They're here!!

I know I have been MIA lately, but let me tell you, nursing has become my new boyfriend/fiance/husband/etc, and I have had NO time in my life!! With that said, I didn't get to blog about the AMAZING time we had with Tracy and Tyler while taking our engagement pictures. They were the nicest and most fun people we have met in a long time and I absolutely cannot wait for the bridal portraits and more importantly, the wedding! If you are interested...here they are!!!!

Audie and Mark Engagement Session

Are they not the most talented photographers?!?! I will cherish these pictures forever and the experience. Each and every moment was captured and I absolutely love these pictures because they capture "us" as a couple and what makes us happy :) hope you enjoy!

I am having my first relaxation night in about 2 weeks...so I am pouring myself a glass of wine and watching all sorts of television tonight...I have earned it! I hope all other things are well with each of you!

peace, love and sex & the city.

-audie

Engagement Pictures!

Tomorrow is the day! It is finally setting in that we are getting married AND Tracy Turpen is actually taking our pictures! Don't worry...y'all will get the play-by-play as soon as we are back in town! I can't wait!!

Biggest problem...deciding on ONLY 3 outfits...seriously!?!?!

peace, love and sex & the city.

-audie

Fall, Football and Clemson Tigers!

Can I start by saying...I AM SO PROUD AND HAPPY TO BE A CLEMSON TIGER!!! Let's not discount the fact that the boys gave me a serious anxiety attack and palpitations...but the boys fought back from a pretty large deficit in the game last night and came out victorious! The Clemson Tiger football team is 7-0!!! Can anyone believe it?!?! I mean, don't get me wrong, I knew this team was capable of being great...but I thought this would be a "building year" because we have so many freshman...but what do I know?!?! Clearly, the freshman are the ones who are stepping up and making the plays. Two words regarding the freshman...SAMMY WATKINS! Hello, the boy needs to go ahead and be given the Heisman trophy, the ACC Freshman of the Year award and the ACC Player of the Year award! He is an amazing football player and an amazing person! He is the most humbled 18 year old I have ever seen. If you want to have a glimpse into what he is like, and you have twitter, follow him...its amazing!

In other news, nursing school has finally given us a break. Okay, who am I kidding, nursing isn't give us a break, the school is, because it's fall break! And to be perfectly honest, it could not come at a more perfect time! I have been so incredibly stressed, exhausted, you name it, I have felt it these past few weeks! I know it will all be worth it, but my good gracious it is hard...and I, officially, have NO life!! Add that to planning the last few aspects of a wedding and you have one busy girl! As much as I don't want to football season to end, I am so ready for Christmas break!

Well, it is officially fall and the weather has been beautiful and I hope it stays that way! Mark and I have our engagement photo session on Thursday with Tracy Turpen and I could not be more excited!!! I will fill y'all in after Thursday!! Who knows, since I have time in my life right now...you may hear from me before! :)

peace, love and sex & the city.

-audie

Where has the time gone?!

Happy Monday, y'all!

Seriously...where has the time gone? I feel like I just wrote about the Tigers (Clemson Tigers, that is) beating the Auburn Tigers and now look where we are! Two wins since then...and the good guys are at 5-0!! I feel like I have been drowning in nursing school craziness and that I have missed out on a lot and have left all you loyal followers my few fans friends and family out to dry, dying to know what I have been up to...please see previous post if you really need to know what I have been doing!

As stated in the previous post, I am still COVERED and OVERWHELMED with this whole nursing school business. Tests coming out of the waa-zoo, quizzes out the ying-yang, projects and papers, oh my! Last week was my first physical day in the hospital, aka nursing home. I thought I had prepared myself for what I was going to be doing, seeing, smelling...you catch my drift...but oh boy, it was a day for the books, y'all! I can't really tell y'all all the riveting things we did because I would be violating that thing called HIPPA and this girl would not look good in an orange jumpsuit at the county jail, I already look like a bright red gobstopper in my garnet scrubs...so I won't risk it. But, it was a good experience and we now go back every Wednesday until the end of the semester, which in reality is more than halfway over...phew.

In other news, wedding season has begun! The first of about 102834 weddings was this weekend in Clemson and it could not have been more perfect! The weather was beautiful and my amazing friends Cristin and Zach got hitched! Of course, my fiancé was on his Bachelor Week, yes you read that right, WEEK...NOT weekend, so he could not be my date, so my BFF/MOH Megan was my hot date and we had a fabulous time! Unfortunately, Mark took my camera to the party week and Megan's other half took her camera to hunt, so we were camera-less and don't have one decent picture of the two of us! Sad day.

Well, I won't bore you any longer with my oh so fun, amazing, crazy life! Happy Monday!! Happy First Week of October!! Happy Beautiful Weather!! Happy Gameday...GOOOOO TIGERS!!

peace, love and sex & the city.

-audie

HOLY NURSING!!

I, officially, have NO life. Holy Nursing School!!! I can not even begin to explain how much time and energy this school takes...more power to all the girls and guys who are going through college for the 1st time and doing this...not moi! I, honestly, don't think I could have successfully gotten through nursing school if I did this while I was at Clemson. Okay, okay...sure, I would have gotten through it, and successfully, but it would NOT have been easy. This stuff takes over my entire life! In the month of September alone, I have/had 9 tests, 8 quizzes, 4 journals, 2 group projects, hospital orientation, and the list goes on and on. GOOD GRIEF!!

This is the first week that I have not had a physical, in class, exam...I have one test online and 2 online quizzes, but there is certainly a difference in the amount of studying and the amount of stress that accompanies these things. Hello, online test = open book...hello, heaven! So, if you have wondering where I have been...you can find me holed up in a nook in the library, or shoved into the 'man cave' at Mark's with my nose stuck in a book.

In other news, I should say in other FANTASTIC, AMAZING, FABULOUS NEWS, the Clemson Tigers beat the Auburn Tigers! The Clemson Tigers are 3-0! Death Valley was the place to be on Saturday afternoon! And for all of you Gamecock haters, who want to try and justify your "win" over Navy any way you want to...even if it means "laughing" at Clemson fans for "storming the field" after our win over the REIGNING NATIONAL CHAMPIONS...that is fine. I feel that those people are just upset that 1) an ACC team broke the longest winning streak in the nation, let alone the ACC team from Clemson and 2) that their Gamecock team did not end the streak and beat Auburn. Oh and one last rant, if you Gamecock individuals who are not so nice about our win, if you haven't noticed, we "storm the field" after every win...all the students and kids on the hill run from the hill to the field...its nothing "new." Anyways, we won and it was an amazing place to be and a great day to be a Clemson Tiger!

So, if you don't hear from me for a while...come check the library or the 'man cave' to make sure I am still functioning correctly and have not become a robotic nurse!

One last thing...GO TIGERS! BEST THE SEMINOLES!!!!

peace, love and sex & the city.

-audie

Christmas came early, ya'll!!

It's the most wonderful time of the year!!

IT'S FOOTBALL SEASON!!! And not just any football season...COLLEGE football season...CLEMSON TIGER football season! I can not even begin to tell you how much I LOVE LOVE LOVE college football. I may come across as the girl who wants to be Carrie Bradshaw (because I am), but I have another side to me that is all about anything and everything sport related...particularly, college football. I know stats, scores, players, coaches, records...anything you need to know, I can probably answer your question. Anytime Mark and I are with friends and there is a conversation starting about sports or a question about sports, he points to me and says "that's your girl." Most people think he is joking, but believe me...he isn't. I know more about sports, especially football, than my own fiancé. He's just not as "hardcore" as I am...poor thing.

This past Saturday was the first game of the season and I was there...no if, ands or buts about it. But can we please talk about how freaking hot it was?!?! I think I lost about 6 pounds of water weight, thanks to all the sweating I did during the day. It might as well by the middle of August, it was so hot. I guess we just aren't going to have a fall season, just like we didn't really have a spring season. These days, it seems that we are just going to be have summer and winter in South Carolina. Personally, I am not a fan. But rain, shine, sweltering heat or freezing cold, I will be there in Death Valley supporting my Tigers.

In case you missed out on "heaven on a Saturday," here is a glimpse!

Death Valley

If you need me this Saturday, you will find me in this exact spot. I will be the one in Orange :)

peace, love and sex & the city.

-audie

Let the games begin!

I LOVE PARTIES! But then again, who doesn't?

My wonderful and loving parents had an engagement party for me and Mark this past weekend and it was a BLAST. However, BLAST does not even do the party justice. We had so much fun and I loved every minute of it...expect for the part about not ever seeing Mark anytime during the party. I do have one complaint. I am so upset that during the ONE AND ONLY engagement party that Mark and I will have...NO ONE has a picture of just the two of us! How in the world does that happen?!? Welcome to the world of engagement and wedding parties. I was told after the party that I should get used to not seeing Mark at any point during a party or shower because it just "ain't gonna work."

Anyways, the party...it was at our house and it was perfect. Although the rain starting coming down at 7:00 pm, the time the party was starting, it all worked out and all 120 people fit into the house and on the porch. YA'LL, 120 people showed up for this party! Mark and I felt so incredibly blessed and honored that so many people wanted to be a part of this amazing celebration. So, if you were a part of this crazy-wonderful event, THANK YOU!!

Take a gander at the pictures. Of course, I would have pictures with the girls and the bartenders, but not my fiancé?! Craziness!!

The Bride-to-Be and her BFF aka MOH!

My best friends from Summerville!

My best friends from Clemson! GO TIGERS!

The girls and the cute bartenders!

The Rolling's gang aka Veronica's Young Professionals :)

Seven of my BEAUTIFUL bridesmaids!

And for good measure...a picture of me and the fiancé :)

Isn't he the best?!?! I am only slightly prejudice!

peace, love and sex & the city.

-audie

Have you missed me?

I know, I know...you have been sitting on the edge of your seat, biting your nails and just aching to read yet another compelling blog post regarding "the life of Audie." Totally joking. But I sure have missed the blogging world and I have written, what, 3 blogs?! I am a total weirdo.

My life has been in full on CRAZY-OUT OF CONTROL-BUSY mode and I am just catching up...two days before school is about to start. Go figure. I am not about to catch ya'll up on every detail that has occurred in my life over the past 3 weeks, I will tell you that A LOT has gone on and A LOT has been accomplished. So, as I sit here listening to my happy hound dog, Peggy the Peg-leg Plowden, hound howl at Scout for taking her toy, I will give you a quick recap of the MAY-JOR things happening.

First of all, I got an "A" in Microbiology! Hollaaaaa!!! Now don't get me wrong, I did take it at Midlands Tech (thinking it would be an "easy A") but boy was I wayyyy wrong! That s**t is HARD! Excuse the potty mouth! Second, I got my scrubs for Upper Division nursing at, DARE I SAY IT, the University of South Carolina, and can I please say...it is going to be a SERIOUS STRUGGLE, a joy to put those things on every morning I head to the hospital. They are garnet (my least favorite color) with USC monogrammed on the front pocket. And to top that all off, when it gets cold, there is an adorable white jacket with the Carolina "C" monogrammed on the pocket...someone just shoot me now. I know my Granddaddy Howard is rolling over in his grave as we speak. NOT COOL. But, its all for a good cause and a good career, right? That is what I have to keep telling myself ;)

In other news, aka major things accomplished these past few weeks...the wedding is 99% planned...the ONLY thing I have to do is get my wonderful fiancé to sit down for a few hours one weekend and we pick out a cake and some yummy cake flavors. This should be the easiest part of the planning. #1 - Mark and I both want the same flavor. #2 - We both want a super simple cake design. Easy enough...now to find a cake "designer" that doesn't break the bank. Ya'll can I please get on my soap box for uno momento?? What in the world are these cake bakers thinking??? 14$ per slice on a wedding cake? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?! I don't even think the Cheesecake Factory charges that much for a slice of "to dye for" cheesecake! Holy toledo! Okay, off the soap box. Of course there are a few minor details to sort out regarding the wedding...but nothing as serious as tent, band, tables, chairs, linens, food, PHOTOGRAPHER! If anyone is in need of a FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC photographer, go visit Tracy Turpen's website and her blog ASAP.

I am sorry to rant, rave and bore you...but I figured I would try my best to catch you up on my life for the past few weeks. Just know that I will not stay away as long as I did this time...I know that excites each of you!

peace, love and sex & the city.

-audie (aka Birdie)

Oh, me.

So, I know I have been MIA lately, but my life is in crazy-mode. I have 2 tests and a final to take in the next 5 days...and to top it all off, my car decided not to start after I took my Microbiology lab final today (in 105 degree heat). Just what the doctor ordered. So...as I sit here in the waiting room at the Mercedes dealership, I figured, I would start working on wedding stuff, school stuff, more school stuff for the fall, etc., etc...but then I realized I wanted to watch ESPN in this waiting room and do just that...wait...

Happy hump day, all! I will return to the blog world as soon as I can get my life together!

peace, love and sex & the city.

-audie (aka Birdie)

I am...

How exciting...I start blogging and I have already been ask to be a part of this AMAZING "series." Let me give you a little background about how this all came about. My fellow blogger, friend and Clemson Tiger graduate, Whitney of The Meade Feed, was dealing with the challenges of raising a child, having her husband be out of town for a week and keeping the house running and she could not help but think about "her inadequacies." However, as she sat back and continued with the "bads," she wondered why it was SO hard to celebrate the positive aspects of her life, that God so graciously gave her. So, she started thinking about all the amazing things that she is...and let me tell you, she is...and she started this particular series.

So, here I am writing this blog trying to come up with all the things that "I am," and to get started is a little challenging, but once I start thinking about things, I realize just how much I have to give and that "I AM" many wonderful things...

I am a fiance.

I am a great friend.

I am a best friend.

I am a Christian.

I am an only child.

I am (will be) an aunt...and I LOVE my future nieces.

I am a Clemson Tiger and very proud of it.

I am a sports fan.

I am an animal lover.

I am a fashionista.

I am a nurse.

I have the ability to help those in need.

I am smart.

I am compassionate.

I am a lover of warm weather and sunshine.

I am a mother of Beagles.

I love to make people smile.

I am incredibly passionate.

I am so lucky...I get to marry my soul mate, love of my life and best friend.

I am a believer that ALL things happen for a reason.

I am aware that everyday is a gift and I embrace every day.

I am a lover of junk food.

I am incredibly interested in other cultures around the world.

I am in shape.

I am a LOVER of all things pink.

God blessed each and every one of us with great qualities and I find it necessary to celebrate all of them. Thank you, Whitney, for including me in this incredible series. If any of you are interested in following some great blogs, head on over to The Meade Feed and have fun!

peace, love and sex and the city.

-audie (aka Birdie)

I am, OFFICIALLY, a blogger.

Can you believe this? There are times that I can believe it and times that I think to myself and say "what in the WORLD are you thinking...who is going to read this?!?" Then, I think, "HELLO, WHO ISN'T GOING TO LOVE THIS...YOU'RE FABULOUS FAMILY!" I know I will look back and appreciate the fact that I started a blog at this time in my life...a time that, I am sure, I will want to relive numerous times. I started writing this blog about a week ago and have yet to finish it, until now, because I had absolutely NO idea what to write or what to tell you guys. My wonderful Maid of Honor, Megan Noe, created a blog for all my bridesmaids to follow and I have no problem, clearly...ask any of my bridesmaids about my posts, writing posts on that (I write posts in a British accent, for Pete's sake), however, when it comes to re-enacting my life in words, here, in my "diary," it seems to be tough.

So, I planned for this post to be published three days ago...three days ago marked the "10 months until you get married, day," and I could not help but get so excited and figured that that particular day would be the "perfect" day to start my blog. 10 months! 43 weeks! 304 days! 7,304 hours! 438,290 minutes! I am totally not excited, nor am I counting down until May 12, 2012!! But, the mini procrastinator in me is three days late...but on that note...

I have to admit, I am the biggest TYPE A personality I have ever met/known in my 25 years...and I have met and/or know numerous people. I have honestly had this "Summerville Royal Wedding" (as I am referring to it) planned since I was 18 12? I have been waiting for this day to happen since I could draw wedding dresses!! Which, by the way, I have found the most SENSATIONAL wedding dress that there ever was and I cannot wait to put it on...is it May 12th yet??? Goal #1: GET TO THE GYM. About the dress, if any of you wonderful ladies reading this blog need a FABULOUS FROCK (aka couture wedding dress), at a great and reasonable price, go visit Sarah HERE, in Charleston. I think I also have ADD because I jump from one extreme to the next.

About my Type A personality...Mark and I got engaged on May 13, 2011 and I have to say that I have about 94% of this wedding planned, as of July 12, 2011...the only thing left, thanks to the AMAZING work of Beth Huggins, is the food that will be eaten at the reception and the cake flavor (which we know will be red velvet...hello, Southern and hello, delish) and cake decorator...I mean, how hard can that be (technically, we don't need to figure out the flavor)??? Mark and I want the easiest food and cake possible...so it really shouldn't be that difficult. We, totally, should be getting married in 1 month...not 10.

I retract my previous statement...we have to figure out where in the WORLD we are going on our honeymoon. That seems to be the biggest issue Mark and I are having as of right now. I can't get the boy to sit down for more than 5 minutes and discuss fishing, let alone the honeymoon...talk about ADD. I take that back, the ONLY person who can get the boy to sit still these days is my father...whom, I might add, speaks to my fiance more often than he speaks to me...and the man is walking ME down the aisle! So, if any of you married folk have great suggestions for honeymoon destinations, please let me know! We are looking at St. Lucia, Petit St. Vincent, Peter Island, etc...so any wonderful resort recommendations (with villas) in that area, would be GREATLY appreciated. Another "requirement" for the honeymoon (it may just be me) is the fact that I would like to be able to go in the ocean...and I don't go in the ocean unless I can see the bottom...so "clear ocean" is a MUST. I promise, I am not picky ;)

With that being said, I now understand why numerous women don't let their fiance get involved in the planning, because they can't sit still (which drives me bonkers) and they absolutely CANNOT stand talk about colors, flowers, swatches, shoe color and hair styles...every time I mention something related to any of the previously mentioned categories, Mark gets glassy eyed, gets the shakes and has to leave the room or grab a beer. Its a serious illness, ladies. DO NOT expect the man to get involved in any of the fabulousness (yes, it is a word) of your wedding...you will do a perfect job, alone! Lord, mine won't even discuss the honeymoon, the most relaxing and fabulous part of this whole thing (okay, maybe not the most fabulous...we all know that will be when Mark and I exchange vows) but you would think the boy would be excited about lounging on a beach, fruity drink in hand, for 10 days...clearly, I was mistaken.

In a nutshell, I am so incredibly excited about this wedding and the upcoming year! I am also excited about what the world and God hold for me (and Mark) in the future...with your help and His, I hope to give you a glimpse into the wedding planning world and life of Audie in this "diary" that I have created.

peace, love and sex & the city.

-audie (aka Birdie)