Busy, busy, gal!

That's what I am!!!

These past few weeks have been so awesome & so much fun!

I guess I'll start with 3 Friday nights ago! We went out to Nila for their singing...we had nothing else to do & we hadn't been out there in...well...FOREVER. Literally. I think it was my first time unless I went when I was younger. Anyways, I went out there & my friend Mitchell met me after first half. It was his first time in a Holiness church so I think he was pretty interested. And he said he really enjoyed it so that was good (: That night I laughed so hard I literally think I pulled a muscle in my side. And now, 2 weeks later, it STILL hurts! May have to get that checked out... Anyways, After going out there & hanging with the PG folks for a bit we headed home. Saturday morning was St. Patrick's day & even though I had PLANNED to have a shindig, it just didn't work out. St. Patrick's day is one of my favorite holidays...not that it does much for me. But my family is Irish & I just kinda get into it (; We went car shopping with Blake & that night at church I went sporting my green on & I think I still ended up pinched...what the mess? Sunday morning we went to Ider for church & instead of going home we just stayed there with Jarad & Tonya & chilled. It wasn't too long until our church time anyways. We went to church, it didn't last too long & went to hang with Jarad, Tonya, Whitney, & Pat...maybe Bro.Doyle too but I can't remember. Anyways, we played some games & ate some grilled chicken & shrimp (yum!!!) & of course we had a wonderful time (:

Thursday FINALLY got here & my family & I were packed & ready to head to the Smokies!!! It was our cousin retreat thing & it was a blast. Every time I go I meet new family members or really get to talk to them for the first time & this year my 2 favorite people had to be Deanna & Rodney! (Not married. lol) Deanna is my cousin by blood & Rodney is my cousin Andrea's husband. We love them! We had so much fun going to the Titanic museum, shopping, Gooney Golfing & eating froyo! haha It was great. I love my family so much! Yes, they're crazy, but I think we're about the only family who (with only like 1/3rd of the family) can live together with 30 other people for 4 days! We got along so well & it was just an amazing trip! And what trip to the Smokies would be complete without a visit to the good ol' Apple Barn on your way out?! We got sooo much there & I ate their apple dumpling & ice cream...oh my Lord. AWESOME!!! Definitely can't wait til we go out there again!!! (: When we got back Sunday evening, it was too late to go to church so we waited for Tonya & Jarad to get out of church & headed over to Ider park with them, Pat & Doyle! We started playing Tennis a little but I had flip flops on so it was pretty challenging. We had a great time though & before we headed home we planned to meet back out there the following night! So me & Blake went to Wal-Mart on Monday & got some good tennis shoes (Hey, I didn't realize that's what they were for...TENNIS!!! hahaha Oh I'm blonde.) Monday we got out there & kicked some tail! It was so much fun & Doyle started teaching us how to actually play Tennis. It's pretty interesting! So we did that every night this week but Wednesday (we had church!) & Friday night...we were SO wore out by Friday night the mention of Tennis was just like...BLAH. lol So we decided we'd hang out with Jarad & Tonya again! They got some barbecue & we got some buns & chips & headed out to the Brown's cabin with Seth too! We ate, played games & fished in the dark (well, I watched) & OF COURSE we laughed like maniacs! We have way too much fun sometimes (: Today we just sat around the house all day, went to church & came home. It's been a chill day instead of all the running around we've been doing! And tomorrow is our regular at Brown's Chapel! So everyone should come see us (: Church starts at 11 est (:

Well I'm getting outta here. I'm wore out but I think I may try my new banjo capo my brother got me in the Smokies (: See ya'll!!!

Surprises, Gaithers & Laughs!

So the other day my friend Morgan text me & said she wanted to hang out Friday night. I love her to death so I was totally up for it! We decided to meet at Rosie's in Huntsville to eat & just see where the night led us! Well, a couple days later I was thinking about how we didn't get to do anything for Blake's birthday since he was in North Carolina (March 1st) on a job. So I decided to make our hang out night Blake's surprise dinner. It was kind of perfect because I didn't have to somehow get him down there since he already knew we were going to go, he just didn't know what was about to happen! (: (P.S. Blake HATES surprises & he HATES birthday parties!!!) (P.P.S. He turned 23!) So I text a few of his closest friends like Brett, Bailey, Ben, Seth, JK & Jarad, Tonya & Whitney to come. JK & Brett had prior engagements which was okay because it WAS very last minute... (I text them about 1 a.m. Thursday morning...HA!) We went to pick up Seth & was on our way. There were SO many times the surprise could have been ruined (Seth kept asking who was coming, Ben called me, Blake called JK...) I was SO scared someone would give it away but thankfully it all worked out!!! We got to Rosie's where somehow Ben, Mason, Jordan, Mallory, Raeven & Morgan had already been seated & Blake STILL didn't get it. He was like "Wow, April invited more people than I thought..." once Bailey, Olivia & Preslie got there, we only had Jarad, Tonya & Whitney to go. They were the biggest surprise since they drove just as far as us to be there...so people keep asking who else is coming & I'm like "It's a surprise...", Morgan ended up telling but it was okay cause they came in right after & Blake was still surprised to see them! Finally we were all there & we ordered. The food was as good as always & our final surprise came out... a DELICIOUS red velvet cake that Bailey had made! Ben had been trying to sing "Happy Birthday" to Blake for like 5 minutes & Blake was BEGGING him not to (he gets mortified when people sing to him for some reason...lol) but once our waiter came out with the cake he was like "READY?! HAPPY BIRTHDAY..." and the ENTIRE (and if you've ever been to Rosie's you know what I mean) GINORMOUS RESTAURANT SANG TO BLAKE!!! He just sat there with his head down & his hand over his face saying "Oh Lord, Oh Lord..." it was SO funny!!! I wish someone would have recorded it but no one did. ): After they were done, everyone yelled, whooped & clapped for Blake & he sat there shocked for probably a good minute before I got him to cut the cake. Once we got done eating we paid our tickets & headed out to Bridgestreet! We just hung out around there laughing like crazy & going to Starbucks til almost 12 our time. We finally got to our house around 1:30!!!

A mere 5 & a half hours later my sweet mother (who was sooo excited about our fun filled Saturday) woke me up. SEVEN. A. M. I could have died. I laid around for a longggg time before finally getting up to get a shower & after taking my own sweet time we were all ready at around 11:30! We headed to eat & as we waited for Jarad & Tonya Blake & Dad went to Barnes & Noble so Blake could show dad the Nook tablet he had found the night before at Bridgestreet. Next thing we knew, Blake came out of the store the proud owner of a Nook tablet. lol It was part of his birthday present from Dad so he's been sooo excited about it! lol We finally head over to PF Changs & after a little bit of a wait, got seated. We all got something different & passed it around for everyone to try! It was really fun because I've never been there when people actually done it (even though it's recommended). We were there until almost 4 just chatting it up & chilling. After all was done we headed over to UTC McKenzie Arena to get a good parking spot (Mom's idea) for the show!  They let us go in around 4:45 so we just walked around the booths & took pictures with some of the performers before...& soon the show started! I believe this was our 4th Gaither concert so we're becoming kinda like pro's. lol jk But we love them! This show was actually a little different from the others & of course they kept us rolling...and then bawling...the entire time! Love that emotional rollercoaster! (; We had a blast & all too soon, it was over. ): Goodbye, Gaithers...at least for another few months!!!

After the past 2 super late nights I was SO close to just going to Brown's Chapel so I could get home at a decent time & take the World's Longest Nap, But instead I sucked it up & went to a place I have owed a visit to for a VERY long time...Old Sardis. I went there partially because Jordan Pace has came to BC for like 2 months in a row or something lol So I got to see her today...but church lasted SO long & we were SO exhausted that we ended up leaving about 2 hours in to the service. I know, I know, that's terrible but it's been a crazy weekend you guys!!! So we left, went to Katy's Katfish after a VERY interesting "In Sardis Parking Lot" moment when Dad HONKED THE HORN AS CHURCH WAS STILL GOING ON!!! lol Oh Lord. I love him. Anyways, we got to be home for a whole 20 minutes before going back to church tonight. Thankfully Uncle Larry kept it pretty short & sweet & we were out in an hour & a half. I would have been okay with just going home but Blake had hardly ate all day & he wanted to go to Trenton. We were supposed to meet some friends but no one showed up so we ate our food & headed home...THEN we get a text saying our friends were down there (it wasn't their fault...they had just got out of church). Oh well. We came home & have been hanging out every since. I tell you guys I have laughed SO hard today & really this whole weekend that my throat is sore...or I'm getting sick...but I don't think so. (:

Anyhow, I love my friends, I love my family, I love the Gaithers & I love my bed...so that's where I'm about to head. Goodnight you guys! Love, love (: