Oh, HEY THERE!

So here it is...

My first post in nearly TWO MONTHS.

WHERE have I BEEN!?

"Pack it in, pack it in, let me begin..."

School... {I GRADUATE NEXT SATURDAY!}

Planning (and executing) a BEAUTIFUL wedding... {My first as the proud founder of Worth Wiles Events!}

And Georgia for Thanksgivin'{Most likely on our way there as our permanent humble abode}!

And now... I'm celebrating {nearly}

1,000 views!!

I know, I know... it's not a HUGE number. But, it's a HUGE deal to me. It takes a lot of guts, you know--sharing so much of your life with such a large part of the world.--but I'll tell you, I'm so glad I made the step. The influence a simple happy thought can have on the rest of the globe is absolutely undervalued. 

I have a friend in a far away state...

... and SHE'S got a blog.

In fact, that's how we caught back up--on the subject of blogs--and since then, she has shared one of her own, her canvas prints business is building, she has sent me inspiration via the pony express,

{Super SUPER cute Island Wedding magazine all the way from Nantucket!}

and continues to support me from afar, and I, her.

[PEEP THOSE AWESOME PAGES HERE and HERE]

We both have had positive influence on each other, and I sure do hope I'm doing the same service to those 1,000 views (I'm so proud... tehehe).

Anyway, I don't expect to be barking up the blog tree this week... I've got to finish finals STRONG for my LAST week as a student at Flagler College!

**MOM, I KNOW YOU'RE PROUD, AND I LOVE YOU.**

Stay cool, mates. I hope you had a FANTASTIC Thanksgiving, and I'll be sure to check back in soon! 

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Put-In-Bay

"CHECK-CH-CHECK-CHECK-CHECK-CH-CHECK IT OUUUUUTTT"

OH man... (no pun intended...) one of OHio's hottest spots is a ferry ride and a golf cart away from the Cleve(land).

This place was so stinkin adorable. Truly the St. Augustine (FL) of Ohio.

And the food...

{Lobster freakin Mac-N-Cheese HEAVEN.}

Brilliant.

That's where we ate (and not far from there, walked around). The weather was unreal. I mean... UNREAL. It was warm and cool and sunny and shady and breezy and crisp and... pretty perfect.

{Mind you... it's LABOR DAY in the streets.}

We saw the best of 'em, folks. Golf carts seemed to be the people mover of choice... 

Rented ones

Blue ones

Bridal ones

Buckeye ones

Broken ones

Crowded ones

Ones that looked like this...

Teenagers and bikers and tourists and retirees and hardcore fans, college and pro, people in bathing suits, birthday babies, bridal parties, religious messengers... SQUIRREL!... kids, dogs, bees, a FIRE, boobs, a woman in the mens room, 98 cent sweatshirts AND... 

BAR STOOLS THAT SWING.

Bravo, Put-in-Bay... you dressed to impress. I had a good time, really. :)

If you're ever hangin' around that way of the nation... you should for real stop by. I'd say it's one of those poorly polished gems not many people know about. ;)

Here's their website:
Put-In-Bay Awesomeness

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'Nuptuals (Mention Monday)

 This Monday's Mention (although a bit late... with good justification) belongs to my cousin Scott and his beautiful bride, Michelle.

Tehehehe...

{For those of you who are a bit lost... I ENCOURAGE you to watch Princess Bride.}

Anyway, MARRIAGE is what brought my family together this weekend in the crazy cool town of Cleveland, OH.

It was an absolute blast,

FILLED with laughter,

highlighting love,

bringing us all down memory lane,

and added a very special person to our clan.

{Congratulations to Scott AND Michelle Bloom!}

I LOVE WEDDINGS.

It is, after all, my profession... soon to be business... and I don't believe I could have picked a happier, healthier career. If every day life involves the blessings and excitement that comes with tying the knot, my life is sure to illustrate things alike.

 

The colors were black, pink and red... and the way it contrasted Lake Erie and it's surrounding vibrant green was fantastic. It was a small crew, but with LARGE personality, and a beautiful ceremony. 

They quite literally, "tied the knot" with a Cleveland Brown bedazzled rope (courtesy of my clown of an uncle... the best man... and one of the BEST men on the planet). It was short, and believe me, it was sweet. The cocktail hour and reception followed. Lots of love and special reunions took place. 

Marriage is such a sacred, brave, loving event. It is a reason for family from all over the world to come together and celebrate the addition of new members, and somehow always reminds us of how very special it is to find a love like theirs. 

Michelle is such a beautiful person, and so perfect for my cousin... I am so blessed to have been a part of it all. I wish you two the best of life in love, the happy, healthy birth of your baby, and love you more than you know!!

Congratulations!

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Be Blessed.

 HENDRIX

That's right... Hendrix... as in Jimmy Hendrix.

Hendrix David Varney is my Godson... down to the very literal meaning of it... my son, gifted from God.

My munchkin face, peanut head, butter butt, baby man, goober, booger, pumpkin pie lover-little. 

He is, and always will be, one of the best things that has EVER happened to me (along with the best friend that birthed him).

I got to spend some good, quality, nature time together with him. 

And it was AWESOME.

I don't know how many of you have a God Child... but if you're one of the lucky ones, you know just how special it is to be under the spell of a three year old, on a breezy day, with some pretty flowers, "sword" fighting. It's truly magical.

'RICA

Hendrix and I spent some time talking this past weekend. This little guy lost his Aunt Erica about a month ago. He's still processing it, trying to understand it, really... and frankly... so am I. His mom, my best friend, Erin Shaffer and I have been struggling with the loss of her 22 year old baby sister. I knew her for 13 short years here on this earth, and have to rely on the heavens for visitation now-a-days.

This is Erica (LEFT) and I about two years ago the night before Erin's wedding. Some of the most amazing memories were made that night.

Erica passed away earlier this month... unjustifiably.

However, losing Erica seems to bring a sense of calm, if that's even possible. I feel closer to her knowing she can hear me from afar, than I did when she was of mortal life, spiritually bound here on earth. I have faith that she will continue to enchant many more lives using the utmost advantage...  her halo.

MOMMY-N-ME

In November of 2010, I said goodbye to my mother, Kellie Wiles. She was too young, too beautiful, and too very much alive in spirit to be feeling so old, looking so worn, and living so painfully.

So, she carried on.

I celebrated her birthday on the 28th of this month.

HONESTLY, PEOPLE...

We, as a whole, have GOT to get a grip on the value of the people we love. I'm just not so sure it's realized as often as it should be. This month brought to me a lot of painful memories, moments, and morale... it took a whole lot of courage and SUPPORT... FROM THOSE WHOM I LOVE, AND LOVE ME. Without the foundation that we all provide to each other as friends, family, and companions... we would not nearly be as strong, or enduring as we think we are capable of being. Human is weak... support provides stability. Have faith in yourself, faith in God, and faith in those who have faith in you...

...{PARENTS, especially}...

I mean, get this:

Mom... The woman BIRTHED YOU, kept you breathing, taught you irreversible qualities that make you, you, and took part in making a person. MAKING a PERSON... Right?

With Dad... Can you believe men are really able to deal? So different... yet... so necessarily different. Dads make up for everything we can't be as parents, ladies... show some respect.

Halleluiah parents... ours and ourselves. 

And know...

The ones you love, aren't guaranteed to be here as long as you are. So, take it from me... someone who didn't exactly take full advantage of the blessing of family in the past...

Tell them you love them. And truly, TRULY be there.

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Bread Puddin'

  Hangin' With The Hendersons

"Having a place to go - is a home.  Having someone to love - is a family.  Having both - is a blessing." 

This weekend was jammed packed with good company, beautiful surroundings, and delicious {I mean... DELICIOUS} food.

 The River City Brewing Co. is located on the riverside of Jacksonville, and although I didn't get the chance to capture our view, let me just say it was beautiful. The stormy clouds subsided once we got our appetizers, and from then on... the day couldn't have been nicer.

THIS, below, would be RCBC's version of Bread Pudding. Crazy thing, this little dessert. It takes one of the most essential staples of American History and transforms it into a melt-in-your-mouth explosion of, well, childhood.

Okay, so we accompanied it with a glass of Brut... maybe not LITERAL childhood, but man... I'm not sure how many of you have actually tried this delectable dessert, but if you haven't, you must. It has been a part of my family for years, as well as the Henderson's, and the conversation piece it ended up making of itself was one of heart warming memories and consisted mostly of "mmm" and "oh, that's good." 

There is no fixed recipe, but it is usually made using stale {yes, you now have something to do with it} bread, staple ingredients such as milk, egg, sugar, dried fruit and spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, apple pie spice, and vanilla.

{You may also booze it up if you'd like, and add a whiskey or rum caramel sauce}

 The bread is soaked in the liquids, mixed with the other ingredients, and baked... to a cloud of

PERFECTION.

Warm, gooey, heart warming, nerve relaxing, I-could-totally-eat-it-for-breakfast

PERFECTION.

What's your most delicious memory from childhood? I'd love to try to whip up your versions and share them, too!

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