Celebrity Crushes ;)

Ray and I were talking the other day about our "celebrity crushes" so I thought this would be interesting to see who else has a celebrity crush and who it is.....

My girl crush is Sofia Vergara from Modern Family....I think she is just so beautiful and in my next life I want to come back looking like her with that curvy body and that accent....

My man crush is Bradley Cooper...Lord have mercy, that's all that needs to be said!

Ray's man crush is Dale Jr....he said its only for his house and "toys"

His girl crush is Miranda Lambert....he LOVES her...its probably because she likes to hunt, fish, shoot guns, looks good and can sing hahaha....ME I don't hunt, fish, shoot guns or can sing. At least he thinks I look good :)

Who are your crushes??

Charleston, SC

This past weekend we went to Charleston to suprise my mom for her 50th birthday! The weather was not perfect but I was able to snap a few pictures.....here are some of my favorites!

Stay tuned for birthday pictures :)

New Headboard!!

This was such a fun project!! Ray and I have a queen bed that has been passed down to us and we did not have a headboard......so I thought I could make one. The colors I am doing are brown, tan, orange and touches of hunter green. I am so happy with out it turned out!!! It cost me less that $25 to make it whooop!! I saved some extra fabric to make me a little throw pillow.

When Ray bought his van it had shelves built in that he did not need. So when he took them down I saved a piece of the board and knew exactly what I wanted to do. I found my fabric at Hobby Lobby and it was 30% off! Another score!! I went to Target and bought a twin size eggcrate and was able to save some for another project!!
So we cut the eggcrate to the size of the board and then the fabric. We wrapped the board in the fabric and stapled to the back. We had some 2x4s in the garage that I painted brown and we nailed it in...done and done!

I absolutely love it! and Ray does too....who knew haha!!

Directions Please!!

Ray will be finished with his CDL class at the end of April. I am so proud of him! He is at the top of his class and made the highest score on his first driving test. He is getting excited and so ready finish. Now, this brings me to his situation....

Ray is trying to determine whether or not he wants to drive long haul or locally. Which he will have to drive long haul for about 6 months then try and find a local job. Local jobs require you to have 6 months to a year worth of long haul experience. He also works for a small courier service company working on the dock 3rd shift. He has the potential of two job openings with this company. One is in management organizing the loads and the other is a local route driving a truck 3rd shift. (which is a brand new position for the company) He is a bit interested in the management position because he likes the idea of being home at night and on the weekends. But, the problem is, trucking companies hire these guys right out of school so they can quickly train them and put them to work. If you do not go with a company right after school and wait 6 months to a year companies will not hire you. So I really do not want Ray to take this management position after all his work and money he has put into his CDL.

Now, onto my dilemma....Ray has asked me if I wanted to go over the road with him. He does not want to drive long haul unless I can go with him. As of right now my answer is yes/crap I don't know.


I work for two attorneys Monday-Friday. I sit in an office day in and day out and I can be with him all over the country. However, I have finally landed what is one of my dream jobs taking pictures at St. Francis every other weekend....but as of now there are no full time positions. I told Bella Baby that if they ever come to Greer Memorial, Spartanburg Regional or Mary Black that I would like to work there. But this could be next year before that would even happen.

So I don't want to give up my job at the hospital but I would love to be able to get out of the office and be with him over the road.....oh what to do?!?!?!

That's where things are right now at the Ridgeway household. I told Ray the other day it sucks being an adult and having to make all these decisions. We are just praying we make the right one!!

Guardian ad Litem

I am a volunteer Guardian ad Litem. What that means is I am a voice/advocate for children in the Court system. I am on my very first case now and it is slowly coming to an end. I have visited two children every month for the past 8 months. A 3 year old boy and his sister who is 1 1/2. They are in two separate foster homes. I found out this week that they are returning home to their mother.


Now, as great as that is....this still makes me a little sad.


This by far seems to be one of the hardest things I have ever done. As happy and proud I am of the mother for taking the right and proper steps to get her children back it still saddens me that they will leave their wonderful foster parents. I know that foster homes are just temporary but the fact that they have to leave a place where I know they are being taking care of and has a family that loves them, makes this difficult for me to say its "OK" for them to go home to a mother who at one point neglected her children.



I know we all make mistakes and everyone deserves a second chance, but this is very tough for me to handle. But, what can you say/do when the mother has done everything she can and has to do to get her children back? That she does not deserve a second chance? That she does not deserve her children back? She is fighting harder than most moms out there and I am very proud of her. But is that enough? Well, I have to believe so....because we all do deserve second chances in life and I just have to have faith that she will continue to do well.

Kaptured by Katie Photography

Photography has become one of my passions and I love every minute. I love to capture those special moments in peoples life's.
I recently got a new part-time job with Bella Baby Photography taking pictures of newborn babies at St. Francis Hospital. Oh how I love this job!!! It is so much fun and such a special moment to be able to share with these families. Unfortunately, I cannot share any pictures, but here are some on-location shots I have taken in the past several months.

Snow in the Carolinas!

Since the roads were not bad Ray took me for a drive towards the mountains Sunday afternoon so we can see all the snow and I can take some pictures!! It was absolutely beautiful! The mountains were so blue. My favorite part was when Ray stopped to let me take pictures of some horses in a field. Two horses came up and were posing for me ;) and they let us feed them some snow. Ray said they even nibbled on his fingers a bit haha.
Here are some of my favorite shots.