Katie Bird Calling

Where the time goes?

2011-11-27T19:13:00.000-06:00

You are about to witness a photo montage of where I have been the past two months. Not only have I been MIA from my computer but it seems my camera took a little break too. I have to admit I keep telling myself to get better about posting, but every time I push it off it seems I REALLY push it off. In a nutshell, I miss you and I am back.

Below are pictures from football and tailgates, weekends at the lake, visiting my in laws, my cousin's wedding in Oklahoma, etc. I only wish I had more images of Jonathan's South Dakota trip, my Kentucky journey, a few visits to Atlanta, so hopefully some of my girl friends will pass those along so I can post them for you this week. Things you will get see coming up will be new bathroom remodel, paintings and art, new front door from yours truly (with the help of my wonderful Dad and hubby), recipes, craft ideas, and much more.

Katie Bird is back baby!

Turks and Caicos Part 2

2011-09-09T17:31:00.000-05:00

So here we are, the first full day in Turks and Caicos. We slept in, ate breakfast in our room, and then headed out! I am the early riser so naturally I was up for two hours before the hubby and I started jumping on the bed waking Jonathan up. Naturally, he asked why I didn't go without him, but I wanted to experience every inch and every moment of this trip with him (cheesy, yes, but I couldn't help it!)

The days were spent with sleeping, swimming, napping, eating, snoozing, and reading... did I mention we slept a lot!?!? I think our lives finally caught up with us and when we were not enjoying the gorgeous water one or both of us were passed out under the umbrella. I am not exaggerating when I say we did this almost the entire time. We didn't know how exhausted we were until we left the country and finally relaxed.

So our first major outing was to see the local hot spot was to the Conch Shack. It was exactly that! They had live music on Thursday nights so we ate conch and listened to the band. I could not resist getting a conch shell as a souvenir. (Now what to do with it now, I have no idea but I am open to decor suggestions.)

The guys above were great sports. They kept laughing because Jonathan was trying to coach them on how to take awesome pictures with us. I can't tell if the guy on the right was laughing or was ready for us to leave... I got them to take a ton of photos so he was more than ready for me to leave!

On the trip I took something along the lines of 200 pictures and these photos do not do the vacation justice. I was so happy Jonathan made this happen for us. When I say I married my best friend I mean it. He's a wonderful travel companion and I am so lucky to have found someone like him. I will cherish memories like this forever. Thank you hubby dearest!

All in all I would recommend this trip again and again. To be perfectly honest I want to go back again next summer! Please send me a comment if you would like more information or click here to visit the resort we stayed at. It was called the Somerset on Grace Bay and the package we received included airfare for a great price (we flew from Atlanta to Miami, but for a little more Atlanta flies direct). One neighboring resort was Villa Renaissance and the vaulted ceiling and pictures above were taken when we ate dinner there. Maybe Jonathan and I will go there next! (wink wink)

Our cab driver told us Will and Jada Pinkett Smith and Reggie Bush stayed at the Somerset.... not sure if that is true but it made me feel like we were pimpin' at the time! haha, probably not the same room though.

Turks and Caicos Part 1

2011-09-05T18:12:00.001-05:00

You saw that right! Jonathan and I finally decided to take that trip we have been talking about. In the middle of August we went to Turks and Caicos for five days. I am sure a lot of places are as beautiful as this one in the Carribean, but Grace Bay in Turks and Caicos is by far the most stunning I have ever been to.

We arrived on Wednesday afternoon and were practically giddy when we pulled up to our resort. Jonathan did a lot of research online and saw this one had great reviews. This was a little nerve wrecking for me since I like to go by word of mouth or know of someone that has stayed somewhere before. Luckily, the reviews were on the money!

It was not all inclusive (we decided we are not the all-in type), so we went to the grocery store and bought snacks, drinks, and beachy food for our stay. It worked out really well since it is really safe there and you can walk to other resorts and eat at the beach bars for lunch. Plus it gave us an opportunity to check out other delicious restaurants for dinner. One of our favorite things to do when we travel is check out the local "hot spots". (more on that next post)

The picture below is our resort from the beach... it was fabulous and all the research the hubby did was perfect! We got an amazing deal because we went in the "off season". It worked well for us because school was back in and we were able to get affordable trip insurance. (Hurricane season started before we left, but that's the risk you take).

The water was absolutely stunning. It was so clear that you could walk out to your chest and still see your feet below. Kicking up the sand particles was mesmerizing for me. You could see it shimmer and glisten in the water before settling back down... ahhhh I could have watched it for hours.

I can say I enjoyed this trip more than our honeymoon three years ago. For starters, I did not have to worry about the laundry list of things to do when I returned. We are settled in our home and our careers. We knew Dax was safe with my parents. We had internet access, but did not have cell service, which made us actually relax. No distractions, no obligations, and being in such a gorgeous place forced us to let go and unwind.

Of course after a few glasses of the local beer (Turks Head Lager) we managed to do a little tresspassing on the private dock so I could get a picture with this sign. I don't know why we thought it was so funny. Maybe because we finally arrived or maybe because of chilled lager, or maybe it was because we finally jumped the gun and took our adventure!

Post 2 coming soon!

A Quickie

2011-08-14T18:11:00.000-05:00

Here's a quick project that took little to no time. Remember the group of old lamps I was saving in the basement?

I took the maroon one with the "genie in a bottle" shape and gave her a little face lift. First, I wiped her free of all dirt and dust. Then I taped the cord and other parts that I didn't want painted. I took a spray paint can of Kilz (primer) and began to prime. The key when using spray paint is layering. This way you don't get those dreadful drip marks.

After the base is dry it's time to apply your color. I found this amazing shiny brown from Rustoleum. It added some metallic without being over the top in the den. Then I pulled out my $14.99 linen shade and voila... lamp for less than $20!

PS I don't think I ever mentioned that I am lucky to have a working bench in our garage and a husband who lets me leave unfinished projects around.

Something new, something not blue

2011-08-08T19:02:00.000-05:00

Remember this post? It was right after we bought our home and decided we weren't "yellow people." Actually, I like yellow. It was a lot when you consider how light and yellow our kitchen cabinets are, which makes for one YELLOW kitchen. So the hubs and I took many trips to the home improvement store to try and figure out what colors we should paint the kitchen.

We love green. I mean love love love green. The problem is it's everywhere in our home. So when Team Nelson decided to go for it and paint the kitchen an icy blue we didn't realize what would happen. What was originally cool and neutral ended up Smirf blue on our walls. I couldn't get anything to work. Fabric was totally out of the question because inothing worked in my Smirf world. After making excuses about the paint needing something else, I stopped kidding myself and admitted the paint was not working. It didn't work in the space for us or go with anything else in our home.

So I found a fabric I loved and decided to start over. Her name is Lulu Corn Yellow Kelp by Premier Prints and it caught my eye the moment I saw it. Apparently it caught other shopper's too because fabric.com sold out within two days of my discovery. Luckily for me Alabama has a great store on the coast that also has a website. My mother-in-law went by to check out my selection and graciously picked it up and offered to begin sewing for me!

So we have fabric and finally settled on Notre Dame grey from Valspar. It had the same affect we tried with the blue, but it was lighter, and definitely the new neutral. I cannot tell you how much I love it.

So cheers to the new kitchen! Thanks for making my mornings happy, my evenings calm, and being one more thing checked off my "mental list" for the house. (Below is a picture of the photo wall I did). I am really proud of this and it was a lot easier than I thought it would be!

Until next time,

guest room mirror

2011-07-24T20:34:00.000-05:00

Hey hey! I hope you are going well and you are enjoying the summer. I have been busy the past two weeks with some home projects and I have been eager to share this one with you. Our guest bedroom needed to get uncluttered and have a space where our visitors could get ready. I knew I wanted a mirror with a unique design and finally found a piece I love.

I found this mirror for $50 I loved the shape and the price when I learned it was marked down to $23 since there was a small scratch on the frame. I have learned that a lot of retailers will take futher discounts on floor models or scratched items to try and move them out of the store. I didn't mind because I knew I would be painting it a high gloss white for the guest bedroom. So I took my time taping off the mirrior and protecting the glass before priming.

After it has been primed I put a couple of coats of spray paint on it. The key when applying spray paint is to do it in layers when the piece is dry so that you do not get any of the drip marks. Even coats can help you get the shiny clean look you are looking for.

I am really pleased with the end results. I decided to go with black and white pieces and minimized the amount of clutter I had on the dresser. The room has random pops of blue and there are even some blue books under the horse figurine.

I know this is our guest room, but it happens to be one of my most favorite rooms in the house. The pops of white and light linens just make this room look so peaceful. I hope it makes our guests feel welcome and want to curl up on this comfy bed with a book and relax.

The Boy Who Lived...

2011-07-16T11:26:00.001-05:00

Can I please tell you that I am so soooooo excited (and sad) to see the final Harry Potter?!?! I grew up taking my little brothers to see all the movies when it use to come out around Thanksgiving time. Every year when we were done eating the family would load up the car and head over to the theaters. It brings back such great memories.

After reading all the books myself and watching the movie trailers I was thrilled when my friend Jessica (at Empress Stationery) decided to host a Potter Party! Of course, all my friend's creative juices came to life to pull together an array of goodies!

I miss working with these girls, but luckily they still tell me when all the events are and I am glad to partake!

The evening came full of Bertie Bots Every Flavor Beans, Acid Pops (Blow Pops rolled in honey, rolled in Pop Rocks) Chocolate Spiders (haystacks), Chocolate Frogs, Butter Beer Cupcakes (from Malinda at Baked in Birmingham), Licorice Wands, Quidditch Players Pie (shepards pie) and of course, Butter Beer.

We had so much fun and I cannot wait to see the movie tomorrow! Have a wonderful weekend and bottoms up!

Lake Livin'

2011-07-06T11:53:00.000-05:00

Greetings from this lake-dipping, no-makeup-wearing, sunscreen-applying, full-tummy, relaxed blogger! Hubby dearest and I have spent the last few weekends at the lake and boy did we have a great time. A group of our friends gather a various houses on Lake Wedowee. If you don't know where that is, you are asking the wrong person to explain. I am merely a food planner and passenger when we head out of the "big city" to Randolph County Alabama. I do know it's two hours away from Birmingham and to me, it's the perfect couple of hours for me to unwind and prepare for lake livin' with good friends.

This weekend we also celebrated our friend's Lesley and John son's first birthday. They had a "Blue Dog" theme, which was absolutely precious. And while I wish I had some pictures of my own to share I offered to capture the festivities on Lesley's camera so she did not have to worry about missing a thing! After barbeque, visiting with family, and learning what a "smash cake" was we all headed to the water.

It was awesome getting to visit with a group of our friends from Atlanta. Most of them used to live near us until recently and we miss them immensely. I am sure each of you can relate to us when you have close friends move. I can easily say this is why we are so eager to do anything and always seem to be gone on the weekends to see them or meet somewhere in the middle.

Above is mom (Lesley) with birthday boy Jeb. Out of the group that stayed at the lake we had all little boys ages 3, 1, and 10 months. It was hysterical watching them play and even more hilarious watching the parents put on these super bulky life vests and coating them in sunscreen. My husband, whose nickname is "Prince" with all his friends magically became a "Mr. Prince" over the weekend.

The past couple of weekends have been different though. Years ago we would all stay up until the wee hours of the morning. Now 10 pm rolls around and the party goers start dropping like flies. Our mornings would start at 9 am with bloody marys, laughing at who passed out where, and recapping events from the night before. This time it begins at 6 am (if you are lucky) with black coffee, poptarts, and Backyardigans playing in the background. My favorite quote for the weekend was, "the volume of life does not stop when you have a hangover." So true.

While all this is different it's a new kind of content for me. I love that our friends have kids and I love even more that they want us to be a part of it all. It means a lot that during these moments their children are learning and developing they want Mr Price and Aunt Katie there. One day I can't wait to share my children with them and hope they grow up together and be an extension of our family.

Lastly, I could not help but share pictures of the boys getting into the American Spirit. Jonathan stopped and picked up "real American" tshirts from the dollar store. The boys spiffed them up a bit and grabbed a few props for the picture. Their creativity is in full force and all within the first few minutes of our arrival.

Lastly, I held the air gun while the boys got situated. I look like a regular ol' Annie Oakley, but I am sure she did not look as intimidated as I did here. At least it was proof that I was there this weekend as I am usually the one behind the lense.

Hope you had a wonderful weekend!

Independence Day Greetings

2011-07-04T16:12:00.000-05:00

Happy Fourth of July sweet bloggers and hope you had a sweet weekend!

I think I got Board

2011-06-10T12:09:00.000-05:00

You heard me right and I didn't spell it wrong either. I decided to make another headboard. For me, I get on random kicks where I will spend a little time working in a room. I know you are technically suppose to move onto one room after finishing another, but I like small projects here and there.

Remember the guest room before?

I rearranged some items and decided I needed something over the bed...

I had some extra fabric that matched the creamy gold hues that are shown through out the room. I decided it would work perfectly as a faux headboard.

Additionallly, I had an extra picture frame that was sitting in a corner of the basement. This worked great as a base frame to my fabric. A few staples and making sure I didn't put a million nails in the wall and voila!

Something on the wall and helps pull this little guest room together. Not a Pottery Barn headboard, but this quick little fix was free! (Thank you PB and I'll take free any day of the week!)

Holy Oats!

2011-06-02T08:11:00.000-05:00

What am I talking about? With the "new Katie" on board I have been itching to try some new things. Let me rephrase, new healthy things, to make in the kitchen. It's hard to find a good recipe that will still taste delicious when you make substitutions. In this case I have altered an amazing granola recipe. This bad boy is awesome in yogurt, trail mix, or perfect on it's own. I say that, because I catch Hubby Dearest sneaking some all the time. Who said healthy food can't be good?

You will need:
2.5 cups old fashioned oats
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt (I use light salt)
3 tbs light vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey (sugar free is perfect)
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar (splenda brown sugar works beautifully)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecan (or almonds)
Optional add your favorite dried fruit at the end

Preheat oven to 325 and line jelly roll pan with parchment paper. In one bowl mix your oats, cinnamon, and salt then move to the side. In a second bowl mix oil, sugar, honey, and vanilla. Mix as best as you can until it's fairly consistent. Drizzle mixture over oats. I use my hands to "smush" together. To me smush means covering all the dried oats with mixture and also making big pieces so you can have fat granola later. Add pecans.

Pour into lined pan and spread out... it does not have to be even. Bake in oven for five minutes then remove. Turn the granola over and place back in oven for another 5 minutes. Repeat this three times (total of four times). Once done, place out for 15 minutes to cool. Then add your dried fruit and break up granola to place in an airtight container. Sooooo good and lasts a week... if you don't eat it all first!

Until next time!

Making things happen

2011-05-23T20:02:00.000-05:00

I am going to be upfront with you during this post... I am so proud of me. There, I said it. That must have sounded horrible to you, but I can't tell you the last time I said I was going to lose weight and finally have done it. I have lost 15 pounds since December!!! Take a look at the before...

(Those colors washed me out too) but the after is sooo much better...

It's not terribly drastic, but I feel good in my clothes again. I am not sure if that makes sense, but when you put on some weight and you don't feel good in your clothes it really can start taking a hit on your self-esteem. I finally made a concious decision that I wanted to feel good again. I am not talking about super-skinny workout fanatic, but to have a better quality of life and truly consider what I was sticking in my mouth. Note to self, just because it tastes good doesn't mean it's good for you. (Trying saying that to me when I was sampling everything I made during the holidays!)

During this "back to healthy" time I was still training for my half marathon which I ran in Nashville, TN. I am pleased to say I have completed my sixth one and loved every minute of it. The hubs did not train, but was there to carry all of our stuff. He was an excellent cheerleader too. When asked if he would run with me next time his exact words were, "I don't run unless someone is chasing me."

We had a great time in Nashville when I finished my race. More importantly it meant I was finally back to being healthy and accomplishing something again. It was not easy to do, but now that I am here I don't want to go back to where I was... just feeling low. Funny how all that can come from a few extra pounds... it totally went to my head!

I'm in Shock

2011-05-01T20:51:00.000-05:00

I want to start this post by letting you know I am okay and my family is safe. It will probably be no surprise to you when I say I am in shock over the tornadoes that struck the Southeast. I live in central Alabama and Wednesday morning I woke at 5:30 with the wind beating against the windows and lightening/thunder popping off every few seconds. Jonathan was already at the gym playing basketball and I had no idea a wave of tornadoes were moving through the state.

I ran into our sunroom, got the dog, and let him hop in the bed with me. The power was out and I didn't hear any sirens going off. After listening to it for 30 minutes and the weather seemd to have passed. I started getting ready for work and Jonathan returned home shortly after. Not having power I couldn't check the news and figured it was a bad thunderstorm. I left for work early and there were trees blocking the roads, debris scattered about, but other than that no houses seemed to have damage. It wasn't until I got to work and started hearing stories that I realized there was much more taking place. They told us to go home early and prepare for the storm that was coming through that evening. Our power came back on, so we watched the news and learned the other storm would reach us around dinner time.

We went to the basement, watched, and waited for the storm to pass. We talked to our families the entire time and it seemed our area was in the clear. It was after the storm that I learned it was much worse. No one could get through the phones to check on us, I couldn't call out, and then the damage reports started coming in on the news. Late that night we finally spoke with friends and other family members to let them know we were safe. It seemed other parts of the nation knew what was happening before we did, because there was no power and no way to find out unless you had a radio.

I was able to get to work the next morning. People were missing family members, friends, and neighbors. Everyone seemed so numb, it's like, they were at work because they didn't know what else to do. One of my coworkers went outside and his entire neighborhood was gone except his home and one other neighbor. I guess shock makes people do crazy things because I couldn't believe he was at work. This is just one story the other stories are so tragic I can even type them out. My parents are in North Alabama and are still without power. It almost seems the least of their concerns when entire cities have been wiped out.

Please pray for the people in this area. We are strong and I know we will overcome this disaster, but I feel so horrible for those who are suffering and have nothing left. I can't imagine losing loved ones like this...

The 4-1-1

2011-04-12T19:56:00.000-05:00

It's like I said before, things have been crazy 'round here. I have been enjoying all the social time, work events, traveling, but it has left me with lots to share. I guess I will do this bullet style and save most the details to not bore you.

I just got back from a week long work trip to Memphis. It was my first event with work and I am thrilled it was a success. Being the new kiddo aboard it was nice to put names and faces together with all my new coworkers.
I am on my way and training for my 5th half marathon at the end of the month. I should be up to 10 miles, but I have been sick, hurt my knee, (more excuses) etc, so I have done 8 miles.
We are getting a new roof tomorrow :) and I am super excited! (Does this mean I am a grown-up when I get excited about roofing?)
Still maintaining the 9lb weight loss, but since working out again I am seeing inches come off. Not ready to post before and after pictures. I am sure they will come along soon.

Lastly, my little brother (the youngest of the three boys) gave me a special surprise. He recently became an Eagle Scout, which takes a lot of services hours, determination, and support of peers, parents, and leaders. I am so proud he got this at the age of 15 when most get it their Senior year of highschool.

A few weekends ago Jonathan and I went to his ceremony. My parents did an amazing job putting it together and I was so proud of them all (it's an accomplishment for them too). Towards the end my brother made a speech (that he wrote) and honored people he said helped mentor him along the way. I started to tear up when I was the last person he called up there and pinned me as his mentor. I am still so touched and get teary-eyed just thinking about it.

Congrats John!

Sheeze Louise

2011-04-04T13:30:00.000-05:00

I feel so out of it! I have been out of town every single weekend, hosting guests at the house or running around like a chicken with my head cut off. It's no excuse for my absence but I feel like my blog always takes a back seat when life gets going. I hope you don't feel abandoned but many of you get what I am talking about. Kudos to those who have kids too and do it all!

I am working out of town this week and hope to catch up on your blogs while sitting in meetings! Hehe.

Come on and Take a Breath

2011-03-07T20:57:00.000-06:00

I know many of you blog, but do you ever get this rush of great posts ideas? Sometimes I will get some, write them down, and then they sit. They sit on the scrap of paper or napkin I shoved into my purse. Weeks later I find it and have one of those AHA moments! Maybe it's just me, but when I find the list I get recharged and want to share sooo much with you.

A few weeks ago when I was at church I listened as the reading and homily was about being satisfied. I don't know they ever used the word "satisfied," but that's what I took from it. I know my New Year's promise was to be in my state of being and to be content with what I have. The reading and message I took could not have been more on target. God wants us to not worry about what we are wearing that day, where we will go eat, and many other things. Instead, to focus on Him, His word, and make our actions like His.

I hope this does not come across too preachy, but this really touched me. I suppose since I promised myself to "just be" this year and let little things slide it struck me that my state of not wanting more left a small hole. Actually, it was a BIG hole, but needed to be filled with Him, The Lord. Isn't it funny how God works? I almost felt like I was whacked upside the head and someone said, "Duh, Katie! This is what you missed in your plan." (It makes me laugh just thinking about it). I am still trying to locate the exact reading, but was so immersed in my thoughts I forgot to write it down... go figure! How often do we want more and forget what it's all about in the first place?

Just thought you should know!

Bird Landing

2011-02-20T08:54:00.000-06:00

I have missed y'all so much! There have been a great deal of events taking place in my life which took me away from my computer. Now that the bird has landed, I feel I can take a deep breath to stop and share what's taken me away.

The first being my new job! I am not able to blog, read blogs, or really even think about blogs during the work day. I am so busy, challenged, and excited each and everyday it's almost too good to be true. To give you a little more information I left sales and publishing to go into a full-time marketing role at a "very large" financial institution. I know the numbers side of banking/lending/trusts is not my forte, but it does not really matter as I pick out brochures, redesign presentations, and work as a support system for everyone else in sales. That's my kind of sales job if you ask me! If you have a smart phone that you recommend let me know, this may help me blog on my lunch break and never leave you that long again. :)

In a brief and bulleted fashion I am going to give you a glimpse of the other happenings the last few weeks.

I have lost 9 lbs and the hubs14. We are on a good streak of trying to be healthy and be the best us. So far it's been amazing to look and feel better in my clothes.
We have also joined and gym to help in this process.
I signed up for another 1/2 marathon. Losing weight has made it easier for me to get back into running. I have signed up with my sweet friend Emily Ann and can't wait to run with her in April and catch up. Miss her so much since we moved!
We are in the process of planning a MAJOR trip for the summer. I am not sure where, maybe Hawaii, Costa Rica, Belize, or somewhere else beachy, but we are planning and I am elated about this opportunity. Any suggestions would be great!
We went to New Orleans with about 15 of our friends last weekend. Our good friend Collin celebrated his 30th birthday and instead of a party or presents we all had a weekend of fun. A few of the good pictures are here:

I can't wait to catch up on your blogs this afternoon and tomorrow. I hope you are well and I am sure there is a lot I have missed with you too!

On to the Next One

2011-02-03T12:57:00.000-06:00

I would like to say thank you to everyone for your sweet comments about my new job and the change I am making. Change is never easy and I agree with a lot of you about the best decisions are the hardest to make. Maybe I am insecure, but for some reason hearing words of affirmation always seems to help me feel better about myself or my choices. Is this just me?

On a happy note I actually have some fun photos to share with you. We have been in our home a year now. A whole year! I cannot believe the time has flown by so quickly and I feel like I just posted the house pictures. The hubs and I have this long laundry list of all the things we want to do to make our house feel like our home. It is defintely home and we still have a list of things we have put off, except our dining room. (First image is our before picture, everything below is our after.)

Thankfully we had some extra funds over the last couple of months and we were able to get a new light fixture & slip cover from Overstock, drapery rods on-sale from Lowe's, clearance benches from World Market, and I bought the fabric months ago from Fabric.com. Everything new was on-sale or clearance. The best part is if you are getting a floor model or opened item you can ask a manager for an additional discount. What's the worst they can do, tell you no? In this case, the benches were 50% off and the floor models had an additional 15% off (just because I asked).

Walking into this room makes me happy. I don't spend a lot of money on clothes, purses, shoes, but I will save up to spend money on my home. For me, it's an investment. Something about getting a room just the way you like it makes my heart smile.

Moving On

2011-01-31T13:17:00.000-06:00

In my last post I mentioned I was coming up for air. We all have those periods in life where things get a little out of control. For me, I needed to stop blogging and wrap my head around some changes that were headed my way. Whoever said, “when it rains it pours” is brilliant and must have been overwhelmed too.

Last week I put in my two weeks’ notice at my job. It was a really tough thing to do. I like the people I work with, I enjoy the creative environment, I thought I always wanted to be in publishing, but at the same time I was not happy. After talking to Jonathan, praying, and much deliberation it was time I moved on to something I was passionate about. I guess when I think about how much time I spend at work, why not do what I enjoy?

Friday is my last day and I begin my new position on Monday. If there’s one thing that I can say I am most thankful for is I made a lot of friends at my old job. For that, I am truly grateful!

coming up for air

2011-01-26T08:23:00.000-06:00

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I am here. I am coming up for air to tell you when things get a little hectic the last thing I remember to do is blog. Just know I am thinking of you and will have a lot to share over the next week. On this Wednesday I want to leave you with one of my favorite quotes...

Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe.

~Voltaire

Birds of a Feather

2011-01-14T11:32:00.000-06:00

I have been meaning to post this "Bird Sighting" for a few weeks now. I love the saying "Birds of a Feather Flock Together." Meaning, those with similar tastes and interests congregate in groups. I think it goes without saying that I am hooked on bird items right now and want to share a few goodies I found on Etsy.

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I hope you enjoyed these little gems as much as I have. Some are gorgeous because of their rich color and others by being plain and simple. I also have a request if you find any great bird/feather goods please post them in the comments! I love seeing them to add to my personal collection and favorites page. Have a wonderful weekend!

We're stuck

2011-01-10T10:35:00.000-06:00

Anyone in the South East knows what happens when wintry weather reaches our area... everything shuts down. Right now we have a few inches of snow and a lot of ice. Unfortunately, we do not have the equipment to deal with this kind of situation so the city/state closes up shop. Therefore, dear friends, I have a snow day! This means I am reading magazines, finishing a book, and doing some online window shopping all from the comfort of my comfy couch and sweats. (This may call for some delicious hot chocolate!)

Not a bad start to the week for us and a great way to get ready to watch the National Championship tonight. I hope it's AUsome!

New Year's Promise

2011-01-04T21:11:00.000-06:00

This post may not be what you expect. It's mainly about what I want and hope for 2011. I love the New Year because it's full of possibilities and new beginnings. I feel at each New Year that I can't believe the last one is over and I try to think of what I can do better for the next one.

Last year was tough. My husband and I sold a home, moved, rented, bought a new homee and had moments where we really tested eachother. It can be tough when there are a lot of things going on that add additional stress in your life. I would be lying if it said it was easy. For me it's hard because many of the things I stressed over were things I could not control. When you want everything to go right and be perfect it tends to be the opposite sometimes, doesn't it?

I am not really a fan of "resolutions" because those tend to be easily broken. Instead I want to call this a New Year's Promise. I think with prayer and God's help this can be the year of being. This is what I mean...

... Not wanting more, but being grateful with what I have.
... Change what I can and not dwell on things I can't control. Being able to give up control.
... Being still. Being quiet. Being able to have moments of reflective silence.
... And lastly being the best me. Being the me God wanted and sharing it with others.

I hope you have luck in your own New Year's promises. I have a feeling this is going to be a great year!

Happy Birthday

2010-12-30T21:02:00.000-06:00

The photos above are from the past six years that the hubs and I have been together. Happy Birthday J and I hope you know how much I love you!

While I was out

2010-12-23T16:04:00.000-06:00

Hey sweet bloggers! I am at my parents writing this post with my left foot propped and taped up. I went to deliver some Christmas goodies to a few neighbors this afternoon and had a little slip. I was hoping to take care of my bagged goodies before everyone was busy with Christmas gatherings. No one was at the last house, so I left the bag on their porch, and as I turned to leave I slipped on some leaves and fell back (and down) six concrete stairs.

I started laughing as I am sure it was hysterical to watch. My gladiator sandal (dang things have no stability) broke, my tush took a lot of the fall, but more than anything I can't figure out what happened to my left foot/toe that is throbbing in pain. Once I grabbed my sandals (and what was left of my dignity) I hobbled back over to my house to cry and assess the damage. Even when adults get hurt they want someone to ask if they are okay and see what they need. So I called the spouse in between tears and laughter telling him the story and that my foot really hurt. I hate to say it, but it totally took the cheer our of my holiday mood. (Dang those stairs!)

So here I am. Grouchy, and trying to muster a little bit of my hurt pride to give you a great holiday recipe. I cannot take credit for this one as it happens to be from a fellow blogger who graduated from Auburn a few years before me. If you have never read Darby's blog at Fly Throught Our Window I suggest popping on over. She's hysterical, crafty, and has the cutest little children I have ever seen!

::Honey Butter::
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup honey
2 tsp ground cinnamon

Soften butter and mix all ingredients in an electric mixer. It tastes amazing on big fluffy buttermilk biscuits or your wheat toast in the morning. This needs to be refridgerated, because it is butter, but you can totally dress it up to give as gifts during the holiday season.

I doubled the recipe and bought a pack of four medium mason jars from Target at $4.00. I had some leftover red and white polka dot fabric that I cut in squares and used some jute string that I keep on hand for projects like this. Super easy and sooooo delicious that I can guarantee you will have a hard time not trying to eat it out of their containers. Th eprecious gift tags were purchased from my friend Jessica at Empress Stationery... love them to pieces I almost wanted to save them!

Only a few more days 'til Christmas ladies!

Baking Frenzy

2010-12-20T11:33:00.000-06:00

Hey ladies! As I mentioned in my last post I have been in a frenzy. I posted up in my kitchen on Saturday making rounds of toffee, bourbon balls, crinkle cookies, and fudge. I listened to my huge stack of Christmas music, drank cups of coffee, and baked/ate to my hearts content.

One of my favorite things to do around the holidays is making treats for others to enjoy. I love it that so many of my blogging friends do homemade gifts too. Getting my treat bags together is definitely a labor of love, but I have found a few traditional one's that bring back fond memories to those I give it to. One of the newest recipes I have tried is from my Nana, which is why I am calling this treat Nana's Bourbon Balls. I don't remember her making these growing up, but that could be that my parents never let me try one because it had bourbon in it. I suppose since these little delights are not cooked the alcohol would still be in it; good call mom and dad, but there's not enough to get anyone tipsy off a cookie (wouldn't that be funny!)

Me prior to baking... I realize I am not in very many pictures so the self-portrait off the bathroom mirror will do. I did not intend for my shirt and apron to match, haha!

::Nana's Bourbon Balls::
Easy peasy recipe and if you use a bourbon like Crown Royal it smells amazing!

2 Cups powdered sugar
2½ Cups crushed vanilla wafers
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Cup chopped pecans
3 Tbsp corn syrup
¼ Cup Bourbon

Spread 1Cup sugar on square pieces of waxed paper. Combine remaining sugar, wafer crumbs, cocoa, pecans in a small bowl. It's okay if you have some medium wafer chunks as you may get bored of hitting with a kitchen hammer like I did.

Stir in corn syrup and bourbon. Knead until holds together. (may be a little sticky, but it's okay)

Roll 1Tbsp at a time into balls. Roll into sugar on waxed paper to coat and dry.

Refrigerate several days to mellow flavor of bourbon (or do like I do and wait an hour because you have zero self control when it comes to sweets and dive right on in). Reroll (or sift) in sugar before serving if desired. Makes 2 pounds. Sorry there's no "after" picture. I had to place them in a sealed container quickly and hide because of exhibit 1...

And exhibit 2...

Two of my three brothers came to stay with me this weekend. I know they love hanging out with me because I am loads of fun (insert laugh here), but I have a hunch it's because they knew I was baking, offered to take them to dinner, and they love our dog. I will mention that they are more eager to try anything I offer than the hubs. I say this because their metabolism still works and they have not learned what happens to sweets and fast food when you are out of college. (Just saying, enjoy it while you can boys!)

Tis the Season to eat sweets

2010-12-19T20:20:00.000-06:00

Fa la la la la La la La la! Hi sweet bloggers! I hope you had a wonderful weekend finishing up holiday shopping and wrapping, traveling to Christmas parties, looking at Christmas lights, and who knows what else.

J has been out of town this weekend hunting with his dad which means I have been busy in my kitchen and perfected my toffee recipe. Believe me when I say a few burnt batches and some very chewy one's have hit the bottom of my trash can in order to present this recipe to you!

::English Toffee::
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/2 package semisweet chocolate morsels

Lightly spray rimmed baking sheet. In a medium sauce pan combine, sugar, butter, water, and corn syrup. Bring to a boil over med/low heat stirring until sugar is dissolved. Cook, without stirring until mixture is golden brown and reaches 305 degrees on a candy thermometer.

Pour mixture onto prepared pan. Spread evenly with heat proof utensil. Wait a few minutes then sprinkle chocolate chips over mixture. Wait two minutes until you see the chocolate melting and being to spread over the hardening toffee. The chocolate will being to spread evenly and smooth to cover the entire batch. Sprinkle crushed pecans over chocolate if desired. Let cool for 2 hours at room temperature then place in fridge for 30 minutes. The cool environment will help when you go to break toffee.

The best part about this recipe is while it's rising to 310 degrees or cooling you are able to work on something else! I love this recipe and my siblings are beginning to expect this treat each holiday season!
I would stay and share more with you, but I am looking forward to some quality time with the hubs and enjoy the fire he just built.

Bird Sighting: For the Holidays

2010-12-15T07:41:00.000-06:00

Seasons Greetings and a little more from the Bird Sighting! I thought these bird holiday items were awesome and seriously think I may get the bird wrapping paper next year. Do you like uniform wrapping or all mixed up? Hmmmm may have to stew on that one for a bit.

Natural Owl Bird Ornaments {via}

Blue Bird Ornament {via}

Christmas Wrapping Paper 1 {via}

Christmas Wrapping Paper 2 {via}

Holiday Bird Card 1 {via}

Holiday Bird Card 2 {via}

I wish I could post more on my toffee recipes, but the last couple of batches have not turned out as planned. Candy thermometer or not, I have burned the bottom of my medium sauce pan trying to get the toffee to 310 degrees. This recipe requires patience and thankfully Jonathan says he loves the "smoked toffee flavor". Hate to break it to everyone, but the burnt taste only came so naturually with that batch. (teee heee)

If I were a Wreath?

2010-12-09T16:49:00.000-06:00

Hi sweet ladies! I hope you are having a great day and actually reading this post since my last one was fairly lengthy. Bless those who read all the way through! I was looking for some wreath inspirations and found some amazing finds. I hope you enjoy the pictures... and if you were a wreath which one would you be?

Leafy Wreath #1

Sweet Wreath #2

Breaking the Mold Wreath #3

Bubble Wreath #4

Natural Wreath #5

Kiss Me Red Wreath #6

Glitz & Glam Wreath #7

Bowutiful Wreath #8

(Most of these images via)

Happy picking!

Some Bark for your Birthday

2010-12-07T11:23:00.000-06:00

Ho Ho Ho!!! I have felt like one of Santa’s helpers with as busy as I have been the past week. I have been raking tons of leaves and my four legged-friend was not very helpful as he crashed through each pile I made. (Thank you Dax)

Our Angel Tree Child’s gifts were due December 5th, which I thought was sooooo early compared to the past few years. Needless to say we had fun picking out sports books, toys, and clothes for our church Angel. I am going to confess an emotional moment I had this weekend. When I dropped off the packages at our church on Saturday I started crying as I walked out to the car. I was just so happy to think a little boy we sponsored will have a nice Christmas and how giving to those in need is what this time of year is all about. Sometimes it's hard to not get all wrapped up in your own gift giving, traveling, family events, and office parties when poverty, hunger, and the wintry cold do not cease for those less fortunate. I cried for a few minutes, said a small prayer, and got myself together while listening to Christmas songs on the radio. Please tell me I am not the only person who will get really emotional like that and sorta have a moment? (Sigh)

Tonight, we are finally decorating our Christmas tree. This is the fun part, where Jonathan and I drink White Russians, listen to Christmas carols, and have Elf on mute in the background. It’s a tradition we have created ever since we got married and it’s a blast!!

Lastly, I have to share my first treat of the season, which is a Chocolate Bark Recipe I made with my mom this weekend. It was her Birthday and what a better way to spend time together than making sweets for the holidays! I am making this recipe again because you only need four ingredients, a microwave, and a hammer :) (The above picture is us singing to her and laughing because I think the whole family is tone deaf except for her!)

The Chocolate Bark recipe is so easy! First, lightly spray a flat cookie sheet. Then melt your semi-sweet chocolate morsels in the microwave. Keep an eye on these because you do not want the chocolate to burn in the hot bowl. Once melted spread evenly on the sheet and let cool a few minutes.

I know I said use a flat sheet, because we had a lot of trouble getting ours out of this pan. (FYI) Now, melt your Andes (or white chocolate mint morsels) in another bowl. We added another half bag of white chocolate morsels because we love it! Once heated add this layer to the top of the chocolate layer. Be careful because the chocolate may show through and smear if it's still warm.

Once the second layer has been applied we decided to make it a little more festive. We took the remaining half bag of white chocolate, melted it, and made stripes. (It looked a little to Pepto pink for our tastes)

I took the end of a spoon and made lines through the chocolate going back and forth down length of the pan. It makes this great swirl effect for the top layer. (Don't press too hard because your brown chocolate layer will come through). Finally, crush the soft peppermint sticks (this is where the hammer is helpful) and sprinkle over the warm chocolate.

Once this has cooled over a few hours (can be placed in fridge) begin to break the Bark apart! Voila... delish sweets your neighbors and friends will love. A special thanks to my mom for doing all the work, messing up her kitchen, dishes, and letting me take pictures (as well as add commentary). She's the best!

Fall has reached the SE

2010-11-29T13:26:00.000-06:00

Hi readers! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and ate way too much. I can certainly say I entered into a food coma from all the good fixings! Jonathan and I visited his family in South Alabama and left on Wednesday only to arrive at my in-laws that evening. Getting to spend time with family and friends over a wonderful meal truly makes this holiday special. I like it that Thanksgiving is not too commercial, don't you?

Fall has officially reached Central Alabama and we are finally getting the leaves to turn, chilly nights, and some warm fires. I thought it was going to stick around 5 weeks ago, but it was a cool spell that was passing through. It's hard for me to think of Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Halloween when I am kicking on the AC and dressing for 70 degree weather. I am sure you have things that you do when the weather turns, but in our house we love to get cozy on the couch with a huge bowl of red beans and rice. If you haven't made homemade red beans you need to try it! It is so much better from scratch and is one of those dishes that tastes better over the next couple of days.

::Red Beans 'n Rice::
8 cans kidney beans (drained)
3 cups chopped onions
1 bunch green onions chopped
1 cup chopped green bell peppers
2 large cloves garlic, chrushed
1 cup fresh parsley chopped
1 TBS salt
3/4 tsp. red pepper
1 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. oregano
2 bay leaves
3-4 dashes Tabasco (maybe a few extra dashes if your hubby likes it hot)
1 TBS Worcestershire Sauce
1 beer
Lots of Sausage (which means I will put three, 1 lb packages of hot flavored sausage)

Brown sausage remove and drain pot leaving enough grease to brown vegetables. Return sausage to a large stewing pot and add beans & spices. Brown vegetables and add to pot. Then pour in 1 beer and add water to cover beans/remainder of ingredients. Simmer on low for hours then serve over your favorite cooked rice and a side of jalapeno cornbread. The best part is once everything in combined you are free to go about your business and wait until it's finished. (Your house will smell like you have been working hard for hours!)

When we make this dish when we plan on having lots friends over! Since we live in a South Eastern state this dish (made a variety of ways) is pretty common in most homes and restaurants. One thing I love is if you have too much for leftovers freeze the other half. It is so good to pull out and reheat on a night you don't feel like cooking. To learn more about Red Beans n Rice click here.

I wish I could say that I will have Christmas decoration pictures ready, but boxes from storage are taking up the kitchen and dining rooms at the moment. I hope I can gradually get the decorations out this week with a weekend full of baking, testing goodies, and singing Christmas Carols. I can't wait to see how you decorate your home this time of year and hope you have a wonderful week now that the holiday are here!

Gotta love it

2010-11-19T10:03:00.002-06:00

Greetings Bloggers,

You are going to have to excuse any typos, rambling sentences, and grammarical errors because I am exhausted (that may even be an understatement.) Last night Jonathan got us tickets to go and see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. Of course this my first midnight premier and I figured I could chug coffee at work today to keep awake and function like normal... it's not working very well. The movie was AWESOME and to anyone who has read the books you will not be disappointed. Of course there are always details that catch your attention because they are not the same, but it was very very close. I know this is considered a "kid" movie, but I would not take small children to see it at all. It is a dark film with a few gross scenes, so you got the Katie Bird warning here. (If you are not into it go ahead and laugh, but I love it anyways!)

On another note, I have been excited to post these pictures for you to see this week. The above and below images are of the window in our den. The sunroom is on the other side of the window which was an add on to the house. I have spent a long time trying to figure out what I wanted to do to break up the space and love love love the finished product.

I am grateful I have a mother-in-law who is extremely talented and on her days off will sew for Joanthan's sister and me. She made a few things in our last home and has gracisouly offered to do the drapery in our new home. I think we get one whole house done and then we are on our own, but I am sooo thankful for her time and attention to detail. Hip hip hooray to having a fixed shade in our den and a HUGE thanks to momma-in-law!

Have a great weekend everyone and I am sure we will too. Also, stay tuned because I am going to test my first round of smoked toffee next week !

Before & After, Wine Rack

2010-11-14T16:34:00.000-06:00

I have been taking my sweet precious time posting before and after pictures. I searched high and low for a before picture of the wine rack my parents gave me. The image above is the only one I have of the wine rack, and you can only see half of it! It has the neatest hour glass shape and I love that I can put all my wine accessories in the drawer. It worked for us in it's original form because it was in the dining room with our blond furniture. I needed to give it a face lift since I was moving it and relocating it to our kitchen with black furniture.

As you can imagine I have a new love and appreciation for this piece of furntiture. I love it's curvey sides, I think the colored ends of the wine bottles just "pop", and it's smooth black finish really adds a spark to this corner of our kitchen. Plus, it's great to have the rack waiting for me with easy access to a great beverage while I cook and entertain!

More after pictures to come this week as I have a fixed roman shade in our den that we hung this weekend.
Have a great beginning of the week!

Holidays are so close!

2010-11-09T15:26:00.000-06:00

November is here and I am surprised how much I am itching for the holidays. When I think about Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year I always catch myself remembering things from my childhood. I am sure many of you do the exact same thing. I have been thinking about how my mom decorated every nook and corner of our home (pictured above and below); I recall peeking into the knitted stocking my Great Grandmother made me when I was four; I can smell the delicious baked treats coming out of the oven, and feel the frosty air outside before heading to visit with family and friends. (insert sigh here)

These fond memories that I have are things I hope to share with my children one day. Is that what parents enjoy the most; sharing these memories and creating them for their own children? It's something I am really looking forward to and in the meantime I have been tabbing soo many sweet treats and holiday gift ideas... Hopefully by the time we have little one's I will have an archive of goodies and traditions tucked up my sleeve. Until that happens I will keep myself busy by "testing" everything and making sure they are just right before I give them away.

This year I plan to try homemade breads, spreads, and caramel treats will be given as gifts to neighbors, co-workers, and friends. Last year I made easy fudge, melt-in-your mouth toffee, cookies, cupcakes, and anything you could imagine dipped in chocolate. (WARNING:these are very very bad for diets!) I plan to share some of my favorites very soon and would love to hear about anything you make that would make great gifts. I need to be as recession friendly as possible and even have a few ideas up my sleeves on how to decorate them once I have put them together. (Yay for old fabric squares and clearance ribbon!)

I hope your are having a great week. I am excited to take some time tomorrow and catch up on all my favorite blogs and maybe fit in a viewing of Elf!

Halloween is over?

2010-11-02T13:58:00.001-05:00

It's raining here and it sorta fits my sadness as another Halloween has come and gone. One positive thing is I have been so excited to show you a few pictures!!! Jonathan and I are fighting again with the cable company so I had to bring my laptop with me and hop to a nearby coffee shop to get this post to you. (that's love for y'all right there)

The company I work for publishes many magazines and this year they hosted a costume contest. I decided to dress up for Halloween and go as one of our office celebrities. I always want to dress up as a pirate (probably because I have the costume) but I decided to go as Paula Deen. (I am not sure if my international followers know about her, but here is a link for you to get an idea about Mrs. Deen).

I got up at 5 am that morning to curl, tease, and pin my hair. I went out the night before and bought white hairspray in a can. Needless to say I kept laughing my rear off as I transformed into Paula and then had to spit out the hairspray that was getting into my open mouth. I laughed all day long! I took twice as long to de-Paula as I tried for 20 minutes that afternoon to get the spray and knots out of my hair. I had a blast eventhough I didn't win the contest!

I hope you laughed your way through Halloween! It was one of my favorites!

Bird Sighting: Antique desk made new

2010-10-26T09:33:00.000-05:00

Greetings readers,

I assumed most of you know that I named my blog after a childhood nickname, but you know how assumptions can be. My aunts and cousins called me Katie Bird and then shortened it to Bird over time. When I was little (who knows how old) I would open my mouth up like a little bird to eat. After I was finished my little tummy would be so full I suppose that I look like a plump bird, hence Katie Bird. Almost a year ago when I decided to create a blog the name became pretty useful and I added the "calling" for fun.

A few weeks ago I wanted to start "Bird Sighting". I thought it would be fun to include these randomly in my posts and show fun and unique bird items. What do you think?

My first bird sighting is from my friend and co-worker Robyn. She has this gorgeous antique desk that needed a purpose in her home. A few weeks ago she started to strip, sand, and create a vision on this treasured family piece. I think the results are fantastic!

The drawers are painted a gorgeous blue from a sample can of paint by Olympus, while the birds are stenciled in gold acrylic paint from a local craft store.

I loved the knobs that she found and think the color really pulls out the richness of the wood grain. She was originally started looking for antique or vintage inspired wallpaper to paste to the front of the drawers, but decided to change course and go with painting them instead.

Hope you liked the first bird sighting and be looking for many more to come!

What's been going on?

2010-10-18T16:20:00.000-05:00

Hey bloggers,

Today I feel like it's been the first day I have looked up and realized October is almost over! Where did September go and what have I been doing? I have tried to recap what I have been up the past couple of months and nothing comes to mind. Pretty soon I will be in a heavy coat and preparing for the holiday season.

Right now my wine rack is in the garage because it is moving to a new room... my kitchen. This rack has the coolest shape and in order to make more space in the dining room it needed to be painted black and sent to the kitchen. It should be dry soon enough so my wine will have a new home very soon. Pictures to come!

Last night our friends John and Lesley came over for dinner. I was in the mood for my mom's chicken and dumplings, soo I started cooking around one on Sunday, Amazingly it was delicious! I tried making it before, but somehow my dumplings were enormous and grew to the size of baseballs in the pot. How come no one tells you this will happen and to cut the dough really small?? (Another cooking experience that Jonathan and I will never forget.) It was great having them over for dinner and sitting down to some comfort food and fall decor. Lesley made this awesome salad with strawberries, mandarine oranges, sunflower seeds, and a raspberry vinaigrette. I popped in some crescent rolls for dinner and some banana nut bread for desert. We were all set!

Everyone was really sweet to eat with my new fall centerpiece on the table. I did it yesterday afternoon, so I was still excited to see it out. (Please note I don't actually have a table runner... it's burlap that I keep around the house. Best three bucks I ever spent!)

I will post the easy Chicken and Dumplings in a minute, but I want to let you know I am going to attempt to make real pies this year. I made the German Blueberry (summer) Pie with much success and would love to make a pecan and pumpkin this holiday season like my mom does every year. It is just one of those things that are on my list. (You know, the list you have in your head of all the things you want to try?) The ones above are an example of how good she is... I mean, who thinks to make fall themed dough cut outs for the top of the pie? Moms, they make everything better!

I will be out of town this week for work. Nothing like Vegas, but I will be in Atlanta attending a workshop for the day. Hope you enjoyed your weekend and I look forward to catching up on your blogs soon!

::Mom’s Chicken n’ Dumplings::

3-4 chicken breasts boiled (shred or cube)
4 cups of water boiled
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 Tbsp chicken bouillon
1 Tbsp Parsley flakes

Directions:
Boil chicken breasts in water. Remove then once it's cooled shred or cube.
Turn down heat to a simmering boil.
Add bouillon and cream of chicken soup and blend until smooth consistency. (if you don't have these chicken broth works well)
Add parsley flakes and chicken.
*May add shredded carrots, celery, or mushrooms if desired.

Bisquick (Follow dumpling mix)
1⅔ C Bisquick
⅔ C milk

Dumpling Directions:
Mix in a bowl until a soft ball.
Dust table with Bisquick mix (or flour)
Turn ball out onto table.
Flatten by hand to < than ¼ inch thick.
Cut into squares. Separate slightly and dust with Bisquick.
Let dry slightly (½ hour)
Drop 8-10 at a time into pot with chicken. Let soften and sink, then add a few more.
Add the remainder of Bisquick from the table to thicken the broth.
Salt and pepper to taste.

I let mine stay on low for about 2.5 hours on the stove. You could do the same thing in the crockpot :)
Serves 8-10

I am baffled!

2010-10-13T07:38:00.001-05:00

Last night the most bazaar thing happened. I figured you may not believe me so I took some pictures to show you. I was making lasagna and I pulled out my glass baking dish from the pantry (a cool dry place). I put it on the counter (no where near the stove) and went back to sautéing the meat. About five minutes later I hear a large "pop" sound and then a sprinkling noise like little pins where hitting the ground. The noise and shatter reminded me of a glass Christmas ornament breaking, but I had no idea where it came from.

I looked around behind and noticed my dish was in tact, but saw tiny shards of glass all over the floor. (Some had even managed to land in the dining room!) I promise that I stood there for a few minutes completely perplexed. I looked at the light bulbs, salt and pepper shakers, my vase until... I noticed the inside edge of the dish was missing a large chunk from around the inside rim. A part of my dish exploded!

I have read about this happening when baking dishes are weak and under extreme heat. Or when you take something very cold and put it in an oven or hot hot water. Still, this was on my counter and I have no idea how this happened or why it occurred. I did not think you would believe unless I showed you, but here it is...

The pieces came from the inside rim near the top of the handle. I am open to any explanations to why this may have happened because Jonathan and I can't figure it out. It was not near the dishwasher, nothing was inside or near it that was hot, the counter was clean, etc. The pieces inside were the largest I found on the floor and all the tiny ones are in my vacuum. I feel like I should call the company and tell them what happened, but I don't want them to send me another dish like this... I might be purchasing Corningware.

I hope you are enjoying your Wednesday!

Totally confused,

Where I am

2010-10-04T21:02:00.000-05:00

Dinner has been picked up, the dishes are clean, the laundry completed, and I am in the den with my boys, Jonathan and Dax. We have all the windows open and I love the chilly night air blowing through the house with a popping fire dying down. It may seem a little early to dive into fall on a Monday evening, but this is what I look forward to about this time of year.

Spending my early childhood in Southern Illinois I felt I had a good sense of all four seasons. Now that I am in central Alabama I have to cherish these mild evenings because they do not come around very often. It was wonderful to sleep with the windows open last night and hear the sounds of leaves move along the pavement. All I need now is a spiced apple scent to fill the house along with red, orange, and yellow leaves to cover our lawn. Big sweaters and cider here I come!

This weekend we headed to Auburn to enjoy an early sunny game. I was able to see my sweet friend Tracy for breakfast. You know those friends you get to see every so often and pick up right where you left off? Well, she happens to be one of those friends for me! I loved that we had a breakfast date and she took some time to meet me on my tight schedule. Afterwards, Jonathan and I headed to the stadium and then to a fun place where frosty beverages are served. You can tell after spending one half at the game in the hot sun, a cold one is just what I needed!

After leaving Toomer's Corner (where our fans celebrate a win) we eventually make it to my brother's fraternity house to meet up with my family. My middle brother Thomas (who lived with us a few months this summer) turned 21 today so we met up to celebrate, eat a little dinner, and have a good time. I know I talk about my family a lot, but my heart just seems to burst with love when I think of them. I am so thankful that I have these amazing people that I can call mine. My little brothers are going to make some ladies very happy one day... if I can stand to share them!

We enjoyed Mexican, sharing stories, singing Happy Birthday in english, and embarassing Thomas a second time with a song sung in Spanish! He was precious looking around hoping no one saw his family hollering and clapping to the restaurant's version of Happy Birthday. Thomas, if you are reading this know how much we all love you and want you to enjoy it while you can! (21 will come and go quickly brother, enjoy it.)

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and that good weather will come your way this week!

I've got a Feeling

2010-09-27T20:17:00.000-05:00

Last week was a difficult week for me. Nothing happened in particular that made it especially rough, but for some reason I was down. It seems like most of the time when I get online and post I usually have pretty upbeat things to say. I guess I can be a little more real when I say I was in a funk and felt so guilty about being in one.

For the most part, I try to be thankful for the blessings bestowed upon me. I really think that God has a plan and things happen for a reason or to help me grow toward Him. When you are bummed I think it's hard to remember those blessings eventhough you know they are there. That's when I start to feel guilty because I know it will pass and I dislike feeling down or sorry for myself. I think it's human nature to feel a little low every once in a while. Luckily, Jonathan was sweet and also knows when I need my own space. For this reason, I stuck around the house and did things just for me while he went to the football game.

I cleaned, gardened, grocery shopped, bathed Dax, tested new recipes, and painted. It felt amazing to have an indulgent weekend. A weekend where I ate mocha mudslide icecream, drank wine, watched girlie movies (Serendipity, Newsies, Devil Wears Prada), and caught up on some painting. I spray painted furniture (bar stools that needed a face lift) and worked on getting oil paintings for my Etsy shop... one day I will have it up I swear!

{Please note a few of these paintings are works in progress like the one pictured here}
I can say that having some alone time was exactly what I needed. When you spend all day on the phone for work, come home and talk non-stop, over and over again it's easy to feel drained after a while. I think everyone needs to recharge their batteries and have one of these weekends every so often. I am not going to lie when I say it would have been nice to have an extra day, but I am thankful for the one I got. I hope that next time I need of these days it won't take me so long to notice.

I hope you enjoy your week and take time for you. I know I will be.

Grrrrreat!

2010-09-22T20:51:00.001-05:00

Don't you just love Tony the Tiger from the Frosted Flakes commercials? Are those even around anymore? hahaha random, but I was wondering. Anyways, my other favorite Tiger is Aubie, Auburn University's mascot. This last weekend we went to the Auburn Clemson game and I brought my camera along for the ride this time (and thankfully it was charged!)

I loved tailgating this game because my parents and all three brothers came. It was so wonderful to spend time with them despite the heat and late game.

Aren't they precious? I love making them do weird things for pictures but this one was all them.

It was great seeing so many of my friends. They all came in from their corners of the country to see eachother and it always amazes me how we can pick up from where we left off. I feel the God shows us we have great friendships when this happens. It's always a wonderful reminder for me and I am so thankful.

Lastly, I think my parents should use this as their Christmas card. Don't you? I hope you enjoyed the "photo post" because I enjoyed taking them. I hope you are enjoying your week and I will be posting some before and after pictures of the house soon.

Let them Eat Cake

2010-09-17T13:31:00.000-05:00

Greetings! I know you bloggers are getting ready for a nice long weekend. If you are spending time with family and friends I have a recipe for you! Let them eat cake... Butterfinger Cake that is!

::Butterfinger Cake::
1 box devils food cake shopping list

1 jar caramel ice cream topping shopping list
1 jar sweet condensed milk shopping list
1 regular size container of whip cream shopping list
3 regular bars of butterfinger or 8 butterfinger minis shopping list

• Make devils food cake as directed on box in a 9x13 pan.
• When the cake is finished cooking out of the oven, poke holes all in the cake with knife.
• Pour all of the sweet milk over the cake.
• Pour all the caramel over the cake.
• Let cake COMPLETELY cool. (can refrigerate to cool faster)
• Cover the cake with the Whip Cream.
• Crush up your Butterfinger and top the cake with them.
• The cake does have to be refrigerated.
• Eat and Enjoy!!!

Another Has Come & Gone

2010-09-13T20:10:00.001-05:00

Saturday, September 11th I celebrated my 26th Birthday. A lot of people asked what I had planned for the day, but I was pleased to say “not too much”. We spend so many of our weekends traveling that I long for weekends at home. I wanted to spend it with my family… and I did just that. My parents and two of my three brothers came to celebrate with me and Jonathan.

We went to dinner at one of my favorite Italian restaurant called Leonardo’s. They have these great rolls that have Italian seasoning and soaked in parmesan and butter. (This is not on the diet, but for your birthday I think you can slide). I always order the eggplant parmesan and this year was not a disappointment… sooo delicious!

Afterwards we came home to lots of cake and gifts. It always cracks me up to listen to my dad, two brothers, and husband sing “happy birthday” with my mom trying to pep up their monotone voices. (Makes it hard to keep a straight face.)

Jonathan chose to wrap my gift in packaging wrap. It was either the brown wrapping or Christmas paper. I never realized that I always use bags and have never needed to wrap a gift that big. He ordered all the Harry Potter books in hardback for me… it even came in my own Hogwart’s trunk! I have read all of the books, but only owned one. I am so excited to have my very own collection and plan to reread them all before the next movie.

I had a lot of fun treats from my family and was just thrilled to spend the night with them just laughing and picking on one another. Everything was so thoughtful and my last gift was just hilarious. My middle brother Thomas, who lived with us this summer, got me the SHAKE WEIGHT! I am not joking when I say it’s so fun and hard to do. Supposedly you use it for 6 minutes a day and I barely lasted one… I will get better and I think I will eventually stop laughing when I use it. We shall see!

Thank you for all the sweet birthday wishes. I especially wanted to thank all my friends, family, and Jonathan for making me feel so loved. I am truly blessed. I hope you have a wonderful week!

Football, Birthday, and dip

2010-09-10T16:51:00.000-05:00

This year I thought I would have a football game fall on my birthday (which is tomorrow). I kept telling Jonathan over and over how great it was going to be because we would have all my favorite foods at the tailgate and spend the day with friends and family. Well I was mistaken and somehow my alma mater played last night, which was weird having a Thursday night game. In lieu of me turning the big 2-6 Jonathan had everyone over here last night to celebrate early. It was so sweet of him to cook out, clean the house, and play Mr. Host to all our friends.

Of course our team won, but we were a little worried for a while. I just love it that we can get together with our friends and their children on a school night!

This picture makes me laugh as momma (my friend Lesley) enjoys some vino as everyone else holds little man. Not really sure how Ashton (9 year-old) feels about his mom holding a baby :)

Table of food and drink! I am about to share a recipe with you that is so good, easy, and will make you the hit of the party! My sweet friend Melissa (sing Sweet Melissa here) makes this Mexicorn dip that is the bomb. (Yeah, I said the bomb)

This bad boy is super easy to make and will probably give anyone a cardiac arrest, but the best foods are made that way.

::Mexicorn::
2 cups mexicorn, drained
2 cups monterrey jack cheese shredded
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
2 cups mayonaise
2 ounces jalapenos

Mix all ingredients together and bake in oven for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. These are best served with Tostitos Scoops to put all the goodess in one bite. Oh, and you may want to double the recipe because if you are watching football with a bunch of boys it won't last long.

I am looking forward to spending the day with Jonathan and meeting my parents and two of my brothers for Italian tomorrow night. More pictures coming soon and hope y'all have a great weekend!

Game Day

2010-09-05T17:38:00.000-05:00

War Eagle! Yesterday was a great and long day as we made the trip to Auburn. This year we changed our tailgate spot because the University MBA program has taken over our place in front of the business building. We actually found a great spot in front of Jonathan's old fraternity house, which is ideal for the ladies since they have bathrooms!

I don't have any pictures from the game (which we won) but I do have a few oldies, but goodies from last year. I thought my battery was charged... found out quickly it wasn't :(

Last year was HOT, but this weekend's temp was perfect! I hope everyone had a great weekend and hopefully you cheered your team to a victory too!

Fish River Time

2010-08-24T09:26:00.000-05:00

I arrived back at work this week after having a nice four day weekend. Jonathan and I needed a break from central Alabama and decided to head to the Gulf Coast before football season started. We thought we would head to the beach and get a steal on a condo, but those thoughts ceased quickly as we started to realize many places were not discounting prices. I thought there would be tremendous deals, but none that worked within our budget.

Luckily for us Jonathan’s parents have a beautiful place on the water and we decided to pay them a visit. We haven’t been there since Easter and after a few discussions it was a no-brainer… we were going to see them!

We arrived late Wednesday evening and awoke the next day well rested, with gorgeous sunshine, house full of food, and family to keep us company. I laid on the pier all day reading while Jonathan threw the bumper to Dax in the water. You seriously would not find a dog who liked to swim more than our dog! This is an old one where actually able to get him to rest on the raft!

Friday was a different day. Jonathan and his dad went to play golf and I had an appointment to go to the spa at the Grand Hotel. If you have never been or seen this gorgeous hotel and resort I suggest you check it out here. After the boys were done with golf, the hubs and I met for lunch and an afternoon by the pool. I borrowed this image from Lake Wood’s website, because all the images I took could not capture this brand new pool. It has a lazy river, water fountain, three loop slide, and lake that backs up to the pool. There are views from every angle here and I wish I could have rested under the umbrella all weekend.

We spent the rest of the weekend spending time with family on Fish River, good food, and tons of laughs. I did spend a few hours with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law picking out (and actually buying) fabric. I will show them to you eventually, but I think I am going to wait until they are finished. All in all I am so glad we went and look forward to taking it easy this weekend before football season and hot tailgates begin. Goodness knows that will have us travelling to Auburn every weekend very soon!

Oh, I and I almost forogt! Dax said he's beat and no one is to disturb him until Thursday! I don't think he got out of the water on Saturday except to go to the restroom. (so thoughtful of him) Anyways, he sends his best from the bed.

Guest Bathroom

2010-08-17T22:07:00.001-05:00

It's been a pretty boring week/weekend around here. Saturday evening was the highlight of our night when the hubs and I broke free to go hear a band play with a few of our friends. Needless to say we both had to take a nap that afternoon to "prepare" ourselves but we had a great time just the same. It was nice getting out, but I found myself totally preplexed when we arrived at the bar. I was looking around at all the people and kept asking Jonathan, "are these kids really allowed to be here?" His response was, "yes dear, 21 stays the same and we are always getting older." SO TRUE!!

I spent some time today catching up on all your blogs and daily happenings. I have felt pretty out of the loop lately (please forgive me). I came across Julianne's bathroom makeover and I had to leave a shout out for her. She and her hubby are a lot like me and Jonathan. They are setting up house and have been married about the same time. I just love the guest bathroom makeover she did on a budget!

It got me thinking about our own guest bathroom (pictured above) and makes me want to get cracking soon. Budget I can handle, but can I handle me? Sometimes I get really indecisive when it comes to picking things out. I can't make up my mind and this is when the procrastination steps in. Hopefully some of these before and after images will get me moving.

Before...

After...

Before...

After...

Before...

After...

Before...

After...

Before...

After...

In order; 1:Apt Therapy, 2:HouseCalls, 3:DesignSponge, 4,5: dyinetwork

Always a Battle

2010-08-11T12:02:00.000-05:00

So I have always tried to watch what I eat. Sometimes I "watch" the bad food go straight from my plate and into my mounth. I think for the most part women do this more frequently than men, but I could be wrong. Most women I know are constantly aware of their weight, figure, picture comparisons, etc. It only gets harder from here I am sure, and as I approach 26 it is certainly not getting any easier.

Nearly two weeks ago the hubs and I decided to start eating healthy and light meals. We have baked and grilled chicken and/or fish every night for dinner. We have also added salads, steamed veggies, sauteed spinach.. you name it we are trying it. So far Jonathan has lost 6 pounds and me zero!

It sort of reminds me of the commercials for Slimquick (or something like that) when the woman says they stop drinking cokes and the husband drops 10 pounds and she loses 1 pound. OR they give up bread and he melts away and she loses 3 pounds. hahaha! I am not trying to lose a drastic amount by any means, but we need to be healthier. Some of the things we were putting into our mouths are down right terrible and soooo unhealthy. Please know I am really happy for my husband and his efforts, but it's hard to not be a little bitter. Is this just me being an ugly jealous person?

Since this is week 2 and I am open to any really healthy recipes you can suggest or post. I want to cook healthy without having to sacrifice flavor. Any other tips for cutting down the fat, calories, and bad carbs?

Delightful Finds

2010-08-09T18:48:00.001-05:00

Glad to be back online! Crazy how being that disconnected from the online community would have you thinking you were missing your shirt or something. Well, maybe not that bad, but I felt as if I was going to burst if our internet wasn't up soon. I have a few photos I wanted to share with you from the past couple of days.

I get really annoyed when doing laundry. Jonathan is great because he folds (says I don't fold t-shirts the right way) and I iron and wash. I figured if I spent so much time running in and out of here that I might as well add a few things to spruce it up.

It doesn't seem like much but having cute baskets (catch all traps) and a laundry sign just makes me happy. It's still a chore, but making it pretty makes me feel better.

After taking on the laundry room I started mixing things up around the house. These three apothecary bottles belonged to Jonathan's grandparents and I love how the morning light adds a spark of color to our kitchen table. Don't they just pop?

Last but not least I spent $10 at Ross on this awesome horse! I LOVE stark white accessories and when I saw it I debated for 10 mintes on whether or not to buy it. I decided against it. Do you have those purchases that you always wish you would have picked up and didn't? Well it was meant to be because when I went back the next day they still had it! Jonathan asked, "what are we going to do with THAT?" I had to tell him awesome it is and that it's going in our guest room. Typical husband comment could not rain on this parade, because I showed it to everyone at work before taking it home. They agreed, it was awesome.

These black frames will go on the wall one of these days, but the horse will keep them company until then.

On a funny note, my mom sent me this You Tube Video. I normally don't post stuff like this, but it was too cute. I gotta give some props to the Swagger Wagon and excellent marketing strategy from Toyota, because this is a work of art.

Enjoy!

Gonna be alright

2010-08-05T09:02:00.000-05:00

Hey sweet bloggers! I have so much to post about, but unfortunately Team Nelson is having technical difficulties. Our internet has been down for almost a week! We have made numerous phone calls with our local cable company and one unsuccessful visit. It is so frustrating for me and there comes a point when the cable people don't get to speak to the "nice one" (me) and they get to speak with the "not-so-nice one" (hubby dearest). I have to admit that I love it when he takes over and deals with their excuses and shinanigans. Please tell this has happened to you? I feel completely disconnected from my favorite blogs and posting. I have a lot to share from last weekend and will probably have an extremely long post the next time.

On a happy note, I have some picutres I want to share with you. I have window treatments on my mind and have been looking for inspirations all over the web and past issues of Domino (oh, how I miss you). I wanted to share a few of these beauties and hope y'all enjoy them too. If you have any inspiring posts or websites to suggest feel free to comment away.

(image 1Coastal Living, 2-6 Domino)
Until next time,

My Planner

2010-07-30T10:17:00.000-05:00

I have always had a day planner. I am a product of an engineer father and super-organized mother. Growing up my parents created calendar cupboards lined up with their four children's activities. Each child had the inside of a kitchen cabinet door. If you opened it up to get a bowl or a plate you may find my cheerleading and soccer schedule. Oh, you want a coffee cup? You will also find Thomas' karate, cross country, and boy scout agenda's taped to the inside of the next door.

I was given my first planner when I turned 16. It was an olive green sport planner from Franklin Covey. I suppose my dad figured with me driving 45 minutes to school and such a busy schedule that I would need to keep track of my own stuff. Maybe he was hoping to lighten his own load, but it certainly worked for me...
because I have owned one ever since.

I am going to call out "nerd alert" because I love writing in my planner. (And yes, I sometimes will write things I have already done, just to cross it off and feel accomplished.) I love ordering new inserts every year and getting to pick out which ones will get me motivated for the upcoming calendar year. I get super excited when they come in the mail and getting to write everything out fresh. New birthdays in their appropriate months, updating the addresses, adding football schedules, trips planned, etc. New inserts sort of feels like a new start. It's a clean slate full of possibilities perhaps?

I am on my second binder, which is still from Franklin Covey. (The first one was so great, why mess up a good thing?) This one is the same "classic" size, but is red and looks like crocodile skin. It's pretty big and houses way more than I'd like to admit. I do not have the day-by day inserts, but have traded it out to a week at a glance... found here.

I suppose we all have our quirks and things that keep us put together. I even think a person who seems unorganized probably has a way of managing their mess, which I like to refer to as "controlled chaos". You know those people who have everything thrown about and if you move one thing it actually messes up their way of being "organized"? Hahaha I guess organization is in the eye of the beholder. What is your quirk and how do you stay organized?

It will be a relaxing weekend at home and a possible laundry room makeover! Have a wonderful sunny weekend everyone!

Color me blue and give me some pie

2010-07-27T09:01:00.000-05:00

Hey there! I had a great weekend, because Jonathan and I hosted a birthday surprise party for one of our friends. I didn't take any pictures, which is because I was running around my house getting drinks, cleaning up, visiting with friends, and serving tons of food. We had about 25 guests and it goes without saying we had a truckload of food (21 lbs of meat to be exact). I would like to point out that this would happen when you send two men in their late 20's to buy food for the party. Their (cute) way of thinking was averaging how many pounds of meat could be eaten per person? Seriously, I did not make this up...

On that note I would like for you to have a sweet Tuesday and check out this blueberry pie recipe. My mother-in-law makes this pie and I LOVE it!! It is a great summer pie because it is served cold and blueberries are in season.

~German Blueberry Pie~
2/3 cup sugar
1 pkg pecan sandies (minus 5 cookies for hungry husband)
1 stick butter (real)
1- 8oz cream cheese softened (full fat... sorry ladies)
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 pint fresh blueberries

In a large mixing bowl crumble pecan sandies & blend with enough melted butter to hold together (you may not use the entire stick because you still want a little bit of a crumble to the mixture).

Press into large pie pan. Add cream cheese and sugar into bowl and then add eggs one @ a time, mixing well. Next, add vanilla.

Pour into pie shell. Sprinkle blueberries over top & allow to sink into custard. Please note you will probably not use all the custard.

Bake 350* x 25 minutes until set. (I have to bake longer) Cool, chill several hours or overnight.

Say hello to helper number 1

Helper number 2 (right at my feet and he is hoping I will drop some food)

And voila! A pie perfect for summer! I hope you will love eating it and it's a great dish to serve for friends or family after a weekend dinner.

Until next time,

A Fiesta Birthday

2010-07-22T16:02:00.000-05:00

Greetings sweet readers! I am very excited about this post because it is a few inspirations for a Fiesta Birthday. My fun friends at work threw a party for a member of the posse, Malinda. When you get to work with such creative people you can imagine the party would be done to a "T". :)

I was unable to make the soiree, because I was on my way to Charleston, however, these party animals sent me the images to let me know how much I missed.

I think the star at the top is a Piñata and I am sure a bunch of twenty-something girls had fun beating the stew out of it... especially after a drink or two! {I know I would have}. Hate I missed it and we better have a get together soon!

On that note; these ladies will be starting a blog soon. You see the girls who attended are writers, photographers, test kitchen professionals, stylists, graphic artists, etc etc. Since they are all from the South and have a keen eye for unique things; what better than to start a blog! Most of them have one of their own and once they come up with a name I will pass it along. I am so jealous of all their talents, but I know y'all will love them as much as I do... {maybe they will bring me in for some sort or comedic relief or DYI projects gone bad!} kidding :)

On that note... later gator

Another Southern City

2010-07-19T21:20:00.000-05:00

I am sure you were a little curious about my absence. {I know I missed writing while I was away!} Last night I returned from a four day trip to Charleston, SC. My mother and sister-in-law made plans to pick my up and Thursday morning we headed to Low-Country.

I have never been to Charleston and loved that we were able to sight-see, wine and dine, and visit with one another. There is so much history in this coastal city which makes me greatful that I had an opportunity to explore it. The image above is from the Palmetto Tours where we went on our first day to get a tour of the city and historic homes.

Our view from the carriage down market street. This is where you can buy local crafts and sweetwater baskets. Those baskets are a dying artform because this trade is not being passed down to the younger generations. Our guide said many of those who make these baskets cannot pass this along to the youth because they are not interested in this tedious craft. (You can pay a pretty penny for these bad boys too)

The homes and architecture we saw on our tour was probably my favorite part! I loved it that single families moved into these beautiful homes and restored them to their original beauty. I picked up a realestate listing to show Jonathan {you know, just for fun and giggles!}

A shot of the porch is on the side of this home. Before air conditioning people used to pull their beds onto the porches to catch a breeze from the Atlantic. The things we do for a good night's sleep!

Wrought iron... I think this is my most favorite shot. I took this when we were entering an old cemetery. Beautiful pieces and detailed works of art are found all over Charleston.

This is the Nathaniel Russell House and was one of the homes we toured on Friday after our carriage ride. I wish I had photos to share from the inside of the home. We were not allowed to take any photos while inside the houses. {shheeeesh I would have kept the flash off, haha}

Above is Rainbow Row and the image shows exactly why. All the homes on this street are painted a variety of colors. At this point we have been walking through the city for hours. We were ready for a break and it's one of those moments when an ice cold beer is exactly what I need!

We had a hard time picking beers from Southbend Brewery so we ordered the sampler. {Smart idea!} I loved getting to smell and sip all the different brews. On the bottom right is their Scarlet Ale and probably my favorite of them all and I never thought I would enjoy a darker beer.

All the images above are from the Middleton Platation on Ashley River. This plantation was absolutely stunning and so much of our country's history lies in the buidlings, land, and water. The grounds were beautiful and extremely hot. The heat index on Saturday was 105 degrees!! I am not joking that I probably took three showers each day I was in Charleston. One when I got up, one before dinner, and one before bed. I was not looking like a clean Southern girl during this trip, but hey it's the summertime!

I had a great trip and appreciate my mother-in-law for getting our girls weekend together. I hope y'all had a wonderful weekend too and I will be posting a blueberry pie recipe this week! Get excited!

Empress Stationery

2010-07-14T12:21:00.000-05:00

Greetings Bloggers! I wanted to give a little attention to a great blog and talented friend of mine at Empress Stationery.

Jessica and I have known eachother since our college days at Auburn. We met through mutual friends and this past year have been reunited at the publishing company where we both work. On the side, Jessica designs and creates the most gorgeous stationery! She makes labels, invitations, save the dates, thank you cards, etc. I am pumped to show you some of her work and I know many of you will appreciate the color palettes and use of design. Enjoy!

For the Love of Chairs

2010-07-11T20:42:00.000-05:00

I have an obsession with chairs. When Jonathan and I ever go look at furniture I seem to be drawn to chairs. I love all types or chairs and don't discriminate against any. I love tall, short, long, wide, leather, upholstered... you name it I love it.

The bottom images are from a resale shop in Alabama. I get so excited thinking about new fabrics and where I could put these babies in my house. {Jonathan says we have enough chairs, but what's a few more?}

I am excited to begin a hunt for a few chairs to put in the basement. I don't mind if they are different, but I would love to get coordinating upholstery to make them flow with the rest of the space. Eventually I will post pictures of the basement, but it's a HUGE work in progress and we are trying to make it Jonathan's "man cave." {Please tell me other husbands have these!} It's hard not to get too involved, but maybe a few of my chairs will end up down there one of these days!

{chairs pictured above from Pottery Barn, Lands End, West Elm, Sears}

A Farmer's Affair

2010-07-06T21:19:00.000-05:00

Greetings! I am excited about this post because last weekend Jonathan and I went to our first farmer's market. Every Saturday from 7 am until noon downtown has an area called Pepper Place that is host to local farmers, crafters, and visitors from all over North Alabama.

We woke up and got there at 7:30. It was perfect, because the crowds had not arrived, parking was wonderful, a lovely breeze was blowing, and we were able to walk freely and talk to the local farmers. I wish we would have brought Dax, but we did not know if they allowed pets. He would have loved it!

There was too much food to choose from. We bought rosemary focaccia bread, squash, zucchini, blueberries, honey, pickles, boiled peanuts, and homemade dog treats. I have used all the produce and even made two homemade blueberry pies. I will need to take pictures of the pie and post the recipe, because this blueberry treat won't last long! {especially in my house}

Can't you tell he enjoyed all the samples?

I wish I could have rode off in this bike turned flower pot. Isn't is cute?

{This is proof to show I was there.} Is it me or does the food taste better when it is grown locally? I plan to attend every weekend I am home.I drank my mocha and while walking around I made big plans to start an herb garden. We went by one vendor who was selling starter herb gardens, small shrubs, trees, and flowers. I didn't purchase anything, because I think this is something I can handle from scratch. I wish I had the time to have my own garden with fruits and veggies. An herb garden will be a better place for me to start. Any tips for growing herbs?

I've been Tagged!

2010-06-30T06:35:00.000-05:00

Hi bloggers! I hope you are having a wonderful week and looking forward to the upcoming weekend. There's something about a patriotic holiday that puts me in good spirits! I have been tagged in a blog game by the sweet Sincerely Shannon and I am looking forward to playing.

1.What’s your staple meal (ie. what meal do you cook most often when you can’t be bothered to be adventurous)?
Breakfast for dinner is the easiest back up. We always have eggs, some sort of meat, grits, and biscuits. I don't make gravy because it would take up too much time, but this is a meal that Jonathan can easily step in and help me so we can eat quick!

2. What do you want to be when you grow up?
When I grow up... I want to be a mom. I know that is probably not the typical answer, but I already have a job in sales. What I really want to add under my "jobs" would be motherhood. This isn't in the works for anytime soon, but it something I would like to be and I think it is a very important role.

3. What book are you reading at the moment (if any)?
Don't laugh, but I am reading the first of the "True Blood" series that starts with Sookie Stackhouse. I think they are a fun break from reality. And yes I have all of the Twilight saga too, so there! haha

4. How do you relax?
I love to sit down and play with Dax. There's something about playing with him and making him happy that seems to calm me down and ease my stresses. Spending time with him gives me such joy and he makes Jonathan and I laugh.

5. What color are the interior walls of your home?
Aqua Smoke, Java, Meadow Green, kahki, and some light blue color in the basement that I didn't pick out. Most the colors were in the house when we bought it, but we had to change the kitchen. It was painted yellow and was not very calming for Jonathan, so came the auqa smoke. {He can't stand yellow rooms.} Is this a guy thing, beause I love it!

6. What is your guiltiest pleasure?
Grande non-fat mocha and going to Hobby Lobby. I could easily spend hours in that place walking up and down the aisles listening to the calm music they play. I love going in there to get inspired and seeing what products are 50%. It's not unique or original in anyway, but I get so pumped to being around crafts and home decor. It's Candy Land for me!

7.What time is bedtime and getting up time?
I would say 10:00, but I'd be lying. I am brushing my teeth at 9:15 and jumping into bed by 9:20. I am such a crab if I don't get a lot of sleep. I am rudely awaken by my alarm at 6:15 am.

8. How long do you spend reading blogs (per day or per week)?
Honestly, I probably spend 30+ minutes a day reading them. I wish it was more but I have to work. I love seeing what my fellow bloggers are up to and getting inspired by them!

Okay, it's time for me to tag people and I would love to hear from Flick at Everyday Chic and Julianne at From the Beginning. Good luck ladies!

Round Top or Something Closer?

2010-06-25T13:17:00.000-05:00

At work we are already wrapping up participation for Sept/Oct issues {if you can believe it?} And lately we have been giving some special attention to Round Top Texas Antiques Show. I have always wanted to attend this bi-annual event. If anyone has been please let me know, because word on the street is this event is a force to be reckoned with! Antique Shops, vendors, estate sale companies, and more come from all over the US to travel to this rural part of Texas for an antique-lovers paradise. {sigh}

I thought I would share the following images as insipiration for your own antiquing weekend and maybe get you {me, actually} in gear for a girls trip to Round Top this fall. Wouldn't that be fantastic?

{These images are from Victoria}

It may have been the worst ever!

2010-06-22T20:13:00.001-05:00

Hey bloggers! I am writing this post while laughing, because I think I may have made the worst meal on the planet!!! I enjoy cooking, but I feel my strengths fall under the baking category. I never thought it would be possible to be bad at crockpotting or crockpot-cooking??

Sunday night I decided I was going to use the crockpot. Usually I will find a roast or tenderloin and toss a few vegetables or potatoes in the mix. It usually turns out great, but the other night was my first experience trying to make this chicken and dumpling dinner called Chicken Paprikash. Basically, I found a cookbook that came with the crockpot and I decided to make that recipe because it called for ingredients I had in the house. I cooked the chicken as directed and once that was in the paprika and red pepper sauce I added the dumplings.

I ended up creating red speckled chicken with dumplings that looked like lumpy brains. I got the plates ready and called Jonathan into the dining room. All he said was, "ahhhhh, what's this called?" I told him and placed some corn on the plated and we began eating. I take that back, we tried to eat. He was devouring the corn and when he got up to get a drink and wash down the chicken I asked for him to grab the ketchup while he was. I squeezed it all over my chicken and as I looked up at him we started laughing. Y'all we laughed so hard we were in tears! It tasted like crap and was the worst thing I have tried!! What a waste!! At least we had desert for dinner and who can complain about that?

So since you just got a little grossed out by looked at our ruined dinner, I have some happy news we finally have window treatments in our master bedroom! {Can I get a hip hip hooray!?!} These are the first of many that we will have in the house and I am so pleased with the results. Check out the before and ignore my messy bed...

Thanks to some ecru grommet panels I bought on Amazon and my mother-in-law sewing an additional 10 inches of fabric on the bottom we have new panels. I would also like to give the hubs a shout out for taking his time measuring, leveling and drilling my rods into the wall, even if he broke the drill bit in the wall. {hehe}

And here is what the bottom looks like...

I am so happy with the way they turned out and it has motivated me to get a jump on the rest of the house. Do you think floor to ceiling drapes would look okay in every room of the house? What about a kitchen? I am open to suggestions and welcome all input!

I hope you have enjoyed the beginning of your week and may you dinner be better than ours!

Two Years has Flown by Fast

2010-06-20T15:09:00.000-05:00

Jonathan and I celebrated our two year anniversary this past week. After saying our I do's I never thought we'd be where we are today, and I am so glad to be here! In the last two years we have mourned the loss of family members, losing my job, home renovations, selling a house, buying a house, and moving to a new city. There's other minor things in there like, who folds clothes "the right way" and which way should the toilet paper come off the roll in the bathroom? OR almost finishing something like a box of Oreo's and leaving one broken one in there. Does this seem cruel to everyone but him??

I am not going to say the last two years were full of sunshine, because we have gone through some tough life events. I have to appreciate those events for what they were and that has gotten us to where we are today. This may sound corny or cliche but being able to change and adapt as a couple helped us to get through those times and made us appreciate what it's like to be on the other side. I love him with all of my being and I am so blessed to be married to my best friend.

On another note we have someone new in the Nelson house that I need to introduce. His name is Thomas and he is my 20 year-old brother. Jonathan was able to get Thomas a full-time summer job at his office updating data. He is thrilled to have this opportunity to make some money and have something to put on his resume. I cannot imagine how tough it is for students graduating in the tough economy.

Thomas is on the left (old photo from last Christmas, but you get the idea). You will be seeing more of him as the summer progresses and I am sure my other two brothers will be stopping in to raid my fridge and pantry. I forgot how much 20-something boys can eat! My brother Chris was here last week too. I was passing through kitchen when I looked in and saw both of them standing in front of my fridge staring. I wanted to be like, "can I help you?" but instead I laughed and was glad to have them around. Needless to say our anniversary was not spent with just the two of us, but I am I glad we have family around to be able to share it with regardless.

I hope you had a great weekend and wonderful Father's Day!

A Great Time, but Glad to be Home

2010-06-14T14:58:00.000-05:00

I am back after four days and three nights in Vegas! I worked and played, which was a tough combination. The World Tea Expo Friday through Sunday at the Las Vegas Convention Center and we worked it ALL day on Friday. I met so many people and learned a lot about tea, it's origin, and gained insight on where the tea industry is headed. I tasted quite a variety of blends and discovered more about my tea palette. I will say that I am officially not a fan of Oolong teas, {traditional Chinese tea} but tend to favor sweeter and fruitier teas.

I attended the Expo with the editor of TeaTime and my friend Simone. I was really pumped about the samples people gave out and even received a cd with tea music! I am not sure what is played for tea music, but maybe it's a ceremonial cd. {Should be interesting too} I wore flats the entire weekend, but my feet and calves have not been this sore in a while. {Maybe this is a sign I need to work out more.} As you can see, I was able to get some press passes! I really wanted to get some photos and told the guy in the press area that I was with the magazine. He generously handed Simone and I a pass and told us to get him if we needed anything. The only thing I had to do was ask permission of the vendors if I could take their picture or photograph their booths. I didn't take too many, since I was there for work, but managed a couple decent ones from the Expo.

There were so many types and blends of teas out there. One company even had children's tea where they added jelly beans to the leaves and they disolved when steeped in hot water. Some new blends of tea could even be used as a base for soup, because they had a savory undertone. And to think my Southern friends, there's more out there than sweet tea!

We stayed in Paris, which was pretty much in the center of the Las Vegas strip. Since the Expo didn't open until 11 each day we were up pretty early and able to get some sight-seeing done. My body was stuck on CST, which meant I was up at 6am everyday. The great part about that was it made for cool mornings to enjoy a cup of coffee while walking around. Above is us outside watching the Bellagio water show and grabbing a snack. As we sat outside I enjoyed people watching so much. What is it about Vegas that makes tourists go nuts and act totally different?

Okay, I didn't see a show while I was there... instead we went shopping our last night! The picture above is us at Burberry in Caesar's Palace. Simone and I found sunglasses that we had to get. I sent Jonathan a text (because I NEVER spend money) to make sure he was cool with the pricetag. I think he was more pumped about me getting them than I was about them. His words: "You never want to spend money! You have to get them!"

I also did not know that they design casino's in a way that makes it nearly impossible to get out. We were trapped in Caesar's Palace and the Bellagio for what seemed like hours. I think this is why my legs hurt so bad because everytime we turned a corner we realized we missed the right turn and had to back track. There were so many beautiful things to look at while we were lost and then we found the Bellagio Conservatory! If you haven't been there it is probably one of the most beautiful places I have seen. The flowers are gorgeous and I understood why it was so crowded and so many of us were snapping pictures!

I had a great time and was so thankful Simone gave me the tour of the town. If I can remember correctly we went to the Bellagio, New York New York, Monte Carlo, Caesar's Palace, The Palms, Wynn, and maybe more (I can't remember!!)

I hope y'all had a great weekend too and stayed cool. It was insane how much humidity accumulated in Alabama while I was away, but I am glad to be back home.

Viva Las Vegas and Tea!

2010-06-10T05:30:00.000-05:00

Hey sweet bloggers! It seems more and more of my posts are created when I wake up really early and the world is still asleep. I SHOULD be asleep but my body seemed to tell me to rise at 3:30 am! Ridiculous as it seems, I get this random habit from my dad and can’t seem to shake it. I think I wake up early when I am really excited and all with good reason. Today I leave for Las Vegas!!!

I am really stoked about the journey this weekend because 1) I have never been to Vegas and 2) I am going for work. I don’t think I have ever really explained what I do for the publishing company I work for, so now is a good of time as ever. I am in advertising for two national magazines. My company publishes A LOT of magazines and they all seem to revolve around food or stitching titles, but mainly food {which is great news for me}.

{image from vistingdc.com}

The two magazines I work on are Victoria {yes, the one that used to be published by Hearst} and TeaTime Magazine, which is what is taking me on my own Vegas Vacation. Every year in Vegas an event is hosted called the World Tea Expo. Tea vendors, growers, blenders, enthusiasts, and masters come from all over to attend or exhibit at the expo. Some come and show the latest tea-blend or product they have created, while others may be attending to look at the advances and what is taking place in the industry. FIRST, let me point out that I knew/know nothing about tea. I drink sweet tea {y’all probably guessed that} and I need to learn more about the terminology and history on this little leaf. I am getting better and have started to “take” afternoon tea at work. {I will take pictures of where I work for another post.} I don’t drink it on china, though I tell the girls around me it would be fun if I did, but I steep my afternoon blend in of my trusty race mugs! Maybe not as classy as our readers or clients would like, but it’s pretty fun trying new blends and making my own favorites-list.

{image from sacbee.com}

Unfortunately, I will not have a press pass. I asked my editor and director about snapping photos for the blog and it looks like I will try to ask {or beg} the organizers when I get there. I really want to take y’all with me and report on the event. I know it’s completely random, but come on, how many people do you know will be attending the World Tea Expo this year? Hahaha! Jealous??

My friend and co-worker Simone has said we will work the event for a few hours each day and then she’s going to show me Vegas! I am really psyched about this part too and hope y’all will comment with any suggestions or must-sees while I am there. I did request we get sushi and we may take in a show. And I definitely want to go shopping!

Sunday night should be a long post after I return and I even have some fun news to announce next week! Miss y’all already and have a great weekend

Saturday morning treasure

2010-06-07T10:24:00.000-05:00

Happy Monday bloggers! This weekend was amazing and the hubs and I were able to spend time at home (getting a much needed honey-do list completed) and visiting with my family. I used to love being busy and traveling, but now I am longing for more weekends when I can "play" in the house and really make our house a home.

The picture shown above is of a bench my friend Kristen discovered this weekend. I had just gotten out of the shower from working in the yard, when my phone rang. "You will not believe this! I am looking at a wicker bench for $5.00!!" I was sold sight-unseen and she came right over to my house to get me. She found a 4-poster bed so we hopped in my husband's truck to return and gather our treasures. Needless to say, we were "amateur movers" as we placed all the goods in the back of the truck bed. No straps, no blankets, nothing to secure the goods down as I drove 20 mph to get them home! There was a lot of bouncing as we drove up a few hills and we both were laughing hysterically when we thought about what would happen if the stuff went flying out!

I plan to clean, repair, and paint the bench. I was thinking about painting it espresso and adding a bold patterned cushion or two large pillows. I am not sure which one I will go with, but I will need to buy enough fabric to pair with more pieces to go in the sunroom. What do you think about these four options from fabric.com?

Let me know what you think about options 1-4 and I hope y'all have a great Monday!

Early Misery

2010-06-01T05:39:00.001-05:00

Picture below was taken during better "itch-free" times. The statue below is Robert Wadlow, tallest man who ever lived reaching 8ft 11 inches. He was from my home town of Alton, IL.

Time: 4:00 am this morning
Problem: I cannot sleep...

Jonathan: Quit scratching.

Me: It really hurts.

Jonathan: Does it hurt or does it itch?

Me: both!!!!

Jonathan: What can I do to help?

Me: Nothing.

Jonathan: Want me to get you something?

Me: Like what?

Jonathan: I don't know, whatever you want. It's 4 am and we're both awake.

Me: (tears)

Jonathan: Katie, what's wrong?

Me: It's really hard to be mad at you when you are being so nice.

Jonathan: Why are you mad at me to begin with, it's 4 am?

Me: 'Cause I'm itching and you're not.

This weekend Jonathan and I learned something. We don't have fleas. We don't have any bugs, actually. We have poison ivy. Yeah, apparently neither of us have ever had it and during our online search the "bites" looked more like flea bites than anything else. We didn't even think about plants causing this much harm. I don't know where the source is coming from because the dog has been washed from head to toe multiple times. This is miserable, absolutely miserable.

I really appreciate your comments last post. It made me smile and it seems many of us would rather take pain versus itching. I'm at that point.

The bites

2010-05-28T08:29:00.000-05:00

Hey people! You know when someone says, "smell this, it's gross" or "look at this it's disgusting" you will look/smell just to bare witness to the grossness? Well, I have a story (no pictures) that will make you laugh or feel my pain.

Last week I noticed a few (like 10) bug bite marks on my legs. They itch really bad and won't go away. I have been complaining to Jonathan for days about these bites and instead of getting better they get worse and worse! I think I have subconsciously been itching in my sleep. Well, days after mine started Jonathan had a couple bites on his hands. Weird, huh? You will not believe what they are... flea bites!

Did you know that humans can get bitten by these cruel bugs? We have been working on our horrendous back yard and poor Dax has been eaten up by the little monsters. I was so mad that Jonathan didn't have as many bites as me. I am basically saying, "If I have 10 bites all over my legs, you should have just as many." The difference is Jonathan pets Dax and I hug all over the little buddy. Hence why I am all eaten up and Jonathan goes unscathed.

You can imagine neat freak Katie running around the house cleaning, scrubbing, disinfecting, and hosing down the house. The great news is there is nothing in the house (I love you hardwoods) and the source has been flea dipped. Phew!

What makes me even more annoyed is Jonathan's bites are all healed and my still itch like crazy and it's been a whole week. I have shown my friends at work and they have all said the same thing... that it looks gross and to stop itching. I can't help but scratch and nothing seems to relieve my pain but ice packs and cold showers. Any home remedies or ideas would be soooo helpful as this is the most annoying itch I have ever felt in my life. Of course, with my luck, this would happen to me during dress and shorts weather.

Scratchfully yours,

Some Kind of Wonderful

2010-05-25T07:05:00.001-05:00

My dear friend Amanda got married this weekend. I am happy and kind of sad to announce it's the last wedding of the summer. I happy because I love weekends where Jonathan and I can stay home, but I am bummed because I seem to only see my girlfriends at weddings. Many of my college friends are spread all over the SouthEast and we all seem to have other things that have taken over our time. (Maybe those things are called life.)

I am truly happy with my life, don't get me wrong, but on weekends like this last one I am nostalgic of the days with very little responsibility. At this point my mom will chime in and say, "what do think will happen when you have a child?" I'm not saying I would change anything or stop moving forward, but it's bittersweet to think of the past when I am with my friends. I miss waking up and the only thing I was responsible for was heading to class and remembering people's birthdays. haha!

Today, it's different and in a good way. I think all those years of college jobs, juggling school, extracirricular, friends, and family has prepared me for now. I miss it, but I am also grateful. I am blessed to have made great friends who I can pick up right where time left off. I am blessed to have met my husband in school and to be married to my best friend. (tear) I am thankful for the opportunities I have been given by my parents, because they sacrificed so much to get me to this very moment.

Check out a couple of the photos from the weekend...

So not as long as I thought, because I am late for work. (My coffee and real world calls me back.) I will be home at 5:15 where the real world laundry and dinner awaits me. I think tonight I may get my team mate to do dinner instead ;)

Sorry peeps!

2010-05-24T10:08:00.000-05:00

So sorry people! Does the time seem to escape you? I just realized it's been a week since I last posted. I have been thinking of y'all and catching up on reading all my favorite blogs. I think the AADD (adult ADD) is kicking in again and I sometimes log into my computer and think, "what was I doing again?" PLEASE tell me I am not the only one that has done this?

I will be uploading and writing later tonight after I clean my house. Some little rascal (75lb pup named Dax) has made our house disgusting!

How can he go from this...

to this???

He usually does that right after his bath and I have cleaned my house. What a punk!

P.S. Be ready, the next post will be a long one and random as usual ;)

Discoveries

2010-05-17T19:53:00.000-05:00

I woke up bright and early this Saturday with a mission. I can never sleep in anymore so I recruited my friend Kristen to get up, grab some coffee, and hit the some stores with me at 7:30 am.

I desperately wanted to go to Old Time Pottery and missed having it right down the road from my old house. I thought they opened at 8am, but was sadly mistaken when they opened at 9 and we had to occupy ourselves for an hour. We drove around for about 40 minutes trying to finds places that opened before nine or ten. The only place that was open and close by was Dollar General and I needed dish soap and a light bulb. Some shopping trip, huh? Sorry Kristen ;)

Have you ever been to Old Time Pottery? That place is the bomb! It is a giant warehouse with home decor, accessories, out door furniture, and items for every room in the house. I am obsessed with that place and it makes me very excited every time I think about going. I think it's my nirvana and I could spend hours trying to figure out what to buy. (All of those things the hubs say we don't need. As if!)

This aisle was stuffed full or fun and interesting wall decor. Kristen and I were discussing how to make inexpensive headboards when we came across these tiles. The gold ones caught my eye and immediately we began discussing how to arrange them on the wall and whether the black and silver ones could be spray painted. They may look tacky in the picture, but were pretty awesome in person.

Right about now is where I am singing, "My Favorite Things" from the Sound of Music. Of course it's all in my head, as not to scare Kristen or other shoppers, but I cannot help myself at this point! The place is just magical and I love white dishes!!! It looks so neat, pretty, and organized. (I can be classified as a closet hoarder now.)

We spent an hour and a half getting ideas and playing the, "if I had a ton of money" game. I spent less than $20 and walked away with a gray, yellow, and white beach bag (turned purse), corn skewers, and plastic spray bottle. I could have spent so much more, but in all seriousness, where would I store it all?

Ladies, eat your hearts out because the bag was only $9.99 and my shopping journey was a success. Please tell me y'all have been here so you know what I am freaking out about. Who would have thought dishes and bright colored towels would make me this excited?

Until next time,

Friendship Friday

2010-05-14T08:06:00.002-05:00

I was on my way to work this morning with my hair still wet and my stomach growling. I hadn't had any coffee because after I made my go-cup I realized I was out of Splenda. There was nothing good on the radio (even satellite) and I was getting pretty frustrated in morning traffic. Do you have those mornings when you start saying, "man can't I catch a break?" It's probably a good thing I was in the car by myself, because traces of road rage were beginning to burst through my chest, neck, ears, and then out of my mouth.

After catching every red light I decided to check my voicemail. I had a message from my good friend Elizabeth and it really made my heart lighter. She was at the airport (yesterday) and was writing a speech for a friend's rehearsal dinner. She called me to tell me that nearly two years ago she was writing a speech to give at my wedding. She said she was thinking about Jonathan and I and how much she loved having both of us in her life. She said she was thankful for us.

Elizabeth is one of my closest and most dear friends. We lived together in college for three and a half years. She's one of those great friends you pick up just where you left off. The reason I wanted to share her 30-sec voicemail message with you is because it completely lifted me up this morning. Her sweet words and taking the time to let me know she was thinking of me means so much. My day could have snow-balled into something monstrous, but it amazed me how quickly I was able to smile and be thankful for another day God has given me and for friendship.

Needless to say, I had overreacted because I am better than great right now. My hair is curly right now, I found some splenda at my desk, my co-worker brought in doughnuts, I got to work safely and on time, and I was grateful for another day and privileged to have such wonderful people in my life. Maybe I should have called this "overreaction Friday".

Happy Friday friends!

Urban Laundry

2010-05-11T08:24:00.000-05:00

Good morning bloggers! When I went to Wisconsin a few weeks ago we went to visit my mom's brother and his family in Wauwatosa, WI before our departure. It's this cute town outside of Milwaukee where my mom and I took in a little shopping.

My Aunt Suzie and cousin Callie work at the most adorable boutique called Urban Laundry. If I were to ever own my own store it would probably look similar to this...

Notice my dad, cousin, brother, and hubs standing around

The store has a website, but is more informative versus a place to shop. I did buy a cute Free People top and a linen dress on sale. They were practical buys that I could wear to work. I miss the days when everything I picked out would, "look so cute with jeans and heels," to "I wonder how I can pull this off for work." Man, how the times have changed.

Margarita Wednesday

2010-05-06T15:56:00.000-05:00

Chips, salsa, plus margaritas equals...

A happy Nelson couple

Hope you enjoyed your cinco de Mayo!

Wisconsin

2010-05-04T08:39:00.000-05:00

Hey bloggers! Sorry it's been a little long since my last post. I am officially back from my cousin's wedding in Wisconsin; land of good beer, German food, and cheese. We ate (a ton), visited with family, danced, ate some more, and left with a content heart and great stories.

Most of my parent's families are scattered through the Midwest and there are a lot of people to miss when we said our goodbyes. Did I mention I have a HUGE family?

The bride, my cousin Sarah (back from Afghanistan), is one of my 27 FIRST cousins. You read that right! This is easy to do when my dad is one of nine. I'll be perfectly honest when I tell you I don't know how many second cousins I have nor do I know all of their names. I can basically point at a kid and guess who they belong to. It's a blast, crazy at times, and takes forever when you are trying to say goodbye. Eventually you just have to walk out the door because you aren't going to hug everyone, and sometimes you'll hug the same person twice. Easy to do when everyone is together and we are pushing 70+ (approximately)

We were up at 4am Friday to catch a 6:30 flight. Jonathan and I flew to WI with my parents and youngest brother, John. Needless to say Jonathan's ability to sleep anywhere came in handy when we were at the airport at 5 am.

After checking into our hotel in Janesville, WI we headed out to try some of the local grub. Jonathan was a little too excited about the bratwurst, cheese curds (not cheese sticks, but little balls of cheese), and local pale ale. I am pretty sure it was a heart attack waiting to happen.

This is an image of an excited husband. Milwaukee's Best tall-boy and a cookie I bought with an inch thick-icing cow on it. I wish I had a photo with Jonathan and the black icing all over his teeth. It was hot. ;)

I haven't lived in the Midwest for a while, but Jonathan made sure we took a picture of a farm. (not like we don't have farms in Alabama or anything)

Finally the wedding... Sarah and Brayden are an amazing couple and both are currently serving in the Navy. They went months without seeing one another being that they were deployed at different times. I cannot imagine how hard that was for them.

It was an amazing and very long weekend. (My poor cousin was about to pass out she was so tired.) Jonathan and I left the reception at 10, but from my understanding the party lasted until the wee hours of the morning. I wish I had more pictures of the reception, but we had to show off our awesome dance moves to the fam. Needless to say my aunts LOVED him, especially because he was pulling my different relatives out on the dance floor with him!

The only time Jonathan flinched was at the end of the trip when we told him he had to name each person present. It was like the record stopped playing and he just looked at me. HELP!

Little Buddy

2010-04-26T18:47:00.000-05:00

Jonathan is playing basketball right now, so I was able to grab some free time to post. I know most of you have your own blogs, but do you ever wonder what to write about? Sometimes I think I get these great ideas and then not-so-much. I am a really corny person (if you haven't figured out that already) so some of my posts get deleted because I want "web Katie" to come across cooler. I don't think it's working. (insert laugh here)

Anyways, since I had no one to talk to I asked Dax what I should write about. (so kidding) He was helpful and I decided to talk about him. Aren't you glad you visited today? haha

We got Dax at Ashland Kennel in Fort Valley, Georgia at the beginning of 2007. The experience was amazing! They post the parents that are breeding online and you can sign up based on who is expecting. Dax was born in November and then kennel would send out pictures the whole time he was growing and learning. We were the first to sign up, therefore got the pick of the litter.

This is probably my favorite picture of Dax. I think the other people who were waiting for this litter were a little irritated with us, because they had to wait until we chose our dog. We knew we wanted a male black lab and chose Dax out of his four brothers and three sisters.

Don't judge my hair in this picture since we had to leave Mobile super early and I let it go curly. Dax knew I was his mommy (at least I like to think so). And I think he knew from that moment he could get anything he wanted from me.

The lady at the kennel wanted to let all the other litters out so she let out about 20 puppies into the yard. I think Jonathan's ears hurt so bad from all my squealing and the lady's baby talking to the pups. It was awesome having that many pups around jumping on my jeans and wanting to be held. I wish we could have taken them all!

As you can see Dax goes everywhere with us!

He is absolutely precious to us and a member of the family. Jonathan keeps saying when we have kids I won't like Dax as much... I don't see how that's possible! We have had him 3 and a half years and I have always wanted him around. I am sure things will change a little, but in the mean time Dax will continue to snooze on my feet and be my bed buddy when Jonathan's out of town!

Rain, rain

2010-04-24T14:04:00.000-05:00

Rain, rain go away come again another day!

I don’t know where you are in the country, but if you are in the Southeast you are getting some nasty weather. It started pouring last night and a huge front has swept through the country. This weekend is one free weekend that we are not traveling. I was hoping for sunshine and warm weather, but instead I am stuck indoors with nothing to read. Any book suggestions for me? (please!)

Since it is raining, we have watched movies all day and I wanted to share pictures of what I am looking forward to when the weather is better.

This is Jonathan at are old house in Mobile. We bought a $12 baby pool at Wally World and intended for the dog to use it. Instead, he and I both get in it to beat the heat in Alabama. I think our neighbors were jealous or really irritated. Who cares? We loved it.

Poor Dax! You can almost picture him saying, “Indian giver!”

When we first moved here our friends decided to take advantage of this awesome hill at their house and create a giant slip-n-slide. I am such a scaredy-cat and it took me forever to build up the courage to give it a try!

It was scary, can't you tell?

We plan on replacing the baby pool and redneck it up this summer. (I am sure we will have plenty of friends to join us!) Be looking for those pictures in the future. I expect them to be pretty classy!

Baby names

2010-04-20T08:16:00.000-05:00

Hey bloggers! First, we are not expecting (sorry to get your hopes up). Second, we are not planning. BUT do you ever ask your significant other about baby names they like? The other day, when I was being a "Chatty Kathy", I asked Jonathan about names. I love traditional names, but then I also like names that are unique. Well, here's how the convo went...

Me: What about Kennedy, for a girl?

J: mmm it's alright.

Me: What about Collette?

J: Ugh no, we're not French.

Me: What about Jane, for a girl?

J: Why Jane?

Me: Ummm it's my Nana's real name. We could call her Janie, but her name would be Mary Jane after both my grandmothers. I think it's perfect. She would be so cute with brown curly hair. I wonder what color eyes she would have... my hazel or your brown? Well, it doesn't matter... But I think she should have your skin coloring because you tan really great... and your hand-eye coordination... and...

~interruption~

J: Hey! Whatever happened to having a kid and letting it run around for a few days? You know, check out it's personality, tempermant, and see what it looks like.

Me: You know...Jonathan, it's a child, not a dog.

~silence~

~then bursts of laughter!~

Okay y'all! Please tell me it is not Jonathan that thinks this way! (haha) We are not close to having children, but everyone I work with has such great names for their children. I stink at coming up with good names. Well, when that day comes I will take votes. Is that allowed when you are trying to name your child?

Have a great Tuesday!

Friendship Friday

2010-04-16T08:21:00.002-05:00

Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions.
Small people always do that,
but the really great make you feel that you too can become great.
~ Mark Twain ~

Did someone ever tell you that you are the company you keep? I remember growing up and my mom would tell me not to hang out with certain girls at my junior high. I recall thinking she was crazy and these were the coolest people in the world! These were the girls that were mean, but you would rather be friends with them than against them. Then there came that moment of realization (usually when something bad happened) and you had that "ohhhhh, I know what she meant" moment. Its nuts what life experiences will do, because those moments are more recognizable now, but the "ah ha!" moment is still the same.

When I was in certain classes, organizations, social settings, etc I was confined to the people in those groups. I stayed and hung out with them more out of convenience and not that I actually enjoyed their company. It may be just me, but the novelty of those situations does not appeal to me anymore. It's harder to make friends when you are not in forced social situations. It's also easier to let go of friendships as you begin to realize they were great company at one point of your life and now they (and you) have moved on.

I am to the point now where I want a close and small group of great friends and not a large group of mediocre relationships. I want to surround myself with people that bring out the best in everyone. I want to be near people with a positive out-look and avoid those who only see doom-and-gloom. In turn, I want to be that type of person to my friends. Thanks for reading and I hope you can be a ~~good~~ great friend to someone today. I know I will try!

Have a great Friday!

Wedding

2010-04-13T21:19:00.000-05:00

Hey blog followers! Jonathan and are have been busy already this week as we prepare to have a weekend of house guests! We have been working in the yard the last two nights, hanging pictures, and recovering from a weekend of dancing and wedding-bliss.

My best friend from elementary school got married this weekend in North Alabama. Erin was the first friend I made when I moved to Alabama in 8th grade. We went to separate schools for highschool, but remained close friends. She and I have the type of friendship that might go sometime without speaking, but when we do talk we pick right up where we left off. I am blessed to have her friendship and know she's always there for me. I have met some great girls through Erin's wedding festivities and even got reunited with some old ones.

It was a gorgeous wedding with great food, drinks, socializing, and of course, dancing! Jonathan and I love to cut a rug. My favorite part of the evening was when Jonathan led the crowd in a "Jersey Shore fist pump" (there was no house music playing). Even my mother started fist pumping the air... she didn't know why everyone was doing it, but it was an easy move she could follow. ;)

That was my song

Trying to make "Blue Steel" pose from Zoolander

Erin and Avery, the happy couple...later he jumped on stage and serenaded Erin with "Purple Rain"... hysterical!

My friends Kate, Sarah, and me... we were all in flipflops or barefoot by this picture

Me and my parents! They were a lot of fun and kept the hubs company during the wedding festivities

We have three more weddings in the next six weeks and I am looking forward to each of them. I am in one more, and another one is my cousin's wedding in Wisconsin. Jonathan has never been there before so it will be fun to take pictures and report on how he does with my Midwestern family. Do you think he can pull off seersucker suit in Wisconsin in May?

Missed y'all!

Tidbits

2010-04-08T12:26:00.001-05:00

Here ye here ye! I am alive! Thank you for your sweet words and laughs with me as I slowly crawled out of that funk. I have been laughing with Jonathan about how miserable the past couple of days have been. I feel like a new woman y'all! The toilet brush SOS will go down in our book of, "weird things I do, but sound smart right now" list.

I thought in this post I would try and share a little more about myself and random tidbits that may help you understand my quirkiness.

1) I am the oldest of four children and have three awesome brothers... ages 23, 20, and 14. (Yes, 14 and he was the best surprise our family ever had!) With that being said, I have to filter the things I say. It's hard not to share everything when you grew up with all brothers!

2) My family moved around a bit (non-military) but I was primiarily raised in Southern Illinois. The coolest place we ever lived was Brasschaat, Belgium (1990-1992). We moved to North Alabama when I was 13 and I ~~hated~~ disliked the state for a very long time. (Can't say that now!)

3) My biggest fear is falling. I'm not afraid of heights as long as I know there's no way I can fall off something. Is that the same thing? I don't know, but gravity hurts either way.

4) I've attended private schools my entire life, except for college. I even went to a boarding school for highschool, but only lived there my freshman and sophomore years. I didn't do anything wrong, but my parents wanted us to have the same education they received. They sacrificed a lot for my brothers and me.

5) I went to Auburn University (where I met the hubs) and majored in marketing at the college of business. Why did I pick that major? This may seem dumb, but I liked that it was well-rounded. I still wonder what my dad thought when I told him I like having a well-rounded degree!

6) My guilty pleasure is watching Real Houswives. My favorite season was Orange County. Probably because it's so unreal for me to imagine that women like that in Alabama. I just love it.

7) Biggest flaw (because we all have them) is that I am impatient. I think everyone has to work on it, but I am anal and OCD. I like everything done my way and I do struggle when it comes to waiting on others. I am always battling with letting go of the small things, which is a real challenge for me.

8) Lastly, my husband and I have been together for five years and married for one and a half. He's my best friend. I mean, we can drive eachother crazy, but most of the time we are cutting up and being "chatty Kathy's". He's the bomb :)

Those are so random, but that's me in a nutshell. I hope to write tomorrow, but I am heading to a wedding in North Alabama in the afternoon. My parents are coming and I am sure they will get some pictures of Team Nelson and our awesome dance moves!

Have a great Thursday!

Worst Feeling in the World

2010-04-05T20:14:00.000-05:00

Hey fellow bloggers! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. We had gorgeous weather here in Alabama and it was one of the most pleasant Easter's I can remember. Jonathan and I left Friday afternoon to head to my in-laws, who live on the water. We spent a lot of our Saturday on the pier trying to get a little sun. I was not going to bust out the swimsuit, but I rolled up my t-shirt and threw on some shorts. I cannot wait to start wearing dresses to work!

Shortly after we got home last night I started to not feel well. I don't know if you have ever had food poisoning, but I have never been so violently ill in my life. Jonathan told me to yell if I needed something. So sometime around 11pm I yelled three times for him, no answer. I then grabbed the toilet bowl brush and started banging it on the bathroom sink. I am not sure what I was accomplishing, but we laughed about it this morning as if I was trying to Morse code my SOS. Thank goodness for cell phones, because I called him from the other side of the house, which worked and he came running. I love that he took such good care of me last night and called all day to see what I needed. Is it silly that I love him more after a night like that and seeing him love and care for me?

It's been almost a whole day and I am still feeling rough. I did manage a few Ritz Crackers, half a bowl of chicken noodle soup. Mainly I have been sustaining myself with Sprite today.

I hope your Easter Sunday ended up better than mine!!!

Below are a few shots selected from our weekend on Fish River pre-illness. Enjoy!!!

Jonathan helping hide eggs at his Aunt and Uncle's house... he was pretty pleased when hiding an egg on Blackie, their lab.

I love how the adults jump in and show the children how it's done.

This was our flower girl, Abby. She whipped Jonathan into shape and had him running all over the yard with her basket. You'll notice her right arm is in a cast. If you ask her what happened she'll tell you in the sweetest Southern drawl that she, "tripped on her own two feets." So dang cute!

My in-laws laughing at Jonathan getting bossed around.

Abby pouting when her mom (Jonathan's cousin) told her she should give some candy to Jonathan for all the help and hard work he offered.

Nelson Easter picture (one of the few times of year Jonathan can wear seersucker)

Sacrifices

2010-04-02T16:20:00.000-05:00

I slept in this morning until 7:30, made my coffee, then stepped outside to enjoy it while throwing the ball to Dax. I used to do that a lot when I lived in Mobile and I miss that quiet time. Just to sit on the front step in my slippers and sip coffee was an excellent start to what will be a great weekend.

I'm not sure if you remember that I gave up sweets, cokes, and anything with chocolate in for Lent, but I plan on indulging come Sunday. I think that in sacrificing something I enjoy so much made me think of Jesus' sacrifices a lot more. I originally gave up sweets out of competition and curiosity. You see, my fourteen year old brother has been able to give it up the last two years and I have always ~~struggled~~ quit with the simplest of sacrifices. Don't judge me when I decided to give it a go and give it all up cold turkey, because my lil bro had me beat. But I am surprised with how much I admire what my brother could do and how much the temptation made me think of Christ throughout these 40 days. Everytime I saw a sweet (being that I sit outside of test kitchens at work) I immediately thought of Christ's sacrifice. Mine was so small in comparison, but I honestly can say this is the first Lent I have thought about His sacrifices everyday. I feel like this might be the first Easter where I really felt the most connection to the true meaning of Easter. Is that crazy or what?

This morning after my time of reflection I had to paint. When I said I had to... I really had to... my Father-in-Law asked me to do a painting for a non-profit (that I can't remember the name to) auction. We are seeing them this weekend and I said I would have it done by then. Does time ever escape you and then you turn around and are like, "oh crap?!?" That was me two days ago! Here's what I whipped out...

I hope they get something for the piece and I feel bad that I didn't put more time into. Oh, well it's simple and peeps will be drinking wine at the event, so there you go. haha

Have a wonderful weekend and Happy Easter!

Lamp Project

2010-04-01T07:30:00.001-05:00

Hey friends! My project is finally done and I am so eager to share the results with you. A while back do you remember the bright gold, dusty, hand-me-down lamps I had in my garage? Jonathan kept trying to take them to Goodwill, but I am so glad I resisted. It really took an afternoon for me to buckle down and say, "I have to get this done...TODAY".

The process worked like this...
*Cleaned lamps and tape/cover cords

*Apply one coat of Kilz (If this is not a staple in your home, get some... I'm just saying)

*It dries quickly so I was able to apply small/light layers of high-gloss spray paint (layer it so you don't get yucky drip marks)

*I had a coupon and giftcard to Pottery Barn, so I was able to buy the small linen lampshades for nothing!

*I also replaced the thingy (what's it called that hold the lampshade to the lamp?) well, I replaced it for a couple bucks too

And voila!

Y'all I am not going to lie when I made Jonathan come look at it three times.
Have a wonderful week and be safe if you are traveling for Easter!

Savannah

2010-03-29T21:59:00.000-05:00

I moved my Friday cleaning to tonight, which is why it took me a little while to hop on the computer. I can't tell you how great the baked chicken and salad for dinner tasted after a weekend of eating out! I have never been to Savannah, Georgia and fell in love at first site. If you have never been it's a lovely city on the water with so much Southern charm, amazing architecture, and gorgeous trees. The entire time we walked in and out of the little shops I wondered why I have never been there before.

We ate at the Lady & Sons Restaurant aka Paula Deen and Sons. The food was wonderful and almost everyone that eats there orders the buffet, which is a variety of Southern fried comfort foods. I had to be different and order the chicken pot pie. ;)

I also loved loved loved a shop called The Paris Market. It is a gorgeous store and cafe that has a variety of old and new. {Even old things look new in this place.} I could have look there for hours and probably not seen everything.

It was such a wonderful weekend and so much to do. There were haunted tours, carriage rides, wine tastings, water cruises, cooking classes, and so much more. I really hated to leave, but think that Jonathan and I may take a trip there one day soon.

Recovering

2010-03-29T12:08:00.000-05:00

Just so you know, I am okay. Actually I am recovering from a bachelorette weekend in Savannah, GA. I have never been there before, had way too much fun, {and have never wanted to detox my body in such a bad way!} Ugh!

Anyways, I have some pictures (from during the day) that I will post later tonight. I snuck some photos at a few wonderful shops I visited. I could have seriously maxed out my credit card, but went with the recession-friendly route of just taking pics. All I want to do is sleep, I am approaching a deadline at work, we ship one magazine to the printer today, and Jonathan is really sick. I also didn't mention I am entertaining friends two nights this week and we are picking up some basement furniture from my parents tomorrow. Why is it that everything happens at once? Ugh, again, and I can't wait to post later!

Until tonight...

Thursday Rant and Rave

2010-03-25T16:01:00.000-05:00

I am not the doom and gloom type of person. I like to think that most of the time I am pretty optimistic. There are the occasions when I have to take a moment and share a few of the things that bother me.

1) Let's say you are waiting in line at the grocery store and there is one person checking everyone out. Another cashier opens up and says, "may I help the next person in line?" (you know what comes next) a group of people or someone that has walked up immediately runs over and gets in line, cutting all the patient people in the first line off! Really burns me up...

2) Sometimes I am guilty of this, but as of late I have been trying to be better at picking up the phone and calling people. Do you get mad when someone sends you a text about an important event or occasion? When did we all get so busy that we can't call the people closest to us and share the good news or invitation? Mass text messages make me mad... I guess it's frustrating when communication has become a convenience and in turns it into sacrificing relationships. Does that make sense?

3) To piggy back on number two I would love for "thank you notes" to come back in style. When did it become kosher to tell someone thank you for going out of their way and not send a note? Have you sent any wedding, birthday, baby gifts lately and not received a thank you note? I have and I wonder if I am behind the times by thinking you should still send one. Is this just me?

4) I am a serial snacker. Interpretation: I wonder what the cleaning crew at my office thinks about me by the evidence I leave in my trash can??? Last month I wrote down everything at the end of the day, because I wouldn't remember the list to tell Jonathan. It was something like this: yogurt container, coffee cup, six splenda packets, diet coke cans x2, three mini Snickers (b/c it doesn't count when they are small), pack of crackers, bag of peanuts, pie plate from the test kitchen (only the biggest slice ever), mac and cheese container, part of a banana, half a FireHouse sub, and more and more. I bet they laughed when they thought I was being healthy with the "diet" drink and the splenda! This doesn't make me mad, but thought I would throw this in for humor.

5) Excuses... I am guilty of making excuses and not following through with something I need to do. This is a pet-peeve of mine, but I noticed lately I've been doing just that. I am too busy or lazy to do things I want/should get done. For example, I find every excuse to not paint and start my Etsy shop. It's true and I love to paint. I'm too tired to run so I sleep in the AM. I'm too busy to cook so I pick something up that's easy. I'm too frustrated to paint trim so I hire someone else to do it. I want myself to begin to do more of the things I put off. I want to know the value of hard work and the struggle it may be on me. I want to do these things so I can look back and be proud of my own efforts because I gave my very best. Being too hard on myself you say? One of my biggest annoyances is laziness and look what I have gotten in the habit of? Have you ever felt that way?

I hope your Thursday is wonderful. It's gloomy outside and maybe that's why I am being such a nay-sayer. I feel like there might be things that annoy each of us form time to time and I feel better after venting. Thanks for making it through that rant with me. You're a doll!