The Little Things...

We made it!

2011-12-16T21:08:00.000-06:00

So, for the past 5 months we have been keeping a final countdown on our bathroom mirror with a dry erase marker. Yesterday, this is what it said:

The Final Countdown: 1 Day!

And when I woke up this morning, this is what it said:

I love my husband. :)

We graduate tomorrow. I get an MBA. Noel gets his JD.

Our house is a disaster and we are moving on Monday.

And we couldn't be happier.

That is all. :)

Noel's Birthday

2011-08-14T15:18:00.001-05:00

I married an old man. Just kidding. He's actually a few months younger than me...but we're both getting old fast. Time seems to pass more quickly as I get older, or maybe I just can't remember things anymore so it just seems that way. Either way, turning 29 was kind of a slap in the face for me and I think for Noel as well. It hurts to know that you only have one more year in your twenties, but it helps to know that this promises to be a year full of wonderful changes in our lives.

Noel said that he didn't want a gift from me for his birthday, so instead I did something sappy, mushy, and very sentimental. While Noel slept in, I blew up 29 balloons and hung them all up in his office. On each balloon I wrote something I love about him. Let's just say I'm happy he's not any older than 29....I don't think I could have blown up any more balloons. :) It made for a very cheerful room and happy husband...all for less than $5.

After Noel saw his surprise he took his mother to the gun range. Yep, you read that right the first time. Susie and Noel went to the range. She's a Pistol Packin' Mama. Check out his post here. :)

After they finished at the range, I met them at Cocina for a birthday lunch.

Happy Birthday Noel!

Hope it was a memorable one.

Family

2011-08-08T22:45:00.000-05:00

Bet you thought I dropped off the face of the earth huh? :)

Thought I would distract you with a few fun pictures from my nephew Bryce's 2nd birthday party while I work on an update on my 30 before 30 list. Time is running out. I might stay 29 for another year.

On a much less depressing note...my sweet, adorable, lovable nephew turned 2! We had a blast at the party...

My grandfather was there. He's still recovering from surgery. Needless to say it was great to see him there and melted my heart to see him eating lunch with Bryce.

Go ahead Bryce...sneak that frosting before we light the candle. No one's watching!

Blue icing all over...I love the bottom left pic. "Don't move till I wipe you clean!"

Happy day. Happy family. Happy Devon.

Oz

2011-04-28T12:37:00.005-05:00

**UPDATE**

The death toll has now reached 250 for AL. Over 500 are still missing.

362 tornadoes in only 48 hours.

************

I realize that it has been a long time since I've posted...I'm sorry!

My life has been pretty full in the last two months, my grandfather had a stroke in March (which makes my heart burst every time I think of them, so I won't post about it now- but you can read a sweet post my husband wrote here.), Noel and I have also been studying hard for exams that start this week (praying we still have a few brain cells that survive the next 2 weeks!), my cousin Melissa is preggers (yay for the little bean!!), and last night we had a close call with losing everything.

My heart goes out to everyone in Alabama who lost someone they loved or their homes in the tornadoes that ripped across the state. The death toll for AL alone is currently at 194 and they are still recovering bodies this morning. Numerous tornadoes swept through our area, the biggest and most deadly one devastated Tuscaloosa, Pleasant Grove, and Platt City- only 7 miles from our home.

I just wanted everyone to know that we are ok. I'm currently at work (Samford wasn't hit and still has electricity). We don't have electricity yet at home but consider ourselves extremely blessed to be spared this tragedy and only wish we could say the same for the hundreds of people who have been affected. Love you all!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Classic Banana Bread

2011-02-19T10:56:00.000-06:00

A Saturday morning when you can sleep in, bake banana bread and hang out with your favorite person is pretty close to perfect. This banana bread recipe comes from my mom. It comes out perfectly almost every time. Try it- you'll see.

Classic Banana Bread

1 3/4 cup flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp of baking soda, baking powder and salt
5 Tb melted butter
2-3 bananas
2 eggs
Optional: Add a handful of walnuts or chocolate chips

Melt butter and mash in bananas, beat in eggs. Dump all dry ingredients in the bowl and mix. (You could sift all the dry ingredients together but I never bother with this recipe.) Pour into baking pan and bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Or if baking two smaller loaves, reduce bake time to about 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Choosing Pleasant Is Smart

2011-02-18T15:28:00.004-06:00

“Years ago, my mother used to say to me, she’d say, ‘In this world, Elwood, you can be oh so smart, or oh so pleasant.’ Well, for years I was smart… I recommend pleasant. You may quote me.” - Elwood P. Dowd (Jimmy Stewart), Harvey.

Awesome article...Choosing Pleasant Is Smart

I highly recommend you take a moment to read it. And then live it. :)

Have a pleasant Friday.

Today's Little Thing...

2011-02-17T12:25:00.000-06:00

Walk-in closets that are big enough to lay down in when you have a migraine. Yay for no windows, clothes that absorb all the sound and a kitty who sneaks in and snuggles with me.

Obviously, I'm feeling better a little better now. So while the vice around my head is continuing to loosen, here is some closet eye candy...

Via

Field of Fireflies

2011-02-15T09:48:00.000-06:00

Have you ever woken up with a memory or image in your head that instantly took you back in time? I absolutely love when I remember something from my childhood that I hadn't thought about in years. I woke up yesterday morning remembering this...

No...not (just) a spotty photo I found on Google Images...it's a field of fireflies.

I used to sneak out at night and go for long walks. I wouldn't do anything bad...I just wouldn't be able to sleep so I would walk through the woods or up the road until I got tired. (Was I weird or what? Who does that?!)

Our house was nestled back in the woods and we had a long curving gravel driveway so no one could see our house from the road...no street lamps. Just moonlight and when the weather was right the entire field would light up with fireflies. Like thousands of twinkling lights. I swear no camera can capture what I used to sit and watch.

At times like that I felt closest to God. To know that he created something so absolutely beautiful was confirmation that He existed to me. The more I studied biology and the complexity of creation the more I became convinced that it was intelligent design. So thanks be to God for giving me the little things...like the memory of a field full of fireflies.

Up and Away!

2011-02-07T09:54:00.000-06:00

Have you seen the Disney Pixar Film Up? If you haven't you should run out and rent it today.

Noel and I went and saw Up! when it was in the theater...and we absolutely loved it. In fact, we bought it as soon as it was out on DVD and every time we watch it we are moved to tears. I guess we both have hopes and plans to travel, but since we are both in school that adventure fund is drained pretty quickly just like Carl and Ellie's Paradise Falls fund is depleted again and again by life's misadventures.

In the mean time we are enjoying married life and loving each other's company. I guess we just relate to Carl and Ellie and admire the child-like joy they find in each other and life in general. One thing that Carl and Ellie have in the movie is their "Adventure Book." They dream of going to a place called Paradise Falls and use the book to record their adventures and plans.

Since we saw the movie we've always had our own version of an "Adventure Book" that sits in our living room. Anytime we see a place on TV or hear about a place from a friends, we write it in our book.

We organize it my city so that we can visit some of these places if we happen to be traveling there. Hopefully one day we can check off most adventures and write more about our experiences to complete the pages.

Here's to living life like there's no tomorrow...

Happy Birthday Mom!

2011-02-06T20:48:00.001-06:00

I'll never forget the time we threw you a surprise party and Noel tried to take off his fleece and instead of just the fleece he took his t-shirt off too! Hehehe...I bet that's the only year you've ever had a stripper for your birthday. :)

I love you mom- you're always there for me and you are truly my best friend. Happy Birthday!

And as a side note- I had to go all the way back to my bridal shower to get a picture of us together...sad day. Next time I visit you have to get out from behind the camera!!

Homemade Oreos

2011-02-05T21:50:00.000-06:00

Oh. my.

Please make these. Now. When I open up my bakery/organizing business with my sister we will sell these and eat them while sitting on the porches of our neighboring mansions in the Hamptons. Hey, a girl can dream right?

These are super sweet so be sure to have a glass of milk standing by. The Smitten Kitchen never lets me down...

Here's the recipe, via Smitten Kitchen:

Makes 25 to 30 sandwich cookies

For the chocolate wafers:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar [see recipe note]
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg

For the filling:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375°F.
In a food processor, or bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass.
Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately two inches apart. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 9 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool.
To make the cream, place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.
To assemble the cookies, in a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch, round tip, pipe teaspoon-size blobs of cream into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream. Dunk generously in a large glass of milk.

A few notes...I didn't use the full 1 1/2 cups of sugar to the cookie batter- these are really so sweet you only need 1 cup. And add a sprinkle of salt to the filling- it will help cut the sweetness factor a bit. Also, I rolled the dough into small balls (you could use a melon baller if you have one) and then flattened them to the thickness and size desired. Think real oreo size- not too much bigger. The most important thing is to be sure they are small enough to dunk in a glass of milk. :)

Oh- and these are crispy cookies. If you like them a little chewier then you should underbake them- about 7 1/2 minutes if you flatten them out quite a bit like I did.

Enjoy!!

The Little Things and Zombies

2011-02-04T11:20:00.001-06:00

My late class was canceled yesterday due to unexpected ice- yay!! So instead of discussing HR Management, I got to cuddle on the couch with my favorite person and watch Zombieland. Hilarious. :)

Rule #32: Enjoy the little things.

via

My enjoyment this morning came from the perfect cup of tea. I love when it gets cool enough to drink without scalding your tongue but still hot enough to warm me from the inside out on a cold day. I've been on a tea kick lately...can't really stand the taste of coffee right now but I'm sure I will convert back to it by the time final exams roll around. Here are my absolute favorites:

Blackberry Sage Tea

Earl Greyer Tea

Chamomile Lemon
(You must sweeten with honey
and be prepared to take a nap!)

Trudeau Tulip Mug
(My ABSOLUTE favorite mug ever! Thx Holly!)

Sugar & Spice and everything nice

2011-02-03T20:31:00.000-06:00

I've gotten several comments from friends and family about the candied pecans I made as gifts for Christmas, so I thought I would share. (That is I will share the recipe...you have to seriously suck up to me to get these hand delivered.) I bet I made at least 10 batches of these and never got tired of them over the holidays (a great thing for my taste buds...not so good for my hips!)

Courtesy of Smitten Kitchen...

1/3 cup dark-brown sugar
2/3 cup white granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt (I might up this by a 1/2 tsp. next time for more of a sweet/salty balance)
Generous pinch of cayenne pepper (I swapped this with 1/4 teaspoon of hot smoked paprika)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pound walnut or pecan halves or whole peeled hazelnuts
1 egg white, room temperature
1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix sugars, salt, cayenne, and cinnamon, making sure there are no lumps; set aside. Beat egg white and water until frothy but not stiff. Add walnuts, and stir to coat evenly. Sprinkle nuts with sugar mixture, and toss until evenly coated. Spread sugared nuts in a single layer on a cookie sheet fitted with parchment paper. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven, and separate nuts as they cool. When completely cool, pour the nuts into a bowl, breaking up any that stick together.

Please forgive the out-of-focus picture. This is before I got a new camera for Christmas and I was still using my husbands camera that he got years and years and years ago.

May I also suggest that these would make GREAT Valentine's Day treats. :) Here are a few ideas for packaging these up in a lovey-dovey and absolutely adorable way:

via

Valentine's Goodie Bag

via

DIY a Love Chart Pouch

via

Mini Valentine Gift Bags

Enjoy!!

2011 Planning

2011-01-10T21:26:00.002-06:00

It's a futile search...every year I'm on the hunt for the perfect planner, but I never seem to find one that works perfectly for me. So this year I decided that I would take elements from planners of years gone by and create my own customized planner that would work for me this year. 115 pages and a few hours later I was done! Here are a few of my favorite elements that I included...

1) A large monthly planner. I'm not good enough to keep up with a detailed weekly planner- I do much better if I can see the month all together. No kiddos to keep up with...just a husband and crazy school schedules so I don't need too much room. One month spread over two letter size pages works best for me- I'll print these out and have them spiral bound so each month is easily accessible.

2) Monthly Financial Checklists! I've always kept a checklist of bills that need to be paid each month so I decided to incorporate that into my planner this year. I can simply check off each bill as it is paid and I also listed my bills that are auto-drafted so I don't forget that money is flying out of our bank account as fast as Devo's fame faded in the 80's. I also listed our savings goals for the year so I can record our balance and keep track of our progress.

3) Meal Plans! I've added a smaller calendar on the next page that is dedicated to menu planning for that month. I don't bother to plan out breakfast or lunch. (It's always cereal or poptarts and the standard soup or sandwich making ingredients since we pack our lunches.) This smaller calendar is just enough to jot down what's for dinner each night so I can remember what to buy at the store and what to take out of the freezer each morning.

4) Shopping List! I usually do one large shopping trip each month. I can buy all our meat in bulk and separate it into freezer bags and most other ingredients/ snacks/ fruits/ veggies we will need for the month. I also make a short trip every week or two to get milk and bread and to take advantage of any good coupon deals that are going on. It makes it really convenient to have my menu plan on the opposite page as I create my shopping list. And the coupon check list keeps me straight while I'm at the store because I can note how much each coupon is for and if there are any conditions such as buying 2 of the item or a particular size without having to stand in the middle of an aisle and search through my coupon bag.

5) Christmas Gift Giving List! Thanks are due to I Heart Organizing for this idea. I used Jen's downloadable Gift Giving Plan this year and absolutely loved it! So I've added a modified version to my planner to use around Christmas time so I don't forget what I've purchased for who!

6) Address list! I hate searching for addresses when I want to send a card. Inevitably, I can't find an address right away and I forget about what I wanted to send so my friends end up thinking they are unloved. Sad. I really do love you guys and think about you often! I'm just forgetful. *sniff* So maybe this address list will help. I've also added a portion that will allow me to keep up with those who send me Christmas cards and those I send Christmas cards to. It's on my 30 before 30 list. I only have one more Christmas to actually get cards out...the pressure is on!

7) Days to Celebrate List! A place to list birthdays and anniversaries to remember.

8) And last but not least...extra pages for notes are essential!

And because I love you and I hope someone else can use what I've created...here is a free printable version for you! You can print it back and front and have it spiral bound for probably less than $10-15...enjoy!

2011 Planner -

A little off the top please!

2010-12-15T18:08:00.000-06:00

I can finally mark #2 off my list! I ventured to the Richard Joseph salon today to chop about 9 inches of hair. I'll mail it in as a donation to Beautiful Lengths. Why not Locks of Love you ask? (I know that question was just burning in your brain wasn't it?!) Well, simply because I couldn't take it anymore and the minimum for Beautiful Lengths is 8", whereas Locks of Love is 10". Also, Beautiful Lengths donates to both women and children, whereas Locks of Love only donates to children. I realize its a traumatic experience for either women or children to lose their hair and appreciate that it will go to someone in need.

Here are the before pics:

I have to say that Noel has been going to Richard Joseph Salon since we came to Birmingham a year and 1/2 ago. He raves about it every time, but of course I've been growing my hair out for 1 1/2 years so I was excited to finally see what all the hub bub was about. Here is the salon:

And here is the cafe where I sat and had coffee (Noel usually has a meal when he goes but I was running late and anxious to get my hair cut!) Oh- and by the way- all food and drinks are complimentary.

And here is where Kevin cut my hair after I had the MOST AMAZING shampoo! Seriously- I've been to spas before but this was awesome. Full head massage, hot steamy towel, even a neck rub with some seriously yummy smelling, cooling peppermint oil. Oh- and they also cleaned my wedding rings for me while they spoiled me rotten. :)

And (drum roll please!)..........here are the after pics:

Whatcha think?

So...I've got a paper to write.

2010-12-11T20:53:00.000-06:00

So of course I reorganized my guest room closet this morning! Yeah, the whole procrastination thing is kicking my butt. Finals are next week, I haven't done my Christmas shopping and can't even get into the "Christmas spirit" yet. But I do feel so much better now that this closet is clean!! Check out my embarrassing before photos...

And after a few hours, here are the after pics...

And a few more...

I used this old hanging closet organizer to store our office supplies for easy access and used the empty space behind the organizer to store our beach towels since we don't have a linen closet (and the balls on the top are for pool volleyball games in the summer- so fun!).

Each bankers box is labeled: one for each year of law school, one for crafts, photographs, cables, wedding items, etc. I also made a box for Noel and one for myself for us to keep any personal sentimental items that we just can't quite bear to part with.

After cleaning the closet I shredded a bunch of old paperwork and organized my file cabinet. Then I cleaned the kitchen and decided to make a few yummy treats too. Then I decided to share my day with you. Because well, I love you. And I still haven't started my paper. Lord help me.

30 before 30

2010-11-13T08:44:00.003-06:00

It's not so far off...my 30th birthday is approaching like a runaway train. I only have a little over a year to accomplish everything on my list and there are some biggies! Then again, I might just stay 29 forever. It would be nice to stay under 30 forever right?! No wrinkles, no body aches or joints popping when I get out of bed, no early bedtime....wait. No. That's me at 28. Nevermind. I haven't really decided yet. But that's not the point. Where was I? Oh yeah...the point is that 30 is quickly approaching and I have a few goals I'd like to see happen. Some are silly, some are serious, some are close to impossible. The due date? January 3, 2012.

Cook at least one recipe from each cookbook I own
(I counted...that's 11 cookbooks, 25 if you include the magazines I've saved and marked recipes in. I just said "books" right?)
Donate to Beautiful Lengths (I'm getting there...I'm officially tired of long hair, tangles and getting hair pinned under my bag straps or in the car window- yeah, that hurt. I think a few more months and I'll have 8 inches without having to go too incredibly short.)
~~Buy a DSLR Camera (Nikon S3100)~~
Bake croissants from scratch
Graduate with an MBA
Consolidate and organize student loan payments
Visit Washington DC with Noel
(He's never been! Can you believe it?!)
Move out of Birmingham, AL
(yes please!)
Keep a plant alive longer than 6 months
(I may have to invest in a cactus. Seriously. It's bad.)
Switch to Truvia or Splenda in my coffee
Run 20 minutes straight without dying
(Yes- literally, dying. I see it as a very real possibility.)
~~Create travel map display~~
(Done! I started writing this list a few weeks ago and couldn't wait to finish this one.)
~~Sleep in until 9am~~ I slept until 9:03am over Christmas break- then got up and did a happy dance! :)
(It's harder than it used to be. I'm usually up no later then 7:30 when I try to sleep in.)
Sell something(s) I own for at least $200 (to be used for #3!)
Take my nephew on an outing
See a ring on my sister’s finger
(No pressure here! Just want you to know that I wholeheartedly approve. So Andrew- make it a big one!)
~~Buy a party dress~~ Received one for Christmas and wore it out for New Years!
(I don't think I've ever really owned a fun party dress. Sad, I know.)
Get Noel to take me to Ikea
(This is the one that seems impossible-but I'll make it happen! Just wait and see!)
Read a book of Noel’s choosing
Visit 3 places in our travel book
(We have a travel book we leave on the table in our living room. Anytime we see a place we want to visit on TV we write it down. It's mostly restaurants from the travel channel! What can I say? Food inspires us.)
Visit Janine & Josh and meet Keagan
(He's the cutest rollie pollie kid ever! I mean Keagan, not Josh. :) Check out their blog here.)
Have a couponing trip where I save at least $25 and spend less than $5
~~Create my own home management notebook~~
Get a massage…make that 2 massages
Sell something on Etsy
~~Organize the office closet (It's scary in there.)~~
Host a party in our little apartment
Update address book and send Christmas cards
Complete a Rubik’s cube without removing the stickers
Buy multi-colored Christmas lights
(I like white lights, Noel likes colored lights. I told Noel we can buy colored Christmas lights when we have kiddos.)

Remember when...

2010-11-07T08:26:00.001-06:00

Hey hubby...Remember when we left for our honeymoon and before we arrived in FL our tire blew out and we spun around 4 times across 4 lanes of heavy traffic on the interstate and landed facing the right way on the shoulder? Or the time we packed all we had and moved to Wake Forest, NC with no jobs and only about $1,500 to our names? Or the time we went to Asheville and ate at the Early Girl Eatery downtown? Or the time we went on that cruise and won $140 in the casino? I do...and I hope that I never forget the travels that we have had together.

My travel maps are a total knockoff inspiration thanks to Young House Love. (I love those crazy kids!) All it takes are a few frames, printed maps, map pins, and a good memory to recall where you have been. I got my frames at Hobby Lobby- 50% of course. (If you buy anything at Hobby Lobby that's not 50% off you paid too much.) They are actually display frames so they already had a linen backing that I pinned my printed maps to. Easy peezy lemon sqweezy!

The top map is for our world travels (we stick pins in each country or region we visit) and the bottom one is of the US (we stick pins in destination places- not places we have traveled through, sorry- rest stops don't count!). I want us to visit every state and my goal is to try to visit a new state each year. Noel and I both love to travel and have both been all over the US and several places around the world but we decided to only indicate where we have been together. So hopefully in 50 years our maps will be full of pins!

Craigslist Find!

2010-11-06T17:44:00.002-05:00

I've been bugging Noel for awhile to get a chair for our bedroom, and a few weeks ago I fell in love with an old vintage rocker I found on Craigslist. So I emailed...and was disappointed to find out that someone else had already promised to buy. A week later (thanks to a persistent Craigslist seller!) she emailed me back because "that someone" never showed to pick it up! Yay for me!! I think I did an Elaine from Seinfeld dance when I found out.

Noel was sweet enough to drive me there and help me load it up. So for only $60 we got a great rocking chair that now lives in our bedroom. I rock in it every morning because I love it so. And Jasper loves to rock with me so we have our quiet morning snuggles there. Awww...sweet spoiled rotten kitty.

See...he loves it!

And did you see those maps in the top photo...that post is coming soon!

And just in case you didn't notice my awesome roses...

My sweet husband got them for me "just because".

Organizing/Procrastinating: It happens often in my house.

2010-11-02T14:19:00.002-05:00

I recently had a week where I had a Management presentation of a paper (Tuesday), Marketing group paper and presentation (Wednesday), and a Finance mid-term (Thursday) all in one week. PLUS a lectureship at work which lasted three days. Guess which days? Yep- Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

So what do I decide to do on the Saturday before this awful week?

Yep, you guessed it. I reorganized my buffet! Procrastinate much?

What can I say, I work better under pressure.

Our buffet holds all my cookbooks, our junk drawers, fine china and my morning drawer which includes my hair dryer, makeup bag, mirror and flat iron. (I get ready in the dining room so I don't wake up Noel with my hair dryer.) Hey- when you live in a little apartment you do what works and combine things like junk and fine china. Don't judge.

Here are the cabinets on each side:

And here are the three drawers:

Junk, junk and more junk. I even found a disposable camera from 2007. Who knows what's on it?!

Jasper decided he would help too. I hope his little tail knocked some dust out of that cabinet.

Here are the beautiful after pics- side by side with the before pics for comparison:

The left cabinet holds my cookbook collection and a Longaberger basket that holds all of my coupons (thanks to my bro and sis-in law for that Christmas gift!) and extra recipe cards, etc are neatly stacked next to it.

The right cabinet didn't change a bit but did get a good dusting so I won't bore you with that.

Here are a few pics of the drawers:

Also, on top of the buffet, a little plate holds out keys and don'tforgetthisasyougooutthedoor stuff. I make Noel's lunch most days and leave it in the fridge for him. He forgets it sometimes so I try to put a sticky note above the doorknob to remind him as he goes out the door. I hide my sticky note under our plate so I can just re-use it. I love post-its. Seriously- love. :)

I don't know about you but I can breath better when I'm organized. You?

No?! Just me?

Ummm...k.

The 90th Birthday Surprise!

2010-11-01T13:55:00.000-05:00

Noel's grandmother, Henrietta Bagwell (aka MamaGran), turned 90 on October 2, 2010. We threw her a huge surprise party at the Rose Garden Inn which was well attended by her wonderful friends and family, not only from Tennessee, but also from Illinois, Florida and several other states. She is a well loved, classy, beautiful woman who deserves all the happiness in the world and I'm so glad we could throw her a birthday bash to remember!

Here are a few highlight from the party...she had no idea until she walked through the door and saw her family from out of state. Her first response was, "What are you doing here?!" :)

One of the projects we did for the party was to display a few of the LIFE magazine covers from the past 90 years. It was amazing to go through the photos and see all that she has seen and experienced since 1920!

I promise...I'll upload better photos later this week. :)

Another project that we did was a map of all her travels. MamaGran has been all over the world so that was exciting to see where she has been in the last 90 years.

This project actually inspired me to create a smaller version for the travels Noel and I have had and will have in the future. I'll share that with you later this week too.

And finally....a shameless plug for the Rose Garden Inn. If you are looking for an event center in Clarksville, TN, the Rose Garden Inn is a wonderful venue with good food and nice facilities. Check them out on Facebook.

Hope your 90th year is the best one yet MamaGran!!

Happy Halloween!

2010-11-01T12:32:00.000-05:00

Our tribute to The Office. Does it get any scarier than Dwight Shrute?

Dwight Schrute: "I don't have a lot experience with vampires, but I have hunted warewolves. I shot one once. But by the time I got to it, it had turned back into my neighbor's dog."

My current crush...

2010-10-31T22:16:00.000-05:00

My sister-in-law once said she would eat poop for a Nissan Altima, and while I wouldn't quite go THAT far- I would totally work a second job to afford this beauty! I've been saving since my birthday last year for a camera. The Nikon D3100 was just released in September and is getting great reviews from the amateurs out there. It not only has 14.2 Megapixels but also has video capabilities to record in Full 1080p. Maybe one more year of saving and I can share some awesome pics with you. I heart it.

I'm baaaack!

2010-10-14T13:14:00.000-05:00

Did you think I went to Mexico and drowned?! I know, I know...it's been waaaay too long since I blogged and my sister totally called me out on it again.

So just to catch you up...here are a few pictures from the cruise. We stopped in Grand Cayman, Isla Roatan, Belize and Cozumel. It was an awesome time with my family- thanks so much to my parents for letting us tag along!

Noel and I at dinner- I think I gained 5 pounds from the awesome food!

Me and my sister, Allison- isn't she beautiful?!

My ugly feet. :) Relaxing on the deck at sunset.

We even went for a zip-line tour in Isla Roatan!

Life is busy with work, grad school, and family. We recently threw a surprise 90th birthday party for Noel's grandmother so I'll update you soon with new pictures and a few projects we had going on for that. I'm also DYING to organize a few closets in the house so maybe I'll have a few organizing posts soon. But for now, I have a Finance mid-term, Marketing paper/presentation and Management presentation all next week. So I'm off to hit the books! Love you all!

Cruise!

2010-05-12T09:34:00.000-05:00

Finals are done and summer classes are less than three weeks away, but only four more days and we will be on our way to the Caribbean. A whole week...sipping margaritas by the pool, reading a good book and enjoying the sunshine. Our flight leaves at an ungodly hour on Sunday morning...but it will be worth it!

Noel and I will also be able to celebrate our 4th anniversary while we are on vacation. I am the luckiest woman in the world. Time has flown by since we got married in 2006. We've moved 4 times, lived in 3 different states, pursued 4 different degrees, worked 5 different jobs but it feels as though I just married him yesterday and we are still on our honeymoon. Enjoying this time in our lives...

You're stuck with me...

2010-05-12T09:19:00.001-05:00

Ms. M Lady has a name!!

2010-05-07T11:19:00.002-05:00

Noel took me out to lunch earlier this week so I was fortunate enough to catch the latest installment of Ms. M Lady's fashion...are you ready for this? Because I wasn't...

She has a kid- just in time for Mother's day! Not to mention a spring dress that made me believe I was back in the late 80's. Fabulous.

AND to top it all off I discovered that I am not the only one who stalks Ms. M Lady...she has her own facebook page.

AND she actually has a name. World...meet Jackee.

AND my boss sent me an article about the owner...so if you would like to burst this mysterious bubble click here. But I'll warn you- sometimes a mystery is much more fun. :)

Ewww...Diaper Cake

2010-05-07T11:08:00.007-05:00

Good morning! Thought I would update you on my latest little craft project. The first time I mentioned that I would be making a diaper cake to my husband his reaction was one of total disgust. I wish I had a camera to catch his face, "Why would anyone want to eat anything out of a diaper?! That's gross!" Tee hee. Love him.

I've made several diaper cakes in the past but here are pics of the two most recent ones:

This one was for a co-worker in North Carolina.

And this one posted below was for my best friend from high school- Janine. She looks gorgeous! Noel and I wish her, Josh and baby Keagan many blessings in the coming years...lots of changes but ~~exhausting~~, ~~smelly~~, wonderful and exciting ones!

YES!

2010-05-07T11:08:00.001-05:00

One day, when I can build my own home, I will have this. LOVE!

Update on the Ms. M. Lady

2010-04-29T11:48:00.000-05:00

Hello all!

So I have to admit. Usually the she gets a new outfit every two weeks or so but she showcased that purple gown for quite a while. So...I got a little antsy over the weekend and I dropped a note in the mailbox of the Mannequin Lady house telling them I was quite tired of the purple and I thought she deserved something new. Does that make me weird? obsessed? crazy? Probably all of the above. But it worked! Noel and I drove by a day or two later and she has a new little sequined pink gown. Ha!

Random...

2010-04-29T11:26:00.002-05:00

At first glance I absolutely love this picture...and then I think,
"It must take forever to clean those shelves."

Happiness.

2010-04-14T13:26:00.000-05:00

The Mannequin House

2010-04-12T16:30:00.002-05:00

Ms. Mannequin Lady meet the world....world meet Ms. Mannequin Lady.

Sorry for the poor quality of this picture...it was a drive by shot with my cell phone through the passenger side window of my car. If you squint really hard you can make out the image of my mannequin lady. She is wearing a beautiful purple gown today.

There is a small house on the way to the grocery store in our area of town that displays this mannequin in their huge window by their front door (and to be honest it's not the closest or most convenient grocery store to go to but I like to go out of my way every week or so to check in on Ms. Mannequin). Sometimes at night she has a spotlight. :) She changes outfits every few days. For Easter she was sporting a bright yellow sun dress and hat. Sometimes she wears different accessories...a hat or purse every now and then. She mostly wears dresses but sometimes wears pants. And she always has a fabulous diva pose.

As disturbing as this may sound we have become friends, Ms. Mannequin and I. She waits patiently for me to pass by and I eagerly look forward to seeing what she will be wearing each week. Now her owners on the other hand....well, lets just say I prefer not to ever meet them. I mean come on...it's weird to spotlight a mannequin in the front of your house and play dress up like a 7 year old girl with her Barbie dolls.

Just wanted to share my Birmingham adventures with you today. I'm sure she may pop up again so I can share her many outfits with you...happy *weird* Monday. :)

So in love...

2010-04-01T16:10:00.000-05:00

Having a much better week for those who read my last post. It was comical how bad my week was. Oh well...such is life. Smile and move on right?! Getting ready for the Easter holidays. Won't be able to go home but very much looking forward to spending time with my hubby. I see a trip to the botanical gardens and English Village in our future. :)

Forgive the sober content of this post, but I found this today and couldn't resist sharing...

It makes my eyes tear up. This diary entry was all that was written by Teddy Roosevelt on the day that his first wife Alice died. She was 22 and he was only 25. She died on Feb. 14- the 4 year anniversary of their engagement announcement. His mother died the very same day in the same house. He was so distraught that he never mentioned her in public ever again. Although he did write this at a later date:

"She was beautiful in face and form, and lovelier still in spirit; As a flower she grew, and as a fair young flower she died. Her life had been always in the sunshine; there had never come to her a single sorrow; and none ever knew her who did not love and revere her for the bright, sunny temper and her saintly unselfishness. Fair, pure, and joyous as a maiden; loving , tender, and happy. As a young wife; when she had just become a mother, when her life seemed to be just begun, and when the years seemed so bright before her—then, by a strange and terrible fate, death came to her. And when my heart’s dearest died, the light went from my life forever."

So in love.

Today was NOT my day.

2010-03-25T18:13:00.000-05:00

My wonderful and beautiful little sister has informed me that it is time to update my blog. She's right. I've neglected you blog- I am truly sorry. So I thought I would tell you a little about my day...

5:30- alarm goes off. Snooze. Till 7am- holy crap! Running late. Get in my car to discover that the passenger side window was left wide open ALL night. **ahem-Noel-ahem** The forecast last night? Thunderstorms. Seat and door are soaking wet. Decide to think about the positive- at least it wasn't the driver's side and I didn't have to sit in a puddle on the way to work right? Right. I get to work and my boss lets me take off to try and dry out my car and vacuum the water from my seat. He's pretty cool like that. Rest of the morning is pretty boring other than fighting with the slow internet connection at work which I really hated because my project right now entails looking up 500 church websites and searching for information to put into a database. Ugh.

Lunch. Yay! Soup. I try to open the top and can't. Noel is there so he starts to open it for me and when I go to take it completely off I spill it all over my jacket sleeve and hand. Great. I smell like minestrone soup for the rest of the day.

End of the workday! I jet set outta there and head to Subway cause I am really craving an Italian BMT. I get home and sit down and then my phone reminds me that I forgot to set up for a class that is happening in one hour. Crap. Run out to the car and back to work.

Finish setting up for the class and head out to my car. Not a drop of rain. Half-way to my car I look up towards the football field across the street and I see a wall of water. Yes. A WALL of water coming at me and fast. So what else could I do? I let two little words escape my mouth in front of the chapel of the divinity school, "OH SHIT." My only choice is to take off in a full sprint (in heels mind you) in hopes of making it to my car before the rain hits. I didn't make it. 5 seconds too late and I am soaked. See through shirt, squishy shoes, soaked denim- the whole nine yards. And (just so God could get a little chuckle I'm sure) I travel less than a mile down the road and the rain stopped completely.

So- that was my day- how was yours? My Subway is still waiting for me on the coffee table so I am going to go sit down my dry pjs while my hair drips onto the couch and enjoy *hopefully* a quiet night watching my guilty pleasure shows. (Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice and the Office- you know you love them too!)

An Ice cream WONDERLAND!

2010-02-22T10:31:00.000-06:00

On our way home last night my wonderful husband wanted to stop at Yogurt Mountain, a local soft serve frozen yogurt place here in Birmingham. (For the record- I was only going to have fruit for dinner- he made me do it!) This was a first time experience for Noel and I- but definitely not our last!

This place is a magical wonderland of sweets (and a diabetic's nightmare!). As I walked in I noticed that everyone walking out had huge cups of ice cream- and when I say huge I mean overflowing the 16oz cups provided by Yogurt Mountain. I thought, "Gee- I sure hope they have a child's portion- that way too much!" Let me tell you- I had to eat my words. When you go in it is all self serve (pay by the ounce). An entire wall is dedicated to soft serve machines with flavors ranging from your traditional vanilla and chocolate to pomegranate, espresso, peanut butter, banana pudding- you name it and they had it. Then you turn around and another wall is dedicated to the toppings. OH the toppings!! They had every cereal and candy imaginable- even fruit and hot toppings. SO hard not to go overboard. I seriously watched my husband become an excited 10 year old kid again.

We had lots of fun and will definitely be back- after we work off all we ate last night...

Noel's impressive list: Chocolate, peanut butter, and banana pudding yogurt with Twix, Reese's, chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, vanilla wafers, hot caramel sauce, and a bunch of other stuff (I lost count- as I mentioned- he quickly morphed into the excited 10 year old- precious!)

Devon's list: Chocolate, peanut butter and espresso yogurt with Coco Crispies, peanut butter chips and Twix crumbles. YUM.

So tired. Need coffee.

2010-01-27T11:56:00.000-06:00

I started my classes for the MBA program last night. Every Tuesday till May I will be up at 5:30 for a morning workout, at work by 8:00 until 4:30 and classes from 5:30 until 10:00pm. Most of you know that my bedtime is (with no excuses!) between 9 and 10pm. Yes- I am aware that I am old and this is way to early to be going to bed but it is my guilty little pleasure to cuddle under a warm fuzzy blanket and drift away into my dreams. :) So that last hour of Accounting is pure torture- you try staying alert enough to interact with the professor and still get the problems right!

BUT despite the fact that all I want to do is go home and snuggle under the covers I am thrilled that I have the opportunity to further my education. This is my chance to breath. A chance to slow down and enjoy a slower pace for once in my life and to get ready for the hurricane that is sure to come once we both get through school.

Thanks to all who are interested in how my classes are going...my professors seem great (one's a little kooky but then again most professors have their quirks!). I'm sure that I will enjoy the semester...thanks again for your support.

In honor of my new classes (one of which is Economics) I thought it would be appropriate to link to this hilarious video- "Fear the Boom and Bust". Enjoy!

Thank God for good friends...

2010-01-24T20:02:00.001-06:00

I just spent the last two hours catching up with two of the greatest people on God's green earth. I used to work for Bob and Phyllis at the NC Baptist State Convention. They are missionaries at NAMB and two of the most kind, generous, selfless and encouraging people I know. If only more people had hearts like theirs...

I told Phyllis about my cat's best friend and I thought I might share with you.

Meet Sheep. Yes, Sheep.

While working at the Baptist State Convention, Phyllis gave me a little stuffed sheep. She left it on my keyboard before they went out of town and I knew it was a reminder that God cares for His sheep. Well, when I got home our cat Jasper quickly adopted Sheep. As you can see Sheep is now very well loved, dirty, missing an eye and losing a bit of his stuffing. Jasper carries him around, sleeps with him almost every night and most mornings I find him in or beside the food bowl as if Jasper is trying to feed him his dinner. I have performed "surgery" on sheep several times to sew him back up and even to replace one of his eyes with an X. Sad. I have to admit I was a little ashamed to tell Phyllis that I had let Jasper take over her gift to me, but every time I see Sheep I think of her and I think of how God cares for us...no matter how dirty or beat up we are. We are loved. Be encouraged. :)

Grrr.

2010-01-21T16:28:00.000-06:00

Ok- I have two minutes left in the work day but had to find a little time to rant. I hate Birmingham. Needles in the parking lot next to my car at Books A Million and a notice on my door that there has been "criminal activity" in our gated apartment community- all in one day. Two more years and we are outta here...

When did this happen?!

2010-01-18T08:38:00.000-06:00

When?! When did I lose the ability to touch my toes, when did my muscles go on vacation and leave me with, well, flab? I woke up and I'm 28...kinda freakin' out after the fact here. It's easy to glance over my birthday (Jan. 3)- it comes right after Christmas and New Years so I can usually attribute festivities to these holidays and effectively ignore another year gone by. But alas, time has caught up with me, muscles have atrophied and flexibility has gone the way of the dodo.

In hopes of getting toned for our cruise coming up in May I have decided to get healthy. Not necessarily lose weight- I don't care much about that but just to build up some muscle and not get winded every time I run up three flights of stairs. So I popped in a ballet conditioning video and decided a few plies and tondues would help. I got about 15 minutes in when the husband awoke from his morning hibernation. Ah heck- 15 minutes was better then nothing right? Well I am ashamed to say that a few round of demi and grande plies was enough to make my muscles complain. How pitiful is that?!

But I have decided...no matter how short or pitiful the exercise is I will get out there and do SOMETHING. So here I go...off to run around the neighborhood. If you hear sirens don't panic...it's just me passing out.

New year...new obsessions...

2010-01-17T19:39:00.000-06:00

I realize it's been awhile since I've posted- I promise I'll do better!

It's a new year, and I feel like at the beginning of every new year I have new obsessions. My most recent obsession has become writing children's books. Nothing fancy- and mostly just for fun. They are meant to be picture books for preschool aged children. It's an outlet and it's fun to actually write the crazy ideas that float around in my brain sometimes. :) So far my stories have been themed around choices...here's a little taste from one of the stories about a new sibling:

Me and my mom, two peas in a pod,
We laugh, we sing, we jump like a frog.
Dad and I we like to fly-
To the moon and back, up through the sky!

The apple of their eye- that’s what I am
That is until...along came Sam.
“It’ll be fun” they said, “You’ll be best of friends”
But so far he just poops and cries to no end.

Bottles and diapers all over the floor
No forts, no planes, no cool toys galore.
I wanted a brother, a partner in crime
Not this little baby all covered in slime.

Choices, choices- what should I do?
Should I mope and pout or simply make do?
What if I kick or scream or hide all his toys?
Can I send him back to the store that sells boys?

Ok- it goes on but you get the point. Work is slow and I'm anxious for school to start- can you tell?! Ha!

I made it!

2009-11-16T13:29:00.000-06:00

This first semester of law school for my husband has been a breeze for me. Ha! My poor hubby. I feel like these last few months have been the first time in a really long time that I have not had any big stressors in my life. Most people told us that the first year of law school would be hell (and well- it may be for my hubby but he's takin' it like a champ!) but I have an easy job and I'm not going to school. I don't have a crazy boss anymore and we are living closer to family which makes things a bit easier for me.

The only goal I have had this semester is to study and do well on my GMAT test so I could start the MBA program here at Samford. Well, I took the test on November 7th and (needing a 480) walked out with a 670. Yay!! Exactly one week later I received my acceptance letter into the program. So hello late night classes, coffee runs and cramming for tests, and goodbye stress free weekends, early bedtimes (which I oh so love!) and free time.

Updates...

2009-10-12T13:08:00.000-05:00

It's been awhile so I figured I should post some recent pictures. I finally made it home to hold my nephew- although he is growing so fast I feel like I'm missing it all! Slow down!

Also, we had an unexpected tragedy in our family as my Uncle Tim died suddenly on September 10, 2009. He was probably the most jovial man I ever met and will be greatly missed. Here is a pic of Tim, his wife Diane and his two boys Robert and Ryan. And pics of my family when I went home for the funeral...

Also, Noel and I have taken in a cat named Mr. Ernest Hemingway (soon to be changed if we decide to keep him!). He is a polydactyl cat- meaning he has more toes that normal. :) 22 in all. 6 on each front paw and 5 on each back paw.

Here is a little background info on Hemingway cats:

They were introduced into the U.S primarily via ships in Boston. Sailors valued polydactyls for their extraordinary climbing and hunting abilities and considered them to be extremely good luck when at sea. Polydactyly appears to improve the dexterity of the cat. The extra toes enable the cat to learn and perform feats of manual dexterity generally not observed in other cats, such as opening latches or catching objects with a single paw.
Nobel Prize-winning author Ernest Hemingway was one of the more famous lovers of polydactyl cats, after being first given a six-toed cat by a ship's captain. Upon Hemingway's death in 1961, his former home in Key West, Florida, became a museum and a home for his cats, and it currently houses approximately fifty descendants of his cats (about half of which are polydactyl). Because of his love for these animals, Hemingway cat, or simply Hemingway, is a slang term which has come to describe polydactyls.

One day...I will hit you with a tomato!

2009-09-01T14:10:00.000-05:00

La Tomatina is the annual festival in Spain during which over one hundred tons of tomatoes are thrown at the nearest victim. It takes place every August and is the absolute largest food fight ever. How fab-frickin-tabulous! I have to do this before I die!

Crab Fettucine

2009-09-01T14:02:00.000-05:00

Noel and I were at Publix the other day (for some reason I always spend more when he goes with me!) and Noel saw some snow crab that he decided he would like to cook for dinner. And by "he would cook" I of course, mean I would cook. :) Which I must admit is not really a burden- I enjoy cooking for us and he helps out with the dishes so I can't complain. But back to the crab- the dish turned out looking so good that I thought I would take a pic since I made homemade sauce and everything- turned out to be pretty tasty as well. A little sweet but of course, crab meat is really sweet to begin with. Maybe next time I will use a little more white wine and lemon juice...

Elegant and Charming Plant

2009-08-17T15:05:00.000-05:00

Ok, so it's been awhile since I've seen anything in the headlines even remotely interesting in the field of botany. Here is a portion of an article from the London Times of the the recently discovered giant rat-eating plant:

Nepenthes attenboroughii, a previously unknown variety of pitcher plant discovered on a remote mountain in the Philippines, is so big that small rodents could be trapped inside and slowly dissolved by flesh-eating enzymes.

It is thought that only a few hundred of the plants exist, growing only on one mountain on the island of Palawan. The species was discovered by a team of scientists who had heard reports from missionaries who got lost in the dense jungle...

Sir David told The Times that it was a great honour to have the species named after him. He said that the nepenthes family were “very dramatic plants. I’ve always thought they are remarkable things, very elegant and charming.” Click here for full article.

The best part of this article is the quote by Sir David that calls the rat-eating plant "very elegant and charming." Ha! I love it! I have to agree that it is a beautiful plant and I can even see why he would call it elegant because of its graceful lines. But charming? I suppose it has to get the rat to jump in somehow- guess that's the "charming" part?

Just a moment to brag...

2009-08-16T20:02:00.000-05:00

I was going through some old photos and found one of my favorites. Noel wasn't feeling too well and sacked out on the couch. Jasper decided to snuggle up with him and before I knew it they were both out cold. My two boys...

Also worthy of good brag time- Noel officially begins his first year of law school tomorrow. I don't think I have ever seen him so passionate and excited to follow a course of study and path in life. I am so very proud of him! You may not be able to read it in this pic but the name of the Cumberland School of Law building is Memory Leake Robinson Hall. How ironic!

Noms!

2009-08-16T19:52:00.000-05:00

My handsome husband just turned 27 this past week so I made cupcakes with homemade peanut butter frosting- nom nom nom! One of my favorites especially when paired with a fresh ice cold glass of milk. Ahhh yes- baking makes me happy. This is definately one of those "little things".

Bryce Carter Anderson

2009-08-11T14:59:00.000-05:00

Just call me Auntie Devon! Bryce Carter Anderson came screaming into this world at about 6:10pm on Friday August 7, 2009. A big boy weighing 8lbs 14oz and 21 inches long. Noel and I had to leave late Friday night so I haven' t been able to hold him yet- talk about torture! I watched him have his first bath but I can't wait to get back up to Clarksville so I can hold him and welcome him to this world. All my love to my brother and sister-in-law...what a precious family. I'm proud to be a part of it.

Can't Wait!!

2009-08-06T10:33:00.000-05:00

So the first grandchild- my nephew- is due to be born any minute now. My poor sister-in-law is overdue by just a few days but I know they are more than ready to meet their son! His name will be Bryce Carter Anderson- a very grown up name for such an itty bitty boy but he will grow to make his parents (and Aunt!) very proud. I look forward to spoiling him and sending him home to mom and dad (*evil laugh* ah hahahaha). I know Noel is looking forward to being an Uncle as well- we need a baby to oooh and aaaah over for a few years- call it a trial run. :)

Pictures will be posted soon...hope to travel to Clarksvegas to be there for the little miracle.

So this blogging thing...

2009-07-07T10:31:00.000-05:00

So I have decided to dive in head first, jump on the bandwagon and drink the kool-aid- I have started a blog. I'm not a very intraspective person so I figure this might be the best way to stay in touch with those I love and maybe find a little bit more of myself in the process. Be patient with me! I'll share a little of my world and I hope to hear back from you.

A little about me...I like the little things. The things that make you do the happy dance... (Everyone does it! Just watch people at a good restaurant- they do the happy dance when they eat something they love.) I'm married to the love of my life. You can check out his blog at http://www.noelbagwell.com/. He focuses many of his posts on current events, politics and a few random things. I'm starting small and just focusing on the everyday....the little things. :)

We have just moved and are starting out as students- AGAIN. Noel is in law school and I will be pursuing my MBA while working full-time. I have decided to take a semester off before I begin my masters so I am hopeful that I will have time to dedicate to writing and investing in the things I love. More to come- stay tuned!