The rest of the story...

There was a country band at the festival, so Lily danced around...

When we got back, Nonna and Lily read books...

And Grandpa taught her how to count with her 3 cups...she had a little melt down, so we tried water, sprite and chocolate milk before getting in the car for a drive...she ended up falling asleep, curling up under my arm and holding my finger all night...pure sweetness :)

No worries daddy...

I've got everything under control...

My 1st trip to Success...

I enjoying the Harvest Fest and Nonna got my picture made on a John Deer...

Momma don't worry...

About me...Brookey has no feeling in her arm, but I only woke up once and I'm still sleeping at 7:30 am!

A Weekend with...

Lily! Emily and Caleb are cheering on the Hogs, so Lily came to spend the weekend cheering on the Vols! The only time she got upset was when her balloon slipped off her hand in our living room...I couldn't get it down, so Nonna and Grandpa stopped at the Dollar store and picked up a few more on their way over for dinner...however, when Uncle Ray got home he got it down for us...now she has 3.

Lily looked out the window after Em and Caleb left and again when Nonna and Grandpa left, but she seemed to enjoy herself tonight.

Look momma...

Brookey let's me sit on the counter and have cheese dip with my spaghetti...

Lunch with Gma

And dinner with Lily. What a great day!
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Day with Gma...

What a beautiful sunny day it is in Searcy...taking Grandma out for lunch. She is craving a hamburger...
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Enjoying my Boss's Day Bouquet

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Family Day...

October 13, 2009

On Sunday, the entire family escorted Lily on her first trip to the Pumpkin Patch...a good time was had by all. The farm was way more than I had imagined...weather was beautiful and the homemade pumpkin donuts were delicious.

Chillin' in the pumpkins...

Lily loved her first hayride...

Everything went well, until Caleb put Lily on the pony for her ride...the picture says it all...

A Happy Mexican

Live from the Happy Mexican...Lily loves Cheese dip and chips.

I heart FALL!

Slept with the windows open last night and the house smells wonderful...a crisp autumn morning...which lead to the Arcade for sweet potato pancakes and to the farmers market for some pumpkins. Game day is on and the SEC match ups are oh so good today.

Congrats Redbirds...

October 8, 2009
Enjoyed the night on the Redbirds field with Stephanie and MA...it was a celebration for the Redbirds winning their league! We got to go out to the dug out and tour the locker room. We really do have a nice ball park. We skipped the hotdogs and enjoyed Flying Fish for dinner!
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Easy Dinner...

October 7, 2009

As you know, I love to cook..Italian and Mexican are my favorites, but Italian is not quick so we usually have tacos or fahitas every week! I can tell 'off the shelf' spaghetti/pizza sauce from a mile away (I hate it)...so I usually make spaghetti sauce, stuffed shells and lasagna about once a year and freeze it. However, I was in Kroger and noticed Grasanti offered frozen meat sauce and since that is the meat sauce recipe I make, I decided to try it. It is delicious...like a spaghetti gravy...not super tomatoish, but you could probably add a bit of tomato paste/sauce if you wanted to zest it up. It's so easy, just pick up some fresh spinach for a salad and some bread, boil your pasta and heat your sauce...it taste as if it has been simmering all day! And I've recently been turned onto Emeril's Home style Marina (also only sold at Kroger) that I have been using for homemade pizzas and it taste very fresh (nothing like ragu!).

Lily loves her new toy...

It lights up and spins!

Look who came to visit...

In her Go Vols dress (that is just a little too big)!!! We are headed out to do some shopping.

Just another day on the course...

Posting from the 18th Tee box at TPC Southwind. What a beautiful day...I have a good team and really enjoying myself. So far the quote of the day was from me as I went to pick up one of my balls and someone yelled for me to drop it..."Oh really, we are using my shot!!!"

Last minute practice...

I have to play in a tournament at TPC tomorrow, so Ray popped up his indoor practice net and grass...good thing we don't have a coffee table!

For you...

Mr Gavin! Spent the day at our product expo...I'm exhausted, but it was a very successful show. Also, I came home and our phone and email are fixed! So I'll be back to posting from the computer and not my phone! Hooray!!!

How long does it take to change a tire?

Food and Flight

Sugarland was AMAZING...they are from Atlanta, so I think we got some extra attention! She played all of my favorite songs and despite the flood of a day, there was not a drop of rain during the concert...we sang our heart out. In the encore she played a new song that I'm anxious for her to release as well as Walking On Sunshine...so good!

This morning we went to West Egg Cafe, but after patiently waiting 45 minutes with no table, we're left, but not before I supported 'cupcake for a cause' and got Lil a souvenir. We went to Flip (Burger Boutique). Our burgers were great and the fried okra and fried bread and butter pickles were yummy. I guess the owner was the runner up on Top Chef.

Then we went to Limetree (Tracy...can you believe I didn't buy anything?). Now I'm at the airport waiting for my flight...so far this has been an uneventful hour at the airport!

Live From Sugarland

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Rain boots and ponchos...

Spent the day shopping in Atlanta...such a great Macys, Crate & Barrel, Anthropology, but Nordstroms needs new buyers... such a disappointment (except for the delicious salads at the cafe)...we spent most of the time looking for rain boots and ponchos for the concert tonight, but since the flood of the century just came through everything was picked over. So nice to come home to appetizers and drinks waiting...Thanks Dan. Prosciutto and Asparagus Sushi rolls are amazingly light and tastey. Looking forward to spending time in Sugarland...

I hope my night was as entertaining for you as it was for me!

Good Night

Sorry to leave you hanging...I made it and Torrey and Dan were waiting...enjoyed an absolutly delicious dinner at ONE...steak frites! Beautiful house and deck!

A Biscoff Cookie and life is good...

Update...Ms guitar player wears a padded glove over her right hand...I'm on fire as the guy next to me is putting off major HEAT.

Yes...I'm a first class snob...I admit it...not sure if I can fly coach again.

Fyi...read this post from the bottom to the top...I'm texting to my blog, so I remember this...because I'm so about to block it from my memory!

No upgrade today...Boo Delta. Normal lady next to me, but large man in the middle!!! I hope I can fall asleep on this flight... score 1 for me...

On standby for an upgrade...hope Delta pulls through this time...really liked NW better.

Man next to me just threw his bag in my lap...plane is here...ready to get this flight over with. Might have to get a drink to make it!

omg...Lady next to me has a bone...she is trying to determine what type animal (or person) it belonged to. So glad I don't travel weekly anymore...

Guitar player doesn't shake hands...this is a strange crowd. Hope these clouds lift soon.

At airport headed to Hotlanta for the weekend! Can't wait to go shopping and see Sugarland with Torrey (and Dan)! Full flight and guitar player entertainig!

Catch Up

September 22, 2009
Hooray...our internet is working again. So, lets play catch up...On Thursday, Ray was able to secure 30 lbs of chicken wings from Charlie, so we had everyone over for the TN/FL game on Saturday. The wings were excellent...Thanks Ray! For some reason, I can't get images to load, so I'll try to add some later.

On Sunday, we went to visit Grandma Deen. She really hasn't been doing well lately, but we helped her get up and get a shower and get dressed. We even got her into the car for a short drive around Searcy.
Last night, I went with some friends from work to see The Chorus Line at the Orpheum. We started with dinner at McEwens...they have 'little plates' and while the portion was tiny and the mahi mahi was delic. The show was great, I love watching people preform.

A Big Thank YOU!

September 18, 2009
Dear Cleaning Fairy (aka Molly), Thank you so much for surprising me with a clean house. It was the best way to end a long week...a clean house and new candle.

Yes we did...

September 17, 2009
Go to Chick-fil-A the day it opened! Horray for the new midtown location. Jerra and I were so excited, we went during lunch and even got our picture made with the cow. It was packed, but they were well staffed and the line went super fast. The food was great!

4 Years...

September 16, 2009
Happy 4th Anniversary to us! Celebrating at Restaurant Iris. Our internet is down (something about rain), so I'll post an update soon.

Cupcakes...

September 13, 2009
A few weeks ago, Jennifer and I enjoyed a Sunday afternoon at the Viking Cooking School...we learned about my favorite subject...cupcakes (& cake balls-which I will leave out, because I think they are disgusting!). Our instructor was great and even served us a delicious quiche during our break. We made Caramel Apple Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing, Caribbean Carrot Cake Cupcakes with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream, Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes with Ganache as well as practiced decorating techniques with fondant, marzipan (check our my adorable carrots and apples) and decorator's frosting. So much fun and all of the cupcakes were delicious. I think we are going to take cake decorating next!

Sorry Loosers...

September 12, 2009
if you add 'friends' to my napkins...you get our afternoon. We had no plans for the game...we debated a last minute trip to Knoxville, but Ray was already dreading the drive home if we lost, so we stayed home...and at the last minute we decided to get together with some friends at our house...I didn't take any pictures, but I'll post some when Kembree posts hers. Everyone is requesting for Ray to cook hot wings next week...we shall see...

Thought of the day...

September 10, 2009
well, the week/month...Compliments of my coworker/friend's mom...

Three days of pure

September 6, 2009

BLISS...we watched SEC football all day on Saturday...I live for Saturdays in the fall. While I've had a hard time imagining TN football without Fulmer (I wonder if he was at the game yesterday?)...TN did not disappoint...must say Crompton looked better than ever and we have some exciting freshman...next week will be the true story, but so enjoyed the game and the new SEC network rocks. Today, I went with the fam to visit Grandma. Gma was been in the hospital this week and when we got there, she was not doing well at all, but she seemed better as the day went on.

Of course, all the ladies loved Lily...Lily likes to wash your hair...see below as she is washing Nonna's...

Lily read us some books...

It's Football Time...

September 4, 2009
in TENNESSEE! GO VOLS! SEC football kicked off last night and I am beyond thrilled. With football comes tailgates and with tailgates comes dips...I've never participated in a blog tour before, but I could not resist the opportunity to jump on Boomama's dip tour that I read about on Kelly's Korner.

I'm usually asked to bring corn dip (x's 3!), but I love:

Molly's Crawfish Dip
1 T Minced Garlic
1 Bag of Frozen Crawfish Tails
4 Green Onions (chopped)
2 Containers of Boursin Cheese in Herb Flavor
2 8 oz Cream Cheese
Cayenne Pepper to taste

Saute garlic, green onions and crawfish tails over medium heat. Add cheeses and mix until melted and bubbly. Add Cayenne Pepper to taste. Serve with Frito's or pita chips. Enjoy!

No, not us...

September 2, 2009

So thankful to say that last nights harbor town fire was not us...it was on the street in front of us...thank you for all your calls and concerns. The fire is being blamed on a faulty air conditioning connection. Two houses were burned. It could have gotten much worse, but seems the Memphis Firemen have special training on zero lot line fires. Thank you Memphis Fire Department!

No not me...

August 31, 2009
No way did I wait till the day my car tags expired to do anything about it...nor did I get up before the sun, so that I could be in the vehicle inspection line by 6:30 am...only to learn that my emergency break needs to be adjusted (oh and my Hydrocarbon levels are high)...then to find out the Downtown County Clerks Office doesn't open till 8 am...no I didn't work through lunch, so that I could 'let the lunch crowd thin out' only to wait in a line that was out the door at 2pm, just so I could pay $106 to drive on the streets of Memphis...thankfully Arden was in my same boat, so I at least had a friend to wait in the line with. Thanks Arden!


My very long day got much better when I met Janis for a 3 mile walk and then she stayed for dinner and some delicious pumpkin coffee and cupcakes (I made during my Cooking class yesterday (I'll save my class experience for another post!)).