a change of name...

Well... I have decided to change the name of my blog... I had contemplated on just starting an entirely new one, but opted against that thought rather quickly. When I started the blog. my intentions were to post my photography pieces... thus resulting in the name Colorfully Black & White. I love black and white photography and this blog would be how I shared it. But soon that photography blog became more of a day to day journal of my life.

So I have decided to change the name to be more fitting for the actual purpose of my blog : to share my random life and all the crafts, photos and moments that gather along the way.

I settled on the "the days of our lives" because I say this all the time.. you know like from the soap opera I was forced to watch every summer day with my Nannie my entire childhood life. "like sand through an hour glass.... so are the days of our lives..." you know! well.. that is what I am doing with this blog.. only its my edition of the days of our lives - not everyone else's. 

Resulting with : the codielee edition :)

So.. nothing is changing except for the name. I am just telling you all this in case you pondered upon why i would do such a thing. 

have a happy monday :)

{Hookin' J Ranch} a logo...

A few weeks back TJ (a bull contractor and one of RD's good buddies) asked me if I would come up with a logo for his ranch/bucking bull cattle company. He drew me a quick sketch at a rodeo of what he was thinking. Then pretty much said "you're the designer" and left me with it. This is a really good guy so I wanted to put a lot of effort and make it look really good. 

Something that looked good.. but not too much going on.. and something that stood out from the other logo's that are all very similar.... hmm...

For several days I went back and forth during the day emailing RD the various thoughts I had sketched out on my computer. Together we narrowed it down... and let me tell you.. the world better be glad RD is not an editor. He can be a picky little thing :)

But finally we landed on this:

RD emailed it TJ... 

HE LOVED IT! 

I get to see him this weekend at a rodeo and talk with him about it more in detail. I am so excited! Soon this logo will be on his cattle trailer, tee shirts, and hopefully more! 

Yah! 

nightie night RD..

A few days ago, my neighbor Ashley at The Buchanan's - Our Life made a post concerning a bed frame and changing table that she was selling. With no need for a changing table just yet, I fell in love with the bed. Bought it. And finally sweet talked my brother into going and helping me get it in his truck yesterday. From there we went to the shop to make it all clean and new looking.

Here it is before.. just the head board. I deleted the foot board picture on accident. oops. :)

After some sanding and spraying with Polyurethane (clear semi shine stuff)... a touch of paint for the JRD brand and some welding of a horseshoe... 

The horseshoe is on the foot of the bed.. so you can see it when standing at the end of the bed.

This turned out darker than intended, but the pillows cover it anyways...

{this is RD's brand}

Look how excited he was! :)

{until this point he was sleeping in the same day bed he had been sleeping in since elementary school.. yes true story. Mattson's bed was bigger than his. He is 2...}

Here is the final product... all the linens/pillows/throw came from Walmart which I was shocked because it was the Chelsea Walmart that usually never has what you need... and yes, we set it up outside simply for presentation. :)

It is going to look so awesome in our guest bedroom (even RD agreed) one day for when my sweet Mattson and Payson come and stay with their Coco! :) 

Yah for new beds and comfy fresh sheets! 

Thanks again Ashley! :)

too much to say...

What's been going on :

This guy graduated high school. Yes. We are officially OLD. He was Valedictorian. He did an awesome job speaking and I am sooo proud of him! He is going to Auburn to become a vet. Go him!! Love you little man!!

Pardon the quality of this picture.. I took a picture of a picture with my cell phone... 

This is Chase when he was about 18 months. How cute is this child? He was actually mean then. For real. But now he is very sweet and kind :)

I also finally finished a decorating issue I had been facing... With the use of this clock. Which has been in my room since I was wee child and 2 frames from Hobby Lobby... I came up with this... 
Tah Dah!
The images came from The Black Apple. She has an Etsy Shop and is simply lovely!!!

Here is another image I bought from her. The frame is an antique that my Momma and I came across in Georgia on our way to a rodeo. Yah!

I also spent lots of time with my BFF Shelley and her wonderful childrens that I love dearly! Shopping and eating.. what we do best! Yah for awesome friends and family!

Then Sunday.. having not seen RD since Thursday because he was gone all weekend to rodeos... we were reunited and spent them entire Sunday afternoon, night and all day Monday at Wind Creek. Yah! 

{pictures to come shortly :)}

Wake boarding, knee boarding, eating and just having fun...

Now we are back to the norm and today I finished another project...

{i am loving this no work until June 29th business!!!}

Tune in tomorrow :) It's lovely!!!!

Yah for today...

Today I went for a formal interview (as a follow up from a phone interview)...

I wore my new "interview outfit" which made me feel 90 but still cute :)

I answered all the questions without hesitation...

I sold them on what I needed to...

I came home...

I waited for what I was told would be at least Tuesday....

I read some more my new favorite book (which will get it's own post later)...

I got a call...

I got the job!!!!! 

yah!

Then I got this...

My Mom bought this with her first paycheck in like 1981.. she worked at the same company I just got a job with.. how random? One stone is missing and it needs a deep cleaning... but I love it and her very much!

the weekend...

Today I went and got this guy a tie stake and line so he could run around and be free. He usually stays in a pen unless we are outside with him, because he really enjoys jumping in the pool after playing in the creek which in turn makes the pool the color of the creek..GREEN. He also can be picky about who he likes.... He really dislikes RD.. sadly he really does. Needless to say he will forever live at my parents house. But to me, he is the sweetest boy ever... well you know.. He is pretty anyways :)

 

But this weekend was filled to the limit... nothing else could have been crammed in!

Friday was a trip to Cullman with RD, his buddy John (who also rides bulls), and his girlfriend to a rodeo. RD bucked off but was safe :)

Saturday was very busy. Erin and I hosted Melissa's baby shower...

Here is a picture of her and Amanda (her sister). They are due like one day apart.. crazy huh?

Here is her cake that I ordered from Edgar's... sadly I didn't get a piece because I had to leave a few minutes early...

The table of food.. yummy!

Erin, Melissa and I...

Then afterwards I was off to Vincent in a mad dash hurry to meet RD to drive to Canon, GA. FYI: Canon, GA is about 10 miles from South Carolina. Yes... it was a road trip. But we laughed and read Cosmo and laughed some more... and sang a lot. We arrived to the most redneck place in the world that offered plenty of mud and filth. Lovely. However the restroom was clean which is always a plus at a rodeo. It was so nasty I didn't even sit in the stands.. I sat on the gate by the bull pen. Yes I really did. RD bucked off and landed face first in about 6 inches of mushy, fresh mud. Pants ruined, shirt ruined, boots in dyer need of immediate attention. Thank goodness I had a change of clothes and so did he. It was so bad his socks were covered in mud that were inside the boots he was wearing... so he wore my purple and pink socks home. A stop at the gas station to buy 3 year old sour straws which were quickly chunked out the window and a long trip home... laughter included. 

Sunday... was sunday school, church and a family gathering. RD's nan and paps hosted a gathering for everyone to eat and talk about the recent purchase of the family land (Carlisle Road). It had to be moved because of the weather, but it was fun and sad all at the same time. Nan wrote this story about the land and everyone it had to do with. She mentioned something about everyone and almost everyone was crying by the end. It's so sad that they are having to go through that.. but that's another post all together.

Sunday night crept in quickly since out Sunday afternoon nap didn't start until 3.. meaning we didn't wake up until 7.. yes we are losers.

Hope everyone's weekend was safe and exciting!

Happy Monday.. well evening now! :)

g is for...

g is for a girl...

that i can't wait to meet!

{gracie lee}

This Saturday my Erin and I are hosting our Melissa's baby shower. 

 this is going to be used on the table as decoration along with all the other marvelous things we have scrambled up. we are new at this and very excited.

then of course Mommie Melissa gets to keep it. i have yet to add the pink ribbon from which it will hang. i am so excited about this child. i cannot wait to post pictures of her little outfit i got her. but in case melissa decides to venture onto my blog.. that will wait :)

p.s. the black background is chocolate in real life. i am tired and do not feel like adjusting my camera and/or photoshopping the quality of this photograph.

A last day...

Tomorrow is my last day at Chelsea Animal Hospital. I have made many friends and memories along the way, but the time has come to move on. I have opportunities ahead.... some of which require prayer. So any prayer would be greatly appreciated :) 

Tomorrow I will work my last shift as a receptionist at the animal clinic. I will deal with my last anal pet owner, smell the awful smell of a dog that has never been bathed all while sitting behind a counter that enables me to view this horrid creature, and laugh with my co-workers about what people are actually wearing in public - all while keeping a straight face. 

Pray that I will keep strong and goal oriented. Pray for me that I can make it through the day without crying and that I will remember that all things must come to an end for better things to happen. 

Better things are yet to come... 

a graduation...

Yesterday was the day... 

I finally graduated from college. Excited does not even begin to explain the feeling....

I received my Bachelor's in Communication and Information Science (advertising and graphic design). Oh yes...

This is my graduating class.. well most of them anyways. There was too many to fit into one picture. It took about 3 hours for everyone to receive their diploma. I was part of the 1:30 ceremony. They have to split them into 2 different groups because it would literally take all day and everybody wouldn't fit otherwise... 

They had it all set it up beautifully. My favorite part was the guy at the end.. he said congrats and ROLL TIDE.. and the place went nuts!!!

This is Creeddaddy, me, Susie and Chase after the ceremony...
Me and my sweet RD afterwards... p.s. how wonderful are those shoes ;)

And to my total surprise.. there was an after party at my house with family and friends. Houndstooth cups included :) It was awesome night and a relieving feeling knowing that I never have to go back into a classroom. YAH!

Thanks to everyone for coming and to everyone for the cards and gifts... you are all so awesome!!

And congrats to my dear friend Ashley! We did it!!! yah! 

A new love and Momma's Day treats...

Here is the new love of my life.. move over RD! 

{So just trickin' :)}

These little guys will be along for the ride on Saturday as I graduate from college and celebrate! I also got a lovely little black dress from Anthro! Love that place!

I actually cheated on J Simp and went with S Madden... I know, I am awful. Her design like these though were elastic which does not go well with walking in general.. they were slipping on my feet in the store so I can only imagine what they would do in front of 10,000 people Saturday... disaster. 

As for Momma's Day...

Everyone Momma that me or RD give presents to... are getting these. Good thing none of them read this... Well as far as I know they don't. If so, pretend you didn't see this. 

A flower one which now lives as Shelley's house.. Mattson and Payson gave it to her. Aren't they thoughtful little boys?! :)
The whole bunch... the rest are herb gardens. They are a mixture of lemon and rosemary. 

These are Aunt Sharron's (my Momma's sister). They have already been claimed. 

Happy Momma's Day to all the Momma's. Keep up the good work. I will be back on Monday with exciting pictures from GRADUATION!!! 

I am in shock...

a green tree...

Every time we ( me + rd) pass a big tree.. one of always says something about how big and beautiful it is. This time I actually had my camera with me. 

This tree in on Highway 473 in Vincent. It is especially pretty because it won't be around for very much longer. Well it might be.. but chances are it will be surrounded by a quarry.  

a gift...

Yes... I know the picture quality is horrible. You can barely see the ring. It is very blurry. Just know that it says BS 2009 with a big fat Alabama A. And Codie Lee on the inside :)

...and yes i know i need to do something about my fingernails...

And... know that my mother received it on Saturday while I was still asleep and only gave it to me today instead of waiting until this Saturday because I begged and pretty much went back to the days of being 2 years old. I had a feeling it was here and I wanted it. Although she did make me wait on my brother to get home so they all 3 could be here when I opened it. She wanted me to even wait on RD. It was 3:15 at this point and I could no longer bare to look at that package which the contents were of no mystery. I love it!  

Yah for May 9!!!

Sweet Sunday & a lil shout out to Ashawie...

I am sitting on the couch and RD is sitting on the other couch at my house..

He is channel surfing... mostly making me watch the Discovery Channel.. something about tribes and they are all naked and gross.. eww.

Now it's Happy Gilmore... idk. Randomness.

Tomorrow is starts my last week of my Tuscaloosa commutes... yah!

Exams on Monday, Tuesday, on Wednesday in C'burg for my online class, and one last trip on Thursday... then a relaxing Friday... and SATURDAY! 

Bring it on.. if the flippin' Swine Flu allows... yes they are actually considering canceling the graduation ceremony due to the swine flu. 

Mad or even pissed off.. will not even begin to explain the depths of my madness and irritation. 

Anyways.. happy thoughts... I WILL GRADUATE!!! 

{my posts will prolly be few and far between until Sunday or Monday}

I would also like to tell Ashley at Heath Bars and Reese's Cups CONGRATULATIONS!!!  We did it honey!!! yah!!! no more college.... at least for a minute :)

...and one more last {yah!!}

A friday night of fashion...

Last night was Style in the Sky : Rock The Runway.

Here are al the girls and me...

Here is me and Jess & Chase on the roof.. where i stood for an hour of my 4 hours of total standing in one place after doing a runway show.... there was a band on the roof too so that made it better...
Here are the signs that lit of the side of every building and street around the Redmont Hotel...
Here is me.. my cousin Mike...and my cousin Heidi {the deigner} www.heidielnora.com
Yah for Style in the Sky! All proceeds went to Children's Hospital! There were around 500 - 600 people there,, at 25 to 50 dollars were ticket... yah for charities!