{colorful}

This past weekend we went home to Louisville, Ky! 

We got to visit and stay with my amazing family and spend lots of quality and much needed time with them. Saturday we spent the day shopping and at night celebrated a belated Father's Day at my family's favorite restaurant... J. Alexanders!! Oh my gosh! If you've never tasted their carrot cake, put it on your bucket list! It's to.die.for!

Sunday we woke up bright and early for the one &only- COLOR RUN!

We drove to downtown Louisville clad in all white outfits ready to walk  run. We met up with my cousin Lauren and her boyfriend Andrew. 

If you've never heard of the color run, its a 5k race that's more about the color than it is the "race". You take the race at your own pace and soak up all of the color along the way. Each kilometer is stocked with volunteers who drench you in color powder. 

One tip for you future color-runners: hold your breath while you're walking through the color cloud! It definitely gets in your mouth! 

Blue Teeth!

The race is fun but the most exciting part is at the END of the race! Every 15 minutes they count down and a huge crowd of people throw their color packets in the air and a there is a ginormous explosion of color! 

 Here are some pictures from our race!

All fresh and clean in our white

After the run, before the explosion of color!

COVERED!

Andrew's hair!

The Group! We had so much fun!

The three of us!

After going through the blue cloud!

The color run was definitely the most fun and happy 5k race I've ever done!

{tons of yummie-ness}

I have been dying to make some "real food" recipes lately. 

I have searched and searched to make the perfect dish that sounded deee-lish!

Last night I made scrumptious sweet potato burgers: recipe {here}

This afternoon, for lunch, I concocted egg-cellent avocado egg salad: recipe {here}

I made my own red wine vinegar because I didn't have any. 

Also used white onion instead of chives &

two tbls of mayo instead of plain yogurt {didn't have plain}

Serve on a slice of bread and enjoy! 

**Also used amazing homemade bread from the farmer's market, which was definitely worth the $5/loaf that I paid**

{then vs now}

When we brought Polo home he was such a sleep, yet active little boy. At 9 weeks old, weighing in at 8 lbs he was a ball of energy! Now, at 4 months weighing a whopping 33 lbs he is becoming more relaxed and easier to trust in the house! Since we have lived in our new home {fingers crossed} he has not had one accident in the house! Polo has now mastered "bell training". We have a jingle bell attached to our door and when he needs to go outside he dings it with his nose!! So very proud of this smart little boy! His new favorite things include sleeping in the shower {he even wants to get in if you are in there}, crawling under the bed, playing and chasing balls, hiking, and going on rides in the car! 

It's insane how you can have this much love for a furball, but boy are we head over heels?!

**We had Dale's medical school orientation today and were forced to leave him home from 7:00-3:00. We left him a nice little set up in the bathroom with food, water, his bed, and bunches of toys. I was a nervous wreck all day long thinking he would be lonely, hungry, thirsty, and most of all go potty in the bathroom! I am happy to say that this boy is so good that he slept all day {i assume} and did not have an accident! He is growing up!

{our first house guest}

So so happy that my sister came to visit us in our small town! We enjoyed a long 5 mile hike, ice cream in 'town', playing the game of LIFE, and cooking dinner! 

Polo Bear was hot after the long hike!

Sharpe, family of three

Taking in the beauty of God's creation

Had to stop at the cute little ice cream shop in 'town'

We didn't have cable yet so we decided to play life!

Standing on the KY/VA state lines!

Twins?

Handsome Husband!

{my best friend's wedding}

Sunday, July 1, 2012 I had the joy of witnessing the beautiful matrimony of my best friend, Ana  and her college lover, Brayden! 

The special thing to me was that I have seen Ana & Brayden's relationship grow all throughout college! It's a beautiful thing to be an outsider and watch your best friend go from a date, to engaged, to being the most beautiful bride on her amazing wedding day! 

We have been looking forward to this day since they got engaged in March 2011! When July 1 finally rolled around it didn't feel real. My best friend was about to become a bride. 

We all met in Atlanta on Saturday for a beautiful bridesmaids luncheon. 

The bride with all of her maids!

Bride at her rehearsal dinner with her new last name! 

Since her wedding was on a Sunday, we had to have rehearsal the morning of {sans the groom of course}. When we pulled up to the site, it was the most beautiful place I have been for a wedding! A&B originally planned to have the ceremony outside in the gardens and then the reception inside. However, this was the week of 105 degree weather so they decided to have both ceremony and reception inside. Ana had been going back and fourth up until the day of her wedding. Did she want to just go ahead and have it outside? Around 2:00 it poured down rain, we even had hail! It was definitely God's way of saying "You all made the right choice!"

We all stared at the beautiful bride as she got her hair done in a beautiful side bun and her make up was flawless. We all got ready and played the waiting game. A&B originally planned to do a first glance, but because of the rain they didn't get the chance. This made it so special as she walked down the aisle toward Brayden. 

I held it together pretty well all day long until one special moment. As we were preparing to get lined up to walk down the aisle, Ana's daddy came in to pray with us. The second he walked in the door, I lost it! The way he looked at his beautiful daughter all dressed up in white melted my heart! I dried up my tears and said I wouldn't cry any more. Well, that didn't last! We all walked down the aisle and waited for the beautiful, blushing bride! When Ana came down the aisle I lost it again! My best friend was about to marry the man of her dreams! It was such a beautiful moment! 

As they said their vows, we were lead outside to complete the ceremony where they would release doves. As the preacher was reading a verse  there was a ginormous clap of thunder {nothing before and nothing after it happened} it was so insane! The preacher said, "Well I better stop there. I think that is God putting a seal on your marriage." 

We had so much fun at the ceremony and made memories that will last a lifetime! I know that God will truly bless this marriage and I can't wait to see what He has in store for my best friend and her hubby! 

Getting ready. I'm just a little taller than Morgan!

My gorgeous 'little'

Gorgeous best friend!

Gorgeous bouquet!

If you want to see more pictures, visit her ammmaazzinng photographers website: {here}