Happy Birthday, DJ!

Happy Birthday to the guy that's the tall to my short...

To the guy that makes my heart full...

To the guy that makes me laugh harder than I ever have...

To the guy that I know will be the most amazing daddy in the whole wide world...

And to the guy I get to spend every birthday with for the rest of his life, my sweet hubs DJ!

Happy Birthday DJ! Cant wait to eat strawberry shortcake later with you and the family!

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things: Stocking Stuffers

So happy to be linking up with Elise and the girls again for this awesome holiday season link-up! Stockings are one of my favorite things to fill during the holidays.  Growing up our stockings were always filled with such fun things.  Everyone thought it was funny that we would get bathroom toiletries, gum, and things like that, but I really enjoyed it because I always needed those things!

Starbucks Card - should be in everyone's stocking. Perfect to crave your peppermint mocha craving!
Younique 3D Mascara - Never tested this out yet, but I have seen the results and I think this is something that I need to try.  My friend Corrin is selling them and for anyone with small or thin eyelashes, you have to try this out! It's amazing how much of a difference this mascara makes on the eyes!
Kendra Scott Elle Earrings - These earrings have been floating around blogs and Pinterest for a while now and I think they need to float right into my stockings.  The classic gold and pale pink makes for a perfect outfit topper.
Lush Bath Bombs - If you haven't tried these yet, you are seriously missing out.  They are so relaxing and make baths so much fun.  They are very affordable and I would highly recommend getting a few!
OPI Nail Polish - I have fallen off the nail polish banwagon lately, but I think that's because I have too many and need to purge some of the runny ones.  I love a good OPI nail polish in my stocking.  Especially any of the new colors that I don't have yet!
EOS Lip Balm - My new obsession.  Late to the game on this one, but these babies are perfect and feel so smooth on my lips! Stocking up in the stocking this year!
Sweaty Bands - After trying on a few different headband types, I found that the Sweaty Band is the best for my head shape and I love that they are super cute.  Perfect for working out and just wearing in general when my hair needs a little extra TLC!
Sharpie Pens - I am a pen nerd and love a go
Ferrero Rocher - I never buy these other than Christmas time and they are such the perfect thing to throw in a stocking.  Buy a bag and throw a few in everyone's stocking and the Ferrero Rocher crave is fixed!

The hubs gave me an awesome Christmas list this year and here are a few of the items on his list that could potentially be stocking stuffers.

iPhone Running Arm Band - Always a good thing to have especially if we are working out.  I have to find the kind that can fit the phone with the case on it too, which I think is going to be the hard part.

Andes Candy - DJ told me that Christmas is not complete without Andes in his stocking and I think we still have some left over from last Christmas.  But I will continue to fill his stocking with them regardless!

Pocket Knife - Every man should have a pocket knife and I think this is a great stocking stuffer.  They are so handy and allow easy access to things that need cut or fixed on the spot.

Brooks Brothers Tie -  So classy and I love the maroon and baby blue on this specific one.  All guys could use a new tie here and there! 

Poopourri Trap-a-crap - Our friend on DJ's baseball team had this with him during baseball season and as gross as it is, it really does work well! Spray a few times on the toilet bowl water, do the deed, and the smell is gone! It's AWESOME!

Movie Tickets - and popcorn of course! These would be easy enough to stick in the stocking and call it a day.  We always love going to the movies and it would be nice to only pay for a drink!

Fishing Lures - Great for DJ to have while he is home in the off season and going fishing on the lake behind my parents house! Maybe one day he will catch something if I get him the right lure!! :)

Dog brush - Stryker needs a new brush. The one he uses right now I think hurts him so a new one is necessary!

Harness - We have a hard time on the leash with Stryker so hopefully with this harness, he won't pull as much. He's such a great dog, but the I me thing we need help with is walking and running on the leash. 

Tennis balls - Every dogs dream right?! I swear nothing makes our dog happier than the sight of a tennis ball. I can't wait till he sees these in there and goes nutzo. 

Dog bone - I'm not talking bones in a box. This dog is getting the biggest, best bone there is out there! For his first birthday we got him a huge bone and he was obsessed. Gonna be great to see him chew on this one!

Can't wait to see what y'all say and get some more ideas!! 

6 of 6 2014 Weddings: Jake and Karlyn

This weekend we celebrate our dear friends Jake and Karlyn as they got married in Richmond, VA. Now I do realize that I never did the 5 of 6 2014 wedding, but I am still planning on getting that blog post done soon! We have been friends with Jake since D.J. played baseball at JMU.  The two are lucky enough to continue their playing days together and now are together in the Indians organization.  The weekend started off great at the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner that The Lowery's so generously hosted at a dinner for us at the Smoketree Clubhouse which was right next to the church.  The dinner was delicious, but Jake's Nana took the cake (literally) with her homemade ice cream cake! DELICIOUS! 

After the rehersal dinner, we drove downtown to the hotel and had a few drinks before heading out to the bars.  We called it a night around 11:30 p.m. and spent the night at Conner's house.  

Saturday morning we went to breakfast with our friends Conner and Carleigh, friends from JMU, and Eric, Maria, and Sonny, friends from the Indians.  It was so fun to see our two friend groups come together and it was ever more fun to see this cute face all bundled up in his baby hat and gloves!

 

D.J. had to do wedding stuff starting at 11 a.m. so I spent the day hanging with Eric and Maria and baby hogging on Sonny.  We left for the church around 1 p.m. since the mass started at 2 p.m. 

Karlyn made a beautiful bride.  The mass was exactly what I expected - a Catholic Mass wedding.  Not too much you can do to make it "your own".  I really liked their priest's words to the couple and I was so honored to have been a part of that moment when they committed themselves to one another.

The cocktail hour followed from 4-5p.m. and the reception started at 5p.m.  We checked into the hotel for the night and drank a few drinks before heading down.  The guest book and gifts to the guests were so cute! How awesome is this guest book?! They will be able to frame it and put it up in their new house! I didn't get a picture of the gifts, but they were coasters with the date of the wedding.

The reception was great.  We had a blast dancing and it was so good to be around so many friends.  It's funny how the same group of friends was at our wedding and we were excited to spend the night with them! The party got a little crazy towards the end, but it was a great night with many memories made!

 Jaci and Jess - the red lips girls at the wedding! 

Can't wait to have many more pictures with this family! Love having good friends like Eric and Maria in this crazy baseball life!

 

And Ronnie, this photo is just for you! I know you really wanted to be featured on the blog, so I had to use the best photo showing how much you love this girl!

All the lovely ladies of the night, minus the bride of course!

 

And clearly you can see the party was nothing shore of amazing!

 

Happy marriage, Jake and Karlyn! Enjoy the beautiful island of Jamaica!  And now, the wedding season of 2014 is officially over! Next wedding - this beauty and her awesome fiance, Conner in June!

Happy Wedding Day, Jake & Karlyn

Happy Wedding Day to these two lovebirds! We are both so excited to have been here with you through this engagement and to be a part of your big day! Jake, the day you told me you were going to propose to Karlyn, I knew you were making the right decision! She is such a great girl and I cannot wait to see where life takes y'all! We are both so thankful for your friendship and to have each other during this crazy life of baseball! Karlyn - officially welcome to the baseball wives club! 

Cheers to many happy memories together and a life fully of joy and love!

Love, The Browns

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things: My List

I am so excited to be linking up with Elise and the girls today to bring you the first Christmas post of the 2014 holiday season! Crazy to think that it's already that time of the year already, but I am so excited about the holidays and cannot wait to get the decorations out right after Thanksgiving! Today I am sharing a few of my Christmas wishes this year that I hope Santa will bring me!

Starbucks card - always a great, easy gift to stuff in the stocking.

doTerra essential oils starter kit - I have been eyeing this stuff for a while since I noticed a friend of mine always smelling like lavender.  She clued me in on her secret and now I am hooked. 

initial necklace - I think this would be perfect with any casual outfit or can be worn with a more dressy look.  

aldo josseline ankle boots - I have been LOVING these booties and have not found any pair that competes in my book.  If Santa forgets these in his bag, I may have to head to the mall asap :)

black jack rogers - a staple in every southern girls closet.  These will be perfect for the summer

kate spade wallet - my current wallet is looking a little rough and I think it's time for an upgrade.  what better than this beautiful tan wallet from kate spade?!

towels - I know, sounds so lame.  But we seriously need a new set of good towels for our house.  

dslr camera - a stretch, but something that has been on my wish list for a while now.  I have been holding off on this purchase till I think the time is right.  With how quickly technology changes, I wanted to wait till we are at a point in our lives where we would use it a good amount, and I think now is that time!

yankee candles - if you know me, this is always an easy go-to present.  9 out of 10 times I most likely have a candle lit somewhere in the house, so I go through them quick!

These are just some of my favorite things that I am looking forward to for Christmas this year! 

Athens, GA Weekened Review

Another weeknd full of memories and traveling for us in the books.  This weekend we were down in Athens, GA visiting my brother and sister at college.  It couldn't have worked out more perfectly because we had no other weekends open this fall to make it down there, and it just so happened to be one of the biggest games of the season for Georgia!

We headed out of town on Thursday afternoon with my dad on a direct flight to Atlanta.  My mom was there to pick us up and we drove straight to downtown Athens for dinner at Mellow Mushroom.  We were in a rush, because the Corey Smith concert at the Georiga Theathre was starting at 9.  We got there about 30 minutes before Corey went on.  The concert was awesome!! Some of the people around us were not the best company, but hearing "Every Dawg Has Their Day" in that theat

re was so amazing.  Corey Smith is from a small town outside of Athens and he has debuted many of his songs there so it was like his "home turf".

We hit up a few bars after the concert and got back to the condo around 1:30am.  This old lady was exhausted the next morning! It was nice to have a day between the concert and gameday.  Friday we took it easy.  Julie showed me her sorority house and all the different rooms in the mansion they live in! Sorority houses are an experience in the south y'all.  A little different than the house I lived in at JMU! 

IT'S SATURDAY IN ATHENS!!!!! Mom and the boys were up early to claim our tailgating spot which was right in the middle of all the craziness.  The game was at 7:15, so we got to the tailgate around 12:00pm ready to go with tons of food and sweets! We had a great time eating, listening to music, and drinking! 

  Not a big bloody mary fan, but this set up was awesome! 

 Everyone was saying that we looked like twins at the tailgate... I think it was because of our curly hair!

Drinks on drinks on drinks!

Collegiate reunion with Meghan, Frances, Tommy, and the Merrymans! Classes ranging from 2008 to 2013! 

 

During the tailgate we decided to walk over to the fraterninty house that Major and the Monbacks were playing at.  Major and the Monbacks are a Norfolk, VA band that is traveling the east coast playing all types of venues.  Be on the look out for them in a town near you! Knoxville, TN - word is they are heading your way today!

After the tailgate ended, we walked down to see the Dawg Walk and to start the process of scalping tickets.   It was pretty cool to see the buses roll up bringing the team to the field!

 

 

And then DJ worked his magic and got us some resaonablly prices (for the prices that tickets were going for) tickets right on the 50 yard line!!

And then we got back to Bobby's house around 11:00 and thawed out our toes and called it a night!

Sunday we had breakfast at The Mayflower, a hole in the wall kinda place, but it was delicious! We walked around downtown for a little bit, said bye to my brother and sister then headed back to the condo to get ready to head home.  We arrived back houe around 7:30 p.m. - just in time for Sunday Night Football on the couch with the pup!

GREAT WEEKEND with family and friends! Can't wait to celebrate Jake and Karlyn's wedding - the last of 2014!!

Saturday GAMEDAY

WAKE UP - IT'S GAME DAY! 

#15 Georgia vs. #9 Auburn.

Tailgating.

Dad shotgunning beers.

Tailgating with family and friends.

Freezing temperatures. 

Nothing beats a good Georgia win.

GOOOOO DAWGS SIC EM!

Country Concert Junkie

My name is Cayte and I have an obsession with country concerts.  First step is admitting it right?!

Inside, outside, small venue, big stadiums, rain, shine - you name it, I've been to a country concert in it.  Whether with friends or family, I always have fun at a good country concert.  But there are those concerts that turn out to be not as good as I expected.  Growing up, I always asked for the Country MegaTicket pass for the summer country concerts at the Virginia Beach ampetheater.  It was perfect because the pack came with a ticket to every big name country star that was coming to town.  We even got to see all the opening acts that came with them that are now touring on their own.  

I literally just tried to write a list of all the artists that I have seen in concert and had to delete it because it was stupid long.  I am so excited to be crossing off one of my country concert bucket list items TODAY at the Georgia Theatre to see Corey Smith.  I have probably seen him a half a dozen times, but never in the Georgia Theatre.  Corey Smith is from a small town outside of Athens, GA so on a gameday weekend, this concert is going to be one for the books y'all! For now, take a look at some of my country concerts do's, don't's, and wishes!

Favorite Concerts:

The Clarks - The Jewish Mother, Norfolk, VA

Little Big Town - Virginia Beach, VA

Kenny Chesney 2008 - Virginia Beach, VA

Kenny Chesney 2011 - Virginia Beach, VA

Brad Paisley - 2012 - Evansville, IN

Montgomery Gentry at the Georgia Theatre, Phil Vassar at a small bar in Norfolk, Chase Rise (with meet and greet) at the Norva in Norfolk, and may more!

Concerts that disappointed: Toby Keith was a big disappointment and Rascal Flats doesn't do anything for me.

Want to see again: Corey Smith, Kenny (as always), Tim (duh), and I'm sure some more!

Concert bucket list:  Zac Brown Band, Corey Smith in the Georgia Theatre, Carrie Underwood, Garth Brooks! I'm sure I am forgetting someone, but that's it for now! 

Who is on your country concert bucket list?!

Follow along on Instagram @caytebrown