So Pinteresting

If you are not on Pinterest, here's why you should be....it's AWESOME. Well, there are more reasons, but that one tops the list. I love Pinterest. It is such a great way to explore the minds of other people. In case you haven't heard of Pinterest, it is an online community where you can "pin" things you like, or even dislike, to a board. The board is under your profile and you can create as many boards as you want. People can follow you, similar to Twitter; or they can like your post, much like Facebook.

The site combines many aspects of social networking, but puts a crafty flare to it. Although the website is female dominated for now, there are some categories that men can enjoy as well like cars, motorcycles, architecture and technology. I've had the pleasure of people asking for my opinions on interior design and fashion. These are people that I don't even know; some from other countries! The categories are endless, so I urge you to join. And follow me while you're at it: (http://pinterest.com/krystalhooper/)

Heaven is for Real

I believe I failed to mention that this past July, for my birthday, I was given a Kindle. I LOVE it! I finally downloaded a book that several people have suggested to me since January. It is called Heaven is for Real. I'm almost done with the book, but I have to say that it's truly amazing! If ever any doubt with life after death, then this is a must-read for you! Of course it's probably somewhat bias because it was written by a pastor, but still worth the read. I've suggested it to many people. The story brought me to tears several times and almost felt unreal. I had to remind myself that it was a true story based on facts from a preacher and his son. I can't express enough how powerful this book is and that everyone should be reading it!

Vacay-shee-oonnn

My summer was extremely busy, but lucky I was able to unwind a little with a four night-five day stay in Florida before fall semester started. I just got back into town this past Sunday night, and I am SUPER tan! My husband and I went down with a few friends, and some of our family and family friends met up with us later in the week.

The place we normally stay is always great, but this time we took a stroll down the highway towards Ft. Walton and checked out a new resort called Emerald Grand. This place is beyond awesome! Everything you need is right there within walking distance. They have shopping, restaurants, water-sports, bars and live concerts. The entire area is called Harbor Walk. I recommend it to anyone looking to stay on the Gulf Coast. We also enjoy going to Howl at the Moon, which is a dueling piano bar. It may sound boring, but I promise it is very worth the visit. They light the piano tops on fire and duel for tip money. It's located over the bridge in Ft. Walton next to a night club called the Swamp.

A few restaurants the we frequent while in Destin are Capt Dave's and Pompano Joe's. These two places are great for seafood lovers. We tried out Bubba Gump Shrimp (yes, solely based on the movie) and even though my food was great, the rest of my party had terrible food. The prices were expensive for the small portions they serve, and the staff weren't very friendly. I don't particularly recommend this place.
Anyway, here's some pictures from our trip!

(If you hadn't noticed, I LOVE pictures!)

My friend Anna and me riding to dinner.

The hubby and me enjoying a drink before the free concert.

Baby Shower

As promised, here are some pictures of my sister's baby shower. I decided to go with the monkey theme because it's my sister's favorite, and she's decorating the nursery to match! We had such a great time at the shower and saw so many old friends. The food was amazing and the amount of gifts received were overwhelming! I definitely cannot wait to meet my nephew, Wiley. He should be gracing us with his presence in about 7-8 weeks.

The diaper cake I made. It turned out so cute!

Monkey theme all the way!!

We added lots of tropical plants to make the room feel like a jungle.

Me and my beautiful sister!

Catch Up

I know I haven't posted a new blog since May, so it's time to play a little catch up. I've had a lot going on this summer! I started a few online summer classes, and they've kept me so busy! I also turned 26 in July and had a nice quiet dinner with a few close friends, then another dinner with my family. My sister flew in from California to visit during my birthday week. We had an amazing baby shower for her *pics will be up later. I didn't realize how much I missed her until she was leaving again. We both broke down crying and hugged each other, said goodbye and she was gone. I will see her soon though...and hopefully my new nephew!

Today is my last date of summer class, and I head to Florida next week for a much needed vacation. Once again, I'll be visiting Destin, which is my second home! I love it there and it is by far my favorite place to kick back and relax. If you couldn't tell, I'm really looking forward to getting there asap! When I get back, however, I start fall classes. I'm signed up for 18 credits again. What was I thinking!? I am keeping my fingers crossed that all goes well this semester and the goal is to graduate in May 2012. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

Well I have lots more to say, so I'll post more about my summer in a day or so!

Oh Paris!

Here's a picture from our girls night out at the Funky Paintbrush. Even though our paintings didn't turn out as good as we hoped, we still had a blast! Little city of Woodstock is really making their town sqaure a great place to hang out.

Mommy's Day!

Yesterday, we celebrated the once-a-year holiday known as Mother's Day. I've gotten a lot closer with my mom over the past five months so I wanted to make her day special! I wanted her to know that even though we haven't always gotten along (typical mother daughter stuff) that I appreciate her more now than I ever have. She is my support system and gives me the strength to achieve any goal.

In order to make this day extremely special, I had to get her away from the stress in her life. I spent the entire day with her; just me and her. We went to a nice brunch, then I took her shopping, and we finished out day with facials. It was amazing and the perfect way to say "I love you, mom". I couldn't picture a better day!