The Countdown to 24

JP and I turn 24 this week. I am August 7 and he is August 13. Yep we were born in the same week of the same year... and I won the competition of gracing the world with my presence first.

So I've dedicated August 7-13 as JP & Megan's Birthday Extravaganza Week! Unfortunately I will not be with JP on his birthday. I will be in NYC with his family while he is here in Birmingham working since he can't take any time off during the summer. So I'm pretty much a terrible wife. BUT we are trying to make the time I am here extra fun.

We each bought ourselves a birthday present.

I'm sure you can figure out whose gift belongs to who but just in case you for someone reason thought I am the one obsessed with speakers... the Chacos are mine and the Subwoofer is JP's. (I'm the one obsessed with Disney World). I've never seen anyone so happy about a speaker. I told him he looked like a glowing new mother... seriously he did.

JP also bought us each birthday shirts.

JP's shirt

My shirt. He went ahead and gave it to me since I was the one who got it from the mail.

He always gets me the most random things for my birthday.
First Birthday we were together: Electric knife
Second: Hammock chair (actually not random I really wanted one.)
Third: This random shirt that looks like a bomb exploded in the top corner

I really don't care what he gets me as long as he acknowledges it is my birthday in some way. Honestly he makes me feel special and loved every single day.

Now it's my turn to contribute to the Birthday Extravaganza... and I don't know what I'm going to do yet...

Take me out to the ball game...

Regardless of where you stand politically, you can't deny this is funny... especially if you are a baseball fan. Although you could always argue that Bush owned a professional baseball team so definitely has an advantage.

We live here...

Yes, this is the county in which we live. And yes this is the county where we are buying a house. And yes this is also the county that is looking to spend $500 million (although they think maybe just 300-400 million) on a dome.

Alabama's Jefferson County Makes Massive Job Cuts

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (Reuters) - Alabama's debt-ridden Jefferson County laid off about two-thirds of its 3,600 employees on Monday because of plummeting revenues, a move that will sharply curtail services in areas ranging from roads to courthouses.

The cuts are just the latest blow to Jefferson, whose population of 660,000 includes Birmingham, the state's largest city and its economic powerhouse. They come after the county racked up around $4 billion in debt by using exotic financial instruments to fund a revamp of its sewer system.

The work force cuts will hit the roads and transportation, revenue and security departments, and cuts will also affect the courthouse and information technology department as well as laborers paid on a per-hour basis, according to a senior county official.

The county has been forced to make drastic cuts because of a lawsuit questioning the legality of a county occupational tax, which raised $78 million annually and was vital to the county's operation.

Although the revenue is still being collected, it is being held in escrow under orders by an Alabama Supreme Court justice pending a decision on the tax case. Some members of the state legislature hope to pass a new tax bill this month to raise revenue for Jefferson County.

County workers placed on administrative leave under the cuts will be entitled to unemployment and some health-care benefits and will be called back after 45 days, according to a senior county official.

Movies- The Final Cut

JP and I canceled our Netflix this week. Mainly because ONE we really don't have much time to watch movies right now and TWO there were no movies we could think of that we wanted to see (I know some of you might find that hard to imagine)

Anyway, I just wanted to finish out my documentation of this Netflix subscription. I'm sure once we have more time to watch movies and more movies we want to watch we will resubscribe. We are taking any recommendations for movies you think we should see in our next go around!

Sun, Sand, and Smiles

We want to go to the beach...

2007- Gulf Shores... the first time we had ever been on the beach together

2007- San Diego

2008- Singer Island- Honeymoon

This is how we feel about the fact that we don't have a 2009 beach picture.

We want to go here... La Jolla- my favorite beach that I've ever been... but really any beach would be fine!

I wouldn't mind going here either. Next year we will... and I'm already SO excited! Can't imagine how excited I will be when we actually do go!

If I had seen this video this time last year...

If I hadn't already gotten married, I would TOTALLY consider doing something like THIS! If not in the actual wedding for sure as the entrance to the reception. Of course, it would be much better :)

FOURTH OF JULY

The 4th of July is my favorite holiday. Not necessarily my favorite meaning behind a holiday, but I enjoy the festivities the most. I love the warm weather, being outside, the good food, the fun with friends...

This year JP and I both had to work on the 4th. However, I was able to make it out to Alabama Adventure to meet JP for their firework show.

That afternoon I got a call from JP telling me to bring a coat, hat, and jeans. Thinking this was strange he explained that he had asked the two guys Alabama Adventure had hired to put on the firework show if he could help them. They said yes as long as he was properly clothed.

The offices at Alabama Adventure are on a hill that looks over the park. The fireworks were set up here. All of the office staff and their families sat up on the hill for the fireworks. Once we went out there JP went over to help.

We were literally 30 ft. from the huge things of fireworks. The first two that went off I was a little freaked out! I had never been that close to a theme park amount of fireworks. I had been close to the little ones we did at home but these were way bigger! There were two guys walking around with fire extinguishers "just in case"

After the show JP came back with a huge smile on his face. He had gotten to help more than he thought. They let him shoot the first one off and he said it was more intense than he though but he loved it!

JP is back there somewhere behind all the smoke.

JP with the two "real" firework lighters.