This Happy Life

Lainey's 12th b-day

2012-05-24T04:43:00.000-07:00

Lainey celebrated her 12th birthday a MONTH ago...and I am just getting around to posting pictures! She invited 10 friends over for dinner and cake decorating!

the dinner...tacos...was easy. making 12 mini cakes and homemade icing...not so much. i used a four inch cake pan and a boxed cake mix for the cakes. don't ask me WHY I didn't just buy icing and dump it into icing bags...because I still can't figure out the answer to that. after making 2 batches each of white, pink, and blue icing, i decided then and there that i would never be able to eat it again. i also have a whole new respect for cake decorators because how you can ice an entire cake without getting cake crumbs IN the icing...is a mystery to me.
i made a birthday banner out of burlap and fabric, used my new sewing skills(woot! woot!) to make a tablecloth in our "colors" (pink, red, and teal), ordered some super cute pink and white straws for our mason jars, and lainey made all of the paper flowers out of tissue paper. the dollar tree came to my rescue and for $2 each, i made THE CUTEST mini cake plates out of a candlestick and a pillar candle holder. the chevron tags i found on the internet and just printed them on card stock!

anyway...we had the sweetest girls here. i am proud of the friends lainey has chosen to hang with this year...i'm sure partly because every.single.day. last summer i drilled into her head....THE FRIENDS YOU CHOOSE CAN MAKE OR BREAK YOU! apparently she listened. for now anyway.....

and if i ever had any sliver of doubt that lainey loved the spotlight...i don't anymore. she was in her element. queen for the day. all eyes on me. this is my moment. ha!

we turned our deck into a "teen hangout" for the night...complete with redneck twinkle lights(which equals christmas lights), floor cushions, a couch, and a drop cloth rug that i stenciled...and you DO NOT want to know how much time went into that! let's just say...i grossly underestimated the amount of ~~min~~ ~~hours~~ days it would take. but all in the name of fun...right? :)

after the eating and decorating were complete, the deck floor turned into a dance floor...and those girls went to town...complete with a guest appearance by hutton, who not only decided to break dance for the crowd, but who also ended the night with an older girlfriend. :)

all in all, it was a success...especially when i ask lainey what her favorite part was...and she says...everything. it doesn't get much better than that. and thank you to my sweet parents who came down and helped me most of the day friday...and made sure i didn't freak out!

now for some pictures....to prove i didn't just make all of this up! ha!

the end.

:(

2012-04-17T09:14:00.000-07:00

i don't know what the HECK is wrong with me, but i can.not.stop.crying.today. and i am NOT NOT NOT a crier. when our dog died in january, hutton saw me crying and was in shock because "i've never seen you cry mommy...what is wrong?" it was pitiful. so anyway, that is how little i cry.
actually i DO know what the heck is wrong. i'm about to lose my job. i job that i have had for almost 5 whole years...and it's about to be gone. and it's depressing. once kids get in school, they don't need you as much...or at least they THINK they don't! ha! ok. i really don't feel like saying "ha". it just came out. i keep getting all this info about end of the year and kindergarten registration and blah blah blah and i just want to push pause or cover my ears and pretend i don't hear. that's mature huh?
and i should probably turn off this sad music so i don't flood my computer or have to call brian to pick hutt up from school because i'm a basket case laying in the bed. anyway, i just needed to write it all down because i can't seem to make myself do anything else. i even tried to run but i got a mile from home, realized that i forgot to turn on my running app, said about 47 choice not so nice words, and turned around and walked home. is 12:10 too early to have a glass of wine? :)

spring break....

2012-04-12T17:56:00.000-07:00

we headed off for a few days in the middle of the week up to young harris, ga. the weather was beautiful....perfect spring sun and a light breeze. here are a few highlights....

love

and THIS is where i realize that maybe a diet is in order....

brasstown bald

can you see our car????

before dinner

enrico's....the BEST italian ever!

wine spill.... :)

sunset over the golf course

lainey's photography

hope this holds....

checkers in the lodge

trouble when mom and dad leave the room....

random updates

2012-04-11T15:00:00.000-07:00

1. spring break came and went...and it was wonderful! we went up to the mountains for a few days(young harris, ga) and had a perfect time....eating, relaxing, swimming, hiking, horseback riding, and sunset watching...just to name a few

2. i did get some cute pictures of the kids on easter, but none of us all together :(

3. we had 2 wardrobe issues easter morning, but everything turned out fine. i realized at 12:35 am easter morning(when i could NOT fall asleep) that i had forgotten to get hutt some new "churchy" shoes to go with his outfit(he usually wears converse). oops! then...lainey's dress didn't fit right...but thankfully we had a backup in the closet. the kids didn't "coordinate" but...really...lainey is almost 12. i need to get a life.

4. i love church on easter

5. april and may are SOOOOOOO busy for us...easter, two birthdays, mother's day...out of town, guests in town, end of year school activities...and this year...hutt's pre-school graduation! (waaaaaaaaa!)

6. i realized after having several pictures taken of myself recently that i need to lay off the food, bacon, and wine....

7. which means i have been on a diet for THREE days, and i am DYING! no, i'm not one of those crazies who starve themselves by not eating anything, but i'm trying to watch my portions and eat more salads...so i.am.HUNGRY! i'm a paula deen/pioneer woman cook....which equals fat and LOTS of food...so this is hard. :0 i give myself two weeks....ha!

8. i also started exercising again...yes...again. i have run a total of TWO times since seaside. and one of those was today. what what? it's amazing how fast you loose your endurance!

9. brian and i struck a new deal. since i like to redecorate so much, if i can sell the old on craigslist for the same price or more as the new...I CAN CHANGE IT! woot! that is like saying i just won the lottery for me. so far i have swapped out end tables and hopefully a desk(tonight!)

10. i decided i wanted a huge vintage map behind our couch in the tv room and have been looking for about 3 weeks on ebay...and GUESS what was in my new country living yesterday? vintage map in the family room. yay that i have good taste...not yay that i'm pretty positive the price and demand for those things will go up! :(

11. when my parents were here a few weeks ago, my mom and hutton planted some basil, peppers, and parsley in pots on my deck...and people....THEY ARE STILL ALIVE! i almost can't believe it. i even brought them in last night when it got cold.

12. if i actually learn to sew AND garden in the same year...that will be a gosh darn miracle. and i can officially get my homemakers card! ;)

i'll be back tomorrow with some pics of our getaway! :)
happy wednesday!

h

13.1

2012-03-13T11:46:00.000-07:00

i did it!
i completed my first half marathon....and maybe not my last. the running itself...i wouldn't call my favorite...but the friendships with the fun ladies i was able to go with....ARE my favorite. talk about some amazing women..and their stories!!!!! it just makes me love them even more.....

before i signed up ~~my sweet friend kira convinced me to sign up~~, i was a fair weather runner...meaning....if it was too cold or too hot, i chickened out....and by too cold i mean under 65... and too hot meaning over 80! ha! which in turn means, i hardly ever ran. :) AND, between kids schedules and other things(like laziness!), i just wasn't dedicated. the most i had ever run before was about 5 1/2 miles...and i was so dang proud of that...i thought i would die. and that was during the spring about 2 yrs. ago! yikes!

soooo....i knew i would have my work cut out for me once i signed up. but you see, there is this problem i have called..."i am not good at trying/starting something new(or old) until i am forced", so even though for about 4 years, i have been talking smack about running a half, i never actually DID anything about it and tried to reach my goal.

but...i'll do anything to get to the beach(seaside! woot!) and everything in my power not to waste money...so once i paid my registration...i was IN! :)

i wasn't as good as the rest of my friends about training...i only ran once sometimes twice a week, and then a long run on saturdays..but it did the job. my goal was NOT time, just to continue running the entire time. and THAT i did...(although i probably could have speed walked faster than i was running a few times! ha!)

but...i accomplished MY goal...and that is all that matters. plus i got a cute vera bradley bag for finishing...AND a vera bradley measuring tape. yes, you read that right...and since i'm a furniture hunter...and i already keep a measuring tape in my purse, i was more happy about that than the bag! ha! because who doesn't need a pretty measuring tape????? :)

anyway, i took my camera and got it out exactly one time. and took three terrible pictures. so my entire weekend was documented on various cell phones....which equals vampire eyes in many of them....or was it "too much wine eyes"? anyhoo.....

i'm so thankful to brian who took 2 days off of work and held down the fort while i was gone....and surprised me with a sparkling, shinning, clean as a whistle car....complete with a new sticker on the back that reads....
13.1
here are a few moments of our weekend! thanks girls!!

carolyn, kira, nardy
2 days before race

saturday it POURED all day! :(

before race

i did it!

yay!

kira, me, leigh
after race beer! :)

leigh, oval head..i mean me, maureen

maureen, kira, me, leigh

new bag

hair

2012-02-27T11:48:00.000-08:00

i miss my blond hair.....just sayin'.
the end.

Brian

2012-02-24T06:10:00.000-08:00

i was thinking the other night about how i never really say anything on this blog about brian...except that he doesn't like me to paint and gives me funny looks with i drag home ugly furniture to transform! but...in all honesty, he's a GREAT guy and i'm so lucky to have him...so i'm going to brag for a minute. i sometimes get all caught up in the whole "romance" thing and i'm not going to lie...get a little envious when i hear about someone planning a surprise candlelight picnic for their wife...or writing them a special anniversary song...but then i realize that he shows me he loves me every.single.day. by doing things for me that make my life easier...like....

he has taken it upon himself to be the toilet paper/paper towel/toothpaste/medicine/vitamin guy. since we have been married, i have bought paper towels ONCE...and i was so overwhelmed with the choices that i stood in the paper towel aisle for 20 min. and left with just a 2 pack..so he could go buy more later
after being gone from the house for 10-11 hours a day, he ALWAYS calls me and asks if i need anything from the grocery..which i usually do. and not ONE time has he ever complained about stopping
he works so so so hard for us...so we can have wonderful things that we truly don't deserve
i have never had to pay a bill. this is awful to admit, but i don't even know how much all of our bills amount to each month. he just quietly takes care of it...so i don't have to stress
he keeps my car clean and most of the time filled with gas. what a great surprise when you get in the car and the gas tank is FULL!
he plans for our future and the kids' future...and has me taken care of if anything were to happen to him...which, as a stay at home mommy with NO job....is very comforting
he helps me clean up the kitchen EVERY NIGHT! and when we have guests in town...he keeps that dishwasher going strong....
he doesn't panic when i call him FREAKING out because i'm lost...even though i have a GPS...he just calmly gets me where i need to be :)
he is quiet and i am loud...which used to bother me, but i think two loud people in one house would be overkill ;)
he has been so supportive of me and this running thing...helping me out with shoes, running clothes, how to train, etc. and is proud of me for accomplishing my goal
he plans all of our trips/vacations...while i'm just along for the ride
he eats ANYTHING i cook..and loves all types of food, which makes is so easy on me! he will eat cereal or leftovers with a smile! ;)
he NEVER complains about anything or talks bad about anyone...(which sometimes annoys me because if someone makes me mad, i want to vent and talk and he won't say a word...just sits and listens with a smile on his face!)
he is a fantastic daddy to lainey and hutton...coaching teams, taking them places alone, helping with school work, playing, etc. i couldn't ask for better
he sets a great example of a godly man...attending church, volunteering in church, and tithing...something i always saw my daddy do and knew i wanted that in a husband someday
he makes me laugh...especially when he is picking on me! ha!
he is so smart! i can ask him a question about ANYTHING, and he knows the answer...which is mind boggling to me!
he is always willing to take the kids to museums, concerts, etc. so they can experience new things...
he knows how important date nights are to me...
if he has gone to work before i get up...he leaves love notes by the coffee maker! (the first place i run to in the morning...)

there are many many more...but i just wanted to write a few down...so when i am having one of those "days" i can look back and realize that i am ONE LUCKY GIRL!

i love you brian...

love,

your favorite wifey

where does the time go?

2012-02-20T06:05:00.000-08:00

i haven't written in over a month and i have all of these little things i could have turned into great posts...but when i sit down to write...nothing comes out! so....here are some bullet points because i'll want to remember all of this one day! :0

brian went out of town and i painted our kitchen, eating area, and hallway...a really pretty pale pale blue. i love it..him...not so much
i sewed my first envelope pillow and made a LONG table runner for my new farmhouse table...that i have yet to put a picture of on this blog! oops! ;)
lainey was chosen as student of the month at her middle school...and we were given a bumper sticker for bragging rights....and hopefully she won't try and tear it off like i did to my mother in 9th grade...maybe since my car is cooler than a wood grain mini-van, she'll leave it alone!(sorry mom!)
hutton has decided he is going to be a musical engineer when he grows up...and i absolutely 100% know that he will
lainey wants to be a missionary when she grows up...and i absolutely 100% know that she will
we have had the mildest winter, and while i love the snow, i am so thankful since i'm TRAINING FOR MY FIRST HALF-MARATHON! yes, you read that right...but i'm not going to say anything else about it until i cross the finish line and can mark it off of my birthday list
i haven't lost ONE pound while training. can you say D.E.P.R.E.S.S.I.N.G????
lainey is in the beginning stages of braces and she has to wear head gear...bless her heart. but only at night. because i was ready to homeschool her if she had to wear that craziness at school.
hutton and i started having fun friday's since he will be starting kindergarten soon. we HAVE to do something exciting and i'm not allowed to clean all day. i can't talk about it without getting a huge lump in my throat. moving on.....
pinterest is addicting. the end.
and on a sad note, our sweet boxer jessie died. she was only 5 1/2 so we weren't ready for it, but she was sick and it was pitiful. and as much as she was a pain in the butt sometimes, i still look for her to meet me at the gate when i come home or stick her nose all over the french door glass...watching everything i do....

once again, i'll try to do better with updating posts...but don't hold your breath...just in case.... ;)

christmas sewing project

2012-01-17T04:44:00.000-08:00

one of the things on my birthday list this year was to make some of my christmas gifts. i made two...and for me....that counts! i have been eyeing these awesome fort kits for months! http://www.saltwater-kids.com/2010/12/thrifty-gifts-fort-building-kit.html
...so i decided to make my own version because there is NOTHING my kids love more...than to get out all of the blankets and sheets they can find and start building!
i have talked about learning how to sew numerous times on this blog...so it's like beating a dead horse...but i'll just keep it short and sweet. i finally learned. period. the end. (that is another post for another day!)
anyway...around oct. i was completing my daily walk through target, and i spotted these...and check out that price! score!

an entire sheet set with a drawstring bag for $4.48! i knew i could use them for SOMETHING...but that SOMETHING took a minute to make its way into my head! and when it did,(FORT KIT!) i grabbed four of them and threw them into my cart. and then when i got home i put them in the top of my guest room closet and forgot about them until about a week before christmas! oops!

i decided that i would just use the flat sheet out of each bag(anyone need 4 fitted polka dot sheets?)...to make it easier on me...the "i just started sewing" lady. then i took two of the pillow cases and did some surgery. i cut them into 1 1/2 inch strips. then i folded and ironed and folded and ironed and then sewed....

so they looked like this.... and THEN i sewed the strips on to the four corners and the middle(on each side) of the sheet....and let's be real...it wasn't pretty, but it works...and hopefully my son and my niece won't be judging my amazing sewing skills. WOOT!

i folded this baby all up and tried to stuff him in the drawstring bag(which was my original plan) but quickly realized that 2 sheets, clips, clothespins, and a book light weren't going to fit! so that's when i moved to plan B.
i got the OTHER two pillowcases, chopped off about a 1/3, sliced off the top, cut the top strip in half, hemmed it up, and made it into two handles. then i sewed the handles onto the top of the pillow case...and BOOM! i had a perfect bag for my fort goodies!

miller lite...to ease the pain...

once the bag was finished, i built my "kit". one flat sheet, one flat sheet with ties, clothespins, 4 clamps(from home depot), a book light, and a small chalkboard with chalk.
(and NO...i did NOT take a picture of the kit completed because in all of my excitement, the camera was the last thing on my mind!) fail!

i made one for my niece and one for hutton. and i'm proud to say, the kids made a huge fort the day after christmas that they LOVED! and...my sister-in-law told me that my niece loves hers! yay!

so...now i can mark ANOTHER thing off of my bday list...with pride.

ps. i know you could quite possibly be scarred for life because of the high quality of my pictures and the extremely intelligent way i explain things....and for that...i am sorry. just close your eyes...and breathe.

pps. i know i need to change my header and that christmas is over. i'm workin' on it...after i get away from pinterest....

good day....bad eating..

2012-01-05T13:02:00.000-08:00

because the kids are STILL home from school, we had to get OUT of the house, and yesterday i took them to the tellus museum in cartersville. it was pretty fun...but going to "educational" places like that is when you really notice the age difference in my kids. what you like i don't, and what i like you don't. and they aren't afraid to let me/each other know. here is a short picture overview of our visit...courtesy of my phone....since i walked out of the house without my camera! minus one point for mommy....

unfortunately...as you can see...all of that museum walking and reading led us STRAIGHT to mcdonalds...which completely cancelled out the grass clippings we ate wednesday night. but i'm not gonna lie...that was the best dang hamburger i have had in a while. ;) and sadly enough, since we only visit ronald about 2 times a year, i think the kids were more excited about that than they were the museum! ha! oh well...i'll start back on the veggie train today.

healthy eating??

2012-01-04T05:05:00.000-08:00

i try not to make new year's resolutions...because i always break them. and then i feel like a failure. again. but the "list" thing seems to be working nicely for me. i have actually marked quite a few off of my "34 before 35" list....so i'm thinking i'll make a " 2012 list"....and might have better luck.

confession: i LOVE to cross things off of my list. and sometimes when i have a long one(like with cleaning chores)...if i complete something, but it wasn't on my list...i write it down and then cross it off! HA! instant gratification! :)

where were we...
oh yeah...resolutions..that are NOT resolutions. i decided that we need to eat more veggies around here. we tend to be much better about it in the summer, but i'll admit...sometimes i count salsa as a veggie! ;) i mean really, who doesn't? i am not the best about trying new things with my kids...partly because i DO NOT want to hear the whining. after cooking an entire meal, the last thing you need is sad faces and complaining...so i stick with the same...which equals canned green beans! ( :o)
but last night i made stir fry from trader joes...JUST as a side. and i'm serious. my kids looked like someone came in and took all of their christmas gifts away. it was brutal. and the longest meal of my life. there was gagging coming from BOTH sides of the table. lainey was about to cry and hutton DID cry. i stuck to my guns and made them finish. but i'm seriously going to have to re-think this. i can't handle that every night. and brian would never admit this, but i don't think he was super impressed either...because as we were cleaning up the kitchen, he told me that the green things in the bottom of the pan looked like lawnmower grass clippings! WHAT???
and he had a bad stomach ache all night.
so much for healthy living. i think tonight we'll have mashed potatoes....smothered in butter.

Christmas Card Truths

2011-12-15T18:39:00.000-08:00

i love december...because getting the mail is like receiving a fun little package every day(and THAT even happens sometimes!).

it makes me smile to quickly flip through the stack...searching for something that isn't bills, trash, or credit card offers. christmas cards! it's my love language. i rip open the envelope and see whose face is going up on my wall of fame. and then i think back...to the "old" days...when christmas cards were nothing more than a tacky drawing with the words, "love, the __________ family"....

my, my.... how things have changed.

sometimes i long to go back to the days of "let's grab the biggest box of cards we can find, sign our name, and be done with it."

do you ever feel like christmas cards have become some sort of silent competition in the world of moms? be honest. i do. and i fully admit...i am right there in the front line. you would never want to acknowledge the amount of hours(days??) you spend searching for the right card, finding the right picture, adjusting color, messing with contrast, zooming in, zooming out, who is smiling, who is not, what is wrong with his/her eye, i look fat(WE ALL DO IT), what type of paper...card stock or photo paper, black and white or color, oh...can't use that one...it's extra postage....and the list goes on and on. and just to add insult to injury, doesn't it pain you to know that most people just throw them in the trash after the new year?? yikes! if you were organized enough to actually get a family picture professionally taken at some point that year, even though you have awesome pictures, you can't even REMEMBER the amount of time(it has been mentally blocked) you spent searching for coordinating outfits and stressing over perfect smiles, white teeth, clear skin, temper tantrums, love handles and thunder thighs. can you say S.T.R.E.S.S.F.U.L????

last year my mom asked me if i write a personal note to everyone i send a christmas card to. after i looked at her like she just came from fairytale land...i told her....no. my "personal note" for this card goes something like this....and if you look closely...you can see it.

we went a whole year and i came up with just one picture of our entire family. brian and lainey look great, hutton resembles a turtle and is giving someone the stink eye, and i am drinking wine and have a hair mustache. i just spent 14 hours designing this card after i went through four different websites and entered numerous discount codes. my kids are one year older, i'm 5 lbs heavier, and brian weighs the EXACT same weight he did when we got married. merry christmas...from our family to yours.... ;)

and because i'm so computer savvy, i can't figure out how to upload our card...but a picture is worth a thousand words....

WARNING: more pictures than you would ever want to see

2011-12-13T18:45:00.000-08:00

i haven't written in almost a month! yikes! but...you would be here ALL NIGHT if i tried to write AND post pics of what we have been up to lately...so...i'm giving you a summary of thanksgiving in tennessee. there is a lot of acting goofy, dancing, laughing, singing, playing, cooking, and eating that goes on there. and so...here...in all of their non-edited glory...are some examples of why it will always be...home sweet home...to me.

this ONE picture sums up seven different personalities...classic.

maybe by valentine's day i'll post pictures of christmas! ha!

Top Twenty

2011-11-17T05:21:00.000-08:00

just so you know...before i type this post...i LOVE LOVE LOVE my kids and CAN NOT imagine my life without them...but some days i find myself saying the same.things.over.and.over. and it feels a ~~little~~ lot like groundhog's day. let's compare notes....

1. go brush your teeth.

2. where are your shoes?

3. did you make your lunch?

4. put some clothes on.

5. did you feed the dog?

6.wash your hands.

7. did you brush your teeth?

8. is your homework completed?

9. USE A NAPKIN!

10. let me see your teeth.

11. i already told you once to pick that up.

12. turn off the tv

13. put down my phone. it isn't yours

14. put your seatbelt BACK ON

15. no whining.

16. shoes?

17. don't slam doors.

18. is the dog out?

19. is your backpack packed and ready to go?

20. I LOVE YOU.

apparently we have a thing around here for lost shoes and a bad case of "i don't want to brush my teeth". i can't figure out for the life of me why water, a toothbrush, and toothpaste can produce some of the CRAZIEST pouty faces i have EVER seen....but despite the fact that these 20 things come out of my mouth more that i want to admit....on the flip side...we do lots of laughter, dancing, encouraging, and "love yous"....and i wouldn't change it for the world!

HAPPY THURSDAY!

tonight's dinner....

2011-11-14T14:11:00.000-08:00

i love to cook...especially when i'm preparing for company...because i enjoy entertaining. having my house full of people, food, and wine...makes me so very happy. ;)

but when i'm not entertaining, sometimes trying to decide WHAT to cook is my greatest challenge. and this is going to sound C.R.A.Z.Y....but when i know that morning what is on the menu for that NIGHT...my whole day is better. (it's the little things...)

tonight...dinner is DONE and ready to be grabbed right out of the fridge and eaten. i love it. and in case you are looking for a new recipe...this one is awesome. it does have to be made ahead of time(at least 2 hours) but it's perfect for days when you have an activity but don't want fast food, have company and want to visit instead of stand in the kitchen all night, are craving salad(ha!), or just can't think of anything else! :0

Dianne's Southwestern Cornbread Salad

INGREDIENTS:

1 package (6 oz size) Mexican corn bread mix

1 envelope (1 oz size) buttermilk Ranch salad dressing mix

1 small head Romaine lettuce, shredded

2 large tomatoes, chopped

1 can (15 ounce size) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (15 oz size) whole kernel corn with red and green peppers, drained

1 package (8 oz size) shredded Mexican four-cheese blend

6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

5 green onions, chopped

PREPARATION:

Prepare corn bread according to package directions; cool and crumble. Set aside.

Prepare salad dressing according to package directions.

Layer a large bowl with half each of corn bread, lettuce and next six ingredients; spoon half of dressing evenly over top.

Repeat layers with remaining ingredients and dressing. Cover and chill at least 2 hours.

so so so yummy! but you know i ALWAYS have a few changes when i make something...so here are mine...

i use the real pieces of bacon in a little bag...and i use about a bag and a half.
unfortunately for my thighs, i use more cheese than called for...but that's up to you!
the mexican cornbread can be hard to find...meaning sometimes they have it and sometimes they don't. if they don't, get a regular cornbread mix(NOT JIFFY...it's too sweet) and add green chilies and mexican cheese to it. totally awesome.
the 15.4 oz can of corn with peppers is a trick also...just buy two small cans.
i use more lettuce, green onions, and tomatoes than the recipe calls for....it makes it so yummy!

and you CAN use a bottle of ranch instead of making your own, but girlfriend...the dressing makes all the difference. and i even use mayo made with olive oil and skim milk and it is still 162 times better than dressing from a bottle. totally worth the extra time.

HAPPY MONDAY EVERYONE!! :)

stencil project...

2011-11-03T13:45:00.000-07:00

last weekend, i decided i needed a project. even though my bedroom looked like WWII, i decided to forgo cleaning and start something new! ha! i have been eyeing the "stencil wallpaper" that has made its way to many blog homes...so i thought i would give it a try. except i'm too chicken to experiment on an entire wall..and let's be honest here...i fully admit that i DO NOT have the patience. so i scoped out every room in my house, looking for an idea. and then it came to me. my $5 chest...who was once wood, then black, now turquoise. she needed a face lift. and if the outcome was TOTALLY awful, i knew i had almost an entire can of turquoise paint leftover, so i could just repaint.

first i found this template from one of my favorite blogs...

http://content.jonesdesigncompany.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/painted-wallpaper-template.pdf

then i studied up on what to do by reading this post...

http://jonesdesigncompany.com/decorate/painted-wallpaper-a-tutorial/

and this post.

http://jonesdesigncompany.com/create/painted-wallpaper-how-to-share-your-project/

and THEN being the super impatient person that i am, i dove right in...because who wants to wait until you have all the correct supplies...like a new and improved paintbrush. the "used to death, shedding bristles, shaped like a fan" brush from the kids' collection works fine right? ha!

i traced over the entire chest first(with pencil), and then painted...with my less than ideal brush. but after a couple of hours total, i ended up with this!

not perfect...but neither is anything else in my house...and i LOVE it!

of course, i couldn't end there. lainey said she liked it, so i coaxed her into letting me try on her desk! but THIS time, i ran to michaels for a nicer brush, and also had a better system of going completely from left to right(so my hand wouldn't smudge the paint like my previous attempt).

the desk turned out AWESOME! (so i guess practice really does make ~~perfect~~ better)

TOMORROW IS FRIDAY! YIPEE!!!!!!

halloween ...2 days late.

2011-11-02T12:47:00.000-07:00

this is going to be short because my brain is dead.

lainey was a pilgrim/kirsten the american girl doll.

hutt was dash from the incredibles.

and my hips are now 9 sizes bigger from all the chocolate.

be back tomorrow with a small project i completed last weekend!

a country fair vs. a redneck affair

2011-10-31T05:27:00.000-07:00

at almost a week late....here are a few of my pics from the country living fair. i met up with my mother-in-law who was in town with a few friends of hers. every booth was loaded with treasures and stunning...so stunning in fact, that after the first 5 booths, i got overwhelmed and forgot i had my camera with me! ha!

except when i saw cari from "cash & cari" on hgtv...so after i stared at her for a while, walked by three times, and took some secret pictures, glenda's friends convinced me to ask her if i could have a pic with her! ha! so i did...and then lainey was jealous..because she LOVES that show! AND i even had my new boots on, but they didn't make it into the picture.

that night....brian and i went to a halloween party..where the theme was...well..."welcome to redneck riviera"... ha! and i DO NOT remember the last time i laughed so much and so hard. but only a few of those pics will EVER grace this blogs presence...because what happens at a redneck party...stays at a redneck party.

here's to a good laugh....

the end.

Happy Saturday!

2011-10-22T05:13:00.000-07:00

look where i am headed today! whoot!

i can't WAIT...and hopefully i will come back with some goodies!

hope everyone has a wonderful weekend....

My 35 before 35

2011-10-20T04:50:00.000-07:00

today is my 34th birthday...and i am making a list of 35 things i want to do before i turn 35. next year. so that gives me a full 365 days to see how many i can actually check off. and since i'm keeping in real...i AM going to put a few on the list that are more obtainable than others...because let's be honest here. who doesn't love to see an item crossed off their list???? i first saw this idea here...http://megduerksen.typepad.com/whatever/2009/10/my-list.html ...and have been thinking about it ever since.

here is MY list...

35 before 35

1. take a sewing class

2. transfer almost THREE years of pictures off of my computer and onto cds

3. ~~order a canvas of each of the kids~~ 11/13/11

4. finish reading at least two of the books i have started about raising kids

5. get a massage

6. get a professional manicure. my last one was on my wedding day

7. ~~RUN A HALF MARATHON~~ signed up 11/13/11

8. hem the curtains in our family room

9. hem the curtains in our bedroom

10. volunteer at a soup kitchen

11. give a few homemade gifts this christmas

12. help brian make us a farmhouse table

13. learn how to use the electric drill

14. eat off of our good china at least once a month

15. finish my chicken crate coffee table

16. loose 5-10 lbs. (i'll take 5...would love 10!)

17. have a quiet time at least 3 times a week(even if it's just for 5 min.)

18. blog more

19. start playing the guitar again

20. learn how to tune my guitar

21. have a girls night out and go sing karaoke

22. have coffee in bed(i NEVER do this!)

23. learn how to make homemade dressing(i'm almost there!)

24. make a quilt

25. make my own chalk paint and try it out on a piece of furniture

26. take more everyday pics of my kids

27. drive to the fox theater and back without getting lost

28. take a girls only trip

29. learn how to do a sock bun

30. have a small garden in the spring

31. take a historic tour of savannah

32. start blog with victoria

33. go see cirque du soleil

34. watch a sunrise at the beach

35. sew pillows for my family room and bedroom

happy thursday everyone!

Chattanooga

2011-10-19T05:38:00.000-07:00

***warning...lots of pictures ahead!

brian and i decided we needed a little "adults only" getaway...and after trying to figure out schedules and baby-sitters and school and dog...we opted to just take the kids with us and have my parents come get them from chattanooga...which was great because we got to be tourists for the weekend! it actually worked out perfectly...and we had a super relaxing weekend....topping it all off with the most AWESOME weather you could ask for!

we started off at the chattanooga aquarium...

who doesn't love a display you can climb on?

YIKES!

biggest turtle shell

i call this the "bump it" fish

date night for the "bump it" fish...

ok. kids are gone....

beer + view of the river = awesome

rock city...

perfect fall day

dream home!!

ok. hilarious! can you say dumb and dumber???

birthday boots!

and then brian had to sneak in a little history by taking me to a battlefield....

but that's ok...he went with me to my favorite antique store later!

the patina on this cannon was sooooo pretty! i wanted to bring one home!

133 steps to the top...where is smelled like pee and was swarming with bees!

and here is brian laughing at me...because i was pouting

we met back up with my parents and the kids...and headed home sunday afternoon. it was fun to get away, but i realized this....i can't imagine my life without my kids. the joy they bring us...you just can't imagine. when i was little...all i ever wanted to do was get married and have kids. that's it. even in high school, i never even thought about a career. i know i have my days when i want to "do something" other than be a mommy...but actually i am right where i always wanted to be. what a blessing from god!

ps. my husband is pretty awesome too! ;)

pps. here are a few of us together...taken with my phone!

and last but not least...if you need a good laugh

i was trying to take a pic of us in the funny car while we were at a red light. well...we posed and sat...and it was on video, not picture.

i proceeded to die laughing(please please excuse the horse teeth) while brian sits calmly next to me and calls me a "technological genius"...and that i should run google!

then he speeds off!

HAHAHAHAHA

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

weird...

2011-10-13T04:59:00.000-07:00

taken by mr. photographer hutton

i have a few things about me that are weird/crazy/funny...so since i'm keepin' it real...here are some that i was thinking of today....

i HATE parking garages. they completely freak me out and i will park and walk in the rain, or go to the very tippy top of the garage to avoid them. in the movies...everything bad always happens to people in garages...i'm right huh??
i hate elevators....if my destination is below the 5th floor, i will take the stairs. every time i do get into one, i think about if it were stuck, i would suffocate to death. i know...weird....
i live in atlanta and have only been to lenox mall ONE time...and that was to ride the pink pig at christmas. (are you in shock whitney??) this is even weirder...i feel like you have to be all dressed up and beautiful just to shop...and that is NOT ME!!! so i feel out of place. shout out to north point mall!
i am terrified of getting lost! brian even bought me a gps...but i swear it doesn't work right for me....yet another reason i never go to buckhead or downtown atlanta....
i once took the wrong exit and the road curved onto another interstate(or something)...so i called brian and SCREAMED into the phone...it's an EMERGENCY!!!! call me back!!!!!! i think he almost didn't marry me after that...but he did...because i am a good cook...and i make him laugh. :)
i don't like doctors or dentists and for a week leading up to an appointment, i can't sleep at night. then, when the appointment is FINALLY over...i celebrate with one or four glasses of wine....
i am extremely shy(yes...it's true) and get really worked up over trying something new or being placed in an unfamiliar situation. when i was little, people used to think i was "stuck up"...but it was the complete opposite! i was always scared to say/do the wrong "thing" so i wouldn't say anything at all!
it takes me a long time to make a good friend...
i wish my kids could go to a high school like mine...(page) where people were down to earth, kind, not focused on material things, and worked hard for what they had...we may have been known as the "county" school...but i would go back tomorrow if i could...
my parents used to sing this song called, "daddy's hands" by holly dunn, and EVERY TIME i hear it, i get a huge lump in my throat...and i can't sing it out loud or i will cry....because that song IS my dad. every year i get this grand idea that one day i will sing it for him...but as soon as i try and practice the first time...the waterfall starts...and so i cancel that plan...until the next year...
have have a mental block with left and right...seriously. i almost ALWAYS say the wrong one first. and yes...sometimes i use the "L" on my hand....
i love the smell of a baby's breath....like...so much that i used to stick my face right in lainey and hutt's face and breathe in...about 392 times a day....now...not so much. :0
this is terrible...but if i see someone fall...even my own kids, my first gut reaction is to bust out laughing...and most of the time i do...even when my kids are bleeding. i.can't.help.it. my mom and my cousin have the same disease. believe me, i have tried to stop, but i can't. it's embarrassing when you are around other people because it makes you look like the most awful mom ever. please don't call DFCS on me.
and last but not least, i am a terrible speller. some of the words i have to spell check would cause you to gasp...fortunately, someone invented spell check for that exact reason...except when you can't even get close...and not one of the computer's options are the word you need. of course...that is what they invented google for. enough said.

happy thursday y'all.

hello cowgirl....

2011-10-12T07:24:00.000-07:00

look what came in the mail for me yesterday...

and i HAD to put them on right away....while i was singing happy early bday to myself....then i did the happy tap dance in my kitchen...which was probably pretty funny looking since i paired the boots with yoga pants. classic mom-wear. (as a disclaimer...i did actually get dressed in real clothes earlier in the day....but i had already reached my two hour limit! ha!)

i'm still trying to decide what to do when hutt goes to school...hence the blog absence. my cousin-in-law(is that a real title???) is starting her own design business. and once she gets it off the ground i'm going to be her professional shopper! ha! how's THAT for a job?? :)

i'll have another post on that later...but for now...here is her new blog/website! go vic!

http://gussieandcompany.blogspot.com/

now i'm off to actually use my yoga pants for what they were made for....minus the boots.

ps. did you notice the color on the inside of my boots?? :)

now all i need is my antique turquoise truck to match....

friday funnies!

2011-09-16T05:18:00.000-07:00

i'll admit it...i'm addicted to pinterest...who isn't??? but along with getting ideas for everything you could possibly imagine, i have laughed my tail off at some of the things i have read....

happy reading...and TGIF!!!!!

marlenemccune.blogspot.com

naughtybettyinc.com

howtobeadad.com

tumblr.com

squidoo.com

mommyhood....

2011-09-15T04:32:00.000-07:00

lately i have been feeling kinda....blah. not sick...just trying to figure out what i "do". it has hit me hard this school year, probably because in less than a year, hutton will be in school full time and my "day job" will be nonexistent. i think about it all day long...everyday...and then can't sleep at night(yes...a little extreme). i KNOW my job is important...to be a good mom...and run little people here and there, help with homework, talk, read, play, sign papers, etc. but i can't lie...sometimes i feel like i have lost myself.
i have a BAD habit of comparing myself to other moms....she can run 10 miles, she is a great christian leader, she "does it all", she is a great photographer, her house is decorated perfectly....the list goes on and on. and i thought about myself and thought...well...i can cook and clean(maybe i should have been a mom in the 1950's...except for the fact that i can't sew!) but cooking and cleaning doesn't sound so exciting when someone asks you what you "do".
and i'm going to feel really weird not "working" next year when hutt goes to school...so...i need to find something...and find it quick.
see...here is the thing...i'm scared my kids are going to grow up and leave and i won't have any kind of identity AT ALL. and then i'll harass them because i won't have anything else to do..and then they'll move far far away so i'll leave them alone! and that would break my heart.
so...until next year...when hutt climbs on that bus...i am going to try and be the best mommy i can be....and think about the next stage in my life....
but while i'm doing that...it is always good to read articles like this...that make me feel like...right now anyway...i am doing exactly what i am supposed to be doing....

http://www.theidearoom.net/2011/09/how-to-be-a-happy-mom.html

ps. vic...hurry and get that business up and running....i want to be your "tommy"!! ha!