Not cut out for a K-9 modeling career.

Growing up with a professional photographer as a father meant that I fell in love with photo shoots from an early age. Regardless of whether I was behind the camera as a five-year-old styling my Barbies, in front of the camera for senior pictures, or behind the camera again shooting local landscapes or action shots,  I loved it all. Still do.

It's no surprise that I was almost as excited to take engagement pictures as I am for the wedding. Almost. It was the best day, you guys. At least for me.

I got my nails and hair done, shopped for the perfect outfit (or outfits to be exact), cleaned my ring and pinned 67 engagement picture ideas to my wedding board. I'd had my heart set on Candi Coffman Photography for quite some time, and I knew she wouldn't disappoint. 

Cole put on his patient pants along with a smile and put up with my need for cliche kissing photos.....aaaand a few other "corny" shots. OK..... a lot of corny shots. But it made me happy and that's what matters. What a guy. 

Chloe, however, ... bless her heart. She made her debut at our last stop, a wooded park with a bike trail. Although very well behaved, she made it clear that she is not cut out to be a K-9 model. 

I mean, look at those crazy eyes. 


You woulda thought we just got done beating her or something.


At least we got one good Chloe picture out of it. This one's going above the mantel. 


Maybe her soon-to-be puppy brother, Guinness, will be more photogenic. 

Here's to hoping! 
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I love you, OK.

"You know we belong to the land, and the land we belong to is grand."

It's so grand, ya'll.

I grew up in the lovely town of Argyle, Texas (yes, like the socks). Stuck smack dab between I-35 east and west in southern Denton Co., it's a lovely little town with a population of around 3,300. High-school me loved being a "country" girl. A Texas girl. My AOL screen name was texascowgirl113..... And I prided myself on that. I mean, I rode horses after all. Everything was bigger and better in Texas.

My, how times have changed.

It's been almost seven years since I made the move to Okla. It took some time, but I've come to love Okla. and really consider it "home."

I was in Texas last weekend and found myself constantly thinking how thankful I am to be an Okie. Now, don't get me wrong... I love my friends and family, the variety of DFW radio stations and the fact that they have Corner Bakery, but........what else?

It warms my heart that Okla. has so much character. Locally owned business, restaurants with unique [and delicious] menus and people bursting with local pride. It's a real community of sorts, not just a giant city of people dwelling next to each other. It's people working together and supporting each other. A subconscious alliance, if you will. From the city to the country, it's all a beautiful conglomeration (whoa, that's a big word).

I suppose the fact that there's way less traffic doesn't hurt much, either.

So, for those of you that think Okla. is boring, or just a huge, flat wheat field, you're wrong.

Well, mostly. It is a giant wheat field.

But it's one worth discovering, worth exploring, and worth calling "home." I'll be glad to show you around sometime.

I love you, Oklahoma. Thanks for becoming my home.

Yours truly,

Amanda

Photo via The McGranahan Barn Facebook Page



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I had a blowout.

A while back I discovered Hart of Dixie on Netflix. I watched the entire two seasons within a week. My life was about like this during that time.....waiting for the premiere of season three seemed like it took years.


Needless to say, Zoe (Rachel Bilson) often went to the local hair salon in Bluebell, Alabama, to get a blowout.

A what out? Like the tire?

My thoughts exactly. I noticed overtime (in other TV shows, mind you) that southern bells mentioned their "blowouts" regularly. And man, did their hair always look pristine.

To the internet! I googled, I binged, I pinterested. I even asked my hair stylist. From what it sounded like, a blowout was basically a wash, dry and style, with special attention given to the blowdrying process to give volume, style and cleanliness that lasts several days.

So, you're telling me people pay to simply have their hair blow-dried on a regular basis? Yeah. No thanks. Not for me.

Until our engagement pictures came around and my [very dead and brittle] hair just wasn't cutting it. I needed to look fabulous. I mean, they're going to be hanging in our house for years to come and all..... So, I scheduled my first blowout. I was hoping the professionally styled hair would hold up against the Oklahoma wind and make me look like a supermodel....

It didn't. It looked 100% exactly the same as how I fix my hair every. single. day.

I asked for some volume/bounce/loose curl at the bottom....it went flat. I asked for a little extra hold to help in the wind....it blew around and tangled up like we were in a tornado. I was told the blowout would last around four days (meaning no washing during that time)....24 hours later I felt like a slimy, grease covered homeless person.

Can you tell which hair was professionally styled and which one I did myself?





















Me either.

The moral of the story is, blowouts aren't worth $40. At least now I know I can style my hair like a pro.

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