How times have changed...

This weekend we got together with 4 of my closest college friends and their families. Sarah and Mike hosted us at their fantastic house in College Grove...a good time was had by all and instant friendships were formed between the 6 kids!

The 'older' girls loved playing on the playground...

Adeline smiles in her sunglasses...what beautiful weather we had!

Really...this is the closest picture we got with everyone...next time we need to remember to do that when we first get together! However, much of Saturday was spent outside with our favorite corn dip and beverages!

A kids photo was attempted...not sure where Jack is... Here he is... Really, Adeline took care of all the 'littles'...here she is making sure Savannah has her passy.

And making sure Jack got his dinner! Such a big helper!

Ray enjoyed showing everyone how to properly blow bubbles and

swing the golf club...

Ryan enjoyed watching everyone...

Kate made sure the 'girls' get to dinner safely!

Savannah and Ryan shared some quality time on the play mat!

Looking forward to our next time together!

Enjoying dinner...

With some of the Family at Dinos! Yum!
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Tonight...

I had the best time at GNO with the JLM at The Garden District. It was all about floral design and I was on cloud 9! Greg is a fantastic designer and I loved every minute of the class.

I LOVE how my arrangement looks on my table! Oh, how I miss the floral business!

Finishing the night...

At The Giving Tree Gala for Shelby County Books from Birth...what a fantastic day!
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Then I went to...

The Community Center for Zoo Day! Despite the rain we had a HUGE turnout! The kids loved the 70# snake, but the parents were a different story!
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Started the day

At the library for story time with the MSO...we had a great turn out and it was super fun helping the kids make their own drums!
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Lots has changed

On Sesame Street since Molly and I last watched it! However, they still sell the flags to hang on your wall!

Having fun with Lily

At Sesame Street Live!
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Today's mail

On Monday I got an email from Amazon of the best spring break beach reads...I had to stop myself at 5...
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Happy 7 Years...

to Emily and Caleb. Love you!

I came upon this and fell in love...

Lovin' this picture

Lily and I talked on the phone last night forever. She is so smart...first she gave me an update on her baby doll named Poot, we talked about her going to get flowers and how they are pink, purple and red... we talked about where everyone worked and then we told knock, knock jokes and she laughed and laughed, but she had to let me go because the 'Dr' show was coming on!
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No Cream of Mushroom...

no fear. As I was seasoning my pork chops (after one side was already quick frying in 1T of oil), I realized I didn't have any cream of mushroom, so I thought quick on my feet and whisked together some milk, flour and honey (I have no idea how much of each or why I chose the honey). After quick frying the chops on each side, I removed from the oil to saute some fresh mushrooms, then returned the chops and poured my special sauce over top. I cooked them for 50 mins on low turning every 10 minutes while checking to see if we had some bread for PB&J just in case. Well we both thought they were the best pork chops ever! The pork chops were the boneless ones that are about 1.5" thick and I got them from WalMart, so nothing special...I'm saying it was my special recipe that did the trick! Now for Ray and my dad's sake, I hope my St. Patrick's Day corned beef turns out half as tender! I'm trying a new recipe this year and it is cooking for 2 hrs and 20 minutes tonight and then going to 'rest' till dinner tomorrow night! I'll share the 'beertastic' recipe tomorrow if it is worth sharing!

Now if I can just hit

The Mega Millions tonight it will be my lucky day (because I can go buy an MDX with cash!)!

We spent less than 18...

Hours in Nashville, but we went to Trader Joes and Greenhills, had dinner with Ray's sister and AJ at Broadway Brewhouse, went to the Ryman to see George Jones, out to numerous bars on Broadway with friends and finished with a trip to The Pancake Pantry. Wow, I'm ready for a nap! It was a quick, but fun trip. All my pictures of The Possum are blurry...we had fantastic seats (seriously is there a bad seat in the Ryman? Such a cool place!), but my phone didn't like the dark. I had planned to get a pic from a friend on the front row, but he didn't take any.

Good Morning Buttercup!

YES, I did...

Clever invention...

It's a cupcake holder...Santa gave it to me, but I had not had an opportunity to use it. However, as I was packing my day after birthday lunch of my usual (turkey sandwich on wheat bread, baked chips and yogurt/pudding) I spy ed a left over Muddy's and it made it safely till noon!

Just made my wish...

I'm going to have a sugar high... but Ray either read my blog or remembered on his own, because he just walked in with a Fresh Market cupcake singing Happy Birthday!
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5 Stars for Paulette's

Delicious Food and Delightful atmosphere! I just wish I would have requested the piano player to sing Happy Birthday because I just realized I didn't make a wish this year!
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So, she didn't want to talk to me

This morning...because she wanted it to be her birthday, but she made up for it with this picture!
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Look what else showed up on my desk...

Thanks Jeni! I'm so thankful for the opportunity I was given to lead at Lester and the friendships that I've made in the process are the icing on the cake!!
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Look what was left on my desk...

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CHICAGO...

Just got home from the best girl's weekend in Chicago! We laughed until we cried, shopped until every store on Michigan Avenue closed and ate until we couldn't eat anymore...

We got dressed up and went to fantastic dinners and piano bars (way past our bedtimes)...

The first night we got in late, but we immediately went to Giordano's for a Chicago deep dish! Every place we ate was fantastic...Hugo Frogs Fish Camp, Tavern on Rush and Hub 51.

We went to Molly's Cupcakes in Lincoln Park...I've always wanted to go as it is one of the top 10 cupcake places, but I wasn't that into it...loved sitting in the swings and the chocolate chip cookie dough cupcake was devine, but other than that...Muddy's still has my heart.

We stayed in a cute boutique hotel next door to Nordstroms...which will always be my favorite department store!

The room was fantastic and even came with trendy robes and slippers...

and they left Birthday wine in our room!

We enjoyed shopping, but we also rested our feet and got warm when we could (did I mention it was snowing a blizzard while we were there?).

And on one trip back to our hotel, we hardly fit in the cab with all our packages. Hands down best shopping ever! Such a fun weekend!

Oh how I love a good wedding...

Last weekend I had the honor of helping coordinate the wedding day of Margo and Joel. It was such a joyous, beautiful day and I was thrilled to be a part of it.

The below dress was Ms. Kim's (Margo's mom) wedding dress. The picture on the right is of Margo wearing her mom's dress in their rice field. Margo's very talented sister, Lee, took the gorgeous photo. So special.

With the shades of evening, the Chi Os serenaded Margo...

Now some shots of the fam...The Mullen girls...

Happy Birthday Momma!

Emily and Lily smile with Nonna and her new Happy Everything Plate that they gave her...

Cake and cupcakes...yum!

We went to dinner at a steak house and a man walked around making balloons for kids...Lily told him she wanted a pink flower which was super cute, but he sprayed it with a scent that Lily said stunk!

Lily riding the 'horse' while we waited on our table.

Since I didn't have a baby or a picture of my dogs...

I didn't stay for a signature...really because I was 'H' and it took over 30 mins before they even called B! I was so happy there were so, so many people there. Seriously, Ree started a blog in 2006 and now she has 2 published works and a bazillion blog followers. Super cool if you ask me. I went by myself, so I totally ease dropped on everyone around me and I loved hearing them talk about their favorite recipes and what they were going to tell Ree when they got to meet her...too funny! Anyway, Ree and Marlboro man walked right past me when they came out. Ree stuck out her tongue and told me she was out of breath because she had to climb up from the basement. She started her talk by saying she was totally not a public speakers, which I already knew. She talked about how much she loved Memphis and her lunch at Little Tea Shop, her kids, her husband, her favorite recipes and her camera lenses. I was totally glad I went (but, I was sad I left my camera in my volunteer bag, so had to capture the moment on by blackberry).