San Diego: Balboa Park and more Flowers

After going to the beautiful rose garden, Ben and I decided to make our way through Balboa Park. We really had no idea how big or how beautiful this place was. There were so many different things to see: so many different types of architecture, so many different types of people.



There was a bird rescue stationed in the park ready for people to adopt exotic birds.

The Coy Pond here was so much cleaner and prettier than at the National Arboretum. It made me wonder if they were different types or if the fish being active really impact the water.

This was such a beautiful roof.  I may or may not have taken ten or so pictures of it.



The Old Globe Theatre.  It seriously looks like the one in England.. I mean from the pictures. I've never seen it in person in England.

Even with the clouds, it was so bright outside!

Segway tour, and I accidentally got this awesome picture.



So... I'm completely bombarding you with pictures.  It was just so beautiful in Balboa Park.

That's all for today.  I'm still editing! Still! So more will be posted soon. 59 Mile drive is up next!

San Diego: Flowers at Balboa Park

As promised, I am posting about San Diego! The problem is that, between Ben and I, we took over 400 pictures (and that's without keeping any blurry ones!).  So there will be several installments of San Diego (or Sandy-Ego as Ben likes to call it) blog posts. Here we go.

The first day in San Diego, our hotel room wasn't ready for us, so we made our way to Nicky Rotten's for lunch.  It was a pretty cool place with awesome burgers and the most amazing Asian chicken lettuce wrap.  After lunch, we had some time to kill.  We heard that we needed to go to the San Diego zoo, but when we got there, I was instantly drawn to the beautiful rose gardens of Balboa Park.  Along the way, we spotted some gorgeous succulents and several flowers that I can't quite identify (they looked like alstromeria to me.)  Here are the flowers of Balboa Park:

 

As you can see, I am completely obsessed with these flowers.  And these are only the flowers we saw the first day! Needless to say, we never made it into the actual zoo.  I can't wait to post more pictures soon!

My 24th Birthday Weekend

Happy Sunday everyone! I am newly back from a very exciting trip/birthday present (which will be discussed later), and I am ready to get writing. Just a warning: this is going to be a me, me, me blog today. :)
I am very pleased to say that I had a wonderful birthday.  It was, in fact, the first birthday I have celebrated in Dallas since my freshman year of college.  My college birthdays were very exciting seeing as how two of them were spent recruiting potential baby ADPi's and  last year's birthday, spent in rainy 84 degree Maryland, was a little lonely (made only better by my amazing husband, as usual).  So this year I wanted to celebrate my birthday right: with my family. Little did I know...

Thursday, August 23rd, my husband took me out for a little romantic dinner, just the two of us.  I have to applaud him for listening to me complain about having never eaten at a French Restaurant (even when we were in France... sad day).  However, I must say that he was fooled by D Magazine into thinking that this particular restaurant would be a hit with me.  Let's just say, we were the youngest couple in the whole place.... by about 30 years.  I could tell that it was a place for regulars and not a place for 4 1/2 inch heels and a little black dress, which I wore.  I must admit that the food was enjoyable and the dessert was delectible.  It was the best creme brule I've possibly ever had.  That night, Ben gave me my first birthday present: a trip to San Diego, California (which, again, will be discussed in a later blog). Needless to say I was pretty ecstatic! New York for Valentine's Day and now San Diego??? I'm one pretty lucky girl.

Friday, August 24th, or birthday-eve, Ben started me off with a day trip to the spa with the lovely and always enjoyable best friend, Ashley. We got massages and the most relaxing mani-pedi ever.. Oh My Lord. Everyone should try this place (Hiatus on Lovers Lane).

Then he invited an amazing group of friends to come out with us, eat a nice dinner and then hit up Up-Town Dallas.  I had a blast.  The company was amazing and there was fun had by all (I hope...at least... I had fun).  We ended up hanging out at Renfield's Corner, a casual place to have a few drinks, and just when everyone was heading out, some of Julie's SMU dance friends found us.  We then made the decision to go dancing...at the Den...

(Most of these pictures didn't come out good... we were all too gross and sticky)

Now I love going dancing, and I love going with my friends, but this placed was PACKED! Like Sardines packed, like dancing with people you don't know who come up behind you creepily packed.  Was I a little creeped out? Yes. Did I still have fun? Yes. Will I go again? I will more than likely keep trying my luck with the Up-Town Dancing scene.












On my actual birthday, August 25th, brunch was to be had by all. Yummy. My mom started us with hashbrowns, eggs, sausage, fried tomato (amazing), and biscuits.  So by then I was stuffed.  My aunt and uncle came over later in the afternoon to celebrate with us.  Now this day had been planned around a sunny Saturday forcast.  And that didn't happen. It was cloudy and dreary all day, so we spent the day chatting inside and ended up ordering pizza since we didn't feel like making burgers outside in the cloudy cloudy backyard.  Birthday presents from my parents were amazingly JCrew-ed out (Ah. I love JCrew) with a touch of amazon gift card in there.  My mother-in-law and sister-in-law, Megan, made me the most beautiful quilt with all of my favorite colors.

Ghostly Sarah? I thought it was funny that this picture came out so creepy.



(I'm pretty much obsessed with this new scarf, from Jcrew obviously...It's from my amazing, beautiful sister.)

(Can you tell how much I am in love with these shoes?)

The evening was made even better by one of my most favorite cakes, the Berry Chantilly cake from Whole Foods Market.  I went to bed stuffed and happy that night.

 

Thank you to my wonderful husband, Benjamin, for taking pictures! And thank you yo my amazing parents for throwing me a wonderful birthday. I wouldn't have been the same without them.

A Little Shout out to my Family

I should first start this post by saying HAPPY TUESDAY!  It feels like such a long time since I've blogged, and yet, it's only been a week. 

Anyways... I just wanted to write a little something about the people who have helped me through so much in my life.  Starting a business has been pretty rough so far, and I haven't even gotten into the hard parts! Without my family, I probably wouldn't have enough faith in my abilities to move forward.  It's scary to think that someone's big event rests in your hands!

I also need to say that my family is huge.  Now, some people count family by the amount of blood they share with someone or the legal bond that ties them.  It's not like that for me.  My family extends far beyond my blood, my legal bonds, and even past my sorority sisters.  My family includes my friends, and it includes my Aggies. 
To start off with, I'd like to say that my parents are the hardest working people I know.  They seem to constantly be doing something: fixing the house, cleaning, cooking for us.  They are also the strongest people I know. I am constantly seeking their approval, looking toward them for strength and inspiration.  They are amazing and supportive.  When I told them about Sarah Ashley Events, they gave it to me straight, told me it would be hard but that they knew I could do it.  And I couldn't be happier with their responses.  They have made me the woman I am today by creating such a strict yet loving family.  If I didn't have their direction and guidance, I would be nothing.  I love both of them so much and can't imagine life without them.

Photo by Savannah Smith

Next, there's my sister, Julie.  When we're together, well, let's just say things get a little crazy.  We are the biggest goofballs when we're together.  Things that are not funny to anyone else or not even remotely funny at all are funny to us.  We're practically twins... well except for the fact that we we're two years apart and completely different looking.  We have the weirdest sense of knowing what the other person is saying at all times.  I could look at Julie and she'd know what I'm talking about.  She's my other half (sorry Ben).  When we're not goofing off, Julie supports me in every possible way.  I can honestly say that she has forced me to seek professions out of my comfort zone by constantly asking me the right questions about me.  She genuinely loves who I am, and I genuinely love her.

Photo By Savannah Smith

My husband is the perfect man.  He and I have been together for almost 8 years now, married for 1, and he has never been anything less than my rock, my inspiration, my love.  He makes me feel safe, and he makes me feel beautiful.  His only fault is that he can never say no to me, even when he knows he should.  I am even more and more in love with him every day.  Did I mention he built me a website, works as an engineer and can cook a pretty amazing omelet?  Didn't I tell you? He's perfect!  Of course we don't have perfect days, but even then, he makes me fall in love with him more.

Photo By Click Chick Photography

Now if I were to list all of my friends, my in-laws and my entire Aggie Family, I would keep you here forever, so just a little wrap up.  My best friends have been there for me even when I didn't think anyone was.  Ashley, my best friend and roommate for 2 and a half years of college, really, truly helped me get through Freshman year.  Without her love and her parents, I wouldn't have done it.  The boys were also a big part of making college amazing.  Everyone of the people I became friends with in Aggieland will hold a special place in my heart.  No matter how far we get or how long it is between talking to them, I always know that I can count on them.  The Aggie Spirit isn't just something we boast about, it isn't just about showing up to football games or wearing maroon. It's about the 12th man, being there for each other when we need each other. 

I still cannot believe how blessed I am to have these amazing people as MY Family.  I cannot believe that the Lord has given me so much when I am still so young.  He is amazing.


Last thing I should say is Thank You to my entire family.  I could not be so happy without them. 

Design: Julie's Dallas Apartment

It has taken me since early July to get all of these details finalized, and yet, I feel like we still have more to do.  My sister Julie is probably the busiest person I know. She goes to Southern Methodist University, has a double major, and makes sure to constantly be cast in the dance shows.  She is always on the run.

So last year, when I went to Maryland, Julie finally moved into an apartment, and when I visited, I realized that she had not yet had the time to decorate.  But what could I do? I was 1300 miles away, and the apartment is most definitely not portable (come on Star Trek, can't you create a REAL teleporter that we can all use?)  When we finally moved back, I jumped at the chance to decorate my sister's apartment.  I knew that it would be a huge task to make it perfect especially with her running between yoga and summer school classes.  But I also knew that it would give me design experience.  Anyways: I know ya'll didn't really want to hear that whole long winded explanation, so here are the pictures.

First I designed a little sign for the kitchen.  Julie had mentioned that she and her roommate both really love France, and on top of that Julie really loves coffee. So I painted this for them.

Since her roommate hasn't moved in yet, we decided it would be best to move on to Julie's bedroom.  She love Audrey Hepburn (as many of us do), so I decided to use a very famous quote on a canvas surrounded by two canvas' that held my own designs to put above her bed.

Above her desk space, we put some reminders of her favorite cities, London, Paris, and New York.  I'm so proud to say that each of the framed pictures was taken by either myself, my husband or Julie.  We're a pretty proud bunch.  Then she had an old London decoration that had fallen off of her dorm room wall her Freshman year of college, so I added some ribbon to the back and hung it up.

And finally, Julie's bathroom was finished.  It had originally been a grey and white and black color scheme, but she wanted a pop of color.  This part was easy! I'd already taken so many pictures of gorgeous flowers in Washington DC and Maryland.  I had this covered.  Again, I'm really proud to say that these are my pictures taken with my amazing Canon.

Hopefully soon, we'll get something up in her living room.  Until then, at least she's in love with her bedroom.  It's a proud day to be Sarah Carpenter today, if I do say so myself!  Happy Tuesday!

The end of the 30th Olympiad

Today is the end of one of my favorite events of all time.  I can not believe that the Olympics are already over and that my life will not be filled with the sweet sound of cheering fans, grunting athletes, or the Olympic games commercial breaks coming to an end.

Is it sad that I'm actually having Olympics withdrawals right now when the closing ceremonies just ended? Well if it is then I'm pretty lame. I'm having post Olympics depressions.  Honestly it will probably last until the winter Olympics which isn't that bad since it takes a shorter amount of time to get to them.  At least football season starts soon! 

There really is nothing like some good Olympic drama.  Why does it only last for 17 days? Now we have to go back to arguing over silly politics and catching up on election drama...

Good bye for now Olympics. It's been fun! Maybe next year I can head out to London for a peak at the stadium and East London.  Here's hoping...

Inspirational Sunday

Today my dad and my husband set out to fix the water heaters in my parents' house.  Well actually, they set out to continue fixing the water heaters.  This process has taken so long, not because they are slow at it but because these things weigh 150 pounds each, and, wait for it, because they have to go in the attic.  Anyways, as usual, things have gone wrong.  Why does that not surprise me... a leak here, a rusty pipe there.  Does anybody care about quality anymore? This house is only 6 years old!

While the boys were sweating away in the 102 degree (probably hotter) attic, I was sitting in the air conditioned living room, cutting inspirational pictures out of all the bridal magazines I collected when I was planning my wedding. (I'll admit to feeling a little guilty for that.)  I'm not going to lie, I'm pretty much obsessed with clippings now. 

It makes me excited to start an inspiration board for my business and makes me feel like I can collect my thoughts better.  I usually feel so out of control of my ideas.  I have wedding ADD.  So today, I remedied that, and that makes me happy.  The problem is, I just keep cutting more and more pictures out.

Hopefully I'll be able to decorate an inspiration board soon so I can start pinning these clippings to it! That's all for tonight!