On the Mend...

 

 

 It's been a long week considering I had intense knee surgery Monday morning. I came home on Tuesday and have basically been asleep most of the week. Every day is better than before and I am so blessed to have my amazing family to take care of me. I truly don't know what I'd do without them. So, this is the first day I've been up and about almost all day so I'm going to try to catch up on some of your blogs. I hope everyone is having a fantastic week!

XoXo

Randi and Lola

Leave Your Pretty to Me

 

 

I'm sure you've all been waiting for new pics of my amazingly adorable pup... So, here you go... Sorry to have deprived you for so long. 

But, seriously... Isn't she just amazing?! 

Besides learning to keep another creature alive besides myself, things have been pretty hectic around here. I am preparing for knee surgery next Monday which means packing and making sure everything at home and work are ready for my absence for awhile. Not to mention, that I have a concert and a wedding in New Orleans this weekend. You know, it just wouldn't be my life if someone didn't throw a concert and a wedding into the mix before I'm out of commission for awhile. 

I am hoping that my being forced to stay put for awhile will give me more time to pay attention to this little blog. Fingers crossed...

XoXo

Randi and Lola

Because Life is Getting too Serious...

- The New Girl on Fox

Happy Birthday 'Merica

I feel about the 4th of July the way that most people feel about New Year's Eve. Each year, as I stand wherever my road has led me, I think back on where I was this time last year... and the year prior. I rarely find myself in the same city or state, or with the same people as I did for Independence Days past. Last night, I stayed in town with some of my dearest friends and watched what proved to be the worst fireworks display I've ever seen. Still, it was a wonderful night because of the people I shared it with. I could not, however, help but think about my trip last year to Austin, TX or the year before when we watched the fireworks over the Nashville skyline; or the year before when I sat on a balcony in my grandpa's hometown in Florida watching the bursts up and down the beach with my entire extended family. Maybe it is because it's the summer, and it's easier to travel at this time, but the 4th of July always gives me an excuse to indulge my gypsy soul and my love of glittering fire. I had a wonderful 4th of July in Louisiana, but next year... I'll certainly be elsewhere...

How did you spend Independence day??

Happy 4th of July

- Randi & Lola

Glamping...

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's glam camping...

Because we don't do tents...

I'm still not 100% sure where we were this weekend, but on Friday, we headed out to a friend's camp with about 30 people and a lot of liquor, in pursuit of a good time. And, when I say camp, I mean two seriously indescribably gorgeous, multi-level houses in the middle of 500 plus acres of land on the river. There were wilderness adventures, drinking, dancing, swimming, fishing, cooking, and a whole lot of laughing. We came back last night with sunburns, bug bites, hangovers, and incredible memories that we'll carry with us always. 

 Robert Frost was right, when you take the road less traveled... 

it really does make all the difference...

She Was a Showgirl..

World...

Meet Lola!

She is my 18 day old French Bulldog pup...

I've got a while before she can leave her mom and live with me, but it helps that I am friends with the breeders and can see her anytime I want.

Isn't she awesome?!

:-)

Bid on a Bachelor 2012

    

It's all comes down to raising money for the Childrens Shelters...

But who am I kidding...

Auctioning off hot men for charity is not a bad way to spend a Thursday evening...

Focusing on Love...

It's been awhile since I've felt inspired; felt drawn to create something that was just bursting out of me. I'm still in that place. I find myself just being... enjoying the little things, not bothered by much, and just filled with gratitude for the simple moments. So, in case you wanted to know what that entails... here are a few things that are filling my heart with joy lately...

Side note: I started this post Monday but got super busy and things around here started spinning at warped speed; so I had to hold it for awhile... This week has been like continuous kicks in the stomach, but this little list of things are making it a bit more bearable. More changes are on the horizon it seems and it has not been determined whether they will be good or not... so, I'm going to focus on this; the things that make everything worth it... because this is what makes my life...

• Family time
• Coming to the realization that I am much less self-conscious than I was years ago, only because my family tried to embarrass me and I found it funny. And, it really was funny...
• Baby laughs
• Sushi and Pretty Little Liars Girls nights with one my favs
• Puppy breath...
• Pages of text messages venting to a friend who just gets it, because you just don't have the energy to actually have a conversation
• Movie marathons on rainy weekends
• Forehead kisses
• The smell of chlorine after kids have been in the pool all day
• New friends who think you are absolutely awesome and hilarious :-)
• Getting to know how absolutely awesome they are too, and getting to make their introduction to a new city a bit easier because you remember what it was like when you were the new girl in town
• The feeling of just being in your own space, especially curling up in your own bed... it never gets old
• Knowing the weekend is just around the corner...

The Road Goes on Forever and the Party Never Ends...

Memorial Day Weekend 2012

New Braunfels, Texas

Tubing down the Guadalupe River with old friends and new friends...

Perfection.

Run Away for a While

 

Sometimes... you just need to get away...

Let's be real....

I'd never stay put if I didn't have to have a job that kept me in one place for this long...

So, to put it incredibly mildly... I'M RESTLESS

Like, about to jump out of my skin...can't breathe type of restless.

I want to run away in any direction.

No plan... no destination... just open my eyes someplace I've never been...

So, this weekend... I am going to join some old friends on a trip 

to the Lonestar state to float down some river I've never heard of...

I'm thrilled for the idea of catching up with a group of people

I love but rarely get to spend time with.

And, I absolutely cannot wait to be someplace new

just for awhile...

My Mother's Daughter...

Someone told me once that our souls decide, before we are born, who our parents will be. I always loved that; the idea that my soul chose hers. No other mother would have fit. Thank you for 27 years of love, faith, and sacrifice. Thank you for never asking me to be any person other than who I am.

I am so honored to be your daughter and

I hope you have an amazing Mother's Day!

I love you,

Your big eared, Big eyed daughter... :)

Cause We Are... We Are Shining Stars...

We had a festival last weekend, which basically means that tourists from all over the world invaded our city to run amok and throw inhibition to the wind. Of course, as locals, we were more than happy to accommodate the wild side of those who were playing eclectic music, cooking food that we only have once a year, and indulging our most narcissistic selves.

As for my loves and I, we spent the weekend wandering around aimlessly for hours and laying on a grassy knoll in the sunshine while music drifted along the breeze. There were kids running and laughing all around us, adults playing with hoola hoops and speaking in foreign languages... We danced in the moonlight with new friends and reunited with old friends... We laughed and drank until we couldn't remember our names; and left glitter everywhere we went... Then, when Sunday morning made it's appearance, we were sitting on a porch with spirits we adore, welcoming 4 am with sparklers and love...

Check out more awsomeness from this guy here...

At Last...

Some people genuinely believe in the fairytales...

They believe, against all reason and logic...

Despite every reason to lose faith...

They believe in love and grace...

She has always been one of those people...

And Friday night, in South Louisiana...

She got her "Happily Ever After..."

I love you Mrs. and was so honored to stand beside you as you

married the man of your dreams...

Thank you for being a part of my journey

and for allowing me

to be a part of yours...

XoXo

Friend of Feeling Good...

 

It was the last party before Brandie's big day arrives later this month...

It was the perfect weekend to spend outdoors in the sunshine, 

surrounded by people that you love the most...

It was also the perfect weekend to roll the windows down, turn the radio up,

 and thank God for this extraordinary life...

And then... it was the time to lay by the pool until everyone met up 

to spend the rest of the afternoon on the boat with family and friends...

There was love, there was laughter, and there was music...

I cannot think of anything I needed more.

Life is BEAUTIFUL.