <a href="http://www.audreyhabeck.blogspot.com/">Audrey Habeck</a> came to Jacksonville and stayed with us for the shortest visit ever. I wanted to lock them in the guest room, so they couldn't go back to Atlanta Saturday morning. But alas, we had to let them (and Baby Habeck) go. Anderson and I both LOVE hanging out with Ben and Aud. They are the kind of friends we can talk to about anything, and totally relax and be ourselves around. We're already counting down until we get to see them again in June!!

Ben, Audrey, Me and Anderson crammed in the Mini Cooper.

The four of us having breakfast at Mimi's Cafe.

Something crazy happened Friday night while we were at <a href="http://thebrickrestaurant.com/main2mod2.swf">The Brick</a> in Avondale with Ben and Audrey and some other people. I ran into a couple that Anderson and I know and chatted for a few minutes. They told me they were having dessert with friends who were visiting from Chicago. I turned to the other couple and introduced myself, but the wife said, "Oh, I know who you are. I read your blog." How crazy is that? I couldn't believe it. I say this all the time, but it truly is such a small world! What are the chances? Of course I had to get a picture with her.
Me and Laura. Check out her <a href="http://www.scottandlauradickinson.blogspot.com/">blog</a>. She cracks me up-Look at the joke she and her hubby pulled on April Fool's Day!!!

My husband doesn't get nearly as excited about holidays as I do. That's just not how he grew up, and I don't think he's quite used to all the crazy excitement that I grew up with and have come to love so much. So, this year I decided to scale back my Easter hoopla. I didn't use the adorable soccer ball Easter basket that I usually put candy and goodies in. I simply bought this for him:

An egg shrink-wrapped in a soccer wrapper with candy inside. He was proud of my restraint!

So imagine my surprise Saturday afternoon when he told me we were starting a new Easter tradition; one he remembers from his childhood. He handed me some carrots (real ones) and told me to hide them around the house. I didn't know what was going on, so I was careful to hide them in really obvious places. I didn't want to find rotten carrots at Christmastime! Then he told me to pretend to go to sleep. I asked if we should wait until that night, but he said he was too excited to wait. So off to the bedroom I went. A few minutes later he came in and scolded me for not pretending to sleep-I was cleaning up the bedroom. So, I stretched out on the bed and "slept" until he came back and shook me and said, "Wake up. It's Easter morning and the Easter Bunny came!" I was laughing so hard at this point. He told me to look everywhere I hid the carrots and in their place he had put BIG chocolate Easter eggs filled with Brazilian candy. How funny is that?! I loved it.

A carrot and the yummy candy.

Inside one of the eggs. 

After church Sunday morning Anderson and I drove out to Callahan for the annual "River Road Easter Lunch". Twenty years ago, when my parents built their house in Callahan on River Road, their neighbors started inviting us to their annual Easter lunch. Almost all of them are related, but they are so sweet and treat us like family. The food is always delicious, so instead of trying to make a dish that would stand up to the others, I opted for cute coconut cupcakes with chocolate eggs inside. You get a little surprise when you bite into one!
 
My humble contribution to Easter Lunch.

After lunch my parents wanted to introduce me and Anderson to our newest "brother". Yes, they said that! His name is Easter, and he's only 4 days old. :)
***Edit*** My dad left me this comment: "OK city girl, Easter (your mother assigned the name) is a heifer which means you do not have a new brother but rather that little sister you always wanted!!! Which reminds me – did Mom and I tell you our news :) ?"
haha-OOPS!

Have you ever been in a situation where someone says, "So, tell me a little about yourself", and you totally freeze? That's happened to me many times, but not today! Below is a list, two actually. Thirty things that make me smile and thirty things that don't. Read it and study it closely, so you'll know how not to annoy me if we ever meet in person. Ha-kidding! Leave me a comment though. I want to know what makes you smile (or not) too!

Things that put a smile on my face:

1. Waking up each morning and knowing that God is in control!
2. Pineapple and cheese pizza.
3. "Air quotes". I try to use them at least once a day. :)
4. Being chauffeured. I don't like driving.
5. Dinner at Mom and Dad's and the leftovers we bring home.
6. Having a *star* on my license plate.
7. Completing a decorating project.
8. Funny notes from Anderson on our chalkboard wall.
9. Tattoos.
10. Roasting marshmallows.
11. Laughing with my Mom on the phone.
12. Finding a package by the front door. The best is when I forget I even ordered something.
13. A bowl of cereal for dessert.
14. Answered prayer!
15. Dinner at a restaurant I've never been to.
16. When I cook dinner and Anderson says it's the best meal he's ever had. (He says this every time!)
17. When a groom gets all choked up as his bride walks down the isle.
18. Tex-mex.
19. Trying to figure out what kind of animal people look like. Everyone reminds me of some kind of animal.
20. Pulling weeds.
21. Big, chunky, gaudy jewelry.
22. etsy.com
23. Maybelline Great Lash mascara.
24. Receiving a present for no reason.
25. Fresh flowers in the guest room.
26. When God shows up and does something so big I can't even try to explain it.
27. My Dad's hugs.
28. When I meet someone for the first time and feel like I've known them forever.
29. Christmas morning.
30. Hot sauce.

Things that I'm not so crazy about:

1. When I dry a load of clothes but some of them stay damp.
2. Anderson's new hobby-SNORING. It's killing me.
3. People who are uncomfortable with silence.
4. Coupons.
5. Left-lane losers.
6. Birthday clowns; any clown actually.
7. When I don't think before I speak.
8. Long flights. I've never been able to sleep on a plane.
9. Having to break up with bad friends.
10. When moms and daughters dress alike-creepy.
11. Returning phone calls. I'm so bad at this.
12. When people say things online that they would never say face to face. Not nice!
13. McDonald's Latte and Cappuccino. They seriously don't get anything right.
14. Resort-Wear. You know, those flowy matching pants and tops that some older ladies think are so chic?!
15. When I try telling a funny story, and it bombs. I'm the world's worst storyteller.
16. Dark meat chicken.
17. Teddy bears and almost all other stuffed animals.
18. People who spell my name wrong in a reply email. Hello, scroll to the bottom and check the spelling!
19. Ultra-preppy clothing. (monograms, plaid, etc)
20. Chewing with an open mouth.
21. Closed-minds.
22. Movies with less than stellar endings.
23. Racism.
24. When men wear sweaters tied around their shoulders.
25. When a waiting room only has really boring magazines to look at.
26. When someone outbids me on ebay with 3 seconds left.
27. Cats.
28. Bad pedicures.
29. Junk mail.
30. Negative people. Stay away from me!

And because a photography blog post without pictures just isn't right, here's something I'm looking forward to. This person (and her hubby) will be occupying our guest room this weekend:

One more thing. Remember the 5,000 pictures of me and Anderson from Scarlett Lillian's night shoot in Las Vegas? In case you didn't get your fill, go check out the fun behind-the-scenes video she posted today. You can see it <a href="http://scarlettlillian.blogspot.com/">here</a>.

When we moved into our home last November, I mentally gave myself one year to get everything decorated and settled. I need motivation sometimes and like to have a goal to work towards. Every since I can remember I've had this one annoying habit…yes, just one!! I get a very specific idea in my head and am not satisfied until I find the very specific items I'm looking for. I remember going shopping with my mom for a special event dress and never feeling satisfied until I found the one I had envisioned. It had to be the same style and color as the one in my mind, or I was leaving empty-handed. My poor Mom!! Basically, I just don't like to settle! So, because of this annoying habit projects like decorating take time with me. I carefully scour stores until I find that item that will look just perfect. I didn't really want to put pictures online until I got everything "just so", but I keep talking about different projects I'm working on and decided to share a few little glimpses with you. Just some fun corners and favorite spots around the house. Enjoy!

Our bedroom. I just painted it this week, and we're loving it! The bed and end tables are from IKEA and pillows are from Target and Stein Mart. The picture with the major glare is my favorite engagement picture, but it's coming down tonight. It's a little too busy on the zebra wall. :)

My parents gave me this funny sign. It's in our kitchen. The "A" came from Hobby Lobby.

I was "jump up and down" excited when I found the needle point on the left at a thrift store! The big yellow frame came from my Grandma's house. It was white, so I gave it some life. That's a tea towel from Urban Outfitters (one of my favorite stores) inside of it.

This BIG red decal is hanging in the kitchen. It's a fun tribute to my Grandma, because she always said this quote. :)

The guest bathroom, and I had to show you my favorite expensive bubble bath-Mr. Bubble rocks!

I love scripture, but I'm having a hard time finding unique, fun stuff with Bible verses on it. This one came from Hobby Lobby. Does anybody know where I can find more like this? I might end up making some.

The guest room is a work in progress, but for now at least it's bright and cheery. I got my inspiration for this room from my favorite designer, Betsey Johnson. On the wall: another "A"-leftover wedding decoration, frames I painted, and canvases covered in Michael Miller fabric. The pillows are from Anthropologie (another favorite store) and the corduroy quilt was my Great-Great Grandma's…I think. I found the fish embroidery on eBay.

The front entry…

A vintage Brazil travel poster in honor of the Brazilian man I live with. :) And a glimpse of my closet.

Candelabra on the dining room table.

Fun details from the dining room: The print came from etsy.com, the vintage, marble-top table from my Grandma's (I painted it) and the big oval frame is from IKEA-I painted it too. It was black.

My office: this fun box came from an antique store and helps hide some of my clutter!

Big surprise: I collect old cameras. The fabulous pillow is from Target.

Some of my favorite books: mainly photography text books from college and Sophia Kinsella novels. We got rid of boxes of books when we moved. It felt great!

I love mixing old and new. This is an antique phone table, or "gossip bench" that was in my parents' house forever. It couldn't escape my black paint! The pictures hanging above it are some favorites from our wedding. Many of you have already seen the chalk wall, but I had to share it again, because I LOVE it!

Maybe next time I'll show entire rooms, starting with Anderson's studio! Happy Friday. :)