Friday Fun Finds {8/12/11}

Friday Fun Finds is being dedicated today to show you photos.  They are photos from a long time ago, and I randomly found them on my computer.

Welcome to Sessums Hall circa August 2004.

I want to introduce y'all to my home away from home from 7 years ago. Yep, that would be mine and Anna's room from our freshman year of college. {It's hard to tell because we used this same bedding for FOUR years!}.  I cannot believe it's been 7 years.



Seven years since we were preparing to leave our hometown in Mississippi to head to Starkville.

Seven years since we "helped" our Mom's sew our bedding for our cute dorm.

Seven years since we shopped for all things black, white, and pink to bring with us.

Seven years since we loaded up our cars and left EARLY in the morning to arrive at Mississippi State.

Seven years...

Seven years since we were pulling up to Sessums Hall and flipping a coin for the top or bottom bunk.

Seven years since we lugged boxes up 6 flights of stairs to get to the 4th floor.  The Sessums "Penthouse."

Seven years since we spent ALL day unpacking and getting things just like we wanted them.

Seven years since we said goodbye to Mom and Dad as they prayed over us for protection, wisdom, and guidance. 

Seven years since we spent our first night away from our parents all grown up and off to college.

Seven years...

Seven years since meeting new friends like Bethany, Laura, Whitney, Katherine, Annie, Laura, Amy, and Nicole all of who lived near us in Sessums.

Seven years since many nights spent on the T-wing of the second hall in and out of Annie & Laura's room, Whit & Morgan's room, and Bethany's room.  The T-wing was the place to be!

Seven years since starting rush and being intimidated to walk into the houses.

Seven years since going Greek and loving my sorority and the friends that I gained from it.

Seven years since our very first parties, swaps, concerts, and football games.

Seven years....

Seven years since meeting my best friends.

Seven years since being giddy about the new opportunities {and being homesick}.

Seven years since we locked Bethany out of her room in a towel and thought it was hilarious.

Seven years since we started pulling all night study sessions because we'd procrastinated.

Seven years....

Seven years of laughs and memories.

Seven years of the best friends a girl could ask for.

Seven years of valleys and mountaintops, but having the friends there every second!

Please prepare yourself. I have a case of my annual "I miss being an undergrad in college" August blues.  They come every year. They arrive around August 5th {ish} and last until a couple of days after Sorority Bid Day at which point, I realize how much I love my life and couldn't imagine anything better.  But for today, in the midst of the blues, I think I'll wallow.  I mean, reminisce.

On Wednesday, we moved my sister in law to Mississippi State.  I lined drawers and put together shelving units while her Mom hung curtains and helped organize.  And in that hustle and bustle, I was having so much fun!  Then we went to lunch, and I realized the moving in was done.  It was time for Danielle to start living her own life at Mississippi State. Time for her to make her friends and write her own chapter in her own book.  It wasn't my time. Mine passed 7 years ago.  And I was sad.

I considered going back to Danielle's room with her, telling her roommate that she had to leave, and I'd be taking her spot.  I was seriously wanting to move in my sister in law's dorm.  I text one of my friends that I would gladly give up being married to David if I could go back to being a freshman again and know, without a doubt, that David and I would wind up together and married 6 years later.  {I can't believe I just admitted that on my blog}.

She responded, "you would not."

And I guess, she's right. Kind of. At least, if it were not August 5th {ish} to August 15th she would be.

I think that everyone, at some time or another, wants to go back and do college.  I wouldn't change much, but there are a few things.  And you all know what I'm talking about.  Surely there isn't a person that wouldn't want to go back, if only for a couple of days, to college.  I really just would like to be a fly on the wall in my freshman dorm room to watch the events unfolding.  To know the end result of the friendships that were forming.

I wish I could whisper to my freshman self, "Hey, you see that girl over there? Her name is Bethany, and you two are going to be the best of friends. She's going to get you through some really tough times."  Or, "You see that boy in Chemistry Lab? Memorize his face, get to know him, but don't date him yet. You'll marry him one day."

I'd also tell myself to steer clear of a few certain "toxic" people.  Amazing how even when your alarms are going off inside of you, you don't take note and listen.

I'd tell myself to not be consumed with relationships.  The only relationships I needed to worry about as a college freshman were those with my friends.  I would tell myself to drink up every minute with them because something goes on in a freshman's head and they don't realize they will not live in the same town together after four years. And no matter what people say, it will not be the same.  No one can recreate a dorm or sorority house. No one. I'd make sure to remind myself that I could go hang out, and studying could wait.  A 100 was an A, but so was a 90.  Don't miss out on the fun opportunities because you're consumed with studying. I didn't do anything on school nights until October. And that was outrageous.

I'd tell myself not to leave early from the Mississippi State vs Florida home game in 2004 no matter how tired or hot Bethany and I were.  I'd also tell myself not to go home every weekend. Or cry at all over the fact that I'm not at home.  I'd mention that Diamond Girls and Orientation Leader would be two of my very favorite things ever, but it might be wise to get a sub for Diamond Girls Super Bulldog of my freshman year.  Just because.

Not that it would be weird at all standing in Sessums Hall in 2004 hearing from a talking fly on the wall...

Isn't this reality though. Everything I listed above has to do with knowing the end of the story.  Knowing how things would wind up in the end.  I have the benefit now of knowing what is going on in August 2011. At the time, I had no clue.  And we never know the way that God is going to make things turn out. Ever. It makes me realize how important it is to listen to Him right now, in THIS instant.  It's also the reason that I should be living in the present day and not in the past.  I'm constantly reminded by those around me that if we're constantly looking back or looking forward, we cannot fully enjoy the moment that God has planted us in.

And so I trust in the one that made me and created me in His image.  Knowing that my college days were an amazing PART of my life and not the ONLY part of my life.

At first I had typed this lyrics as a reminder of college and how quickly it is gone, but they seem ever more applicable to today as well.

"You're gonna miss this

You're gonna want this back

You're gonna wish these days

Hadn't gone by so fast

These are some good times

So take a good look around

You may not know it now,

But you're gonna miss this"

So excited to just live vicariously through my sis in law this week though!  She's going through recruitment right now as we speak, and I'm excited to see what God has planned for her days at Mississippi State!

Tasty Tuesday {Cranberry Spread}

After a week break from Tasty Tuesday, I considered not writing it anymore.  Then someone came up to me and told me how much they loved reading the recipes and the stories that go with them, and so I continue.  The hardest part of doing this recipe every Tuesday is allowing enough time to prepare the dish AND photograph it.  You wouldn't think this would be hard, but I catch myself forgetting to stop and take a photo for you guys.  Since this is my favorite part of food blogs, I can't just not take pictures!  So bear with me because I often make a recipe and take one photo at the beginning and then don't remember again until the end.  I hope that the photos will help you see how easy it is to make whatever is coming out of my kitchen!  Even if the photos aren't as well taken as food blogs and most of my friend's blogs for that matter.

This week isn't a dinner meal though.  It's something much better than that!

I am SO excited to share this recipe with y'all!  I'm actually pretty obsessed with it!  It's just a snack, but it satisfies my sweet tooth most of the time.  Come to think of it, it would be a great tailgate dip for the fall. {which allows you to know that I'm so ready for football season!}

Backstory for this recipe:  Have you ever heard of Fresh Cut Florist and Catering?  I feel certain that if you live in Mississippi, you've been to at least one wedding that she has done even if you didn't know it at the time.  Anyway, Wendy Putt is the owner of Fresh Cut based out of Jackson, MS, and while she didn't do our wedding because we were having it in Starkville, I love going to weddings where she has done the food.  Why?  Well, if you've ever been to a wedding she did the food at, you wouldn't be asking that question!  And actually, her husband is the chef who does the food. Maybe I should give him the credit.  ANYWAY, at Fresh Cut weddings there is usually this AMAZING stuff that I'm not even sure what it's called.  Let's call it crack cranberry spread because it is so addicting!  It's served with gingersnap cookies and is the best dip at any wedding. Here's a picture of the stuff. {photo credit where credit is due: Robby Followell}

Oh M Gee.  This stuff is to die for.  I will even admit that we went to one wedding where they had this dip, and I skipped wedding cake for another serving of this crack cranberry stuff!  It is delish!  Like for real.

So now that I've gone on and on about this dip, you're probably wondering why I'm featuring someone's food without knowing the recipe.  Well, I just couldn't wait for Fresh Cut weddings to eat this stuff.  So when my Mom found something that tastes VERY similar, I had to share the recipe with y'all.

It's so easy. So quick. And SO good!  Make this today to share with your friends, family, small group, or hoard it all for yourself.

The cast of characters list is so small.  All you need is some softened cream cheese {I used fat free}, pecans {or walnuts}, dried cranberries, and orange marmalade.  While you don't necessarily have all of these things in your pantry, you'll make this recipe again and again. I guarantee it!

Once you've collected your ingredients, dump the 8 ounces of softened cream cheese in a bowl.

And forget to take a photo of that step.

Measure out 2/3 cup of dried cranberries and dump them in the bowl.  Curse Google Blogs for uploading your photo rotated {as usual!}.

Next, add to the mixture 1/3 cup of orange marmalade.  I happen to have the homemade good stuff from a farmers market, but feel free to use the store bought stuff.  I'm pretty sure all of it has the orange rind in it. I love the fact that it has orange rind in it. I can't tell from the photo above if Fresh Cut's version has orange rind in it or not.

And last, dump in 1/2 cup of chopped pecan pieces.  While I used pecans, you can also use walnuts.  But I have a hard time that southern Fresh Cut uses walnuts.  Pecans are just so much more southern to me. My pecan pieces were too big, so I had to chop them up.

Finally, you mix all of the ingredients together.  I usually use a whisk to whisk the orange, cranberries, and pecans into the cream cheese.  You want to make sure it's very well mixed.

After that's done, scoop some out onto a gingersnap and enjoy.  Fair warning....it's hard to just eat one!  Also, I usually buy the Kroger brand gingersnaps. The other day I was at Target and out of gingersnaps so I bought some. And I do not like them. They are way too hard and crunchy.  So if you're not a gingersnap connoisseur {which I am not}, buy the Kroger brand and not the Target brand!

Doesn't that look delicious?  I hope that y'all will try it since it's so easy and let me know what you think.  While not the original version, it satisfies my cravings frequently!  Store it in an air tight container in the fridge and enjoy all week long {or until it's gone}.

Also, my recipe says you can serve it with arugula as a salad or spread on a chicken sandwich.  I'm sure it's great as a sandwich spread. Cranberry, orange, and chicken! Yum! It sounds like Thanksgiving.  However, I'm sticking with ginger snaps. Such a yummy snack!  Hope you enjoy! Let me know if you make it!

Recipe: Cranberry Spread
 
8 oz softened cream cheese
2/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup orange marmalade
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts
gingersnaps

Mix first four ingredients together and combine well. Serve with gingersnaps.  Refrigerate leftovers. 

Vacation All I Ever Wanted, Vacation Had to Get Away!

Well, I think that it is HIGH time I post about our anniversary trip that David and I took.  You could say I've been a little behind on the blog as of lately.  I can't help it.  Blogging EVERY day about our wedding really caused me to need to slow down a bit.  That, and my recent addiction to the TV show Lost.  I don't know how I'm just now discovering this show!

Anyway, to celebrate our one year anniversary, David and I took a vacation over the 4th of July.  Being the new guy at work means that you don't get to take time off for awhile.  {I'm happy to report we are about to experience our first experience with "vacation" days from work for David}.  So since he had ZERO days off, we used the two days off that his company generously gave him for the fourth to enjoy our second "honeymoon."  And boy did we honeymoon again!  It's just like I remember it.  The beach!  The sand!  The sun! The FOOD!  And hanging out with my hubby.  Of course, it was minus the long flight, passports, curvy awful road up, down, and around a mountain {if you're going to St. Lucia, ask me why you should pack Dramamine!}.  And we had the addition of our newest family member, Lacey.  Wish we could have made it 9 days like our actual honeymoon, but I'll take what I can get!

My hubby of one year and I traveled to Seaside, Florida to spend time away relaxing!  We left Friday after he got off of work and drove all night.  At around 12:30am, we pulled into our condo.  You may recognize where we stayed as the same place we stayed at for my friend Laura's bachelorette party!  As soon as I saw what a great location and deal it was, we booked it!

So after arriving super late {or early}, we played with Lacey for a bit because we were wired and wide awake!

But then she got sleepy and CRASHED!

So we did too!  And the next morning, we awoke to the perfect sunny day for laying on the beach.  It was MUCH warmer than when we came for Laura's party.  However, before our trip to the beach, we drove into Seaside for the Farmer's Market.  There were vendors from all over the area with things such as fruits, vegies, jewelry, breads, cakes, cookies, and lots more.  Of course, I didn't take photos here because a lady saw that my tshirt said Mississippi State and she proceeded to tell us that her daughter goes to school there.  And so began a discussion about Mississippi State.  So no photos.  I did, however, get some yummy tea.  I love hot tea. I don't know why. Yes, I'm still Southern!  This tea is Mango tea and it is really good.  I'll save my tea obsession for another day!

After a full day on the beach with some icky, murky, algae/seaweed water, we came up to get clean and head to dinner.  I was adamant I was going to get a feather in my hair before we went to dinner.  You know, the Steven Tyler-esque version. But when the time came to make the decision, I caved.  There were too many decisions.  And all of the ones that would have shown up in my hair were bright magenta and electric blue.  I'm sorry, but I'm not a teeny bopper and I do not want to look like Miley Cyrus.  Maybe next time.

We ate dinner at a place called The Great Southern.  We didn't have to wait long and the food was good.  Food is a major theme from our time together!  Haha!  There is a redundant theme to this post. Sleep, beach, food, food.  Haha.

 

Yummy shrimp and cheese grits!

After dinner, we had time to go play on the beach before the sun went away.  The beach at Seaside was MUCH prettier than our beach at Seagrove.  There was no algae in it. Which was nice for pictures and playing in it!

One thing I regret not doing on our honeymoon is writing our names in the sand.  I'm not sure why I think this is so romantic.  Maybe it's because I never had a guy to do this for me.  Maybe it's because growing up when my family would go to the beach every summer, we'd always see these "love notes" in the sand.  I wasn't jealous at all!!!!

He still humors me even after a year of marriage! :)

I decided to get my feet wet, and David decided he would randomly shoot photographs of me.

When I walked back to the camera to see what he'd been shooting, he said, "I went all Tanner Cade on some of those!"  Oh how I love my husband.  And I love the fact that I knew exactly what he was referring to.  TC, you have a photography style of your own apparently!  {Happy Belated Bday by the way!--very belated!}

And of course, in true David fashion, he had to get one of me reaching for the camera.  And I put it on the blog to humor him.

Then it was my turn to TC it up.  Have to have my time attempting to recreate Tanner originals.  And if you read the post from the other day, you've seen all of these pictures.  If you didn't read it, you should definitely read all of the reasons that I love this man.  There are many!

Next, we walked around some of the shops at Seaside.  There were many, but one of my favorites was filled with owls. Here are some of the cute things that I DIDN'T buy!

Little baby girl bloomers:

Owl baby blankies:

Stuffed matching owls:

Let it be water bottle:

Night Owl eye masks:

Owl Coin purses:

I know, David was surprised too that I didn't buy any of the owl goodness in this store.  But I held off and used restraint. I had no need for any of those things!

We headed back to our condo and went to get Lacey.  Since Seagrove is a pet friendly beach, Lacey could come out and play.  We had purposefully waited until there weren't as many people out so that we could take her off of her leash.

It looks like David is pinching her but here. I think he was just chasing her!

I love this picture!  It's of my two loves!

You can see her reaction in this video below.  It's very funny.  She acts like a 2 year old and not a 7 year old dog!

With the tide out, you could see the nasty green stuff. Thankfully, it got better while we were there. Not great, but better!  We didn't get in the water at all this day!

The next morning Lacey and I slept in while David went to play golf.  He traveled towards Santa Rosa beach to play and said he really enjoyed it.  Lacey and I went for a walk and waited on him to get home so that we could relax all afternoon on the beach.  After David got home and we'd eaten, we headed for the beach!  There were actually people in the water when we got there!  Great sign!

Someone got burned on day one!  This was pretty much what we did all afternoon!

After the beach, we got ready for dinner.  Again, a common theme with our vacation.

This night, we chose the Red Bar.  I LOVE the Red Bar!  I think I said that when we went with Laura.  After a 45 minute wait {which was NOTHING compared to the people we were waiting with who had been there for 2 hours and still not been seated.  Glad there were only 2 of us}.

The Red Bar has such neat decor that David made me photograph it.  He thinks it looks like Graceland Too and wanted to see what you all thought!

Santa Claus was even there!

We were so hungry when we got our food, but the grouper was A-MAH-ZING!  Yummy!

And of course, we couldn't skip dessert!  We chose the bread pudding with ice cream. It was incredible. 

This night was by far my favorite evening of food!

The next morning was the 4th of July.  We woke up EARLY and rode our bikes that we had rented to Seaside for the 4th of July parade.  It was really funny to see what all people came up with.  There were locals there and people who were just vacationing. There were floats and golf carts. The typical beauty queens and cheerleaders.  Of course it was kicked off with Firemen and Police Officers.  There was a lot of red, white, and blue, candy, and Mardi Gras beads.  Just to show you a little of what I mean:

David saw this golf cart and said, "wait..who invited Col Reb?" Haha. Silly boy!

This girl was the statue of liberty holding an ice cream cone!  Very American.

Flags waving back and forth on the windshield wipers! How do they come up with this stuff?! 

Then, Colonel Reb came by again.  This became a joke between us every time he came by. Which was frequently.

This was by FAR the best thing people threw off of floats.  They were those frozen popsicles.  Everyone wanted one!  It was HOT!

Col Reb with a birthday cake. We started wondering why the black bear wasn't invited!

After the parade, we were starving so we rode our bikes all the way into Seaside and went to eat at Modica Market. YUMMY!  Modica is a little grocery/general store.  They also make a bunch of bakery breakfast things.  David ate a sausage biscuit and I had a berry muffin.  It was definitely a from scratch muffin. We literally just sat out there and people watched for a little while.  I enjoyed my first iced coffee.  It was different.  I like black coffee so it was weird to be drinking something cold that didn't have sugar in it.  But it was FAR too hot for hot coffee! 

After breakfast, we rode our bikes ALL the way back to Seagrove.  It was a very refreshing bike ride, but I was ready to lay on the beach!  But first, we had to check on our Lacey Pup!  We let her wear all of our beads since she was unable to attend the parade!

Another day on the beach with a book and pandora radio.  It was wonderful!  I love the beach!

After the beach, we came back to get ready for dinner.  We had made reservations for Bud and Alley's at Seaside.  It was really good.  I had grouper again, and David had steak.  After dinner, things were beginning to pick up in the amphitheater. 

David and I listened to the band for a little while.  The guy's name was Will Hoge, and while I had never heard of him before, he was great!  We headed to Sundog Bookstore and Central Square Records store.  We browsed downstairs a little while and then headed upstairs.

And you're not prepared for what we found. Yep, a red and yellow owl.  It was a silk screen print and I had it framed as SOON as we got home!  I have no where to hang it right now, but I love it.  I usually don't impulse buy, but seriously HOW could I pass this up!?

Do you not just LOVE it?  Probably not. Because I have a unique love for owls. And always will. Forever. And Ever!

After our owl shopping {by the way, ONE owl from this trip is totally not overboard!}, we went on the balcony of Central Square records and listened to Will Hoge while waiting on the fireworks.  There were tons of people there enjoying the music!

David was excited for the fireworks!

Still waiting to see the fireworks!  Don't mind David's RED legs. He told me they "weren't that bad."  No big deal. Someone please remind me of that when we have skin cancer one day.

And then it was time for the fireworks.  It was by far the best fireworks show I've ever seen.  It was actually more enjoyable then Disney World {I can't believe I'm saying that}. For someone who loves music, they REALLY did a good job of choosing music that would appeal to everyone!  "Party in the U.S.A" by Miley Cyrus, "Little Pink Houses" and "This is Our Country" by John Mellencamp, the "Star Spangled Banner," "Born in the USA" by Bruce Springsteen, all of the military songs, the pledge of allegiance, "It's America" by Rodney Adkins, "Independence Day" by Martina McBride, "Fortunate Son" by Creedence Clearwater, "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue" by Toby Keith, "American Pie," "American Girl" by Tom Petty, "American Saturday Night" by Brad Paisley, and the list goes on and on and on.  

Well, you get the idea. It was awesome!  Enjoy some pics.

Well, that sums up our anniversary trip! It was so much fun! I'm so thankful that we got to spend some much needed time away from life and just enjoy one another. We had a blast and hope to go back at some point.  Thankful for my husband and the joy he brings to my life!