Too Long

It's been a while since I've been on here. Not sure why blogging ends when I begin a new chapter of my life. 

At last post, I was still in school finishing my fifth year of college. Welp, I graduated with my political science degree and broadcast journalism degree. Then, I was a bridesmaid for my BFF from St. Mary. 

They gave me a degree - get this - TWO degrees. 

             

Bridesmaid's luncheon with Mrs. Johnson

Get this - someone gave me a J-O-B after graduation. Yep. I can barely believe it now. 

I was the morning show reporter for a year, now I am dayside and work 9 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. I love it.  

I will update more after brunch. 

The "PLUS 1" dilemma

I think every single girl out there knows what I am talking about...If you don't you're lying to yourself.  I just received my first of many wedding invites for the spring.  First words out of my mouth: woof. Second words: shit. (Sorry, Mom.)****side note: I gave up cursing for lent. Then I realized that cursing actually relieved my stress. So, I gave up gossipping.  That ain't easy, folks. Not just talking about who did what, or any OMG news, but literally just shooting the breeze about other people.****back to the problem at hand. Plus one. I need someone who can hold their own conversation, who can make small talk with people he just met, and who won't be a drunken fool if the wedding has an open bar.  The latter is something from a bad movie.  But seriously....don't they hire out these kind of people?  Yes, yes they do.  

If only Dermot Mulroney was a real life man living in Fayetteville OR any of the surrounding areas....I would give anything for Debra Messing's collar bone structure, too.  Let's be honest: I'd take either.  If you haven't seen this movie...well you need to, STAT! 

I have about the same dilemma as Debra Messing...I need a date because I am a bridesmaid in a wedding and don't want someone who is going to need me to be by his side every second. Because, let's be honest, that ain't happening.  No Catholic weddings in the near future, so these will be easy 15- 20 minute services.  Thus, super easy.  

Well...the plus one search is on. Send all possibilites my way. 

Will's and Kate

I have some of the absolute weirrrrdest dreams. I have this reoccurring dream of falling from my ceiling, other times I'm marrying a movie star. Okay, I usually am at the altar with the post man but they're pretty much the same. Last night I dreamt that Kate Middleton and I, Edith Channing Barker, were BFF's. As in, she asked me to be her bridesmaid. I was wearing white; which I know sounds weird seeing as how she was the bride and all. But! In my defense there were a ton of other bridesmaids...BUT in my dream, I felt as though she was the closest to meeee.  Like Pippa wasn't even in this dream. Ya, I won the MOH battle.  Austin, my bfffff from high school, junior prom date and homecoming court escort, was also one Will's groomsmen. And we were running to the chapel.  Which also seems odd seeing as how you know the royal wedding was on a serious schedule.  I bet Kate knew I was usually late and told me an earlier time than usual just so I would be super early.  I LOVE LOVE LOVEDDDD the royal wedding. I was on a round of IV steroids so this was a super great time for Will and Kate to get hitched seeing as how I had a port tied to my wrist.  Tied isn't the right word...more like placed into my vein....okay I'm getting off track. Here are some pictures of pictures of the royal wedding on E! the morning of the big day! 

I learned how to give myself the roids! Thanks, MS.
 But mostly, thanks Wills and Kate for getting married in perfect tune with my disease.
 I'm serious. But slightly sarcastic. 

Look at all these colors and buttons I got, yo!
 It's like I'm a king.
 Wait....

Kate's Mum and bro. Whatever happened to him? He was a good lookin' Middleton. As if there is bad looking Middleton? Seriously- this family must only breed beautiful people.

Love that hat, Cam.

Queen.

Dude, that's a lot of people. 

I remember this moment...she got out of hotel and into the car.
The dress, oh this dress!
I need a life. 

Pippa. Could you not be so pretty?

Seriously.

Wait...I'm about to marry an almost bald man who is in line for king?
What? 

Aw...yes. 

Love.

I'm a rockstar. 

Sweeeeeet shot.

Harry...the red headed hot brother. 

The end.

The Most Beautiful Day.

I do realize I haven't blogged in a while. Life, family and school has kept me super busy. 
Madalyn's wedding was beautiful. Literally have never seen my sister so very happy! 

The happy couple. 

The rehearsal dinner had some great food...and some sweet babies! 

Remember the post about my brother, Tom?
We had the best time together.  He works for Bacardi.
Needless to say, he introduced me to so many new drinks.  

Barker family.  Shouldn't have worn a white bra with a black dress.
Thanks to my good friend, Allison for letting me borrow the LBD.  

Our good family friend, Diane Ornelas, decorated for the rehearsal dinner.
LOVE HER.

Ain't he adorable in this chocolate brown suit? 

The crew, tying the bows.  Katie, Kat, Nat and Heather came to Tulsa.  So glad they were there there to help celebrate the big day! 

The girls put all the bows on the chairs.  It took some time, but the chairs looked fabulous.
Watch out for the wedding planning company, SWAG, to come to a bridal event near you.  

Is she not so cute? 

It got hot during the rehearsal dinner, so Liv took off her clothes.   

Chloe was a great flower girl!  

Livvi. 

I love this picture.   

Seessstersss. 

Family time on the trolley. 

Rhett, Madalyn and Clem. 

My favorite picture of the night.

I love the new addition to our family. Clem is a welcome joy to our lives! 

Something you might not know...

It just occurred to me that not a lot of people know about my foreign exchange student, Tom.  When I was a young lad, more like when I was four years old, my family took in a foreign exchange student from Poland.  His name is Tom Kobus.  When I say we "took him in" it wasn't like he was drifting among the hills of Oklahoma looking for a place to live.  My parents put in the request for a Polish kid- he was 16 at the time- because my mom's family is super Polish.  Her maiden name is Olzawski.  Coincidentally, Tom is my Grandpa Olzawski's name, too! 
Tom is my brother in every way possible.  He lived with us for two years because if he went back to Poland, his high school credits that he completed in Oklahoma would not be accepted..Or something like that.  Something else very cool...Madalyn and I are six years apart...Tom and Madalyn are six years apart....and Tom and I have the same birthday so that makes us EXACTLY 12 years apart.  Legit, right? 


I wasn't involved in this conversation. I was naked, running in the front yard. That's just a guess, though. 


Point is, Tom is coming for Madalyn's wedding! I am so excited I can hardly wait! One of my favorite memories is when my parents were out for the night and Tom was supposed to watch Madalyn and me.  I was, Lord knows, naked and running through the halls in our first house.  Madalyn was trying to catch me and Tom was trying to corral us to bed.  Tom got me on his shoulders, and as we ran down the upstairs, I hit all the fire alarms.  It was cool to do that, right? No.  Not really.  


Anyways, Tom has two little boys now and a beautiful wife, Jill.  I wish I could post some pictures of when we were all younger on here, but those are at home in Tulsa.  I got an email saying he would be arriving in Tulsa on Thursday before Madalyn's wedding.  The last time I saw him was when I was in high school in New York.  He had a baller job with some company in the city.  He is a genius.  


Here are some pictures from the shower Aunt Lori and I threw this weekend in Tulsa. 

The game. One "wedding or marriage" word with each hour of the day. 

The petifores. 

Barker girls.

Champagne in a can! Genius! 

Grandma Olzawski gets her every time.  This is one of Dede's, our great grandmother (and who I am named after, Edith Patton)  baskets.  

The waterworks. One of the Olzawski Christmas heirlooms passed down! 

Only four weeks until the big day.  I cherish my sister a little more everyday.  

Wedding season never ends.

Katie and I have come to the conclusion that engagements are at an all time high right now. Maybe it's the fact that we are 22 and living in Arkansas? Or maybe it's just the fact that we are growing up. See, I didn't say growing OLD. 22 is a great age, but no one really writes about it. There are many a love story regarding twenty somethings and their one night stands. I take back the idea of that being called a "love story." It's not.

22 is the time after college and right before you get married. Or so, that's what society thinks. Now, 22 is the time for women and men to learn and grown; to find what makes their hair stand on edge. And if that happens to be the man and woman you love, then go for it! But personally, I don't know how to keep within my own budget on groceries-seriously, I spend hours just walking up and down aisles, preferably the cereal one- so I can't imagine bringing someone else into that adventure.

Do I sound like Betty Friedan yet?

My sister is going to be the most beautiful bride. We checked out music this weekend for the wedding! Mom is definitely going to need a Xanax, I'm going to need some serious waterproof mascara and a terrible amount of powder. Fun fact: I'm a real ugly crier. Maybe I should put that on my resume? Definitely not, but should tell all that ask me to be in their wedding, that this whole crying this is unavoidable. This last week we did cupcake testing. Since Madalyn's wedding is in November, we tried a variety of flavors, especially fall tasting ones. Although the weather has been so nice lately, I am ready for fall. J Crew is as well...bad combination. Below are just a few of the shots I took from the tasting, which we held in our own little dining room!

The remains....

Mom made the bride wear her wedding cake headband.

Not so sure about that flavor.

Maybe this one?

She's gettin' hitched!