Monday, August 30, 2010

Lazy Weekend

This weekend was a very nice and relaxing one.
Friday night we went to the lake to spend time
with my mom and dad for their anniversary.
I had made my mom some chocolate mocha cupcakes
and chocolate buttercream cupcakes.
(Boy, they were good). =)
We ended up getting on the boat
and going to the Hot August Blues Festival.
The weather was really nice.
We didn't stay too long, but it was fun riding over there and back.
Olivia enjoyed the boat ride.
Saturday morning I had made a breakfast casserole
so my mom wouldn't have to cook too much.
We enjoyed biscuits, gravy and breakfast casserole.
(Can you tell, we like to eat?) ha.
After breakfast we headed back home.
We enjoyed spending a quiet Saturday morning at the house.
It was very nice!
Usuallly Ben works every other Saturday
and the Saturdays that he's off we're always busy,
so it was really nice being able to spend the day
with my two sweeties and not have any plans.
We went to church Sunday morning.
Afterwards, my mom & I went to a jewelry party
and then we had to go to the funeral home.
Please keep the Russell family in your prayers.
They're 8 year old son, Quincy was diagnosed with
Neuroblastoma when he was 3,
Friday morning he passed away.
To read more about Quincy's amazing story,

Friday, August 27, 2010

My Parents

Today is a big day...
It is My Parent's 34th Wedding Anniversary!
These days it's a miracle if a couple makes it 34 days,
much less 34 years.
I am extremely grateful for the Godly parents that I have.
I don't know where I would be without them today.
I LOVE YOU MOM & DAD!

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Oh Sweet Yummy Goodness

As I've said before,
when fall starts approaching,
I start cooking. I love to cook.
I just don't enjoy cooking when it's 100 degrees outside.
Nevertheless, it's finally started to cool off around here,
so I've been cooking. =)
A lady I work with was trying to find a recipe for Mississippi Mud Pie.
She finally found one and she just happened to share it with me.
Since I'm such a "SWEETS" lover, I thought I would try it out.
Oh my gosh, needless to say IT WAS WONDERFUL!!
So I thought I would share it with you.
(Sorry I forgot to take a picture of it...
I was too busy stuffing my face). ha!
Enjoy!

Mississippi Mud Pie

Ingredients:
1 (9 inch) cookie pie crust
1 tub coffee ice cream (softened)
1 jar Smuckers caramel sauce
Chopped walnuts or pecans (your choice)
1 tub Cool Whip

Directions:
Fill pie crust with softened coffee ice cream
Cover ice cream with caramel sauce
Cover caramel sauce with walnuts or pecans
Cover nuts with Cool Whip
Place in freezer overnight.
Take out of freezer 30 minutes before serving.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Taco Soup

Oh Taco Soup, how I've missed you.
I'm a HUGE fan of fall!
I love the cool crisp air, I love when the leaves change,
I love that FALL = FOOTBALL, like I said...
I'm a big fan of fall.
However, I'm not a big fan of 100 degree/100% humidity weather.
Unfortunately, that's what it has felt like here lately in KY.
Being pregnant and all I've had some food cravings,
but nothing major.
Well, even in this hot and humid weather,
I've been craving TACO SOUP.
I stumbled upon this recipe a couple of years ago
and it has now become a staple fall meal around our house.
Every time I fix it, it makes me think of football season and fall.
I made it last night and it was oh so good.
 Then I woke up this morning and our weather is kind of fall-like.
(I wonder if my soup had anything to do with that?)
(Kidding, of course).
It's just that this the first time in 38 days that 
the weather has been under 90 degrees!
YES, fall is on it's way!
Anywhos, besides me rambling about fall,
I thought I would share my beloved Taco Soup recipe.
Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 lg. cans Premium Chunk Chicken, drained
 or boil your own chicken
(I enjoy the simplicity of the can chicken)
1-2 Bell Peppers, sliced/diced
1 medium Onion, diced
1 can Original Rotel
1 can Great Northern Beans, drained
1 can Corn, drained
1 pkt. Original Taco Seasoning
1 box Chicken Broth
Olive oil

Directions:
Heat oil, bell pepper and onion in 1 1/2 to 2 qt. saucepan
over medium heat until vegetables are tender.
Add taco seasoning and salt and pepper, combine.
After the seasonings and vegetables are combined
add chicken broth, corn, beans, rotel and chicken.
Heat to a boil then reduce heat to low.
Serve with tortilla chips and fiesta cheese.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Olivia 10 Months

Olivia...
You are 10 months old!
What are you up to these days???
You are getting to be such a big girl.
You are crawling around EVERYWHERE!
I love it!
You crawl and pull up and follow me and daddy around the house.
It's adorable.
However, you're starting to get a mind of your own.
Just this weekend you wanted to chew on my necklace.
I kept telling you no and spatting your hand.
Finally after the 15th time you realized that if you wouldn't grab/try to chew on my necklace I wouldn't spat your hand. ha.
You've got two teeth, but you've got four more coming in.
You have two on the top that will be here just any day.
Overall, you're such a happy girl.
Everywhere we go people ask us if you are always this happy.
We tell yes, pretty much.
The only time that you are really "fussy" is 
when it's nap-time or bedtime or if your hungry.
Girly, you LOVE to eat!
You still eat around 4 to 6 baby food jars a day.
We've just started cutting your formula intake back 
to 2 to 3 times a day and we're giving you a sippy cup with
 water or juice throughout the day.
That's still a work in progress, but you're starting to like it ok.
You are wearing sizes 6-9 mth, 9-12 mth and some 12 mth clothes (depending on how they're made).
You LOVE your bed and you love to sleep.
You usually go to sleep around 7:30 or 8:00 at night and sleep until 7:00 in the morning.
I am so thankful that you sleep and that you like to sleep.
I don't think I'll ever take it for granted. 
I'm just hoping that your brother will sleep as good as you do. :-)

You bring such joy to our lives.
You definitely keep us on our toes, but we wouldn't have it any other way.
WE LOVE YOU WITH 
ALL OF OUR HEARTS! 

Love,
Mommy & Daddy

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Week---End...

Saturday some of us met up to have a luncheon for Megan. 
Our soon to be mommy. =)
Last Sunday we had her baby shower,
but this was a little more low-key.
We were supposed to meet at Happy House in Mayfield
and enjoy lunch and "girl time."
However, for some unknown reason, 
the entire city of Mayfield was without power for 2 to 3 hours.
We ended up going to Murray to The Big Apple to eat.
I'm not sure why I didn't get a group shot of all of us, 
but the collage above are a few pics I took.
Olivia was squirmy, but she loves all of her "aunties."
It was fun just eating, catching up, talking, eating... ha.

Afterwards, Olivia and I just enjoyed a nice quiet afternoon.
It was much needed after the week we've had.
This past week a member of our church, 
who was a very dear friend of my family suddenly passed away.
Bill was 74 years old and the picture of health.
He passed away early Wednesday morning from a heart attack.
Thursday night we had the visitation and Friday was the funeral.
Bill and his wife Mary Lou are like grandparents to Ben and I.
Being so sudden, we've all been in a complete state of shock.
I've literally been physically and mentally drained.
Please hold this family up in your prayers.
I just keep thinking it's a dream and I'm going to wake up.
This morning our church service was very solemn.
Ben sang a couple of Bill's favorite songs
 and we reflected upon his life.
It's like my dad preached today, life is short, it's like a vapor...
here for a minute and then gone.
Please don't take your life or the ones around you for granted
because none of us are guaranteed tomorrow.
Bill and Mary Lou had plans of going 
camping with my mom and dad tomorrow.
The Lord obviously had other plans for them.
Please tell the ones that are dear to you how much you love them.
Life is too short to let any time pass by.
So for the ones that I know reading this...
I love you and thank you for being a part of my life.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Hair Bows, a Birthday Party & a Baby Shower

I feel like I've been caught up in a whirlwind.
This weekend was BUSY!!!
Friday night was actually quite relaxing.
We got home from work and I made vegetable lasagna.
It was very yummy. =)
After we ate I took my mom and her co-workers a plate.
(I had made enough lasagna for an army). ha.
After that we just watched TV and relaxed.
It was quite nice.

Now Saturday, on the other hand, was quite exhausting.
Ben was on call this weekend
and we were awaken by his phone ringing.
We got up and I got Olivia.
We ate breakfast and then the day started.
We had several errands to run.
While we were out and about we stopped by my parent's house.
My mom had the great idea of going to eat lunch at Dumplins.
(One of my most favorite places, so how could I resist?)
So we headed to Murray for some shopping and eating.
We went to this one store, which I absolutely love, to browse around.
They have adorable cute handmade clothes/hair bows.
While we were there I had an epiphany...
I decided that I can make Olivia's hair bows.
I have spent WAY too much money in the past on her bows/flowers,
why not learn to make them myself?
Well, that's just what I've done.
This was the first one that I made.
I'm pretty proud of myself. Ha.
It's really not that hard and I can't believe that
I've paid double/triple/quadruple for these before.
By the time we got back home it was time for us to change
and head to a birthday party.
Our friends little girl turned 3.
This was Olivia's first birthday party invitation. =)
I think Ms. Thang enjoyed herself.
I know that she loved the icing on the cupcakes. ha.
I wish that I would have taken some pictures while we were there,
but my camera was dead.

Sunday, we went to church and
then my mom and I went to my friend Megan's baby shower.
Thanks Jesse for taking this "lovely" picture. (Not really).
Here's all the girls. =)
Megan got some REALLY cute stuff.
Then here's all the PREG-O girls.
Megan is due in September, Nichole is due in November,
 I'm due in December & Corrie is due in January.
Everyone is having a girl, except me.
I think that's okay though because Elijah
will have his pick of the girls. ha.
Needless to say our weekend was JAM-PACKED!
But we had a really good time seeing our friends and celebrating their days with them.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Baby Bedding, Clothes & One Happy Mama

Last week I found some GREAT bargains!!
I have now purchased Elijah's bedding
and my mom & I bought Olivia's entire fall/winter wardrobe
from a lady we know.
Neither one of these pictures begin do justice to what all we bought.
I'm so glad that we know somebody who actually takes
REALLY good care of her daughter's clothes
and let's us have first pick at them. =)
Literally, I won't have to buy Olivia anything else for fall or winter.
We bought four pairs of shoes and
an ADORABLE Biscotti faux fur coat & hat.
Little Ms. Thang is all set,
now if only the weather would start to cool off. ;-)

Another great deal that I found last week was Elijah's bedding!!!
I happened to get off work early one day and
there's a consignment store in
 Lone Oak that I absolutley love, Twice Upon A Time.
I just stopped in to browse a minute
and I found this.... (picture below).
Is it not the cutest bedding?
I LOVE IT!!
And for only $60.00... Yes $60 bucks I love it even more!
I bought the quilt, bumper pad, bed skirt,
diaper stacker & window valance.
I cannot wait to get started on his room.
I'm thinking I'm going to buy a light colored wood bed
because I already have a chest
and with the lighter wood I think it would be a perfect match.

So go out and buy something...
here's to some happy bargain shopping! =)

Monday, August 9, 2010

Picnic Time

We had a very fun-filled/busy weekend.
It's been FOREVER since we had been "out" with our friends,
by out I mean dinner/movie.
So Friday night a few of us met up and went and saw Inception
and went to eat dinner at O'Charleys.
It was great getting to catch up with everyone.
It was also nice getting out of the house with "just adults."
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE LOVE LOVE Olivia
and she always does really good when we're out,
but it was nice just being out with some of our friends
and actually getting to eat when everyone else does. ha.
On Saturday Olivia and I met up with a couple of our friends
and went to the Fancy Farm Picnic.
If you haven't heard of it, it's a pretty big deal around these parts.
I hadn't been in years... literally years,
but we went for lunch and we had a good time.
The only problem was it was SOOOOO HOT!!!
I kept giving Olivia water and by the end of the day she was soaked
from where she had poured it all over herself.
She didn't seem to mind that she was all wet because this was her on the way home.
Isn't she just sweet?
Later Saturday afternoon she stayed with her Poppy while her Mimi and
I took a trip to Paducah.
We went to Sam's, Kirkland's and Old Navy.
My mom bought some of the cutest stuff from Kirkland's for the trailer at the lake
and then I bought Olivia the absolute cutest pair of pj's at Old Navy.
Sorry for the poor picture quality, but she just would not be still until....
I gave her the remote for her to chew on.
Yeah I bribed her, but it worked out. ha.

Needless to say, we had a great weekend and last but not least...
IT'S FOOTBALL SEASON!!!
Yes, preseason I know, but I am so excited!
Go Patriots!!! =)

Also a great post coming soon... I have now bought Olivia's entire Fall/Winter wardrobe.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

It Was A Lake Weekend

We had such a good time this past weekend.
I know you've heard me talk about going to the lake on the weekends
and going up to my parents trailer.
Well we went up there this past weekend.
A couple of weeks ago my parents bought a pontoon.
WHOO HOO!!
They have a fishing boat and a ski boat, but they've/we've
wanted a pontoon for some time.
I've especially wanted one since we have Olivia and now Elijah on the way.
Now we've got one! YAY!
This was our first time on it and boy did we have fun...
It sure was hot, but I don't think this little girl seemed to mind.
My mom usually works every weekend so she's never up there when we are.
Well this weekend was an exception, she was actually "on-call",
but it worked out because she never got called in.
Friday afternoon when we got there we went out on the boat.
It was a good little ride.
We didn't go too far, but we it was nice and relaxing.
Afterwards, we went to eat at one of my favorite Mexican places
Los Portales.
It is oh so yummy!
Then we made our usual trip to Wal-Mart and then we went back to the trailer.
Saturday, we went to the boat races.
They have them three weekends in the summer at the lake.
We've happened to luck out this year and make it to all three.
It's something fun to go and watch.
Olivia and Ben decided they'd sport their do-rags. Ha.But like I said, it was HOT!!
She just cracks me up.
I even jumped in and floated around for a little bit to cool off,
but it was to no avail.
So nevertheless,
We didn't stay at the races too long, but it was fun while it lasted.

On a totally different subject, well kind of,
Little Ms. Thang now has this addiction to water.
As you can tell from the picture above. ha.
It's so funny, but she gulps it down.

I hope y'all had a good weekend!
I'm already ready for Friday! ha.