The progression of a smile

We all know taking pictures can be a challenge...

First there is the "I'm sick of pictures, I am not smiling, it's too cold and I'm gonna pout." pose.

Then in the background you hear "Adlee, if you don't smile, I'm gonna take you into the back and you won't be smiling for a really long time."



That brings us to picture number 2, the "oh no, I know what that means and I don't wanna sore bottom" pose.



So finally there is the "fine, I'll smile, but it's gonna be forced, painful and fake, and it ain't gonna be pretty!" pose.

Oh well...maybe we will have better luck next year!!

Blessings Abound!

This Thanksgiving, I have so much to be thankful for, so many wonderful blessings have been bestowed upon me this year and I give all the praise and glory to my faithful God.

Here are just a few of the many things I am thankful for this year...

T- Truth. I am thankful for the truth of God's word and the safety in knowing He is a God that never fails. I am thankful for the truth that He is a saving God and He loves me like crazy.
H- Husbands. Well...let me rephrase that...husband...singular, not plural. I am so thankful for my amazing, supportive, handsome, Godly hubby who loves me no matter how much I suck at cooking, how many times I turn his white clothes... blue, or even if I start crying for no particular reason, he still loves me.
A- A little beagle named Lillie Belle. I adore this puppy. She is little Miss Personality and she has totally stolen my heart.
N- New family. Christian and I are so blessed to have such wonderful families and we have both been overjoyed at the privilege of joining new families. I could not have handpicked a more perfect family to join!
K- Kids- I am so thankful for the precious nieces and nephew that I have in my life. They make my days sweeter and much more fun. They remind me that life is meant to be fun and simple. Not to mention that they are the cutest dang things you ever did see. Oh and I am also thankful the Lord has not given us any kids...yet. All in due time, but at this moment in our lives, we are thrilled to be kid-free!!!!!
S- Soda. I know...cheesy...but seriously, I love diet coke. I drink one everyday and I know it's bad for me, but I don't care. I love it.
G- God. Without Him, I would be nothing. Without Him, I would be in bondage and living a life with no meaning. Thank you Lord, for saving, delivering and loving me.
I- Image Advertising- What a blessing it has been for me to be able to pursue my dreams and have my own business. It is a dream come true. I love what I am doing and I am living in my "sweet spot" as Max Lucado would say. (If you have never read the book "The Cure for The Common Life", I would highly recommend it)
V- Very incredible family. I love my mom and dad more than words could ever express and even though I am married and out of the house, I still love coming home and just hanging out with them...and sometimes stealing their food.
I- Internet- What a blessing it has been to re-connect with friends and family through facebook and other media outlets. I never thought I would see the day where my maw maw was on Facebook. Yep...these are crazy times we are living in. Having the Internet has allowed me to earn a living as well as provided many fun, new, exciting opportunities...like blogging!!
N- Naps- Now come on...who doesn't love a good nap? Go on...raise your hand.
G- Girlfriends- When a girl has good girlfriends who truly understand each other...the world is a much better place. I have those girlfriends and now more than ever, I realize the value and importance of friends. Here's to my girls who accept me for my quirks and craziness and still call me friend!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Sticky-Note Saturday

My dreams have come true...

I don't know if I have ever mentioned my brother on my blog, but let me pause for a moment and mention the amazing brother that I have. Even as children, Brandon and I had a special relationship, sure we fought and argued, but he loved me like crazy. He was extremely protective of me and always wanted the best for his little sister.

While I was in college, Brandon start a real estate company and asked me to come work for him as an office assistant. I eagerly accepted, excited to get to work with my brother! After a few months at the real estate office, I began toying with flyers and brochures for the company. From there things just kinda took off. I began to be given more responsibility regarding advertising and marketing, getting to design websites, brochures and even billboards.

That Christmas, as a gift, my brother presented me with the best gift ever...he gave me my business. He was so confident in me and my abilities that he purchased an LLC for me, named my business and set me up with a real company...I mean, I even have a tax ID number! My new business was formed...

Image Advertising, LLC was formed in December of 2007. I immediately began to see great outcomes in my business and really enjoyed doing it as a side job for extra income.

I was never able to work on my designs full time because I was single and supporting myself alone, so I needed a consistent, weekly paycheck, something that self-employed people don't always have the luxury of having.

After meeting and falling in love with the man of my dreams, it never really occurred to me that doing my graphic design full time would be an option. However, with Christan working weird hours at the ER, it was vital for our marriage that we do something different. So after much prayer, we decided that I would stay home and pursue my business full time...and let me tell you, God is faithful. He has blessed my business beyond measure and continues to amaze us with his abundance of opportunities.

Just last week, I launched a new portfolio website so that others can get a more visual idea of some of the things I do.

So...really long story short, I wanted to share it with many of you who have asked what sort of work I do. Feel free to check me out at www.designsbyimage.com

God is faithful and I can see now, looking back, how each step...each person played a role in getting me where I am today. I am so blessed...in fact I am one stinking blessed chick!

Rice Crispies and Chocolate Milk

Saturday we had the privilege of having family and friends over to watch the LSU/Alabama game (I think we played Alabama, though now I am questioning myself...shows you how much of the game I watched!) Anyway, we had a wonderful time and enjoyed some of Christian's delicious gumbo! After the game, we watched our niece and nephew for a few hours while their mom and dad went to eat. Whew...can I just say they are the cutest things ever! So sweet and well behaved. Not to mention little charmers. I don't think the words "no" ever came out of my mouth. As you can see here, I gave Angelle Rice Crispy Treat Cereal and chocolate milk for dinner. I am sure her mom would not consider that a healthy and balanced meal, however that is what she wanted and she just batted those beautiful eyes and bam...there it is on the counter! Plus, it was an added bonus when she was blowing huge bubbles in her chocolate milk and when I didn't give her the expected lecture she sweetly proclaimed..."you are gonna make a great mommy someday."

Well...after wiping the tears from my eyes I proceeded to ask her if she wanted a pony or a new car!

I am so in love with my new family. It is such a blessing to have an incredible extended family on both sides. We are so blessed.

Oh and by the way...no kiddos for us for like 5 more years. Just in case you were wondering if all this babysitting made me have baby fever...nope.

Men are not like Women

Forgive me as I have been crazy busy lately getting my business up and running! I have been working like a mad woman just trying to get situated! What a blessing it is to be able to work from home, although sometimes I look up and it's 2:30 in the afternoon and I haven't even brushed my teeth!!!! Um...yes, I am working on improving my time management skills to incorporate dental hygiene!

Married life is absolutely wonderful. I told my mom the other day that I have never been happier! We are settling in nicely and working through the minor bumps along the way. I will tell you this...men are totally different than women.

I know...major discovery, but really we are like two different creatures. Let me give you a few examples...

1.) Food- I am amazed at the amount of food these creatures, I mean, men can consume. I swear, I used to be able to keep my monthly grocery bill at like $100.00 a month, and now it is like $400.00 a month. Now, if I am doing my math correctly, we quadrupled the amount of food coming in, but only added one person.

2.) Carefreeness- (yes I think I just made that word up) my hubby seems to get more hyper the later in the evening it gets. I mean it's like the moment it gets dark, his inner child comes roaring out. He wants to wrestle, jump on furniture, and just do random crazy things! I swear, it's so funny because I am ready for bed but I feel like my child, I mean, hubby is outta control!

3.) Sports- My dad was never really obsessive about sports. I mean, he liked them, he just didn't get engrossed in them. So my any-sport-takes-his-undivded-attention-husband came somewhat as a shock to me. I guess I never realized the magnitude or grave importance of sports. I can guarantee that when a football game is on, no matter what I do, I will not be noticed. I can move furniture, bang on pots and pans, or start a fire... and I will not be noticed. Nope...it's like he inserts himself in a glass bubble and for those few hours...life on the outside doesn't exsist.

Now let me be the first to say that each of these discoveries... has made me a better person. Let me explain...

1.) Food- I am learning to eat more varieties of food and I am learning that the world does not only offer turkey sandwiches. I give Mr. Moots credit for expanding my views on food and teaching me that "new" isn't always a bad thing. Christian is tenderly encouraging me to try new things and branch out when it comes to food. Although I do draw the line (alot) ...fried alligator?? um no thank you.

2.) Carefreeness- who says reverting to your inner child is a bad thing? Sometimes it is fun to throw off your shoes and just enjoy the moment. It's okay to run in the rain or jump on the bed. Oh by the way, that was totally not me who was begging Christian to play Hide and Go Seek in the Dark the other night!

3.) Sports- all I can say about this is... I am learning to tolerate the madness.