Yeehaw! My Best Friend Got Married Country Style!

Yeehaw! My best friend got married! 

Let's start with a quick background: When I was 15/16 this pretty blonde girl named Amanda moved to my hometown. She was the coach's daughter with a big family and a big smile. She also started dating one of my friends which was also the quarterback of the football team. She was on one side of the lunch table and I was on the other. It took us a little while but soon we became the best of friends. We've been friends ever since! Through relationships, college, life and everything else, she's been one of the best friends I've had. 

Then she met Peyton: I remember the weekend that Amanda met Peyton. I had been out of town and she went back to our hometown to hangout with friends. We hung out on a Sunday night when she started telling me all about him. At the time we both thought it would be a fling, but soon it showed to be much, much more. This girl was in love. After a year of dating and a year of engagement, the big day was finally here! 

Friday night we got together for the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner. She wanted an outdoor, country chic wedding that she pulled off beautifully! 

As a grade school teacher Amanda has NO problem taking control the crowd to get the job done. 

All the lovely bridesmaids ... I would like to think we were a small army. 

The Newport girls! 

Amanda was probably the easiest bride ever...for a girl who loves to always know what's going on! 

She gave us all a color scheme and said to go find a dress that you liked the best. 

This way, we could wear the dress again, and find one that looked good on all of us. 

Best. Bride. Ever. 

We all got to hang out together for the entire day of the wedding and get dressed. 

Makeup, hairspray and curling irons were all over the place. 

There were also a couple of Sonic runs in there in the middle. 

As the girls got ready, the boys set up the big event. Amanda had a view of an outdoor wedding on a summer night and that's exactly what she got. It was absolutely the best! 

On our way to the wedding! 

While we were standing around for pictures, we did a fun picture of our own. 

Three of lovely bridesmaids! Talk about a fun bunch. 

It was fun spending the weekend with everyone again. 

Ha! As many pictures as Amanda and I have taken together this was the first one all weekend! 

I knew she was a busy lady so I patiently waited for my turn! 

Most beautiful bride ever! 

Amanda's new daughter and nephew were the flower girl and ring bearer.

Cutest. Moment. Ever.

Look at that little boy in the cowboy hat? Couldn't your heart melt! And Amanda found her new daughter a dress that matched hers. Seriously. She thought of every detail. 

Amanda and Peyton said I do! They're married kids. 

A little bit of the entire event. Look at that dress! 

At the reception Jill and I finally took a decent picture. We had been doing a terrible job all weekend. 

I love this girl. We had a great time all weekend. We share such a similar sense of humor that she is so fun to hangout with! 

I would like to thank whoever made this cupcake. 

It was delicious. As was the second one. 

What a cute idea for the cakes! Happy Wedding Cake! 

I was able to grab Amanda's phone and snap a pic of us at the reception. 

Love you, Amanda! 

This is the first picture of Amanda's bridals from Meagan Garrison Photography. Can't wait to see the rest! 

Love you, Amanda and Peyton! I wish you two the best! 

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A Little Update About Life

When I lost my friend Matt a couple of weeks ago, I lost a piece of myself, too. So the past few weeks have just been filled with friends, having fun again, and learning to let go of the sadness. (I wrote about Matt here.)

Luckily, I have some pretty amazing people in my life who not matter rain or shine, will always be there. In a month one of my best friends is getting married... I'm so excited for her and her wedding day! (AND, my bridesmaid dress!) We all got to pick out our own dresses and I am absolutely in love with mine. Who gets to say that? We had a shower for her a couple of weekends ago and we had a blast. We all hung out all day and continued the party that night. I love any good celebration.

Bride and bridesmaids 

The Bride and I. Friends for like 11 years now. Whoa. 

In the month of May I have determined to make it all about movies. Since school keeps me pretty busy during the semester, and this summer is jam-packed with activities, I figured I might as well enjoy my downtime. What better way than with movies? So far I think I've watched ... Mud ... Iron Man 3 ... Avengers (had to catch up) ... and I still have plans for ... The Purge ... Great Gatsby ... and 42. 

I hope to see 42 this week, but I'm running low on friends who will go see movies. Apparently they are movied out. Lame. 

This past weekend was time for a good ole Southern get-together. When you grow up in a small-Southern town, all your friends feel like family. It's good to be with friends/family.

Also, all the stress of the past month has helped me lose like 12 pounds. Hello skinny jeans.
(Maybe not the best way to lose weight, but life happens, and you have to deal, and if you have to deal a little skinnier, then okay... I won't complain about that.)

We all had a really good time. Music, food and happiness. What more can you really ask for? Sometimes when bad things happen in life, it gives you a new perspective on everything else.

We even had fireworks Saturday night. 

I LOVE FIREWORKS. I think they're beautiful, romantic and inspiring.

They are also make the sky sparkle. Who doesn't love a little sparkle?

Tonight I'm taking it easy. There is so much coming up in the next few weeks (hopefully a lot of good to share) that tonight seemed like a good night to just relax, catch up on blogging, and not worry about everything.

Hopefully with this break from school I can also get back to the kitchen... if I know where that still is or how to use it? Time to find new recipes!

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Small Town Saturday Night

What do friends do on a Saturday night in a small town in Arkansas? Well we have a crawfish boil, ya'll. I know it's lame, but between work and school lately I haven't had a lot of time to go home to visit my parents or friends. Luckily, they understand and don't hold it against me.

Saturday morning I got up (mid-morning, let's be honest) and headed to my hometown. After a day of getting my hair done, running errands and working on homework I needed a break and to see some old friends. Crawfish season is in so it was time for a boil..

Here are some of the little fellas that we went through.

This was actually after we all got some.

Fancy plates, huh?

Whoops. My Nike jacket is a little out of character for this party.

But there was a tractor involved. 

Happy Weekend. 

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As Our Lives Change Come Whatever, We Will Still be Friends Forever

Growing up and becoming an adult is fun. and hard. and fun. and hard. But when you still have the friends you had when you were five, it's fun. This past weekend my friend Sara, who I have talked about here, had her wedding shower/party. It was like a mini-reunion from our high school group of girls. 

Amanda, Heather, Sara, Maggie and Me.

Though we were missing a couple of friends (Miss you Marion & Dru!) we were happy to all be together. 

There isn't one memory growing up that doesn't involve one of these girls. We rode around together, fought together, took up for each other, shopped together, and so much more. When we are together now, it's like nothing has changed but everything has changed. We all lead different lives, in different towns, but we all have one thing in common. We are all friends. 

Heather and her boyfrand, Jason. 

Hi sweet couple! 

Maggie and her husband, Blake

They just had a baby girl. She's precious! 

Sara and two of her college friends. 

Lovely ladies! 

  

Maggie and I. 

Do you know how many pictures I have of us? 

About a thousand.

Sara and her sweet fiance, Scott. 

This guy is funny. Sara did good. She did really good. 

We had to end the night on a sassy side. 

It's just what we do.

Moral of the story? Keep in touch with the friends. They know you the best, forgive you the quickest, and love you the most. 

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Pan-Fried, Oven-Baked Panko Chicken

It all started a couple of years ago when my mom made us drive around Little Rock one day looking for Panko bread crumbs. Panko bread crumbs weren't available in our small town grocery store so we had to go from store to store to find them.

I can't really remember now why we were on a scavenger hunt for them or what the purpose was, but at the time it was really important.

Now of course, panko bread crumbs are available all over and even in my parent's small town grocery store.

Last weekend I went home to see my parents on Saturday (and to get lunch money from my mom... 25 and I still get lunch money) and my dad made his pan-friend, oven baked panko chicken.

As he was cooking, I stood behind him and snapped pictures with my phone to share how to make this. It's good, folks. Real good.

Take a couple of chicken breasts (we only needed three that day) and pound them out a bit.

Add salt and pepper to both sides.

Apparently my parents are buying wheat flour now,

so add some flour to a bowl...

Next, add the salted and peppered chicken to the flour mixture and coat.

We let our chicken rest before the next process.

A happy chicken is a good chicken.

Panko time!

Panko in one bowl, a couple of eggs in another.

To the panko bowl, add some garlic powder.

And mix the eggs up.

Make sure you have around 4 tbps of oil heated in a pan.

The pan also needs to be oven safe.

Phone action shots. 

Chicken to egg.

Chicken to panko.

Shake, shake, shake!

Chicken to pan!

Do the same for all the chicken.

Now, brown one side of the chicken for about 4-6 minutes,

turn, brown the other side of the chicken for about 2-3 minutes...

And then stick the chicken in the pan into the oven at

350 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Take it out, and plate.

Add a couple of sides and there you have it.

Pan-Fried, Oven Baked Panko Chicken.

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