fun-filled photos...

A New Car.... (good find, Jane!)

A New Friend... 2nd cousin Giovanni who knows how to show a girl a good time!

A Perfectly Old Chair...thanks to Mama Dody and Aunt Bluford!

A Pedicure for the ladies... !

Grillin' in the Rain makes chicken all the better... 

A Birthday Girl.... who loves 'chocowat cake'

A baby girl....and proud mommy!

Sprinkler Fun for cousins...

a Daisy offering, mid-sprinkle.

And never bypass a family photo opportunity! 

World's Worst Meal Planner

Does anyone else feel like we eat our paychecks every month?

I confess, wholeheartedly, that I can make some great meals, if I can spend some money, but when it comes to saving, budgeting, and planning ahead, I could use a lesson or two. Some weeks I may end up making 3 trips to the grocery store to pick up things I need for the meals I had planned to cook. I always, without exception, will remember something I needed from the store within minutes of leaving.

So, in an effort to save a few bucks and give myself a little challenge. I have committed to NO grocery trips for the next two weeks. I have to make do with what we have, which is plenty. Normally, I would have gone to the grocery store yesterday. We'd been out of town for several days so I'm out of a lot of fresh stuff. Yesterday, I sent Matt to get eggs, loaf bread and milk.. .and that's it until August 8th.




For dinner tonight we had blueberry pancakes from scratch and a fried egg. Fortunately, pancakes are made from staple pantry items (and very filling) and I always keep a big bag of frozen blueberries in the freezer.  I'm estimating this meal probably cost $2-3 bucks for all three of us and breakfast is always a yummy treat... if only I had some bacon to go with it! 

Later in the week, I have planned chicken sliders with the ONE large chicken breast and a bag of yeast rolls in my freezer. I'm hoping I can make four sliders with the one chicken breast by slicing in half both ways to make thin cutlets. I still have one squash and one zucchini in the fridge, so I'll saute those in a skillet and add a side of creamed corn. The question is, can my very hungry husband, survive on mostly bread and veggies alone?

Fall Fever

In the winter I was desperate for spring and summer and now that we've had nearly 2 months of grueling heat, I'm over it. Last week, we had a little taste of the 60s and now the 90s are back and I'm dreaming sweet dreams of roasting marshmallows and wearing my favorite boots.

I'll enjoy another month or two of fun at the neighborhood pool, but then I'm looking forward to a little bit of this:

Putting the top down on the Blue Ridge Parkway....

...to see the changing leaves...

Spotting 20 turkeys in my parent's backyard....

a cool trip down the river...

Wearing sweatshirts!

Hiking to the falls without breaking a sweat...

Sitting around the fire in the backyard....

Roasting marshmallows to makes s'mores...

Raking leaves..

then watching Matt rake the rest of the leaves...while I sip apple cider on the porch :)

...Wrapping Christmas presents? No, let's not get ahead of ourselves...

Heaven is for Real

I recently read the book, "Heaven is for Real". It details the extraordinary story of a boy's trip to heaven and back while in emergency surgery that he miraculously survived. "Colton told his parents he left his body during surgery, and authenticated that claim by describing exactly what his parents were doing in another part of the hospital while he was being operated on. He talked of visiting heaven and relayed stories told to him by people he met there whom he had never met in his life, sharing events that happened even before he was born."

He talked about meeting Jesus, y'all. And talking to God and his great-granddad. And I was hanging on every word. I was a little skeptical at first, until I saw how his descriptions align with scripture and his interaction with deceased family matched stories from their past.  The book shot to #1 instantly, and the family has been on the TODAY show, Dateline and a number of other popular talk shows.
No matter what you believe about Colton's experience, it gets us thinking about our relationship with God. I think I'd forgotten that He still works miracles now. We chalk everything up to science and technology and assume we don't see the same kind of miracles now, that we read about in the Bible. He's doing it, all around us. It's time to remember, and be amazed, and cry to Him, because He's speaking to us and working in us and for us.

Check out the story in USA Today HERE. If you haven't read the book, pick it up. I read it in a day, with a one year old. If you have read it, whatd'ya think?

A New Friend

I know every child loves to talk on the phone. Addison enjoys pretending, although she doesn't respond when someone is talking to her. BUT, recently, she has figured out a way to get the phone to talk back. The Voice Command button. Here's some dialogue between Addison and the Automated Voice Command Operator.

Operator: Please say a command.
Addison: abda bowowo
O: Command not recognized. Please say a command.
A: Ayoyo dada ya.
O: Please say Call, Message, Menu, Check.
A: Baya deyooo
O: Please say a command.
A: YAYAYAYAY
O: PLEASE SAY A COMMAND!

I apologize in advance to those she has managed to call. Even though my phone does have a lock feature, it doesn't give her any problem at all. She's also logged on to my facebook and twitter accounts on my phone so if for some reason i 'liked' your status about going to the dentist, and having to get a root canal, it was probably Addison. 

On another note, for Matt's birthday, before our big trip to Atlanta, we went to Papa's and Beer for some delicious mexican food. They serve in truly excessive portions, but it is just too good to stop eating and have the rest for lunch tomorrow, therefore, everyone leaves miserably happy. 

They also put on quite the birthday display.

This summer has been miserably hot but Addison and I have really enjoyed hanging out at the neighborhood pool. I have ONE and only ONE picture to document, but it's kinda hard to have a one year old in a pool and worry with a camera. As you'll see though, Addison is one relaxed baby. 

Lastly, I'm trying my hand at designing some cards for my parent's bookstore and I'm loving every minute of it. I sure hope I can find a great place to print them and make it worth my while! Here's some of my favorites so far. 

Happy Thursday! 

A New Day

I can't imagine being so small in a world so big. New discoveries lie around each corner.

Like Trees. 

And then walking happens. 

And you can get where you wanna go, so fast, without one ounce of trepidation.

Staggering back and forth, yet still running full speed ahead.

You'll peer up and over at something new...

Then squat down low to study the rocks below. 

What curious little things, these rocks. 

Smiles happen. Many smiles. 

And inevitably, you'll turn and run.

Push your luck. 

See how far you can go before I have to reel you in. 

Your big blue eyes will take in all in. 

Take your time. 

Soak it all in. 

Always stop for a laugh. 

Follow the birds. 

Hurry down the path. 

Over the hills. 

Enjoy your big, big world. 

Weekend in Review

I'm not sure when, but at some point, Matt and I started taking annual trips to Atlanta as our little family vacation around July 4th and Matt's July 5th birthday.  We would hit up one or more of the Atlanta hotspots... a Braves game, Six Flags, White Water, Ikea, The Varsity (FO!), The Georgia Aquarium... just to name a few! 

This year was especially exciting to take Addison on our first vacation as a family of three. 

Shopping! 

As soon as we got to the hotel, Addison was ready to kick back and have a cold one. This girl knows how to relax.

 Eating Daddy's Frozen Lemonade

love :)

We hit up some free wings at our HHonors lounge back at the Hilton, where Matt taught Addison the art of eating chicken wings. She's a fan. 

Picnic and Laser Show at Stone Mountain 

The view from our 26th floor hotel room at the Hilton in Downtown Atlanta

Addison getting ready for the Braves Game....

Honoring the Military

Fireworks and Sparkler Fun with the neighbors

Fun was had by all!