A Toddler & A Teenager

Up in the Air

2012-01-24T10:31:00.000-06:00

A couple of weeks ago, we took advantage of a beautiful January afternoon to do a little kite flying at the park. The only pictures are from my iPhone and the lens was dirty at that, but you can still see how something so simple was fun for both the 4 year old and the 15 year old! What a rare treat!

My beautiful family!

Our awesome kites - ordered from Into the Wind

Noah showing off his mad kite flying skills.

Daddy and AnnaLauren

AnnaLauren was convinced she could catch it!

One day I will actually be in the pictures, lol! Hope you are having some beautiful days - wherever you may be - and that you are making the most of them!

XOXO,

Sock Bun Curls

2012-01-19T16:07:00.041-06:00

A litle while back on Pinterest, I saw a link for an awesome tutorial from Kristen Duke Photography on doing sock buns and sock bun curls. You can find it here.

I was absolutely convinced that it wouldn't work, but it totally did! It was super easy and great for little girlies to look fancy. You should try it!

You start with a sock - preferably a clean one. I like the ones that are a little bit longer. For an adult, you might want to use a men's dress sock.

Cut off the foot portion so it looks like this.

Roll up the sock until it looks like a donut (doughnut?)

Now, gather the tools you will need - a brush or comb, one or two ponytail holders (elastics, whatever you call them) and your sock bun donut. Do this right after bath time or spritz dry hair with water until it is fully damp but not saturated.

Pull the hair up into either one very high pony tail or two high pigtails. You just want it to be comfortable for sleeping.

Pull the ponytail straight up and through the sock bun donut, letting the ends of the hair hang out. Tuck the ends back up under the donut and begin rolling it down the hair.

It does not have to be perfect, but it should look something like this when you are done.

AnnaLauren in a single sock bun

AnnaLauren in double sock buns.

FYI, use a dark sock and drop these down low for great Princess Leia hair for Halloween!

Sometimes double sock buns will make you feel all sassy!

Now go to sleep and have sweet dreams. When you wake up, just unroll.

And right after taking it down in the morning! Gorgeous curls with no heat!

I retwist some of the curls with my fingers, add a hair bow and give her a quick spritz with hair spray. We are out the door in minutes!

I am terrible and don't have a picture of a fresh hairdo, but here is one from Christmas. After hours of playing, she still has great movement with absolutely no hair spray!

So now go cut up some socks and have awesome hair in the morning!

Or, if you have dirty hair, just wear the bun today!

2012 Home Goals

2012-01-17T15:02:00.001-06:00

My home decor/design hero, The Nester, is hosting her annual Home Goal Linky Party. So, of course I have to participate!

This year, I really want to focus on a few key things that I think can make a big impact for not a ton of money!

1. Since the formal dining room is a space that everyone sees when they enter our house, I would like for it to be special. I have been scouring Craiglist unsuccessfully for a buffet. But, maybe when yard sale season starts, I can find something great. I also want to add window treatments (or mis-treatments) plus a new chandelier and rug.

The only picture I could find of the dining room includes some Christmas decor, but you can get the picture - tan walls, tan chairs, brown table, no window treatments - boring!

Window Treatment Possibility:

Kimono Gypsy by Premier Prints

2. On the other side of our entrance is the office. It doesn't need huge amounts of work, but I would like to get some additional art on the wall and the bookcases need some rearranging.

3. I want to cover my wire pantry shelves like they did at FocalPoint. This is such an awesome DIY! Then, I want to do some better organizing in there. Maybe something similar to The House of Smith's below (a girl can dream, right?).

4. Try to introduce more of the blues and greens we both love (pulled from our Good Earth pottery) into the living room - maybe through new chairs, throw pillows and window treatments/mis-treatments.

Good Earth Pottery - Bluebird Pattern

Photo from JustALittleOrganic.com

That's all! Pretty simple. There are other things that I would be happy to do if the right deal came along (kitchen counters, new breakfast table, etc.), but these few things would really make great impact in our ever-evolving house! :)

2011 Goal Progress

2012-01-16T13:41:00.000-06:00

In January 2011, I blogged a little list of goals that I hoped could be accomplished by 2012. Although I didn't get them all done, I'm pretty pleased with what was done.

Here is how I did...

1. Pay off $10,000 of our debt. We have been on a true budget (yep, Excel spreadsheet and all) since August and it is one of the best things we ever did. This goal should definitely be accomplishable. Is that a word?

We have paid off a little over $16,000 since beginning in August 2010, so this goal was met - yay!

2. Blog twice a week. I started this blog as a way to keep up with my children and sadly I am seriously lacking in that regard. There is no reason I can't do better. I need to remember that not every post requires pictures!

One word - FAIL.

3. Join Weight Watchers and get serious about losing weight. My goal for the year is 40 pounds lost. When you are fat plus-sized like me, it should be attainable.

Yep, FAIL again.
4. Spend a week in Florida with the family (with minimal Blackberry usage). We love Okaloosa Island and it's an ongoing goal that we be able to spend a week there every summer while our children are at home.

Done - it was awesome as always!
5. Have the shower in our master bathroom tiled. I have hated the shower stall in our bathroom since day 1, but have done exactly zero to change it. This year I would like to bite the bullet and make it great.

We are pressing the "Pause" button on this one until the debt is paid off in about 18 months. Can't wait!

6. Finally decorate my master bedroom! We have lived in our house for two years so it's definitely time. I recently purchased new bedding as a jumping off point so I hope to get this done in the first quarter of the year.

This room may forever be a work in progress. I did get some things hung on the wall and we added some new accessories, but it still doesn't make me really happy. But, I would be so bored if the house were all done!
So, that's how it all panned out. I am working up the new list for 2012. Did you get your 2011 list done?

2011 Year End Debt Review

2012-01-04T09:25:00.000-06:00

In August of 2010, Tommy and I took a class at church called "Common Cents". It was basically a starter course on budgeting, etc. At the end of the class, we were given Dave Ramsey's book, Total Money Makeover.

And although we are not "gazelle intense", we have worked hard to get our crazy debt paid down. In honor of the new year, I wanted to give an update that will hopefully continue to motivate us in 2012!

In case you were wondering, this has honestly changed our lives!

August 1, 2010 Total Debt Balance
(excluding the house)
$41,704.45

December 31, 2011 Total Debt Balance
(excluding the house)
$25,602.48

In 17 months, we have paid off $16,101.97 in real debt! Yay!

Happy New Year Y'all!

The Year End Book Review

2011-12-28T14:18:00.004-06:00

Those of you who know me know that I am a reader. I really don't function well without a book or two scattered around my house that I am in the process of reading. So, as part of finishing up 2011, I thought I'd do a little post about what I read this year and what I am planning on reading in 2012. Looks like 2012 will be the year of mysteries! Enjoy!

Books I Read Cover to Cover in 2011

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen - Although I really liked the movie, I thought the book was outstanding!

Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson - One word - fantastic! I am seeing the movie version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo tomorrow!

The Sookie Stackhouse / Southern Vampire Series by Charlaine Harris - These are the books that the HBO series "True Blood" is based on. Entertaining and fun, but nothing life changing. :)

The Lost Hero (Heroes of Olympus Book 1) by Rick Riordan - I am absolutely a sucker for teen fiction and this series (which is a spinoff series to the fantastic Percy Jackson novels) began very well!

The Mysterious Affair at Styles, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd & Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie - Her books are so good for everyone - mysteries without all the sex and overt violence in today's books.

The Good & Beautiful Life: Putting on the Character of Christ by James Bryan Smith - An inspiring second book in the Apprectice Series. Our church made this a sermon series as well.

The House of Night Series by PC & Kristen Cast - This teen vampire series was original, but without much substance. They would make great beach reads.

Books I Want to Read in 2012

Outlive Your Life by Max Lucado - We were all made to make a difference and I want to make more of one in 2012.

The Kinsey Milhone Series by Sue Grafton - I just started these books that correspond with the alphabet (A is for Alibi, B is for Burgler, etc). I am on "D is for Deadbeat" and they are very entertaining so far!

The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins - I've heard good things about these books that are set in a grim future where contestants are chosen to compete in competition to the death.

The Son of Neptune (Heroes of Olympus Book 2) - I can't wait to read this follow up to the awesome Book 1!

77 Shadow Street by Dean Koontz - looks creepy - just like the Mr. Koontz I love.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs - I love the premise of a story featuring a deserted orphanage, tales of the supernatural and a mystery handed down from grandpa!

11/22/63 by Stephen King - If you could go back in time and stop the JFK assassination, would you? I'm excited about this one and all of its 1000 pages.

Books I Just Want to Own in 2012

Mississippians II - A gorgeous coffee table book of famous Mississippians. This one is a bit of a cheat, since I got it for Christmas - yay!

The Complete Calvin & Hobbes by Bill Watterson - Love these, need this!

The Pioneer Woman Cooks by Ree Drummond - That Ree, she is a superwoman!

Thanks to The Nester for hosting a link up of books. I already see several to add to my list!

Elf on the Shelf Fun

2011-12-15T09:05:00.000-06:00

Our Elf on the Shelf, Sparkle Belle, has been up to way too much fun this Christmas season already. I thought I'd share some of her best mischief with you - enjoy!

Sparkle Belle loves to play Candyland, but she swears that the Lalaloopsy girls cheat!

What's a Southern Elf to do when she misses the snow?

Why, make grit angels of course!

Making Cookies, but we were out of chocolate chips :(

Reading AnnaLauren's books

(The ink that he likes to drink is pink.)

Rolling the Christmas Tree in toilet paper

Trying on Barbie dresses (she's partial to the Holiday ones)

Eating leftover birthday cake, yes please!

And one of my favorites, playing veterinarian to all the Littlest Pet Shop animals!

Merry Christmas! Hope you are having fun with your elves too!

Bananas in Wonderland

2011-11-29T09:02:00.000-06:00

This year for Halloween, AnnaLauren was a precious Alice in Wonderland. My wonderful grandmother made her costume again and it was fantastic!

And Noah, well Noah marched to his own drummer again. His picture says it all!

Happy Late Halloween!

Homecoming Week

2011-11-21T13:16:00.000-06:00

Noah really got into Homecoming Week this year. Each day had a different theme - Tacky Day, Dress Up Day, Blue & Gold Day, Sports Mania Day and the oh so popular Movie Character Day. He looked great every single day, but I HAD to share his costume from Movie Character Day.

Presenting Noah as

Alan (and Carlos) from The Hangover

Bwahahaha! Cracks me up every time!

Oh, the girl with him was a Care Bear.

Ok, and in case I seemed to be ignoring it, yes I know I have a pitiful neglected blog. And yes, I will try to do better. Pinterest is now blocked at my office anyway! :(

Who cares about Angry Birds when I have Pinterest?

2011-08-31T13:29:00.001-05:00

I, like everyone else, have become OBSESSED with Pinterest. If you aren't doing it, well, you should. It's that great. It is basically an online inspiration board site. You make your own boards - things like style, parties, food, etc and then link up pictures from the net as inspiration. You can view my boards here: http://pinterest.com/tupelonikki/ and if you want an invite, send your email address to nikkiabney@comcast.net and I will hook you up!

I found a "pin" that sums it up perfectly.

Summer Vacation - iPhone Style

2011-08-12T09:53:00.000-05:00

Since I am the worst blogger ever and haven't done the second half of our vacation, I thought I'd take a minute and share the pictures from my phone. Hey, it's something! Enjoy!

What we did on our Summer Vacation:

Watched tv (Chloe & AnnaLauren in pool floats)

Rode Mechanical Sharks

Drove the dolphin cruise boat

Hung out with a couple of really pretty girls

Posed for some cute pictures

We had a great time! Can't you tell?

Florida Vacation 2011 - Part One

2011-06-30T10:01:00.000-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, we made our annual trip to Okaloosa Island, Florida. As always, it was a blast for us and the kiddos. Since these tend to be long, picture heavy posts, I am breaking it into two parts. This is a recap of Saturday through Tuesday.

Saturday - Driving, driving and more driving. Luckily we are blessed with two kids who are excellent travelers! They hung out, napped a little, watched a movie or three and we were there. We rented a ground floor condo to make pool and beach access easy. We have done this for a couple of years and losing a bit of view to gain so much convenience is totally worth it.

Our view from the patio was this...Love!

So, Sunday through Tuesday we...

did a little swimming in the pools,

came up with a little vacation theme music,

wrote our names in the sand (and held hands, I die!),

and got a big girl hair wrap!

Where we stayed:
Summer Place on Okaloosa Island, Fort Walton Beach, FL rented through VRBO

Places we ate:
Saturday Dinner - Hungry Howie's Pizza - <3 the flavored crust! (and we don't have one at home)
Sunday Dinner - Grilled Burgers & Dogs courtesy of Tommy
Monday Dinner - Staff's in Fort Walton Beach
Tuesday Dinner - Hungry Howie's again (yep, it's good!)

Our good friends the Warren's came in on Tuesday and stayed the rest of the week. All the fun from Wednesday through Saturday will be in Part Two!

Daddy's Little Princess

2011-06-28T16:52:00.000-05:00

Each year, a local women's group in our town hosts a Father/Daughter Ball to raise money for Le Bonheur Children's Hospital in Memphis, TN. It is a major event! :)

This year we decided that AnnaLauren was old enough to ~~completely drive her dad insane~~ go. So, we began looking for just the right dress and accessories. AnnaLauren specifically requested "glass slippers". So after much looking and even more unhappiness with what we were finding, we went with a tried and true approach - our Mamaw Betty. My grandmother, A's great-grandmother, made her a dress based completely off a picture from the internet that was my inspiration and my sad little instructions. It is GORGEOUS!

Tommy and AnnaLauren had a fantastic time and made some really special memories! I am a lucky girl to have these two plus the teenager!

Tommy and AnnaLauren ready to go!

Love this little face!

Modeling on the stage with her feather boa and "parasol".

Hot Weather and an Update

2011-06-24T10:45:00.000-05:00

OK, so it's been over a month since I've posted about anything. But, that isn't exactly atypical for me. My excuses are:
1. We went on vacation - and yes, at some point there will be a post or two about that
2. I'm lazy
3. It is so hot outside

So in honor of all this hot weather, I leave you with a picture of AnnaLauren in the snow.
Happy Friday!

AnnaLauren - February 2011

Featured at Night Owl Crafting!

2011-05-11T15:49:00.000-05:00

My printed anniversary mosaic was featured at Night Owl Crafting today!

It was the most viewed link last week. Hooray!

You can see the post at Night Owl Crafting here. Plus, she has an awesome linky party every Wednesday called "Hoo's Got Talent?" You should definitely go visit for some crafty inspiration! The link is on my sidebar. :)

Or you can see my original post here.

I get to post this lovely button on my sidebar and I am super tickled about it!

Octopus Hotdogs, yep that's right

2011-05-09T10:00:00.007-05:00

Last week, AnnaLauren and I were trying to decide on what she wanted for dinner. Tommy and Noah had requested a dinner of veggies only. AnnaLauren will not do veggies only so I was going through the list of meat options for her - chicken nuggets - no, fish sticks - no, ABC's & 123's - no, chicken & rice - no.

We were both exasperated.

Then, AnnaLauren looked up at me and said, "~~Mother~~ Mudder, I want real fun dinner!"

Ok then.

So I did what any super fun mom would do - I made Octopus Hotdogs. Served with mashed potatoes, mixed veggies, a crescent roll and the required princess vitamin - all was right with the world!

A Quick "How To"
1. Choose your favorite hotdog and lay it flat on your cutting board (or a paper towel)

2. Make a cut all the way through starting about 3/4 of the way up the hotdog

3. Roll the hotdog 1/2 turn and cut again

4. Stand him up and splay out the legs. I also cut an "X" into the top.

5. Nuke in the microwave for about a minute or drop into boiling water.

6. Serve with ketchup for dipping!

7. Explain to your children that octopi do indeed have 8 legs and not four but that these were obviously either injured in a fierce battle with a great white shark or victims of a tragic boat propeller accident. :)

Have a fantastic week!

Anniversary Printed Mosaic

2011-05-04T08:43:00.001-05:00

Seven years ago, I stood on the beach in Paradise and said, "I Do!" to my best friend.

We look so very young!

We don't spend a lot of money on anniversary gifts. We usually just have a nice dinner and movie date. But, I have been on a craft kick, so for our anniversary this year, I wanted to make something.

I looked all over blogland for inspiration. My criteria was pretty general. I wanted something cheap and fast that was within my limited skill level. One of the things I saw were mosaics made out of photos of letters and numbers. I honestly can't remember where all my inspiration came from, but there are lots of you out there.

So on to the project...

The key to this project are the absolutely amazing photo collections on Flickr by Leo Reynolds. He has letters, numbers, punctuation and all sorts of things.

So, I opened up a powerpoint document (because that's what I had at work) and copied and pasted the letters of my choice into the document. I played around with the wording and layout until I came up with this. I sized it to fit in an 8X10 photo mat.

I could have sent it out to be printed in a photo lab, but I am all about instant gratification. I printed it off on my printer with plain paper. It looked great! Then, I stopped by my local thrift store and grabbed an 11X17 ~~awful~~ gold frame with a white mat and a ~~terrible~~ lovely cherub print. The price was right at $3.50. The print went into the trash and the frame got a quick coat of Bahama Sea spray paint by Krylon that was hanging out in our garage.

The finished product - I love it! And Tommy loves it too!

My only cost was $3.50 for the frame. What a deal!

*Warning* Terrible cell phone picture ahead!

Happy Anniversary Tommy! Love you forever!

I'm linking up with everyone listed on the right! They have great parties and you should visit them all! :)

Beauty and Noah

2011-04-29T11:22:00.002-05:00

Ok, so here is the deal. I was completely uninterested in all the Royal Wedding hoopla, and then I woke up this morning with insomnia.

So, I watched a little, and then a little more and then got totally hooked. When AnnaLauren woke up, I said, "Look Nan, there is a new princess today!" She took one look at the tv, squealed and said, "Look Mother, Belle is wearing her dress and crown!" She was absolutely convinced that Princess Kate was in fact Belle from Beauty and the Beast. She looked a little closer and said, "That prince looks like Noah. Mother, it's Belle and Noah on tv!"

Photos from Reuters & Disney

So my little princess and I hung out on the bed and watched a beautiful new princess and her prince.
It was magic - completely worthy of Disney!

NAIW Region III Conference

2011-04-27T15:44:00.002-05:00

I have mentioned lots of times that my day job (for now) is in insurance. So, I have been a member of Insurance Professionals of Northeast MS for a few years and am privileged enough to be serving as our president this year. So, in that capacity, I decided to attend the regional conference in Montgomery, AL. It really was a great time!

Mississippi Council attendees at the antebellum themed Welcome Party

Opening night of the Montgomery Biscuits Baseball Team from the hotel balcony

Me, sporting the required First Timers accessory

Region III First Timers

Harriott II Riverboat on the Alabama River

Venue for Friday night's dinner cruise - so fun!

We stayed at the fantastic Renaissance Montgomery on the corner of Tallapoosa and Commerce.
Tallapoosa makes me think thoughts that make me giggle. Yes, I'm a child sometimes.

It was a really fun weekend full of great people, food and lots of learning. If any of you are in insurance, seek out your local chapter. You don't know what you are missing!

AnnaLauren's Bed Feature!

2011-04-21T11:00:00.000-05:00

AnnaLauren's Bed was Featured on Beyond the Picket Fence as something that caught her eye from last week's link ups! Makes me so excited!

You can check out my original post here.

Go see her every Thursday for an awesome Under $100 Linky Party!

Up, Up and Away

2011-04-20T11:35:00.000-05:00

A couple of weekends ago, while I was in Montgomery, Alabama with the National Association of Insurance Women (another post for another day), AnnaLauren's Grams took her to the Up, Up and Away Festival.

They only allow a few people to go up in the balloons and Lois and AnnaLauren were picked! So fun!

AnnaLauren and Grams ready to go up!

Some of the gorgeous balloons.

AnnaLauren is very lucky to have a Grams that takes her on such fun adventures!

Thanks Grams!

Eating an Elephant - Part 4

2011-04-18T15:20:00.000-05:00

We are currently in the midst of our Dave Ramsey Total Money Makeover.

This has honestly changed our lives!

March was a banner month for us. We broke $10K!

We have paid off $10,077.48 in debt since beginning our plan!

August 1, 2010 Total Debt

(excluding the house)

$41,704.45

March 31, 2011 Total Debt

(excluding the house)

$31,626.97

Yay!

AnnaLauren's Big Girl Room #1 - The Bed

2011-04-13T09:44:00.003-05:00

We are in the process of transitioning AnnaLauren from her toddler toom to a "big girl" room. So, since that means a new bed to replace her coverted crib daybed, it also means a little bit of redecorating in her room.

First up, the big girl bed of course!

We found this fabulous vintage/almost antique bed on my best friend, Craigslist, for $75! The gorgeous girly lines, the sweet curved footboard, the oval perfect for a little initial - I died! However, Tommy took a little more convincing! But, thankfully he chose to trust me. :)

Here she is in all her glory! She needs a little bit of loving!

Pardon my awesome cell phone pictures!

The lovely curved footboard

Gorgeous legs!

Graceful lines and an oval that I have big plans for!

Tommy really outdid himself sanding and sanding and sanding on her!

And here she is now - Tada!

I am crazy excited!!!

Again, I know the cell phone pictures are atrocious, but I promise to make better ones when I show the entire room. For now, I couldn't wait!

Oh and AnnaLauren loves it too and calls it her Princess Bed. Makes a mama happy!

I am linking to the blog parties on my sidebar. You should visit them too!

Oh, and for those who want to know, here is the cost breakdown:
Bed from Craigslist - $75.00
Untinted Vivid White Paint/Primer Quart - $15.00
Rub On Poly - Free from Garage - ($9.00 if purchased)
2 Vinyl Initials from Etsy - $6.00 (including shipping)
TOTAL COST - $96.00!

Several people have asked about the bedding. It is Pottery Barn Teen Graphic Pop. It is a little expensive, But I lucked up. You can read about it and see better pictures here.

Consignment Sale Bargains!

2011-04-05T14:58:00.001-05:00

Twice a year, New 2 U Consignment has a HUGE children's consignment sale in Tupelo. I always volunteer to be able to shop before it opens to the public. This year I really racked up!

Here is my haul - 39 pieces of fabulousness from brands like Baxter& Beatrice, Remember Nguyen, Mis Tee V Us, Ralph Lauren & several custom made items! Yes, it's all for AnnaLauren, sadly Noah has sized out of this sale.

I picked up a brand new Pottery Barn Teen Graphic Pop quilt and two shams as well as a coordinating lamp. The retail price was well over $300 and I paid $80! Score! I love it and it will be perfect in AnnaLauren's "Big Girl" room that is currently in progress.

Photo from Pottery Barn Teen

And of course I couldn't resist an Ole Miss cheerleader doll. AnnaLauren named her Kelly and has taken her everywhere since I brought her home last Wednesday. So Cute!

If you live anywhere in North Mississippi or West Alabama and have small children, this sale is fantastic! I consign AnnaLauren's clothes and always do extremely well!

Eating an Elephant - Part 3

2011-03-21T11:14:00.000-05:00

Our monthly debt update looks like this. I get more and more excited every month!

We have paid off $8,700.07 in debt!

August 1, 2010 Total Debt

(excluding the house)

$41,704.45

February 28, 2011 Total Debt

(excluding the house)

$33,004.38

Another Year

2011-03-18T12:32:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was my birthday, but I'm not telling how many this makes. Ok, well 33.

My sweet husband, friends and family made it really special. I am truly blessed far beyond what I deserve.

First, Tommy got up early and headed to my office. When I arrived, he had balloons, birthday banners, and lots of St. Patrick's Day fun stuff. Yes, I know I'm lucky to have such a sweet man.

Then, he gave me this little goodie. I died!

iPad 2

Between the calls, texts, 50+ messages on Facebook and the other happies I received, I really felt special yesterday. It's good to be loved!

Happy St. Patrick's Day to you!

Noah's First Play - "The Dining Room"

2011-03-01T16:42:00.002-06:00

Last weekend, Noah performed in his first high school production called "The Dining Room" written by A.R. Gurney. Noah played three parts in the play which all took place in a dining room, of course! The play centered around the dying culture of dinner in the dining room and the upper middle class. Noah's first part was as a pre-teen boy, Michael, who was sad because his nanny/maid/friend was leaving to get married. His second part was as a carpenter, Paul, who had been hired to fix the aging table and is oblivious to the flirtations of the newly single lady of the house. The last part is was the son of the family patriarch, Dick, who is trying to avoid his father's requests to talk about his funeral wishes.

I am SO proud of Noah for actually getting up on stage in front of everyone and really getting into character. He has always been my more introverted child and it was nice to see him emerge from his shell and really shine.

You can read the article from our local newspaper here. "The Dining Room" ran February 24-26, 2011.

Noah, in costume and being silly, with my sweet grandparents.

Eating an Elephant - Part 2

2011-02-22T15:13:00.000-06:00

For years, my money has controlled me. I have always wanted to open a children's resale/consignment boutique, but money (well, lack of) has derailed this dream. It has also caused me to worry, have strife in my marriage and live what I feel like has been an existence of shame. I have never known if my loan application, car financing, or credit card request would be denied and it made me feel worthless and out of control.

But, Tommy and I have begun to change! Back in August I posted that we were beginning a budget and trying to get a plan together to work on our debt. You can read that post here: Eating an Elephant - Part 1.

I wanted to take the time to give a little update on our progress.

August 1, 2010 Total Debt

(excluding the house)

$41,704.45

January 31, 2011 Total Debt

(excluding the house)

$34,368.88

We have paid off $7,335.57 in only 7 months!

I am so proud of us! Although we have had some setbacks (car repairs, house repairs, etc.), we have stayed on course and are beginning to see the fruits of all our hard work. I'll keep you updated! I can't wait for the day that I can scream that I am debt free!

FYI, I have a budget spreadsheet that I am happy to share. If you would like a copy, leave me a comment and I will pass it on.

A Celtic Birthday

2011-02-17T10:21:00.003-06:00

My precious mom-in-law, Lois, truly loves all things Irish/Celtic/Gaelic. If you go to her house or get in her car, she is very likely to be listening to a Celtic Romance CD. I love it and think that it totally adds to what a sweet person she is.

Lois and Noah in Florida last summer

So, when Tommy and I realized that Celtic Woman was going to be performing in Tupelo on February 13, we knew we had to get her tickets for her birthday which is February 26. We were able to find some 5th row tickets on Craiglist for a decent price! Yay! I wasn't sure what to expect when she asked me to come with her, but we had a great time!

They are a fantastic group that sings a varied list of songs including versions of the well known "You Raise Me Up" and "When you Believe" as well as fun Irish tunes like "Dulaman" and "At The Céili". They also have a fantastic violinist who absolutely AMAZED me!

It was a really fun night and it was wonderful to get to spend some time with Lois.

Happy Birthday Mom!

(photos found via Google Images)

Shutter Love Tuesday - Eyelashes

2011-02-09T13:41:00.005-06:00

I have looked at Shutter Love Tuesday over at The Trendy Treehouse several times, but I have never entered a photo. But, when I saw that this week's theme was eyelashes, I knew I had a great photo of AnnaLauren to enter.

She definitely got her daddy's eyelashes - they are thick and black and gorgeous!

Snow Day 2010

If you want to join in the fun, or to vote for AnnaLauren (#72), you can click the link below! It just so happens that we are having another snow day today - funny!

Click here to vote!

A Very Busy (and fun-filled) Weekend

2011-02-07T15:17:00.003-06:00

One day (hopefully in the near future), I will have a laptop at my house that works and I will get to post pictures from Christmas and our snow days and all the other things we've been doing for the past month and a half. For now though, our Dave Ramsey budget doesn't allow for a new computer purchase. :(

But, this weekend I made a few pictures with my phone so you will get at least a little of us!

So here's what we did...

Friday Night

Noah went to his dad's.

AnnaLauren went here with her GeGe - I do NOT love this place!

Tommy and I sat at home. He "worked" on his work laptop and I decorated for a baby shower.

Saturday

AnnaLauren headed to her Grams to spend the night,Tommy headed out to get away from all the women and I threw a baby shower!

My sweet friend, Victoria, came over and we had a fabulous Woodland Themed Baby Shower, complete with pine cones, sunflowers and the cutest cakes you've ever seen!

This is one of the signs from the party. So Cute! I will try to do a complete post about this sweet and very budget friendly shower.

Saturday Night

After a little clean up. Tommy and I got ready and had a little night out.

We went to a little place called The Stables for a cocktail and some fresh chicken strips. Yum! It's located is an alley downtown and actually did serve as a stable and carriage house way back in the day.

Then we went to see these guys! They were never really on my radar before, but they were fantastic! Seriously, two thumbs up!

Rascal Flatts

We had fun - see! We even made a self-portrait!

After the show, we did the old stand by from back when we were single. A run to Krystal! I think this has been standard post-concert fare for us since before we even met. Back in in high school days even! But I question everything about you, if after a long night, that you don't love a Krystal Chik with Cheese. J/K :)

Sunday

We were losers and slept in on Sunday morning. Being withour kiddos and staying out way too late will do that to you! But, we should have been here...

But, the afternoon was devoted to football!

Our uber cool (way cooler than us) friends, the Warrens, had a few people over for a little Super Bowl party. And although this year we weren't really pulling for one team over the other, I really liked seeing a new era of the Green Bay Packers withour Brett Favre.

We ate WAY too much though. Just a partial menu was - 5 kinds of wings, hamburger sliders on hawaiian rolls. meatball sammies, cajun steamed shrimp, rotel cheese dip, peach cobbler and King Cake.

So fun! I love restful weekends, but every now and then it's fun to go all out and have a non-stop weekend of fun.

Hope yours was fabulous too!

Flip-Flop Weather

2011-01-31T09:38:00.001-06:00

The weather on Saturday was nearly perfect. I would have never believed it was January.

So, I wore these. I said a little happy prayer of thanksgiving that I live in the south. I do love it here!

Obviously, my feet are not really flip-flop ready, but it still makes me excited! :)

From Craziness to Surrender

2011-01-25T10:21:00.000-06:00

I drive myself crazy a lot of the time. I over-analyze things, do things the hard way and get bogged down in the general minutiae of life. The even crazier thing is that I know I do it but sometimes I feel powerless to stop. I feel the need to "handle" things. I feel the need to exert control over everything that comes my way. I HATE to delegate. I HATE to give up control.

But, occasionally something comes along and proves to me that many things are completely beyond my control. And sometimes these things aren't so great - pregnancy at age 17, divorce, health concerns, etc. But sometimes, these things are so good and eye opening and soul touching that I know they are straight from Heaven.

Last night I had the honor of listening to the stories of a few phenomenal ladies at The Orchard Women's Night for January. Most of my fabulous friends from small group met me there. I am so blessed to have a group of girls who are all best friends to me. Love you Amanda, Amy, Brandy, Shannon & Victoria! The theme was surrender and it resonated so strongly with me.

Our first speaker talked about her recent adoption of a baby girl from China and how after raising three perfect biological children that God put it on her heart to adopt. She and her husband took 5 years before being able to totally surrender to God's will and bring Sophie home.

The next speakers were the co-authors of the book A Cord of Three Strands, Sara Berry and Tricia Robbins. I bought the book last night, so I have not read it. However, just listening to their story of how bad times sometimes turn out not to be bad times but are instead hard times and how God can redeem us when we feel our most broken was wonderful. I am including a link where you can read about and even order the book - here. But, please know that I am not affiliated nor compensated in any way. I just truly think that others may be moved the way I was.

Will I always surrender? Probably not, I'm not there yet. But will I think more? Absolutely.

Have a great week!

Goals for 2011

2011-01-03T16:03:00.002-06:00

The always fabulous Nester, challenged her readers to list some home goals for 2011. Not resolutions or hopes and dreams, but true goals. Wow! That really got me thinking about some concrete things that I would like to accomplish this year - but for my home and in my personal life.

So, in no particular order, here are my Goals for 2011 (including a few home goals):

1. Pay off $10,000 of our debt. We have been on a true budget (yep, Excel spreadsheet and all) since August and it is one of the best things we ever did. This goal should definitely be accomplishable. Is that a word?

2. Blog twice a week. I started this blog as a way to keep up with my children and sadly I am seriously lacking in that regard. There is no reason I can't do better. I need to remember that not every post requires pictures!

3. Join Weight Watchers and get serious about losing weight. My goal for the year is 40 pounds lost. When you are ~~fat~~ plus-sized like me, it should be attainable.

4. Spend a week in Florida with the family (with minimal Blackberry usage). We love Okaloosa Island and it's an ongoing goal that we be able to spend a week there every summer while our children are at home.

5. Have the shower in our master bathroom tiled. I have hated the shower stall in our bathroom since day 1, but have done exactly zero to change it. This year I would like to bite the bullet and make it great.

6. Finally decorate my master bedroom! We have lived in our house for two years so it's definitely time. I recently purchased new bedding as a jumping off point so I hope to get this done in the first quarter of the year.

Here is a sneek peek at the bedding. You can see more here.

Do you have goals for 2011?

Favorite Presents

2010-12-28T09:44:00.000-06:00

Our family is so very blessed - 365 days of the year! But, as always, we gifted too much to each other yet again. However, we did get some fun (and relatively inexpensive) things that I thought I would share with you. You can click to look at the actual sites.

Two of my favorites...

Plain Silver Cross Necklace (wanted one forever!)

My guiltiest of pleasures - True Blood!

A couple of Noah's Favorites...

Washburn Acoustic/Electric Guitar

A New Book Series by Rick Riordan - Read the Percy Jackson series first!

A couple of things from AnnaLauren...

KidKraft Annabelle Dollhouse - we were thrilled with the quality for the price!

Maison Chic Fairy Princess Doll

And you guessed it, a couple from Tommy...

1/2 Zip Ralph Lauren Pullover

Donut House Coffee for the Keurig

Hope you are as blessed as us - and I definitely don't mean with gifts!

Without Glitter, Tinsel or Lights...

2010-12-27T10:07:00.000-06:00

Darn Murphy! When I decide to get back up and running with the blog, the screen on my laptop (full of all my pictures) proceeds to die. Until the repairs are complete, I'll do the best I can!

Until then, here is a post that I love with a name that I wish was my idea...

Mary, Did You Know (Bethlehem Didn't Have a Hobby Lobby)?

Christmas Tour of Our Home

2010-12-15T10:09:00.001-06:00

I'm joining up with a couple of Christmas parties. First off is The Nester's Christmas Tour of Homes. The link is at the bottom of the post if you want to join in.

This year we continued to expand on our red and lime green theme. I still love it.

First of all, welcome...
We went with lime green mesh with red and black and white polka dot bows. I love the polka dot cross made from galvinzed tin as well!

The tree is done with the same lime mesh and all the ornaments are in the same red and lime colow scheme. We added the large glitter balls this year and I think they add a lot.

We added a little garland and extra large ornaments to the staircase railing.

The dining room that we decorate with lots of fun colors. I am constantly changing this room up!

Lastly, this is my fantel (the dresser in my living room that's my fake mantel). Since my real mantel is dominated by a huge tv, this is where I do the big decorating. Tommy bought me the Santa picture at Kirkland's a few weeks ago and I am CRAZY about it!

The End!

Hope you have a holly, jolly Christmas!!!

Click Here to Join In!

Christmas Blessings

2010-12-14T14:41:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas!

I hope that your blessings are great!

Dedicating Time to the Important Things

2010-12-14T10:10:00.000-06:00

Lately I have felt pulled, pushed, twisted, turned and generally spread too thin. Isn't it an awful feeling to know that you haven't had time to devote to the important things? I want to spend time talking with Tommy about the little details of our lives. I want to spend time hanging out with Noah to see if there are any new girls he likes or if he has thought any more about what his college major might be. I want to spend time with AnnaLauren just painting our toenails and having tea parties. I want to have lunch or dinner or a full conversation with my close friends from small group. I do not want to spend time running errands, or catching up on work emails, or even attending another luncheon or dinner or party.

I just want to slow down.

Don't you?

Back in the Groove

2010-12-02T10:49:00.000-06:00

So, I have started and stopped and restarted blogging in the last few months. But, I finally feel back in the groove of things and I really miss sharing my kids, my home, randomness, etc. So, we are on again and I promise to do better. For a while anyway...

And just to start things off, here are a couple of AnnaLauren's daycare pictures from a month or so ago. She is such a sassy mama!

And I promise to post about the following things in the next few days (weeks?)!

Disney Princesses on Ice

Ballet Class

Tupelo Christmas Parade

Christmas decor at my house

Noah's smarts

XOXOXO,

AnnaLauren's 3rd Birthday

2010-11-02T21:23:00.002-05:00

Our precious AnnaLauren turned 3 on Halloween and so a bash was definitely in order! There are such cute pictures that I am not going to include much text. But, I was so tickled at what I was able to do on a budget that I am going to mention some of the great tips I learned along the way.

Everyone was welcomed with a candy bar that also served as favors.
All the containers were bought in the 2 months leading up to the party at a local thrift store. I don't think any of them were more than $1.98!

Topped by a gorgeous wreath made by Grams

Plenty of food was available for munching.

The cake stand was made with a $0.99 candle holder from the thrift store (spray painted white) that I attached to a $1 plate from Dollar Tree with Gorilla Glue.
All the remaining containers are either from a local salvage store or Dollar General.

The outside was so cute!

The centerpieces were fantastic and so cheap! The gerber daisies were all bought 50% off at Hobby Lobby. The glass cylinders, filler marbles and feather boas (stuffed into the cylinder) were from the Dollar Tree!

All the wings were, you guessed it, from the Dollar Tree!

I ordered a printable party package from Shindig Parties on Etsy.com. Then, I printed and assembled the cupcake toppers, cake topper, banners, candy bar labels, water bottle labels, etc. It was so easy and made the party look really custom for a minimal investment. I will definitely do this again!

Yep, I forgot to buy birthday candles, but we made it!

And everyone had a fantastic time!

The castle bouncer was a bit of a splurge, but with all the money I saved on the rest of the party, it was worth it!

And if you still need to see more pictures, there are plenty below.

I can't help myself!

I'm linking to:

Click Here to Join In!

AnnaLauren's B'day Sneak Peek

2010-10-28T14:51:00.001-05:00

My baby is turning 3 on Sunday - yes she's a Halloween girlie. I can't believe it, but that's another post for another day. This year she wanted some input into her birthday party. She wanted, "butterflies, fairies, Tinkerbell and princess." Well, that is quite the list, so I began searching.

The Sassy Little Mama

I know AnnaLauren loves bright and girlie colors - pink, lime green, turquoise, yellow and orange. Plus, the idea of butterflies appealed to me the most, so I began to think of the party theme as Enchanted Garden.

After the party, I will do a complete post and maybe some tutorials even. I know, me crafty?? But, I really did some cute stuff if I do say so myself.

But, here is a little preview to give you an idea of the fun we have planned...

And if it fits! Fingers Crossed!!!

And now I know it's fall

2010-10-25T17:11:00.000-05:00

Here in North MS, the weather has been warm - not stifling like summer, but definitely too warm to have thoughts of fall. But, when Noah brought home his school pictures last week, I knew it had arrived. Just like clockwork, every fall the customary school pics are snapped and sent home. It's all a huge surprise too because there is no preview, no proof, no do-over. Whatever the camera snaps is what you are stuck with for the next year.

Luckily, Noah's freshman year of high school will not be marred by an awful school picture. It's actually pretty good.

Can't you just smell freshly sharpened pencils?

Or for today's kids, can't you just picture the glow of the Apple icon on your macbook?

Fire Safety

2010-10-20T22:02:00.000-05:00

Recently the Insurance Professionals of NE MS and the NE MS Association of Health Underwriters held a Fire Safety Day at AnnaLauren's daycare. The kids all had a ball!

Association reps with members of the Tupelo Fire Dept.

AnnaLauren

The rest of the kiddos and the fantastic firefighters who came and shared.

Halloween "Fantel" Decor

2010-10-14T21:01:00.004-05:00

The Nester recently hosted a Fall Mantel or "Fantel" Party. Of course I didn't get my post ready in time to link up - typical! - but I still wanted to share it with you.

So, first of all, my real mantel is dominated by the hubby's tv (and usually something like the Backyardigans is on). Not the most fashionable thing, and it doesn't inspire me to decorate it at all. So here is my real mantle with it's sad little pumpkins. I should really get a little more ambitious.

And here is my "fantel". It's actually a dresser that is in my living room (Thanks Big Tom & Cheryl!).

The black candle holders I picked up at a consignment shop probably 10 years ago for about $5 total. I love them and move them around all the time. The glitter pumpkins came from Hobby Lobby. They were 12 for $6. Love that! They are the same pumpkins that are on my real mantel. The small Boo sign ($3) and the long Happy Halloween sign ($6) came from Hobby Lobby as well. The crows are from the Design Mecca of Dollar Tree. However, they have been complimented on over and over! The black glitter skull came from DT as well. The orange finial was a yard sale purchase earlier in the summer for $2. The owl pillow is from Kirkland's - $6! I just had to have him and although he doesn't match 100% - who cares! The framed Boo and Spooky are just little things I made on Microsoft Word and printed. They are put in frames I already had. Whew! That was a lot! But I think it makes a fantastic impact for around $25.

But, my cute little helper is the best decoration of all!

I am going to try and change out my "fantel" for each season. I think it is a great surface that will be fun to decorate. And, it is going to serve as a candy bar for AnnaLauren's birthday party at the end of this month. Can't wait for that one!

Do you have any cute Halloween decorations? If so, comment with a link to the post. I'd love to come see them!

I'm linking up to:

Blogland Halloween / Fall Decor Part 1

2010-10-13T16:01:00.002-05:00

I have been seeing some of the absolute cutest Halloween and fall decor/crafts all over blogland. So, I thought it was only fair for me to share soem of it with you. This will definitely be a multiple post over the next few days. Happy Haunting!

This is so fabulous that I can hardly stand it! What simple and beautiful decor from Madigan Made. I think anyone could do this!

I'm loving this Halloween Themed Lazy Girl's Subway Art from Organize and Decorate Everything. It's made using Wordle and yep, I've already made my own, plus one for AnnaLauren's birthday.

I haven't attempted this one yet, but I truly covet this Halloween Silhouette Artwork from She Wears Flowers. You have to see how she did it!

So cute Candy Corn Cupcakes from I Heart Naptime. Although I am not a fan of the candy corn, these are darling and within my meager baking skills.

These cute Halloween Ribbon Ornaments from Just Sew Sassy would be precious hanging off of a cabinet pull or anywhere you would put a tassel. The tutorial is very clear and easy too!

With all the cute frames full of butterflies and other pretties, I love this pumpkin version from Embellishing Life. This is one of those things that will be great to change up from season to season. I can just imagine snowflakes for winter!

There will definitely be more to come! There are SO many talented people out there making things that I would have never dreamed of. That's one of the things I love most about blogging!

Yabba Dabba Do

2010-09-28T16:29:00.002-05:00

Ok, so it's not October yet, but I am already in a Halloween state of mind. I have seen some pretty darn cute stuff out there in blogland that I plan on showcasing tomorrow.

But, in the mean time, here are Tommy and I as Fred and Wilma Flintstone last Halloween. I am a fool for costumes and my sweet grandmother and I made these together.

Have a great Tuesday!

Blog Hopping!

2010-09-17T13:41:00.002-05:00

It's another Blog Hop/Follow Friday! If you are stopping by for the first time - welcome! If you follow me, leave a comment and let me know. I will always follow back!

Have a fantastic weekend!

You can link up to the Blog Hop here.

You can join the Friday Follow here.

Summer Reading Update

2010-09-16T11:15:00.000-05:00

Back in June, I posted about some of the books I love and some books that I wanted to read this summer. You can read that post here. Although I didn't get to everything on my "Want to Read" list, I did read several of them and several others and wanted to share my opinsion with you.

My Thoughts on the "Want to Read" Books I Read

1. In The Woods by Tana French
I was actually a little disappointed by this one. Although the plot was intriguing, too much was left unfinished for characters that she does not seem to plan to revisit. If you like closure in your books, then this one is not for you.

2. The Dive from Clausen's Pier: A Novel by Ann Packet
This was yet another lackluster book for me. I wanted it to speak to me, but it really didn't. I just never could relate to the main character.

3. The Shack by William Paul Young
I am in the middle of reading this one right now and so far it is fantastic. If it continues to be as good as I think it will, then it will get it's very own post.

Some of the Other Books I Read this Summer (and mostly liked)

1. Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult
I really loved this one - really! The plot of the book centers around a young, unmarried Amish girl who is accused of murdering her newborn. I am fascinated by the Amish culture anyway and the plot was extremely engaging. As with any Jodi Picoult book, there are plot twists and surprises that make them great reads. Will this book change your life? No. But will it entertain. Absolutely.

2. The Percy Jackson Series by Rick Riordan
This series about the children of Greek gods living on Earth centers around a son of Posiedon who first learns he is a demigod and then that the world is in a time of great trouble. It is geared towards tweens and teens, so Noah already had all 5 of the books and loved them. If he gets involved enough in a series of books to read them all, then I usually try them out too. These were really fabulous. I was entertained and would recommend them to anyone looking for something relatively easy yet engaging for their children.

3. Bleachers by John Grisham
This was on Noah's Pre-AP English Summer Reading List, so after he finished it, Tommy read it and then I read it. In a complete 180 from the normal legal thrillers he usually writes, this book is all about small town high school football. I loved it because it was both simple and deep. My hubby loved it even more than me, so I would vote this as a great potential stocking stuffer for all the football loving men in your life.

4. A Salty Piece of Land by Jimmy Buffett
I picked up this book at a church yard sale for the hubby, because, well Jimmy Buffett - seriously! Tommy read it and loved it. I read it and kinda liked it. It's definitely a guys book, but entertaining and fun. This would be a perfect vacation read because it does not require any thinking and it's all about tropical places. It is obvious that Jimmy wrote it - it practically screams Parrot-Head!

Hope you try some of these. Most really are worth reading.

Here is my updated "Want to Read" List for Fall

1. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini - carry over from summer
2. The Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris - carry over from summer
3. Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King - I'm so excited about this book of four stories that will be released in November
4. The Scarpetta Factor by Patricia Cornwell - This is the 17th novel centered around Dr. Kay Scarpetta. I'm behind because number 18 is being released soon. These are all great reads about murder and forensics.
5. Millennium Trilogy: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson - I don't know too much about these other than from what I have read they are fast moving and the heroine is phenomenal.

I am in no way affiliated with or compensated by any of these books. These are simply my opinions.

A Birfday Weekend

2010-09-14T16:33:00.002-05:00

So, call me a slacker wifey. Cause I am. My sweet hubby turned the big 3-0 on Friday and I haven't even posted anything about it. I did write on his Facebook wall - does that count? Anyhoo...

As a pre-birthday event, we went to see Rebirth Brass Band and Moon Taxi at Fairpark in downtown Tupelo. This was the last of the Down on Main concerts of the summer. My hats off to the committee for a fabulous time - the music was phenomenal! Sadly, Tommy had to leave early with an extra sleepy and grumpy AnnaLauren.

Rebirth Brass Band from New Orleans

Moon Taxi from Nashville

Friday morning I snuck over to the bank before Tommy made it to work and decorated his office.

The awesome ladies he works with provided an extra large party hat and a homemade caramel cake (yum!).

Friday afternoon, the kiddos and I presented him with some tokens of our affection. In honor of his love of Ole Miss football, he got...

This fetching hat...

This mini football that plays "Go Rebels Go" and "Dixie"...

And a new set of flags for his truck...

On Friday night, we went to Harvey's (one of our faves) and had fantastic dinner. I absolutely suggest the Bloody Mary because it comes with an olive, a pearl onion, a celery stalk, another onion, a lime wedge, a bell pepper ring, a boiled shrimp and a pepperoni slice. They bring you a plate to go with it. Yep, a drink with snacks - beat that!

On Saturday, Tommy watched his beloved Rebels pull out a close win against Tulane. Whew! A loss could have brought the weekend to a screeching halt!

On Sunday, after a fantastic morning at The Orchard, Tommy's sweet stepmom cooked a fabulous birthday lunch of grilled chicken, corn on the cob, mac and cheese, wild rice dressing, green beans and new potatoes and finished up with Baskin Robbins ice cream cake in chocolate/chocolate. I almost needed to be rolled out to the car!

And lastly, in a fitting end to the weekend. We put the kiddies to bed and watched the season finale of True Blood. Alcide & Eric - enough said!

Hope your weekend was fantastic!

Today is Day 3 of the SITS Girls Back to Blogging event. Thank you to the event sponsors Standards of Excellence, Westar Kitchen and Bath and Florida Builder Appliances. Today’s assignment is to republish a post with a title you are particularly proud of. I didn't repost since this was my latest post.

My name is Nikki and I might be a cougar.

Hotty Toddy!

2010-09-04T15:01:00.000-05:00

There's nothing in the world like a beautiful fall day in The Grove. Go Rebs!

My name is Nikki and "Dixie" played by The Pride of the South makes me happy!

Almost Famous

2010-09-03T15:03:00.000-05:00

One of my mother-in-laws (I claim three, but that's another story) operates a daycare/preschool, so she is forever being called on by vendors. Earlier this week, a photographer came in from a company she has used in the past. She had recently joined the franchise and was out calling on potential clients. My MIL took her card and imagine her surprise when she flipped it over and on the back was AnnaLauren! About 18 months ago I was contacted by the company and asked if they could use AnnaLauren's picture for advertising. I said yes, but never gave it another thought - until now! Pretty funny! BTW, they make very cute pictures at schools, daycares, etc.

Front and Back of the Business Card

AnnaLauren is on the bottom right

Wordless Wednesday - Could she do it through a tornado?

2010-09-01T09:22:00.000-05:00

My name is Nikki and a pink poodle, a backpack pillow and Dora flip-flops crack me up!

If I Could Save Time in a Bottle...

2010-08-17T14:29:00.003-05:00

Another Rite of Passage took place at our house this month.

Noah started high school. Seriously.

I distinctly remember his first day of Kindergarten. I was so very nervous and a little teary. But, he walked in like a champ with a huge grin. All he felt was excitement, and I was so proud! I remember thinking then that Noah had 13 years of school ahead of him which translated into 13 years at home - practically infinite.

We have had lots of other first days since then and as time has gone by, I stopped being nervous or sad and instead became almost indifferent to them. The first days continued to come with no end in sight. Every year was just another in a long line of years.

But this one was different.

It was a stepping away of sorts. It was a first day for me to appreciate (nervous and almost teary), but also a time for Noah to begin the process of standing on his own two feet. For the first time, I looked at my son and saw the beginnings of the man he is growing to be. I began to truly comprehend that he is taller than me, has hair on his face, talks in a deep voice, and makes girls turn their heads (it's those eyes I tell you!). And I was so very proud.

I realized that college is just around the corner and my time with him home full time is very finite. So, I will strive to make every day count and to use every opportunity to steal a little time with him. He may no longer be my baby to hold and shelter and pet on, but he is my child to encourage and teach and maybe still pet on a little. So when that next first day comes and I send my son into college, I pray I will be sending a young man who feels nervous, but prepared and ready for his future. And maybe, if I am lucky, he will still have a little bit of a Kindergartener's excitement.

My name is Nikki and sometimes my blessings overwhelm me.

Growing Deep

2010-08-13T09:51:00.000-05:00

I've mentioned my awesome small group in several posts, so I thought you should get the opportunity to meet some of us...

Our leader Brandy and her husband Jamie

Brandy inspires me every week with her huge heart for Jesus.

Some of the rest of the crew...

Michael and Amanda

Their Beautiful Children

Chloe, Vaughn and Brodie

Corey & Jen

Although they are following their careers out of town next month, they'll always be part of the group.

Amy (and AnnaLauren)

Some fun stuff...

And lastly, yours truly, the sweaty photographer

My name is Nikki and Mondays are my favorite night of the week, but 93 degrees at 9:30 is craziness.

Wordless Wednesday - A Real Princess Wears Rainboots

2010-08-11T10:29:00.000-05:00

Eating an Elephant - Part #1

2010-08-10T15:38:00.000-05:00

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

Neither Tommy nor I were raised with good money role models. Tommy was insulated from all things financial at home and dodging bill collectors was just a "normal" thing at my house. It did not beceome an issue until the last few years. We initially got into significant credit card debt when Tommy's income was cut in half in 2006-2007. After his income picked back up, we added to our credit card debt through wasteful spending. We also spent our cash like drunken sailors and didn't save. Although we don't have collectors calling us, a large percentage of our income is spent on payments. Lately it has been weighing on our minds.

But, things at our house are changing...

Last month, we attended a Common Cents class at our church which was basically a beginner's taste of Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover. At the end of the class, we received a copy of the book. I feel like I finally have a plan to one day be out of all this debt. We even made a written budget - Seriously! We are just on Baby Step #1, but it feels good!

I plan on updating at the end of each month to put out there how we are doing. I hope it keeps us on budget and accountable.

Have any of you ever done Dave Ramsey? Are you debt free? Should we take Financial Peace University?

My name is Nikki and I plan on drinking a Bloody Mary while cutting up my credit cards!

I Blame You, Jim Cantore

2010-08-09T13:41:00.001-05:00

Ok, I'm not dead, sick or injured - I'm just lazy. I promise a get a little more consistent - soon.

I think it may be the heat! We have only had one day below 90 degrees since the first week of JUNE! Seriously! My brain ~~definitely~~ possibly has melted.

Coming really soon - posts about Noah's first day of high school, the fun we have at small group, the joy of playing in puddles and our new budget. Don't die from the anticipation!
XOXO,

My name is Nikki and I might possibly melt your popsicle.

Out of the Blue

2010-07-15T14:01:00.000-05:00

Dear Noah,

I just wanted you to know that when I checked my texts at lunch today and saw there was a text from you I was nervous for half a second. I mean, you are away at camp for the second week in a row and anything could have happened. But, when I saw the text was only three little words,

I love you

my heart melted. Thanks for giving your mom a really good day.

I love you infinity plus one.

XOXO, Mom

My name is Nikki and sometimes my teenager surprises me in the best of ways.

Shameful, Just Shameful

2010-07-14T20:50:00.000-05:00

So, I cleaned out my closet.

These are the clothes that needed to go. Not too bad.

But, this is the garbage that was kicked into corners and shoved onto shelves. Shameful! Just shameful!

Thankfully though, it now looks like this.

For a little while at least!

My name is Nikki and I am clueless about closet organization.

Memories of Camp

2010-07-12T15:28:00.000-05:00

Noah went to camp last week. It was the really cool Centrifuge in Ridgecrest, NC. I asked him to make lots of pictures on his Iphone. He told me that he had to leave his phone in his room during the day. No problem I said, make some at night and then on your last day there.

He came home with one measly picture - of himself - in the car. Gotta love teenage boys!

He's at camp again this week, but I don't expect anything more.

Wordless Wednesday - Gettin' Her Hair Did

2010-07-07T08:36:00.000-05:00

Sweeeet - A Blog Award!

2010-07-06T11:26:00.000-05:00

Y'all guess what? I got an award!

The sweet Becky from Our Peaceful Home

http://ourpeacefulhome.blogspot.com/

was so sweet to present me with this award

And in honor of my versatility, I'm going to change the rules a little.

Thank the person who gave it to you, tell 7 things random things about yourself, and give this award to at least one other blog.

Thank you Becky! Y'all go see her cute blog.

7 Things About Me

1. My favorite desserts are Key Lime Pie and Cherries Jubilee ice cream from Baskin Robbins.

2. My birthday is on St. Patrick's Day.

3. I'm so ready for a weekend getaway with my hubby!

4. I should live near the beach, but I don't.

5. My future aspiration is to open a children's consignment boutique.

6. I'm totally Team Jacob!

7. I make all my daughter's hairbows.

I am presenting this award to:

Trish @ Me & My Boys

What is that smell?

2010-07-02T10:02:00.002-05:00

So, we have these two dogs.

Here is Lexi. She is a Lab with a pedigree a mile long and comes from hunting champion stock. At our house, she hunts the food bowl and her bed.

I can't find a picture of Lilly right this second, but she is a Jack Russell/Whippet/? mix. She looks almost identical to this dog. She is our grouchy old lady.

Anyway, we are suckers and our dogs stay inside 95% of the time. However, they do run around in the backyard a little and we let them out to do their business. Up until Tuesday night, it was a perfect system.

On Tuesday, Tommy let the dogs out one last time before bed. While they were out, he made the rounds turning out lights and checking to make sure the doors were locked. You know the drill. Then he opened the back door and the dogs ran in and went straight to bed.

On Wednesday morning, I woke up and before I even opened my eyes, I said, "What is that smell? It smells like skunk." (In case you were wondering, this should have been a clue!)

Tommy got up, let the dogs out for their morning business and we proceeded through our house looking for anything that could be stinky. We couldn't find anything, but the house was gross. I settled on the idea that perhaps a skunk had sprayed outside our house and we were just smelling that. I lit some scented candles, got ready and headed out with the kids.

Fast forward to Wednesday afternoon.

AnnaLauren and I got home about 5 minutes after Tommy. I opened our door and the smell almost made me retch. It was beyond awful!

Tommy was pretty much in the same situation and was in full-on freak out mode. He had let the dogs outside when he got home and was frantically searching everywhere for the source of the funk. Finally, I had a moment of clarity and asked, "You don't think it could be the dogs do you?" Tommy's reply - "No, couldn't be." Seriously, I think we are slow sometimes.

I walked out on the back patio, grabbed Lexi's collar and bent down to smell her. When I got about 12 inches from her fur, it became obvious. My nose began to burn and I may have come close to throwing up a little in my mouth. Yeah, what should have been a no-brainer was finally apparent - skunk!

The full-on freak out ramped up even further when we realized that our two putrid animals had been closed up in our bedroom all day to escape the 100 degree heat. Awesome!

While Tommy speed-dialed PetsMart, I grabbed some garbage bags and threw away the dog beds. I also lit every pomegranate scented candle that we own. Good news - the house began to reek slightly less. Bad news - no de-skunking until 2pm on Thursday!

So, long story short...

The dogs got to spend the night outside.

We got to spend $250 for de-skunking baths, new collars, new dog beds, activated charcoal to remove the odor from the air & de-skunking chemical for any lasting smells in the carpet, etc.

And, Tommy and I have been made fun of by everyone we know for not noticing that our dogs were skunk sprayed and letting them stay in the house. It's been a super-fun week!

Hope yours was fun too, but real fun!

Wordless Wednesday - Down for the Count

2010-06-30T08:30:00.000-05:00

Initial Wall Hanging - Craft #1

2010-06-29T10:01:00.004-05:00

I totally want to be a crafter and I am easing my way into it. I've seen similar things all over the blogosphere, so I can't really credit any one person. This is my version.

Ok, so this started out as possibly the ugliest item in the thrift store! I was honestly embarrassed to go to the register and check out. But, I knew it was exactly what I needed - a chunky, real wood frame that was almost like a shadow box. I paid the ridiculous price of $2.50! Awful!

I removed the clock pieces and popped off the back.

Love the thick frame!

Made a trip to Hobby Lobby and bought $1.48 of cute fabric and a wooden letter for $.99!

Seersucker type fabric - love it!

The rest was easy peasy! I sprayed the frame with leftover white spray paint and covered the backing in the fabric. Perfection was not the goal - I wanted a little bit of rusticness! I secured it with hot glue. My sweet hubby wanted to help, so he attached a small screw through the fabric into the backing. I like this idea so that I can change out fabric as I please. I hung the letter onto the screw.

Voila - all done!

Way cute wall hanging for AnnaLauren's room - all for less than $5.00!

I'm linking to

http://southernhospitalityblog.com/

http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/

http://www.bluecricketdesign.net/

http://www.thethriftyhome.com/

http://www.theshabbychiccottage.net/

http://funtocraft.blogspot.com/

http://decormamma.blogspot.com/

What's in a Name Part 1: When I was a Little Girl

2010-06-25T09:50:00.002-05:00

Lately, I have had several friends to have new babies. My first question is always, "What's the name?" I have always liked names and the reasons behind them. So, when something has been on my mind, what do I do? Write a post about it, of course! In fact, this is going to be a series of several posts about some of the names in my life.

Ok, to completely get this story, you have to know two things. The first thing is that my given name is Krystal Nicole. Yes, Krystal, like the little hamburgers! Second, my mind works in the strangest of ways.

Now on to the story...

When I was a little girl I was enamored with two things - the tv show Dynasty and anything to do with the ocean.

Random, I know.

However, the patriarch on Dallas was silver-haired Blake Carrington who was married to the glamorous Krystle (like me!). Yep, totally 80's! I absolutely wanted to be Krystle Carrington, so every time I played house, Blake Carrington was my husband. We had a mansion and a pool and went to all sorts of fabulous parties. I always wore a fur coat.

I also watched a show called Danger Bay on the Disney Channel. One day, as I watched the opening credits, I realized that my two favorite cast members had names that were water-related. The son on the show was Jonah, but his real name was Christopher Crabb. Jonah like with the whale and Crabb like, well crab. The daughter on the show was Nicole (like me!), but her real name was Ocean Hellman. Ocean! It was like fate. I had never heard such a beautiful name. It then became a quest for me to think of the most beautiful water-related name I could.

So, let's put it all together now shall we...

Me - Krystal Carrington (I spelled it like mine)

My Husband - Blake Carrington

and

Our Only Daughter - Ocean Marine Carrington

Warned you, I was a strange little girl. The sad thing is that my obsession with the name Ocean Marine lasted into middle school where thankfully, I moved on.

At least I'm good for a laugh on Friday. And, if your name happens to be Ocean or Marine, let me know. I am still looking for some validation!

Have a great weekend!

Okaloosa Island, Florida June 2010

2010-06-24T16:18:00.001-05:00

My family loves Florida! And no, I don't mean just the beach.

Tommy, Nikki, Noah, Lois (T's mom) and AnnaLauren

Tommy and Noah love the seafood. Tommy relishes the opportunity to eat raw oysters with every meal and Noah always orders crab legs. Yes, I know snow crab doesn't come from Florida, but the whole seafood at the seashore idea works for him.

AnnaLauren loves having a pool right out the back door (hear that, Daddy, she really needs a pool at home) and she loves collecting little bits of shells and rocks in her net. She also loves the wildlife. Every morning she would head to the sliding glass door of the condo to look for lizards outside. Most mornings she was not disappointed. She also has developed quite a fondness for crabs, starfish and pretty much any other aquatic creature.

I love the shopping. I always take one day to ramble around the multitude of thrift, consignment, junk and antique stores that dot the Emerald Coast.

Our vacation this year took on special meaning as we watched the news every day and prayed that no oil would come our way. Sadly, the tarballs rolled in after five absolutely fabulous days. So, we shopped and ate and rested and ate some more! It was our best family vacation since AnnaLauren was born!

And if you are brave, you can scroll through my bajillion pictures and see all the fun we had.

AnnaLauren and Me enjoying the emerald green water.

Noah and AnnaLauren on the beach

My pretty girl drying out

AnnaLauren and Grams

Fun at the Crab Trap Beach & Play Area

Noah on the Lifeguard Tower

Noah is so sweet to play with AnnaLauren

The Gulfarium

This was pretty cool - see the dolphins in mid-air! Tommy is a much better photographer than me!

AnnaLauren calls this her Minnie Mouse hair, but it keeps her cool

The Sea Lion Show

Holding a starfish in the touch pool

Silly!

More Fun!

For some reason, I this one makes me think of Cousin Eddie from the National Lampoon's movies!

She's ready!

Tommy's vacation - work! What did we do before the "Crackberry"?

Singing Twinkle, Twinkle on the patio

Our traditional shots of ourselves. I sure do love him!

Some pretty family beach shots

Starting to get a little warm!

My little southern bathing beauty!

Congratulations or I'm sorry if you are still with me!

This is what was on the beach our last two days. So sad! Please keep the entire Gulf Coast region in your prayers!

Sign warning people to stay out of the water

Tarballs!

Monday Shopping Trip - Great Summer Reads

2010-06-08T16:12:00.001-05:00

So, it's not Monday. But, in my defense, my father-in-law had surgery due to kidney cancer yesterday. He is doing great and should come home today. The doctors are optimistic that they "killed" everything!

So, let's pretend that I got this posted yesterday!

Today is all about great summer reads. I am an absolutely voracious reader and love a great book better than almost anything. You know, those books you just can't put down - even when you should really be doing laundry or dishes since the toddler is in bed! And, I spend way too much time at my local Goodwill Book Store! But you can order any of these on Amazon.com. So in honor of summer and of reading a great book in a beach chair or a porch swing, here are a few that I have read and I few that I want to read - enjoy!

Books I Have Read and Recommend (no particular order)

1. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee - still one of my favorites of all time, a legal thriller set in the deep south long before there was a John Grisham

2. The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling - fabulous read for tweens and adults alike

3. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini - beautiful, if depressing picture of Afghanistan culture after the Taliban

4. The Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer - yep, I'm a little bit of a vampire nerd

5. The Poisonwood Bible: A Novel by Barbara Kingsolver - a fascinating story of a zealous missionary and his family in Africa

6. The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards - a touching story about lies and forgiveness

7. The Odd Thomas series by Dean Koontz - LOVE these! Sweet, humble and resourceful Odd can see the dead and always ends up in the middle of big messes. These have a great spiritual message as well.

Books I Plan on Reading this Summer

1. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini - hoping it's as good as The Kite Runner

2. In The Woods by Tana French - heard her murder-mystery series is really great

3. The Dive from Clausen's Pier: A Novel by Ann Packet - heard really good things about this one as well - a story about a reluctant fiancee' whose husband-to-be is paralyzed in an accident

4. The Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris - I told you I was a bit of a vampire nerd. I totally watch the series too!

5. The Shack by William Paul Young - another one I have heard only good things about - a story about finding God in the midst of our worst nightmare

As always, I am neither affliated with nor compensated by any of the items or websites that are mentioned above. I also do not make any statements as to the quality, workmanship, etc.

They are simply things I like! :)

It's Friday - A Blog Hop, A Treehouse and A Social Parade!

2010-06-04T09:52:00.002-05:00

It's Friday! Woo! Hoo! Wanna find some new blogs to ~~stalk~~ read and maybe pick up some new followers? Yeah, me too! Come play along!

I'm joining the fun here...

Click Here!

And Here...

Click Here!

And Here...

Click Here!

When a giant oil slick messes up your vacation...

2010-06-02T15:07:00.001-05:00

OK, so I've watched the news coverage of the massive oil spill pretty much daily. I've had my mind boggled by the almost incomprehensible amount of oil that is gushing into the Gulf of Mexico. I've seen footage of animals covered in oil with workers frantically trying to clean them off.

But sadly, all of this did not begin to sink in until now. We are planning to leave for our annual Florida beach vacation on June 12, but it has now become a not so sure thing. I have pouted all day about the possibility of missing out on a week in the white sand of Okaloosa Island. But, I finally sat down and thought and prayed about it and realized that my beach vacation, although important to me, is really so very unimportant. My heart aches for the families whose living is based on fishing, tourism, or any job adversly affected.

I feel such frustration over a spill that continues to gush, but I don't know who to direct my frustration towards. Should I be mad at BP for not being careful enough and having an accident? Should I be mad at the government for not allowing drilling in shallower waters or for its seeming failure to everything necessary to protect the shorelines?

I don't know.

But, I do know that our coastlines are worth any resources it might take to save them.

Because even if it doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things, I want more of this...

Monday Shopping Trip - Beachy Keen

2010-06-01T10:57:00.000-05:00

Ok, so a few things are changing around here. First, instead of Shopping Trio Fridays, we now will have Blog Hop Fridays. But, I loved Shopping Trip Fridays, so I thought, why not, we'll have

Shopping Trip Mondays!

In honor of my upcoming trip to the fabulous beaches of Okaloosa Island, FL, today's shopping trip is all about bringing a little touch of the beach into your life! Plus, it reminds me to continue to pray for the oil spill to be stopped and the shorelines to be spared.

Here we go...

Beachy by Lilly Pulitzer

$26.80! at Amazon.com

OK, to be honest I haven't smelled this, but c'mon it's too pretty for words. They also sell the scented candles

photo credit

Fabulous Salt and Pepper Shakers

$6.98 at Amazon.com

So cute and unexpected on your summer table!

photo credit

Hanging Votive Holders

$2.60 at Pier One

Fill the blue or clear one up with some sand and a votive and you have instant beach!

photo credit

Fabulous Faux Coral & Stand

$14.00 at Pier One

Such a hot trend and could go in almost any room!

photo credit

Gorgeous Starfish Bowl

$19.95 at ZGallerie.com

This would be so pretty filled with rattan balls. It also comes in white.

Photo Credit

Hampton Dinnerware

$37.99 at Target.com

Perfect for summer dinners!

Photo Credit

Precious Starfish Earrings

$12.00 from RJ Charms on Etsy.com

I love these!!!

Photo Credit

I hope you feel inspired to add just a touch of the shore to your life.

I know I can almost smell the salty air!

As always, I am neither affliated with nor compensated by any of the items or websites that are mentioned above. I also do not make any statements as to the quality, workmanship, etc.

They are simply things I like! :)

My New Life As Mom: Blog Hop Friday - Week 3

2010-05-28T10:42:00.000-05:00

It's Blog Hop Friday and you should join in the fun!

Follow the link below for full details. What a fun way to find new blogs and get more followers!

Have a great weekend!!!

My New Life As Mom: Blog Hop Friday - Week 3

Sometimes it feels like Burger King...

2010-05-27T09:59:00.001-05:00

Last night's dinner at our house was pretty much our usual fiasco!

Tommy and I had this. We thought it was yum-o.

My leftovers look like this.

But AnnaLauren, said "ewww", so she ate this...

With these cut up in it...kinda makes me think "eww".

And Noah said "Yuck", so he ate this...definitely "yuck" to me.

But once the toddler and the teenager were all tucked in...

Mommy and Daddy settled in for a little bit of DVR'd American Idol and something even more yummy!

For Mommy, a bloody mary in her favorite cup. Go Rebs!

Made with yummy Mississippi vodka and the always fab Zing Zang.

And for Daddy, he had his old standby...Maker's and 7up.

Sometimes after a night of giving others things "their way", it's awfully relaxing to have a little something "your way"!

Have a fabulous day!

Noah's 14th Birthday

2010-05-25T21:19:00.002-05:00

So, my post about Noah's birthday is late. Typical!

But, here we go...

This year Noah didn't want any type of "birthday party". But, he did have one request. He wanted a family get together with hamburgers, hotdogs and ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins. I am blessed to have a great relationship with Noah's dad and my ex-in-laws. In fact, they are still very much like my family. So, we got together and had a great time. See!

Noah blowing out candles.

Cheered on by AnnaLauren, Addy and Big Daddy (my dad).

Opening Presents

Such a sweet big brother to let AnnaLauren help.

Noah's dad, Brent, looking on.

The guests

Grams (Tommy's mom), Nana (Noah's Dad's Mom), Dad Brent, Aunt Chelainea, SIL Emiley

Papa (Noah's Dad's Dad), Tommy, Pop Tom (Tommy's Dad), Corey, Grams, Nana, Chelainea, Mamaw Betty (my g'mother), Stepmom Shawn, Papaw Troy (my g'daddy)

Pop Joe

Sweet Ensley

Happy 14th Birthday Noah!

I'm so proud to be your mom!

My first negative comment

2010-05-20T09:49:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I worked out of my office and to be honest my blog never even crossed my mind. Then last night we were kidless, so we did what any married couple would do - watched all our shows that had been piling up in the DVR! Sad, I know!

But, first thing this morning, I logged in to check out some of the blogs I read and noticed a new comment. I grinned (comments make me happy!) and read it. It was not so nice.

Anonymous said...

It's not just the south- remember jonbenet Ramsey? Children shouldn't learn so young or at any age that their looks can get them gain. What will happen when one day she becomes obese as Mississippians are prone to? How screwed up will a little girl become? Too, I read your blog off n on n I noticed Noah had abirthday yesterday- but you made no mention. So how consumed are you with the girl and "your" pageants?
May 19, 2010 12:08 AM

Wow! I know pageants are controversial. And, I knew when I wrote about AnnaLauren's little hobby that I would catch some flack and guessed that even 13 years later JonBenet Ramsey would be brought up. I can handle it. In fact, I love to hear people's opinions.

However, I wanted to take what I feel like is a golden opportunity to state my opinion about a couple of the things from the comment.

1. I think it is beyond rude (either in person or through an anonymous comment) to imply that someone's child will grow up and be obese or "screwed up" or apparently both. WTH?

2. Noah's Birthday. Yes, Noah's 14th birthday was Monday. But, Noah doesn't read my blog. Noah rolls his eyes when I mention my blog. He is my Facebook friend and I acknowledged him there. But for the record, there is a lot going on with Noah and a BIG post will be coming either tomorrow or Monday. We had a family get together on Sunday for Noah's birthday (I made pics and they will be posted), he has Awards Night tonight, and as of next Friday, he will no longer be a middle-schooler.

So, that's that. I feel relieved that the first negative comment is done. And as I said earlier, I always welcome your opinions. But, to imply that my kids are somehow unequal or will turn out poorly just ticks me off! But, I'm their Mama. I think it probably should tick me off.

Got something to say? Leave me comment. They really do make me grin! :)

Another thing I love about the South...

2010-05-18T10:41:00.006-05:00

Little girls in pageants!

AnnaLauren On Stage - April 2010

Ok, so let the controversy begin. :) I think pageants (although not a completely southern thing), feel so southern to me. AnnaLauren adores getting all dressed up and being girly. Even though she is usually all bruised up from playing so hard at daycare, she loves to put on a twirly dress and clip a flower in her hair. It makes me think of when I was a little girl pretending to be Scarlett O'Hara.

She has not done many pageants and so far she has only done natural pageants (no makeup, party dresses, no hairpieces, etc.). But, who knows what the future holds! Just know though that I don't think she will ever be Toddlers &Tiaras material!

But right now, watching my precious little girl smile and wave and absolutely bask in being the center of attention makes me one happy Southern Mom.

Plus, last Friday when I went in to her room wake her up, our dialogue went like this...

Mom: Good Morning, AnnaLauren!

AL: (still lying down): Hey

Mom: So what do you want to wear today? Shorts or a dress?

AL: (sits up and rubs her hair out of her eyes) Dress

Mom: OK, what color dress do you want to wear?

AL: (looks up and grins, hair completely a mess)

I wanna go pageant!

Who can argue with that?!

FYI - AnnaLauren's gorgeous dress was made by her Mamaw Betty and her cute flower clip was made by me!

The one about our 6th anniversary

2010-04-30T14:51:00.000-05:00

Six years ago, I was here

Atlantis on Paradise Island, Bahamas

Getting hitched to the man of my dreams

And six years later, I love him even more!

Happy Anniversary Sweetie!

Jeremiah 1:5

2010-04-27T11:37:00.001-05:00

I have awesome kids and this weekend really backed it up. They are both so special and I know that God has big plans for both of them. Of course, I'm their Mom, so I can say that!

Noah

AnnaLauren

Noah, my precious son, was baptized this past Sunday. As his mother, I could not be more proud of him. Since having each of my children, it has always been my greastest hope that they would come to know Jesus as their Savior.

Noah and Pastor Paul Brashier at Parkway Baptist Church

On Saturday, we took AnnaLauren to the mall to see Dora the Explorer and to ride the carousel. Although she is quite the little drama queen most days, she was remarkably well behaved on this trip and LOVED Dora and Boots!

With Daddy on the carousel

I am so very blessed!

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart...

Jeremiah 1:5 (NIV)

If you have questions about Jesus, you can find answers here.