Happy Birthday Dad!

Happy Friday!  And Happy Happy Birthday to my Dad!  I am so sad I can't be there to celebrate with the fam tonight, but I will hopefully get to see see them soon!

This is one of my favorite pictures of us from my wedding day. It was taken during our father-daughter dance.  I picked Butterfly Kisses by Bob Carlisle for us to dance to. I knew when I picked it that I would bawl like a baby (and we both did), but I could not think of a more perfect song for us. =)

We have a busy weekend ahead of us with a wedding shower for my BIL and FSIL and company coming to stay with us for that. Here's to hoping I am functioning on Monday!

What I'm Pinning Wednesday

Oh Wednesday, it's so nice to see you.....only 2 more days and the weekend will be here again!

So today is Administrative Professionals' Day so I wanted to do something nice for the Administrative Professional in our office because she is so awesome! I made her a card, that is Pinterest-inspired.  I really wanted to say "Thanks a Bunch for all you do!" with a box of Bunch Crunch at the end, but could not find any. =(  I guess they only sell them @ the movie theaters around here.

Now for my pins from this week:

Dahlia's are sooooo pretty!

via

Bangin' Good Shrimp from Skinny Taste...I made this recipe last week and the flavor was identical to Bang Bang Shrimp!

via

Broccoli Salad...of course I would add some sunflower kernels

via

 Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Desert...nuff said

via

 I don't think I would eat these....can I wear them?

via

 I'm in love!

via

 I need this outfit asap.

via

 Or multiple colors at once....

via

 LOL.

via

 Happy Day =)

via

Life with us

Just a little glimpse into what life is like with us......This exchange took place last week.

Me: Honey did you remember to take the garbage out today? (when I pulled in that afternoon I noticed it was not at the street like the rest of our neighbors' garbage cans)
Eric: No, you didn't leave me a note.
Me: Yes I did.  I left one one the counter where I always do.
Eric:  It just said to feed the dogs, so I did.
Me: Are you joking?!  It said that I already fed them this morning and said don't forget to take the GARBAGE out!  So they ate twice this morning?!
Eric:  Oh.  I just saw the words "fed" and "dogs" so I fed them.
Me: [a little more exasperated this time] So they ate twice this morning?!? [It's not like we have a slightly pudgy dachshund who is on a strict diet, oh wait, we do!]
Eric: Wait. No, I didn't feed them.....goes on about his business....
A few minutes later.......At least I remembered to take the garbage out last week.
*There are no words*

This is the ACTUAL note that I left for him that morning.  

Today is my Monday so happy short week to me! Let's just hope the week goes as quickly as it is short!

Weekend Recap

After a less than stellar start to my week last week, I was really hoping that I would get a fresh start to my weekend on Friday.  Let's just say it exceeded my expectations.

First thing a friend delivered my pecan rolls from the Mennonite Bakery in West Alabama that I'd ordered a few days before.  These things are seriously good.  They taste like cinnamon rolls with chopped pecans on top. Eric just about lost his mind when he saw these.   We may or may not have finished off both pans this weekend...oops!

About 10:00 I got a call from Eric saying he had a job near my work and asked if I wanted to meet him somewhere for lunch.  We settled on a Tex Mex place called Salsarita's that we'd never been to.  A friend described it as  just like Moe's (one of our favorite restaurants) but they don't yell "Welcome to Moe's" when you walk in the door. It was pretty good, but I felt like my burrito was not as flavorful as the one I get @ Moe's.  However their chips were the bomb.com. Seasoned salt on homemade tortilla chips, don't mind if I do!

I feel like this pic is deceiving because this thing was HUGE!

When I got back to work the day got even better as I had an Edible Arrangement delivered to my desk from my parents!  They knew what a crazy week I 'd had so they sent me a beautiful fruit bouquet to cheer me up.  This stuff is seriously delicious! By the time I'd felt work  I had eaten everything but a few grapes and strawberries.  Thank goodness it was fruit and not chocolates!

Friday night we decided to stay in, so we got Chinese takeout and rented Friends with Benefits.  Funny Funny movie.  I picked it and Eric was skeptical that I'd sentenced him to an evening watching a chick flick, but he laughed through the whole movie.

via

Saturday morning he went fishing so I headed into town to run some errands and got a TON of things done, which is rare for me because I usually avoid Saturday morning errands like the plague.  I went early enough that I avoided most of the riff raff and was home my noon. Our Saturday afternoon looked a lot like this:

Can't beat that right?  Throw in some fun friends and good food and it made for a wonderful Saturday!

Ribbage cooked on the Big Green Egg.

My world famous potato salad.

 Sunday was pretty uneventful.  I went to church, we did Sunday lunch @ his grandma's like always, I went to make some posters with some fun ladies while Eric fished (what else), and we finished off the day with a delicious steak dinner.  It was the perfect end to a wonderful, relaxing weekend @ home (finally!).

Moo cows that we saw on the way home from Eric's grandma's house....yup we live in the country.

I am home today enjoying my random state holiday =)  but I have lots to get done!  I have several projects I am working on for the next couple of weekends!

Friday's Letters

Happy Friday!  It's time for some letters.......

Dear Eric, I am so glad that I can be my ridiculous, silly self around you. I truly believe that laughter is the best medicine, especially after the crazy, stressful week I have had.

Dear Pinterest, Thank you for putting all kinds of delicious recipes right at my finger tips.  Before I found you I was in a cooking slump, and was trying a bunch of random crazy recipes from who-knows-where that weren't very good.  [It actually got so bad that Eric asked me to stop tying new recipe and just sautee a chicken breast in the skillet and steam some veggies every night....B-O-R-I-N-G.] Since you came into our lives we have had countless delicious meals that we both LOVE!  I also appreciate the fabulous wedding shower project ideas you've given me lately!

Bangin' Shrimp...aka a healthier version of Bonefish Grill's Bang Bang Shrimp...aka Dinner last night!

My wedding card book that I made this week!
Super easy, super quick, super cheap.  The only things I had to buy was a box of the rings to hold it together and the "yours, mine and ours" embellishment that I found on clearance....total amount spent? about $3!

Dear Alabama, Thank you for allowing me to have completely random holidays.  I do think that the reasoning behind the one we have coming up on Monday is a bit ridiculous (Confederate Memorial Day....seriously).  Is it just me or would it make a lot more sense to have off Good Friday instead? But no worries, I will take it and enjoy it and [hopefully] get a TON of things done since everyone else will be at work. =)

Dear Cricut Imagine, You better get ready because you are going to be tired after this weekend.  I know I have neglected you the past few weeks, but with showers and bachelorette parties coming up soon you are going to be working overtime!

Dear Mom,  Thanks for always being there for me.  You always know what to do--even if it just listening to me rant on my way home from work every day =)

Dear Peanut, Please stop trying to sneak food out of Hawk's bowl.  I know you hate it, but you are on a diet for a reason and sneaking bites of Hawk's food will not help you get those extra lbs off that will help you back.

Dear Hawk, I absolutely love the sheer joy you get out of fetching your ball in the pool. I could watch you play for hours.  You act just like a little kid when we tell you it's time to get out and linger on the pool steps until we practically have to haul you out.

Have a fantastic Weekend!

A Swag Bag and the End of an Era

I got home the other night and had a box waiting for me at the back door.  It was my People Magazine Swag Bag!  They had an online giveaway a few months ago and I registered and completely forgot abut it until the bag showed up at my door!  It was not a bad haul either: a bottle of hand sanitizer (the germ-a-phobe in my was thrilled), foot scrub, a bag of popcorn, and 2 movie tickets (which would be awesome except for the fact that there are not AMC Movie theaters within a 100 mile radius of here).   So yay for surprise swag bags that I was not expecting!

On a not so happy note, yesterday was a sad sad day for the game of women's basketball as Pat Summitt, the head coach for the Tennessee Lady Volunteers officially stepped down as the head coach. She was given the title of Coach Emeritus and will still be involved with the program, but no longer as the head coach due to health issues (she revealed in August that she had been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's disease).  She inspired so many little girls to play the game, and continued to set the standards of women's basketball higher and higher during her career.

via

A true living legend.

What I'm Pinning Wednesday

I've been so busy with this that and the other lately that I realized this past weekend that I had not been on Pinterest in nearly 2 weeks. *GASP*  I know I know, it's astonishing to me, too.  But don't worry, I have found my way back from the dark side and found a little time to peruse the site the other night.  This little cutie pie was kept me company on the couch.

This is my next project.  I have already purchased the ring to put it together and I have my cardboard.  I just need to sit down and make it now!  I am a pack-rat and have kept all of our wedding cards in a bag in the closet for the past 2 years.  It may take a couple of albums, but I can't wait to have a way to keep all of our cards together!

via

This outfit just screams summer to me!  I need it.  

via

I think I could live in a skirt like this.  Now I just need to figure out where to purchase one. 

via

Turquoise and Gold....is there any better jewelry combo?

via

Banana Pudding Cheese Cake

via

This cracks me up!  I think every girl in America (or anywhere else in the world for that matter) would have figured out how to get Leonardo DiCaprio's hot self up onto that door to save him! 

 via

I am glad to know that apparently I am not the only person who saves everything "just in case." And yes I have a book shelf in our house with all of my text books from college that pertained to my major and minor. 

via 

The day I figured out I could send texts to my email I stopped forgetting a lot of things because:

via

I may not have a ton of pins to share this week, but I have several pinterest-worthy pics that I took this weekend at my FSIL's Bridal Shower.  The house where they had the shower was insane.  Someday when I grow up and win the lottery I am going to have a house like this.  

This was the pool area which included a concrete pool, 3 enormous wrap around outdoor couches (you can see one of them on the left hand side of the pic), 4 (yes 4) rod iron table and chair sets with umbrellas, 3 long 6-seater table and chair sets under the deck, all incredibly landscaped and over looking the rolling hills behind their house.  I was ready to move in that day. 

All of the long 6-seater tables had these awesome wooden vases full of fresh cut flowers in them....how cute is this?

6 foot wine fridge built into the wall, don't mind if I do!

When you came down to the "basement" ( I use the term loosly because a small house could have fit into the area that you saw when you came down the stairs.  I am calling it the basement because all of this is under the rest of the house.) there was a huge section of the ceiling that was made of wooden planks.  I was instantly in love. 

Now I know a lot of people have bars in their basement but this place had a full kitchen/wet bar that was nicer than a lot of kitchens that I have seen. Someday....someday.

Happy Wednesday!