Cortney's Wedding Part 4: WEDDING DAY !!

Well it was finally here.. June 14th...

WEDDING DAY !! Cortney looked beautiful and she was glowing from the inside out.

When she walked down the isle my mind was flooded with memories and emotions. I can not explain how happy I am for her.

We took a bunch of pictures outside of this great white "house" with an AWESOME front porch. I can't wait to get the them back. As ya'll know... I love me some pictures !!!!!

Now this is the Cortney that I know and Love !!!! What is up Girl ????

I love this picture. It shows how happy and beautiful she was !!!


I thought our Bridesmaid dresses turned out great.. Of course I loved them, they are PINK !!!!

Right before the wedding started Ginger and I hung back with Cortney to make sure the Groom didn't get a glimpse.

Martina and I

Tara and I

Even though we have been married for over 5 years, Michael is still my groom. And as handsome as ever !!!!


Michael caught a quick picture with Cort before she headed out.

Cort and Trey left to bubbles.. I think the bubbles turned out great. Trey looks a little too happy ?????



Just Hitched !!!!


A BIG Congratulations to the new:

MR. and MRS. Trey McKinney

I pray for God to rained down his blessing on your marriage.. Trey I know that you will treat her good... if not I will hunt you down !!!!!

Cortney's Wedding Part 3: Like Old times and Hairspray

I love this picture of Cortney and her sister. It tells the story of Friday night.
After the Rehearsal Dinner Amy (Cort's sister), Cortney, Mrs. Carolyn (Cort's mom) and myself headed back to the Browning House. Mrs. Carolyn just a few years ago built a beautiful home. And as if that was not great enough Aunt Vicki and Uncle Tim, the cousins who are so close they might as well be siblings parents, moved in right across the golf course.. They are just a minutes walk away. Once we got settled in, Ben and Anna (Cortney's cousin and wife) came over to check something on the computer. Thank goodness they hung around to chat. Soon after Brooke (another cousin) came on over. We sat around and laughed, laughed, laughed !!! Let me just tell you, Cortney's family is salt of the earth and it just tickled me pink (of course pink) to spend some time like this with them. It brought back memories of doing the same thing in Auburn. Isn't it funny how the simplest things sometimes end up making the best memories. Times like they are my favorite !!!

Not the best picture of me, but hey it was part of that great memory I was just talking about !!

Once we realized it was to late and Cortney still had to pack, everyone left. Here is Cortney making sure she had everything she needed for the honeymoon.

My very favorite part of Friday night came, well it actually came early early on Saturday morning. Amy, Cortney, and myself all sat around Cort's bed with the lights off and prayed. This was a different prayer than I had ever prayed for Cortney before. I had always prayed for her to find the one, but there I was praises Him for her Wedding Day. With tears running down our faces we prayed and praised !!!!

Saturday, aka..... WEDDING DAY !!!!!!!! Off to get the hair done. She will probably kill me for putting this picture in, but I think it is hilarious.. She looks a little like Cousin It !!!

You can just see the Hairspray being sprayed.. Trust me that hair was not moving !!

When the veil was put on my tears began again.. I knew this was going to be a long day for my tears !!!

If you think she looks beautiful now, just wait for the dress (of yea... more tears).. Next Blog... Wedding Day Pictures.. I know FINALLY.. But I all about suspense...

Cortney's Wedding Part 2: The Rehearsal and Dinner

After a great Luncheon on Friday it was on to some pampering.. Some of the bridesmaids went with Cortney to get manicures and pedicures.. I was just along for the ride and of course to take some pictures.. After a quick trip to Target we went back to the Browning Household to get ready for the Rehearsal and Dinner. Cortney and I were able to snap a few pictures before we left and the awful Alabama humidity got to my hair.

I know that we were suppose to be practicing, but I saw this as prime picturing taking time. How could I not.. it was so beautiful outside and everyone looked so cute !!!

side note: This dress that I wore is very cute.. It did not bubble quite as much as it looks in this picture.. I am not the Pillsbury Dough Girl !!

Cortney and Ginger (her best friend from childhood). Ginger and I got along great and it was so nice to get to know her better..

Cortney and her Momma... I love you Ms. Carolyn

Cortney and Trey as they were practicing walking down the isle after being announced as the new Mr. and Mrs. !!! Oh Cort, I love to watch you go!!!!hahaha

After practicing it was on to the Rehearsal Dinner.. It was ALL AUBURN !!!! My type of decorations!! WAR EAGLE !!!

Tara and I


Cortney and I

Who needs a veil when you have hats like these.. Too bad they were not worn on Saturday during the wedding... WOW !!! now that is HOT !!

Sorry to Interrupt our Regularly Scheduled Program

I am sorry to interrupt our regularly scheduled program... aka Cortney's Wedding.... but June 15th was a day that needs to be blogged about.. June 15th was a great day for 2 reasons.. #1 was it was Father's Day and #2 it was my parents 33rd Wedding Anniversary..
In my Mother's Day post I told you how much like my mother I am.. Well just as much as I am like her.. I am also just like my father.. trust me, this is possible...
I am a Daddy's Girl in every way possible and PROUD of it.. My outgoing personality and ability to talk to a brick wall came straight from him.. I will also admit that my being hard headed and uncanny ability to be right about everything (at least I feel that way) came from him also.
Do you know the feeling when you see something on tv or in a movie and it makes you think about some part of your past.. Welcome to the feeling I got when I saw "Remember the Titans".. I was that blond curly haired little girl.. No I did not call my daddy "coach", but I do remember being a little girl at Auburn games and my father explaining everything about the game to me.. Well it stuck, because in my opinion it is the best game ever played..
From football, Daddy May I, Wizard of OZ, and everything in between, Thank you Daddy.. You were a great "girls dad".. That may not make sense to all, but I was a only child for 13 years.. Which means for 13 years my father only had a daughter. And I will admit though I had a true love for football it was ballet shoes and pom poms for this girl.. Every performance, competition, and game, you were there.. cheering me on..
So Daddy thank you.. Though I am married and will hopefully have children of my own someday.. I will always be your little girl !!!

Mac (my brother) and Daddy at Christmas

June 15, 1975
Donna Ann McCabe married James Luther Barton
Mr and Mrs. Barton
Thank goodness... Without that day the great combination of both (that would be me) would not be here today !!!!
In the day of divorce and short marriages I am proud to say that Sunday was my parents 33rd anniversary..
Happy Anniversary Momma and Daddy !!! I love you both very much..

Cortney's Wedding Part 1: The Bridesmaid Luncheon

This past weekend was a VERY special one !! As most of you know my best friend got married. Many of many prayers have been said for her to find her husband and for her dream to become a wife to come true. God is very good and did answer those prayers.
I got to the big Alabama town of Florence (aka.. Flo-Town) on Thursday evening. I was blessed enough to be able to stay the weekend at the Browning House with Ms. Carolyn (Cort's mom), Amy (Cort's sister), and Cortney (the Bride herself)..
We started off the Wedding Festivities on Friday with the Bridesmaid Luncheon. It was outside and we had beautiful weather. As a gift from the Bridesmaids we got her a Vera Bradley bag with some honeymoon must and a Scrapbook. Each Bridesmaid was in charge of making two pages and we put them all together in a book. Knowing how much Cort loves pictures (almost as much as me).. This was a perfect gift for her.. I would love to say it was my idea, but it was not !!!

Here is Cort looking through her scrapbook.. I love her face in this picture !!!

Here is Cort looking at the pages that I made for her.. Trust me when I say much love and time went into those pages, but it was well worth it !!!

Cort, Martina, and myself outside before we ate

Tara, Cort, and myself

Tara and I (Tara is a great friend of ours from Auburn. She was one of my bridesmaids, and Cortney and I were both in her wedding last April). Happy late one year anniversary Tara and Josh !!!

Martina and I
Here is a picture of all of Cortney's Bridesmaid. The only bridesmaid not pictured was Rachael (our other best friend who is SO pregnant and could not come)

(Top L to R) Laura (Bham friend) Melody (HS friend) Me (the Best) Cort (the Bride) Amy (Cort's Sister) Brooke (cousin) Anna (Cousin's Wife) Paige (cousin)

(Bottom L to R) Mandy (Auburn Friend) Ginger (Childhood Best Friend) Martina (Bham Friend) Tara (Auburn Friend)

Well that raps up The Bridemaids Luncheon. It was a great afternoon and a great way to kick off the weekend. Thank you to Mrs. Vicki (Cortney's Aunt), Brooke, Paige, and Anna. The Luncheon was very special and I know meant alot to Cort.

I must pre-warn you all... there are other post to come on this wedding....and many, many, many more pictures.. If you thought you had seen some pictures before on my blog, just wait.. What can I say, I have an excuse.. My best friend got married !!!!

StoneCreek Block Party

A little more than a month ago our neighbors and good friends, Heather and Drew Kirk .... Wait, Wait, Wait.. There is a story behind our friendship..
Once Upon A Time..... Yea Yea Yea.. like any modern day story ever starts like that.....
Once upon a crazy day (now that is more like it) Two Houses down from us another young couple moved in. We introduced ourselves, said our neighborly hellos.. and that was that.. One night Michael said that he thought they went to our church and I said that we needed to invite them to our lifegroup.. Not much happened, than one night the Elder's Wives hosted a dessert social for women 30 and under. Heather came up and said, "I think you are my neighbor".. We invited them to lifegroup and they came the next Sunday. Ever since then they have been apart of our group and been our friends... (aka. happily ever after)
So back to to my original story (getting side tracked happens often with me)... Heather, Drew, and us decided we needed to have a Block Party... We asked the family that lives in the house between us if they were up for it.. They said yes and so we ran with it.. Around a month ago Heather put flyers on everyones mailbox (if right now you are thinking that is illegal, than you are way too uptight and probably not my friend.. you blog stalker you) Last Monday night Michael and I put up reminder flyers and that was the planning.. Ok so there was a little more than that, but not much..
This past Saturday came and 5:00 was hot as all get out.. But The Kirk's, our middle neighbor family, and us were out ready to go.. We had tents, tailgating chairs, grills, food, and some beverages... What more could we need.. Well once 5:30 came around and we were still the only 3 families out there, we decided we might need more people to call it a block party.. (it was suppose to start at 5:00).. We decided that we were having a good time even if we were the only people to show up..
But very soon, everyone started rolling in.. It ended up being a blast. We had around half the people that live on our street show up.. Not a bad turn out.. Everyone stayed out until around 9 or 10 that night.. I can say that it was a SUCCESS !!!! We will have a Second Annual Stonecreek Trail Block Party.. What can I say, I am always up for a good Party !!

Here is Michael and Drew doing the Louisiana Point.. Wow.. Who is Michael not going to get doing the Louisiana Point?? Watch out... The Louisiana Point is coming to a husband near you !!

Here is Heather and I (and cute little Denny, their new puppy)

I was able to grab Michael away from the football and the grill long enough to catch a quick picture..

The neighbors in between us are from Guam.. And towards the end of the night they put on a show for us. A fire show !! It was really cool.. You can hardly tell but Michael is holding a fire stick, wanting to learn.. But I say, leave it to the pros..

Here are two of the guys twirling a fire stick.. It was a stick that lights on fire at each end.. Super cool and a great way to end a fun night !!!!!

I highly recommend having a block party.. No much planning and a great way to get to know your neighbors.. So we can check Hosting a Block Party off our list.. Now to the next item !!!
side note ***** funny funny.. even though both the Kirk's and us planned this thing.. It all went down in the neighbor between us' yard... fun and it saved our grass.. By the way.. us'... that is an Alabama word..

SawGrass Part 3: Grillin' and Singin'

Once we got gas in the four-wheeler and got it back to the cabin, it was on to more fun. As the sun started to head down everyone was outside enjoying each others company. Some of the guys were grillin' hamburgers and hotdogs and the rest of us were just a talkin'.

How many guys does it take to grill a hamburger?????

Shaun, how did you get stuck with the grill? I thought my Michael was suppose to be doing that....

I found him.. Michael had gotten caught up in other activities.. That is if you are calling throwing an axe at a piece of wood and trying to make it stick, an activity !! I think holding the axe made Michael and Justin feel more MANLY !!!! (Whatever works, right)... No No I am just kidding.. Ya'll are man enough without an axe for Whitney and I !!!

After eating we all headed into the cedar room.. Well that is what I call it. Rachel's family added this room when they bought the property. The inner walls are lined with cedar wood. It smells wonderful in there, just the way a cabin should smell !!
We dimmed the lights and got to singin' !!! God truly blessed so many people in our group with beautiful voices. Unfortunately, I was not one of them.. This girl can not carry a tune in a bucket.. But man do I love to listen to my friends sing. We sang a variety of devotional songs and even got a little "Get Right Church" in there.. We ended with a prayer.. Praying for God to Bless our group even more.. I am going to be honest, I did not know he could bless us any more than he already had..

Here is a picture of Martina, Camron, Whitney, and Justin before we started to sing !

Right above our head was a mounted animal.. To bad he did not make the picture...

Here is our all girl crazy picture.. By the look on everyone's face, I would say crazy is a good word !!! But still, that is a good looking group of girls !!

(Top L to R) Lanie, Rachel, Me, Jamie

(Bottom L to R) Martha, Whitney, Martina, and Ashley

We were having so much fun the cops even stopped by !!!! That hasn't happened since college !!! But Rachel and Justin handled it just fine.. It was back to fun for us !!

All the pictures and words do not even do this weekend justice. It was an awesome weekend. Everything from the food, the land, but mostly the people !!!! As just maybe you can tell, this group of friends means so much to Michael and I. God rained down his blessing when he put them in our lives. You will see them plenty more in the blogs to come... They are part of the story of our lives in Birmingham..

One more BIG THANK YOU to Rachel, Jared, and Rachel's family for sharing their land with us.