la la la lauren: August 2012

Friday, August 31, 2012

Deleted Scenes {Part 10}

A conversation with the Enterprise guy

Who was giving me a ride from dropping off my rental car to pick up my lil Honda at the body shop
Dressed in jeans, sandals and a blazer

Enterprise guy: So what do you do?

LJ: Oh I work in advertising.

Enterprise guy: Yeah yeah, I can see that. I would have guessed advertising. Or fashion.

LJ: Really?

Enterprise guy: Yeah, you know...your personality and the way you dress...

LJ: Haha, good guess.

Enterprise guy: So where are you from? You're not from here are you?

LJ: I am! I grew up here. I lived in New York for 5 years after college and I've been back in Texas about a year now.

Enterprise guy: Ahhhh, see that makes more sense. Thinking LA or New York for you. You don't seem like a Dallas girl.

LJ: Hah, I'm not sure if that's a compliment or an insult.

Oh my.
In New York, it was very obvious I was not a born and bred New Yorker.
But in Texas, I expect to blend right in. Is it not obvious that I am a Texan?
What's a girl to do?!

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Silver surprises

I came home a few weeks ago to find a pretty lil present waiting for me!

It was from roommate and BFF Lindsey.

Wrapped in pretty purple ribbon with a pretty lil tag.

And inside...

...a very pretty silver fortune cookie with such a sweet lil message!

How great is this?!

What a super cute idea from my super cute friend. She is very good at this game.

Completely excited to be part of Lindsey's big day!

And can't wait to see what other fun wedding-y surprises she comes up with.

It's going to be a VERY fun few months!

{sneak peek: a girly bridal shower will be necessary. Even though she doesn't really want one. What else are bridesmaids for Linds?!}

p.s. I accepted. Duh.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

#ButWaitTheresMore

A lil more from Atlanta wedding weekend. Because one post just won't do.

As excited as I was to celebrate Jamie and Jayson, I was just as excited to spend the weekend with some of my very best friends. Bethany and Angie in particular. You know our foursome. And our (many!) adventures... SNL campout, Karaoke Queens, Atlanta visits, New York weekends...

So Jamie wedding weekend was ALSO reunion weekend! And oh, it surely did not disappoint.

{side note: friends Lindsay Ann and Susan were also supposed to join our girly weekend. But those pesky summer storms in New York were not so on board with our plans. Missed y'all!}

Let's start with our first day.

A wedding weekend twitter hashtag mission. Hilariousness.
{please note: we ultimately settled on #teaglewedding. it was just easiest.}

Angie's hunt for dressy weekend sandals. We went to Target. Target never disappoints. Do they?

LJ: "put the shoes down."

Ange: "no! gettin' 'em."

LJ: "they are almost 2 sizes too big for you! i won't allow it. no."

Ange: "i'm just gonna carry them around...just in case."

She bought 'em. Sigh.

A fashion show upon Bethany's arrival that night.
We were choosing which dresses for each of our events. "we don't trust mirrors..."

"but guys...this one has pockets..."

part of my birthday gift from B. a month late? maybe. any less awesome? definitely no. this also came with sparkle band-aids and sparkle nail polish. she knows me well.

Day 2 - Miraculously, we arrived a bit early for Bridesmaid brunching. So this mini-adventure happened.

Checking out the Swan House. One of the most famous Atlanta landmarks? According to our valet? We're still wondering if he's heard of a lil place called Coca-Cola. Or the Georgia Aquarium...

Rehearsal-ing. More self-portraits. Naturally.

mason jar mousse. duh.

favorites.

On our A-game for wedding day.

DJ Angie. Her skills -- from Disney Princesses to Jay Z without missing a beat in our pre-wedding soundtrack. While I apparently ask tough questions. "Life talks with LJ" Sorry I'm not sorry. I need to know what's up in life. But I sing too!

because this is what we do.

neon shorts + chambray button down. unspoken uniform.

sassy? or unprepared? you choose.

Here's us after the ceremony. Smudgey eyes and all.

Allow me to present the following pre-dinner photo shoot for your enjoyment. They were practicing their "pretty faces."

They are pretty.
And we were dancing queens.

Except when Angie got a lil emotional. "Summer of '69" has been known to cause a few misty-eyed situations. No? Just Angie? "But guys. Those were the best days of our lives." HAH

And then B gave up on the 4 inch heels. They had a good run my tall, tall friend. And you are fabulous.

and oh! i cannot leave out miss emily! she shared a hotel room with us for a few nights and oh how much i love spending time with this one. she's a gem. love her.

sparklessss

"Every. Time. This is what you two do! Why can't you take a normal picture?" Angie asks, like we have an answer. We're not sure. This is just what we do.

I found this one in my purse when I got home. Typical.

And a hotel hallway photo finish. A-game all the way to the end.

Here's the thing about these girls - we might all live in different cities and states now, but they are my people. And I don't know how to do life without them.

I am so so thankful for their friendships. They are such amazingly strong, faithful and beautiful friends. Gals that have encouraged me, supported me and loved me through lots of happiness and lots of messiness.

As for our reunion weekend - it was just perfect.

Much needed real life updates. Much much celebrating. Much more quality time than expected with our pretty Bride. Much giggling (and twirling!) And entirely too many happy tears. (We were all a mess!)

JMart, Ange, and B. I heart y'all. Ohsomuch.

Now. When is our next reunion?!?
And can it please be at Harry Potter World? 1-2-3...Go!

Monday, August 20, 2012

My best friend's wedding {weekend}

Open Scene:
A sunny and warm July weekend in Atlanta, Georgia.

Where friends gathered from New York, Tennessee, California, Maryland, Texas, Florida to celebrate Jamie and Jayson.

Thursday, July 26th
Where three friends were reunited from three different cities.

There was wine, M&Ms (pretzel AND dark chocolate), sparkley nail polish, wedding weekend event fashion shows, and no shortage of giggles. In other words, happiness.

Friday, July 27th
10:30am. At the quintessential southern bridal shower spot - The Swan House.

For a lil bridesmaid brunching with Bride Jamie and all her favorites. Where we finally met "friends" that we feel like we've known for years. And that's when the tears started. The first of many many happy tears.

4:30pm. Rehearsing.

Or pretending to rehearse. Or getting in the way. Or pretending to help? Or just moral support? We're so good at this game.

6:30pm. The celebrating continued.

At the Peachtree Club, with a pretty incredible 28th floor view of downtown Atlanta. Our dinner table was ever-so-slightly sad without friends Lindsay Ann and Susan - dang those summer storms in NYC that kept them away from us.

There was a slide show, lots of toasting the happy couple, chocolate mousse served in a mason jar that did not disappoint. A circle of sweet friends with such sweet stories, so much love, all kinds of perfect prayers and a few more tears.

Saturday, July 28th
9:00am. Almost go time!

Four friends, one hotel suite. Broadway tunes, not enough mirrors, never-ending giggling, blue button-ups, pretty dresses on pretty hangers. "I may have gone a little heavy on the eyeshadow...either look like a transvestite or murderous ballerina..." ~Angie

Getting ready should always be this much fun.

1:00pm. Headed to the the venue.

A car ride music-blasting-sing-a-long that included renditions of -- Ariel's (yes, the Disney Princess) "Part of this World" followed by Jay Z's "99 Problems" and also "Dirt Off your Shoulders." Now. If that doesn't say "we're ready!" we don't know what does.

"Y'all. I'm wearing a BELT. On my wedding day. Aren't you proud?!?"

5:00pm. And then it WAS go time!

We watched as our best friend practically floated down the aisle towards her forever. He smiled. She repeated the vows they chose. He slipped a band on her finger. The minister read letters they wrote to each other. And then, with tears now streaming down our faces, we watched our best friend kiss her new husband...and dance down the aisle to exit in style.

6:30pm. Tears now dried. So much more celebrating.

So many friends from so many states. So much dancing. "Did I even need to ask?!" Southern food, silly stories, sore feet, so many memories with some very best friends.