9.27.2010

Time for a Makeover

Our poor front door, how we have neglected it over the years. We rarely use it, the only time I actually look at it is from coming in after getting the mail. Family and friends always come in through the garage, so it's often an afterthought.

Last year we painted the shutters and had every intent on doing the door as well. But here I am over a year later just now getting around to it. And I can make up a million excuses, most of them involving Natalie, but I had finally decided to tackle it.

Vann had already sanded it for me (THANK YOU) a couple of weeks of ago in hopes to jump start this little project. Saturday Nat and I got up and taped off the windows.Then we had to break for lunch and a nap.

Byron helped me knock out the priming fairly quickly. And then bless his heart, he did all of the first coat Sunday by himself. In hind sight he did it so he could skip the second coat (since Nat would be napping I could do it alone) and he could watch football. But I'll take all the help I can get and come Sunday afternoon I had a freshly painted door and still enough time to goof off out back with Nat.

Keeping Byron entertained while he paints. She kept saying "I see you" and would peek around the corner.

Out back laying on the ground watching the clouds blow by. I know I look like death, but makeup is way overrated on the weekends.


But Nat couldn't sit that still for to long. She decided to mow and rake the back yard. Byron's taught her well :)

"Are you just going to sit there and snap my picture, or help me."

Putting it up just like Byron does in the garage. It took three attempts and she had to move the watering can but she wiggled it in there just perfectly.

9.22.2010

Good Things Come In Small Packages

And in the form of cupcakes!


Last weekend while Flannigan and Suzanne were down she mentioned she saw a GiGi's Cupcakes when they passed the mall. Byron and I had never heard of GiGi's and faintly remembered seeing that sign on our way to Pennies or Dick's. But they raved about it all weekend and even made us get online and check out their flavors.

Tuesday afternoon I decided to surprise Byron with some of these little pieces of heaven. And OH BOY they were just that. They had just switched to their Fall/Winter menu so I didn't get my Key Lime cupcake (something to look forward to next Spring) but the four I came home with have made us believers. They were so yummy and pretty, they deserved their picture taken.


I couldn't choose just one, trust me, I tried. I ended up with Banana Cream Pie, Wedding Cake, Pumpkin Cream and Cookies-n-Cream. The banana one was clearly for Byron and the pumpkin for myself, so we ate those first. The next night we tried the other two. The wedding cake was good, nice and simple. The cookies-n-cream probably would have been better if it were fresher. A night in the fridge kinda dried out the cake, but not enough for me not to eat it again and again and again.


Now we're hooked. We're constantly checking Facebook for specials, happy hours and such. I would just like to thank the Cliffords for telling us about this place and for killing my waistline :)

9.20.2010

34 Reasons Why I Love Byron

**I'm stealing this from Joe, another friend and blogger, but enjoy.

In no particular order:

1. He gives the best hugs.
2. He's one of the best cooks I know.
3. He has a million dollar smile.
4. He gets up with Nat at least one morning on the weekends and lets me sleep in.
5. He'll rub my back without me having to ask him.
6. His chest is the perfect pillow when watching TV in bed.
7. He's the patience one.
8. We hate the same sports teams (Cubs, Cowboys & Duke).
9. He kills spiders for me.
10. He'll let me paint the bedroom whatever color I want.
11. He almost always gives me the "good piece of the chicken".
12. He knows how to order a good wine.
13. He'll answer all my stupid sports questions even during the game.
14. He's never asked me once to mow the yard.
15. He wipes Mulligan's butt.
16. He's taught Natalie how to act like a monkey.
17. His passion for UK basketball.
18. He's knows all the word to Jay-Z "Can I get A...".
19. We have the same sick humor in movies (i.e. SuperBad, The Hangover, Dumb & Dumber).
20. He let's me watch my stupid reality show with little fuss.
21. We're perfectly content with lazy weekends.
22. He has a gazillion dollars saved up on WoW.
23. His cologne.
24. The way he aggravates Natalie and she just dishes right back.
25. He makes me feel safe.
26. He puts up with my back seat driving.
27. He signs his cards "love, me"
28. The way he walks around after a shower in attempt to get my side of the floor wet.
29. Every Friday when we get up he says.."Guess what?... It's Friday"
30. The way he has to be in front of TV right before Faith Hill comes on to sing her SNF song.
31. He uses Nat as an excuse to watch iCarly.
32. He just knows when it's time for me to go home and get my family fix.
33. He's an awesome daddy.
34. He loves every single ounce of me, good and bad.

Happy 34th Birthday Baby. Natalie and I love you more than you will ever know.

9.19.2010

Football, Food and Friends

This weekend we got to spend some long overdue time with some of Byron's college buddies who we haven't seen in years. We used Byron's upcoming birthday as an excuse for all us to get together to catch up and reminiscence about old times.
Flannigan and Suzanne have a toddler as well, so things were a little more child friendly than some of our past get togethers, but fun nonetheless. Scott and Cheri, who recently moved to Jackson and live like 15 minutes from us, came over too. We watched Ole Miss lose (again), grilled out, played some Fusion Frenzy and watched the kids play together.
Of course once Nat woke up and got used to all these strangers she was a total ham. I think she's even made Flannigan want a little girl next time.

Sadly, this was the only picture I got of Natalie and Dade. We were just to busy to think about snapping pictures.

And of course I wanted to try and make Byron a special cake during all the madness. I should have stuck with the original plan of doing a UK cake. I don't think Ole Miss will win another game this year after the way the lost to Vandy. Have I mentioned we're ready for basketball season..LOL


This was a little gift from Flan. Byron earned the nickname Princess while they were roommates. Supposedly Byron always took the longest to get ready before they went out. Too bad Flan started out writing a little to big so it lost some of it's burn.

9.16.2010

Just a Little Off the Top

We took Natalie to the lady that does my hair to get a little trim last night. We're at that in between stage were we kinda need to decide what we are going to do with it. A lot of this decision has always been based on the fact that Nat's never had much hair and is more of a low maintenance (if you will) kinda girl. She doesn't have time to mess with bows, barrettes and all that mess. Nor do Byron and I feel like wrestling a toddler in the mornings. We tend to choose our battles wisely and this was one neither of us felt inclined to push. But her bangs have been tickling her eyes lately which drives me nuts so I can only assume it bothers her too.

She didn't really care for the lady touching her head but she tolerated it. You can't really tell a difference she just trimmed up some of her bangs, left what we will pull to the side and gave her a slight layer in the back so it lays better. She kinda gets that mushroom look in the back with it all one length.

Monday I bit the bullet and went out and bought a pack of barrettes. Those clip and snap kind, very basic. I had read online that sometimes it's easier to put two in the same spot. That way if Nat tries to pull one out she can, but the other is still there and hopefully she will forget about it. Well I think it worked! The first day she kept saying "ouch" every time I got near her head, silly girl. But we're on day 3 and Byron says she usually leaves them alone. We even got fancy this morning and sprayed a little hair spray. To which she replied. "Ohhh" in a good way and smiled that big Cheshire cat grin as she stared at herself in the mirrow.

9.13.2010

Shoes??

As I was putting away Natalie's clothes the other day she was "helping" by opening the drawers for me. When all of sudden, like magic, her eyes got real big and she started screaming "Shoes, shoes." She had found all of last years socks I had tucked away in the back, and it must have been a 19 month old's pot of gold. She dug them all out, sat down and began putting on her shoes.

We had to try on every color all at once. It reminded me of the day when I use to wear two different color slouchy socks that of course coordinated with my outfit of choice. (That just made me feel REALLY old).

9.09.2010

Curious Natalie

In honor of our trip to see Curious George Live and as I had promised in a previous post, here's Natalie acting like a monkey.

9.07.2010

Labor Day Fun with Curious George

Over the weekend we loaded up our little family (dogs included) and headed over to Huntsville. Curious George was making appearance and what a better way to spend a long weekend than with family and a live show.

The girls played really well together. They shared all their toys and even Nana's lap, who was probably worn out (in a good way) from being pulled in all directions. We couldn't have asked for better weather. If the girls were awake they were outside. The only negative all weekend was Ole Miss's loss to Jacksonville State. Byron thinks we should just go ahead and pull the UK flag out now.




Both the girls loved the show, but it was a little long for their attention spans. They did really well, just a clapping and dancing around until intermission, but about another 15 minutes afterwards was all they lasted until we decided to not push our luck and leave.

Natalie was Heather's best bud during the show. She sat in her lap just as much as mine :) Here they are making funny faces for me during intermission.