Christmas Presents

{Let us not lose sight in this joking on the real meaning for the season!  Jesus Christ came down to earth to save me {and you} from all of our unrighteousness. Because of Him, we are made righteous. It's not about presents or wrapping. It's about the joy of Christ!}

I have a problem! 

And it's not a good problem for me to have!

Now, before I start this post, I need to make sure you know that USUALLY I have completed all of my Christmas shopping by Thanksgiving. That's just me. I don't like the crowds or the lines. I don't think Christmas sales are THAT good.  I enjoy going shopping during the holidays on MY terms.  And I can't stand waiting until the last minute to do shop.  Mainly because I want all of my Christmas presents bought, wrapped, and under my tree to enjoy.  If you buy them at the last minute, you are wrapping presents when you should be walking out the door to go to your parents, in laws, or whomever's house. {ahem...David Adair Adams, I'm calling you out!}

You see, last year, we moved on December 17th to Memphis.  We threw everything we owned into our house and began traveling for the holidays on the 20th. Yep.  Then we came home the 25th and left again the 27th for the Gator Bowl. Yes, crazy. On the morning of the 20th, my wonderful husband had not yet shopped for his wonderful sister.  Last year, I didn't know Danielle as well as I do this year, and it overwhelmed me to try to think of something to get her for Christmas.  She was a high school senior, and I've done my best to block out my high school days so there was no way for me to remember what I wanted for Christmas my senior year in high school.  This one was going to be left up to her brother.  So you can imagine my joy on December 22nd shopping with my husband for something for his sister.  I use joy lightly in this situation. 

I love my husband, I love my sis in law, but I DO NOT LOVE SHOPPING ON DECEMBER 22ND!!!!

It worked out fine. He picked out a dress for her, and I picked out earrings for her. I wrapped it in Brandon and it made the many traveling hours with us back to Memphis.

So this year. I refuse. I refuse. I refuse. To be shopping on December 22nd.  What's that you say?  It's only November 10th?  Oh I know, but this year I have an entirely different problem!!!

I have no idea what to buy anyone......except my sister in law.  And I've had her Christmas presents done since the middle of October!

Now...I will not wait until December 22nd. So if you're on our Christmas list, you best be speaking up!  Or as my Pop would say, "you're all getting socks and underwear!!!"

A Priceless Friday at Home

This never happens!  David and I actually spent the weekend in Memphis this past weekend.  CRAZY! 

We had so much fun though!  I, of course, didn't take any pictures.  Truth be told, I took photos on my Dad's SLR Canon Rebel recently and NOTHING compares to them.  I THOUGHT my camera was good.  Until I saw what his can take.  My family has had an SLR for as long as I can remember.  If I wasn't so loyal to my digital camera, I'd ask Dad if I could have his old film SLR.  However, I'm not even sure where one would get film developed?  Anyway, that has contributed to my not taking photos. 

However, I thought I'd still update you on our weekend since it was SO eventful. Exaggeration! David and I rarely went on dates while we were dating.  Dates usually meant going to one of our apartments and watching a movie with my roommate Kate and her fiance {now husband}.  Or it might mean going to the basketball or baseball game which was free to all students.  So now, we enjoy being able to go on dates.  They definitely aren't extravagant, but they are fun none the less.  Since we were nearing the end of the month and didn't have a lot of money to spend, we got creative on our fun date night out.

We started the date off with a dinner date to our favorite spot in town.  It's called Las Delicias and it's the best Mexican food in Memphis! Or really, for that matter, anywhere!  They make their own chips, and they have the best guacamole ever. {side note: I haven't tried Babalu in Jackson's....have heard it is amazing and think this is probably close}  While not made tableside, it is made fresh with big chunks of tomatoes and avocado and all of that other yummy stuff that goes in guacamole.   Anyway, after our $12 dinner at Las...yes, you read right--it's CHEAP.....we headed to Petsmart.  I had gotten an email that said that all Halloween toys were 50% off.  Yes, I get emails from Petsmart.  Our sweet Lacey dog loves her toys, but she especially loves anything that has tails or stringy legs to chew on.  In other words, the octopus we got her this summer was perfect.  As someone who HATES Halloween, it is not like me to want to buy Lacey a Halloween toy.  I love the Martha Stewart line of toys too.  They are crocheted and super cute. She even has an owl. However, I think that's quite canabalistic to give my dog an owl to chew on. What do you think?  Anyway, we steered clear of Martha as they weren't on sale.  However, they had a spider that I had seen earlier, and I knew it would be perfect for her--all eight legs of it.  So for $1.50 we bought Lacey a spider.

Next, we headed to Target where honestly, I'm not sure what we bought.  Target is just that place that I can go in needing nothing and come out with $80 worth of stuff and not remember what I bought the next day.  Luckily, we didn't spend that much.  We bought some Scooby Snacks because I've been looking for them EVERYWHERE to try a new recipe for a home Bulldog tailgate.  {David says they are tempting him from the pantry everyday}.  We spent about $20 on things that I can't remember other than Scooby Snacks.  I think I bought Mom a stocking stuffer that was on clearance.  Don't judge. I like to be all the way done with Christmas shopping by December 1. That way I can enjoy the Christmas season. We'll see if that actually happens this year. Back to Target ...that $20 shouldn't really count in our date night total because it was gifts and groceries!

After that, we did one of our favorite things to do on dates because it only costs the gas that we use!  We rode around Memphis and looked for houses that we potential a) can afford and b) like.  This generally involves riding up and down streets and getting flyers that are in front of the house to see what they cost!  Sometimes you'll go down a street where the houses are all in the 200,000 price range and then turn off of that street, get a house that is 2 houses down from that street with a house for sale for 400,000.  That's crazy to us.  Anyway, we had lots of fun looking at houses that we liked even though we are a little while away from buying a house.  It's sad to say, but since the housing market is so down, a bunch of these houses could potentially still be on the market when it comes time for us to start looking next year. It's kind of cool to drive by houses and think that one could be our house one day.  I still {vaguely} remember our first house that I lived in.  It makes me excited to think that David and I will be entering into the homeownership world soon. And by soon I mean within the next year.

Since you know I love DIY projects. Here's one of my new favorite Pinterest ideas. I've seen this done, but think this is so cute!

So as far as cost for our Friday night went:

Dinner $12
Target $20
Lacey Toy $1.50
House Hunting: Priceless

:)  Hope y'all have a great rest of the week

Pumpkin Palooza

So, the other day I tried to post a MAMMOTH post!  And Blogger deleted it.  Let me just tell you.  There is NOTHING worse then that feeling.  Huge post. Huge letdown.

I sent a friend an email and told her I'd never post on the blog again.

Then I changed my mind....

So rather then post my extremely long post, I'm posting about our weekend.  It, of course, was spent in Starkville.  Starkville is my favorite place on earth.  It still feels like home, and I love every minute we get to spend there!

I drove into town on Thursday.  My Dad was in town, and besides the fact that I had to work, we had SUCH a fun time!  I felt like I was a little kid again.  Dad went fishing with my Grandfather and I went to meet them the last hour they were down there.  I didn't catch anything. :(  However, I didn't get the line hung or caught on anything which was a huge achievement from the last time I fished.......when I was 6.  I also used a lure, so no need for squirming over the worm.  And since I didn't catch anything, I didn't have to enforce the "we throw back whatever I catch policy."

I did, however, manage to scare the fish away from my line.  Dad had warned me that the lure that was on my line was for bass.  This meant that I had to give it a chance to hook on the line.  Apparently bass are sneaky and will steal your lure and manage to get off the line.  Well, 6 year old me was fishing for about ten minutes before a bass nudged my line.  I pulled it back and yelled DADDY!!!!  Just like I was 6 years old.  Fishies kind of creep me out!  After my failed fishing attempt, we said goodbye to my grandfather and headed to dinner.

Because we had not been to eat just the two of us in awhile, I let Dad choose our destination.  We went to Old Venice.  It was yummy!  However, my Dad threatened to leave as soon as we got there because they had a Jim Hood for Attorney General sign up.  My family and I are not Jim Hood supporters.  You can ask me why if you're a Mississippi voter, and we can talk about it.  I don't feel like going into detail on my public blog.  Anyway, the hostesses at Old Venice knew something was wrong so they asked what was up.  When we told them we couldn't eat somewhere supporting Hood, they said, "oh it was just a meet and greet" and "they are gone now."  So mind you, they weren't necessarily supporting Jim Hood.  I mean, the hostesses might have been, but the eating establishment was not.  So glad we cleared that up because we got to stay and dinner was SO good!

Friday, Mom came to town. She brought Skip and Lacey was so excited!  (Kidding...the two dogs act like they've never met!)  Anyway, it was Pumpkin Palooza in Downtown Starkville. This is an event mainly for little kids to dress up and "trick or treat" at local businesses downtown.  Well, since we have no little kids, we dressed the dogs up in their Halloween costumes.

Let me add this.  I made a promise to David Adams that I would never buy Lacey anymore clothes after I bought her MSU cheerleader outfit.  Lucky for him, I've stuck by that promise!  So Lacey went dressed as a cheerleader and Skip went dressed as the Great Pumpkin.  They were too cute!

Skip and Mom went to the Pumpkin Patch.  If you haven't read her blog, you should go here.  Though I'm not sure she's updated it lately!

Cheerleader and the Great Pumpkin...

That night, David arrived! My parents, David, his sister Danielle, and I all went to Maroon Madness at the Hump.  We got there in time to see the Volleyball game, and the team WON!  My first experience with Volleyball, and I don't think it will be my last!  No pictures from the event, but it was SO much fun!  Except for the ridiculously loud music!  Hey, at least they played the PG version of all of the songs.  That's more than we can say for Memphis Madness.  (If you don't know what I'm talking about, Google Memphis Madness Yo Gotti

Anyway!  Saturday, bright and early was the South Carolina game.  We of course were there.  And I'm still not sure I'm over that heartbreaking loss. :(  At least afterwards we got to see some very good friends.

These are our baseball friends Gavin and Paul.  Though it seems like we run into them for every season now!  They put up with us and our loud mouths at Dudy Noble.

Some more really good friends.  We love the Phillips!  I'm not sure how long it's been since we've seen them!  Probably at another MSU game. So glad David got to meet them.  Sure missed seeing Mrs. Kerry!

We ran into David's brother Jesse after the game and took a picture.  For some reason, we just can't get all four of us together in one picture which is sad because we're usually all in Starkville on the weekends. 

David's Mom has been asking why we don't take a picture of the four of us.  I'm pretty sure that we haven't taken one all together since our wedding!  So when we randomly all ran into each other at the same tailgate that afternoon, I was adamant about taking a picture.  Luckily Danielle had her camera!  You're welcome Mrs. Patti!

Well that recaps our Starkville weekend.  Aren't you proud of me for life posting?  I promise I'm going to back track too!  There are just too many good photos! 

Let's hope our Bulldogs can win some in the second half of the season!  In the words of my father who rewrites lyrics to every song:

Hail Dear Old State

Fight for the victory today

Win or lose, tie or draw, you're the best team we ever saw!

We'll beat LSU, Ole Miss, and Georgia too

Fight for Mississippi State

Go to hell Ole Miss

Well, I guess we'll take one out of three for this season?  Win or lose, tie or draw, the Bulldogs are the best team!  Hands down!

Better Late than Never & Fall Wish List

There are seven unwritten blog posts that are sitting in my Edit Posts tab on my Blogger.  Yup. Seven.

I just looked at my blog and saw that I have ONE post from September.  Well didn't y'all just have fun reading about our eventful life in September!

The truth is, we have had an EXTREMELY eventful life. That is the reason the blog has been lacking so much lately.  I hate those people who have a blog and refuse to ever update it.  I'm not refusing! We've been traveling.  Seriously, this is the first weekend we've been home in the past 3 or 4. I can't keep up.  And working.  And living.  It's been fun, but I've neglected to tell you about it.  And what's worse is, while I love all 28 followers of you, I keep this blog more for David and I.  I can go back and look at all of the fun things that we have done since we became husband and wife.  So I hate that there is a huge gap in our lives now!

So, I'm going to attempt to catch you up.  Not in this one post.  Nope.  This is an apology blog post.  I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.  I hope you accept it!  Thanks!

So on this beautiful Sunday afternoon, my husband is on the golf course.  My dog is asleep at the end of the couch as I type on my computer.  And I am trying to catch up on laundry and cleaning.  But when I thought about it, if my husband and dog are getting to do what they want to do today, I get to as well.  And I chose to update the long forsaken blog.  A post has been long over due! 

In case you didn't know, it almost fall!  I put out decorations and have been getting ready for the cooler weather.  My father in law owns Russell's Farm Supply in Collierville, and he has SO many fun pumpkins to decorate with. I've yet to decide on which ones to buy. That's not completely true.  I got a few small ones to decorate around the house with.  But I want pumpkins for outside!   He has green ones, orange ones, ones with bumps all over them, white ones, flat ones, large ones, and ity bitty ones.  I found this photo from a person who posted it on their facebook page.  You can at least see some of the choices.

Fall means many, many things.  It means pumpkins, colorful leaves, apples, thankfulness, football, duck hunting for the hubby, fires, and cuddling up to my hubby with a blanket.  It is by far my favorite season, and I love it!  I just wanted to share with y'all a few of my favorite fall indulgences.  Hope you enjoy and take note of some of them!

IT'S FALL Y'ALL! :)

Yankee Candle Autumn Harvest

I found this candle scent at Target.  I know Yankee Candles are a tad bit on the expensive side, but I usually get at least two seasons out of them.  Trust me when I say this one does NOT disappoint!  Here it is online. 

Fresh Market Pumpkin Spice Coffee

Yum!  I discovered this with a friend of mine. I had never been in Fresh Market.  We walked around trying all of the tester items they had out that day.  This was one of them and boy am I glad we tried it!  She talked me into putting cream and sugar in it {which I rarely do}, and OH MY GOSH! It tasted just like a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks.  We didn't buy any that day, but I went back now that it's colder outside.  Yummy! I've made it every day since I bought it.  It's so good.  And it makes my house smell incredible!  I've been drinking it black and it still resembles the pumpkin spice latte.  You know how you sometimes can't tell the flavor it flavored coffee? Well, you can in this one!  I'll be coming to Starkville next week. Let me know if you want me to bring you some!  It's incredible!  You can also order it online here, but you have to order at least 3. I'm not sure I could drink ALL of that coffee before Starbucks Christmas blend arrives! :)

Courageous

Courageous - In Theaters Now

Now, I know this isn't really fall, but date nights are.  David and I had a date night this past Friday night.  We had so much fun.  We went to see the movie Courageous. If you have ever seen Fireproof or Facing the Giants, it is made by the same church in Georgia.  It's about Daddy's, and it's wonderful.  David and I both agreed we wanted to see it again when we decide we're ready to be parents.  We both think it's a must see for all parents.  However, even if you aren't a parent yet, it will challenge you to be a role model {"parent"} to someone who has a parent that isn't present.  Go see it. You won't regret it!  

Owls, Owls, and More Owls

David made me count last night.  There are 23 owls in our house.  Yes, it's fall. Yes, I love owls.  Yes, they go well together.  Do you have a problem with it?  I didn't think so.  My family never celebrated Halloween.  So rather than decorate creepy, I decorate with owls.  And they are in stores EVERYWHERE!  I have to exercise some restraint though and not buy every single one that I see!

Williams-Sonoma Spiced Pumpkin Bread

This is absolutely, without a doubt my favorite fall thing!  It's food of course, but it is the best stuff ever.  And in case you didn't know, there is an outlet in Memphis.  And it's about five minutes from my house.  Crazy.  We love this stuff, and I go buy it all of the time.  I think when it goes way on sale after Thanksgiving, I'll buy about 10 packs of it. It is the best stuff for fall.  I know you can make your own, but trust me when I tell you it's the best!  Seriously!  And it's easy, easy, easy!  Just come visit us and I'll take you to the outlet, and we can get it for 20% off.

Back I go to laundry and cleaning.  Hope you're enjoying fall to the fullest!

Guest Bedroom Make Over

I have taken an extended blog leave for the past few weeks.  Okay, month or so. It was much needed!  But just because I haven't blogged doesn't mean there has been nothing to catch you up on. Oh contra-ire.  I have LOTS to backtrack on and lots coming in the next few weeks that will be blog worthy!  And I cannot wait to share everything with you.  Seriously!

Though I've had an extended leave, and I know you're probably mad at me because of it {yeah right--today was the first time someone ASKED me about the blog--Hey Mrs. Anita!--I don't think y'all have missed me that much}, I think I can make up for it today!

I'm happy to say that the Guest Bedroom which I've affectionately called the URSR {Unfinished Refinished Spare Room} for awhile on the blog IS FINISHED! Yes, you read right! FINISHED!

Well...almost finished. I still want to make curtains for in there but just haven't had money to do it. Unfortunately for the URSR {which I guess technically should be called the FRSR--finished refinished spare room} is priority number 6 on the curtain list.  I just started priority number one three weeks ago.  It's completed and hopefully will be featured on the blog soon. So now I'm on to priority two. So priority six has a lot of paychecks between now and it.

For that reason, I wanted to share our new guest bedroom with y'all {sans curtains}.

 Don't you just love it!?  Now, I just want to refresh everyone's memory of what we started with

Essentially nothing.  This is a terrible picture of this bedding.  It really is pretty bedding from Target that was a bed in the bag set that was like originally $99.  However, my friend and I found it on sale for $20. 2 big euro shams, 2 shams, 2 decorative pillows, comforter, and bedskirt.  FOR $20!!!!  There are four other pillows on the bed that I spent a little more for, but still.  So the first order of business was to list this bed set on Craigslist.  We listed it for $50 and a woman bought it within two weeks, and she paid the full $50!  I also listed the lamp shades on Craigslist for $20 which is exactly what I paid for them.  It took a little longer, but a woman bought those within a month. Did I mention that I love Craigslist?  Armed with a little spending money, I started slowly but surely reinventing this room.

Now, I don't claim to be an interior designer by any means, but I LOVE this room.  So if you hate it, just keep your opinions to yourself!  I sometimes wish this was our room...seriously!  I've told David on multiple occasions that we're moving in here!

Let's start with the bedding.  Thank you Target for the most fabulous blue and white theme. When I saw it, I fell in love with it, and knew it was perfect for our room.  I first spotted the blue and white knotted pillows in a Target ad in Southern Living in January.  And I had to have the bedding so bad that I started trying to buy it before they ran out. It was actually when they were first getting it in.  Anyway, I went to three Targets total in one day. Yep, three.

Moving to the bed.  If you'll remember awhile back, I redid this cutie pie. Here's  a picture of it before what it looks like now.  We found it off Craigslist for $30. It just needed a little TLC.

Then we can move on to what is atop the headboard.  Yes, it's a mantle and you can put things up there.  A little pop of color, some old books and mason jar, a candleholder that I made from scratch, a print from my friend Barbara, and of course an owl.  The piece above the bed, I got at a consignment shop and didn't have to do anything to it.  It was all mine as is for $18. Score.

Next up is the desk.  I have had this desk since I was a little girl.  It has a matching dresser too.  Since I officially moved out of my parents house in Brandon, and my Dad took over the closet in my bedroom {another story for another day}, my Mom decided to redo my room.  Our fabulous interior designer wanted to get rid of the desk, but my Mom and I, knowing how much the set cost and not wanting to get rid of it, asked if I wanted it.  That way, one day the set could be reconnected should David and I ever need it.  Seeing as I had a perfect spot for it, I claimed it.  FREE piece of furniture alert! Now, I have never been good at making vignettes, but I have to say, I think this desk turned out pretty good.  I used mostly stuff we had, AND hit up the Hobby Lobby 80% off sale at the end of the summer in Jackson, MS, Germantown, TN, Collierville, TN, and Tupelo, MS.  Not kidding.

Please note the photo of my brother and I as little kids, the handmade lace owl that my brother brought me back from Europe {he knows his sis well}, and the Little Things Studio art.

Perhaps my favorite part of the desk vignette though is my Encyclopedia art. Basically, my parents had a set they were throwing away. Back in the day, before internet, my parents had a set for our research projects.  Somehow a few got lost, and my Dad was throwing them out. I begged them for them.  Since some of the Encyclopedias have letters like N-O and S-Si on them, we were limited with what we could spell.  I asked my Scrabble loving husband to come up with something with the 14 or so books he had to choose from. This is what he came up with.  Love it!

Now, I have probably neglected the blog more than usually partly because of this thing called Pinterest that Mrs. Ellen introduced me to {hey Mrs. Ellen!}  If you have a few hours to spare, you should definitely look at that website.  Who knows, maybe my stuff will be pinned on there one day!  Hey, a girl can dream can't she?

So one project that I found on Pinterest is Crochet Hoop Art.  Since we needed an inexpensive wall project that could draw some of the fabrics together, here's what I came up with.

The funniest part is that when some of our friends came to stay with us, she said, "Ooh!  Is that Pinterest?!"  Haha!  I did admit that it was. No use in trying to pass it off as my own idea.  I am, after all, telling the entire World Wide Web.

My second Pinterest project can be found next.  I fully intend to do a tutorial on these two projects one day.  We'll see when that actually gets posted.  I wanted a place to display some friend and family photos.  I've tried so hard to follow the rule about not putting personal photos all over your living room.  There is ONE in our living room and a bunch in our room.  But if you notice, the vignette on the desk really doesn't have many personal photos on it.  I mean, you wouldn't have known that black and white photo was my brother and I except for the fact that I told you!  Anyway, since this room is our guest room, I figure most of these people will have no problem seeing themselves in the decor.

One spot is missing because it's reserved for the McIntoshes.  Since they came for the Memphis game, I do have the picture. I just haven't printed it out and put it up yet.  Soon though!

Here's a few more photos from the room.  You may recognize some of the projects as previous things I did.

Little Things Studio art again. This time above the closet.

I hope you love our spare bedroom!  It's a guest bedroom so we hope that means you'll come stay with us!  We love visitors.  And even if we aren't in town, you're welcome to come stay anyway.  Just ask some of our friends that have already had to do that!

Some of these tutorials are still to come while some have already been posted. I'll try to remember to update the links as new blog post go up.

Headboard Makeover
$3.99 Wall Shelf Project
Crochet Hoops Art
Photo Frame Art
Candle Holder

Go ahead and Pin me on Pinterest! :)  Haha. Kidding, but if you don't know what Pinterest is, you should click the link. Pretty much my favorite thing ever now!

Let me know what you think of our room!  Also, there might be a special prize if you can tell me how many OWLS are in our new guest bedroom.  Just comment on the bottom of this post.  And no, I don't know what the prize is yet.  I'll pick one out of the people that get it right.  I pointed two out already.  Comment on this post with your answer! :)

Friday Fun Finds {8/26/11}

I've taken a week long break from the blog which is exceptionally NOT like me. But get excited because I'm back! For now at least. Until the next time I decide I need a break.

Stay tuned though because I have a bunch of fun projects that I've made this summer and not put on the blog.

However, today is Friday Fun Finds.  And in honor of Maroon Friday, I've been meaning to tell you about the latest and greatest blog I've found.

Are you ready for this?  I can promise that you aren't!

My blog has been in existence for over a year now.  I would say "our" blog, but my husband refuses to write blog posts.  And it's a shame because they would be really funny and great to read!  But in his defense, his friends aren't the ones reading the blog.  It's my friends reading the blog!

Anyway, my parents and David & I were all in Starkville two weekends ago.  David's sister was going through rush {which loyal blog followers know} so we chose to spend the weekend in our favorite place.  I haven't seen my parents in FOREVER so they decided to join the party as well!  No seriously, it had been like 2 months.

While enjoying our day on Saturday, my Mom announced that she wanted a blog.  I could not believe what I was hearing and was all to eager to set a blog up for her.  When asked what she wanted to write about, she said, I want to write about all of the good things that go on at Mississippi State and their alumni.

The whole weekend, we brainstormed names and eventually came up with "For Whom the Cowbell Clangs," a take off of the book "For Whom the Bell Tolls."

I set up a cute maroon blog layout and Mom got to work.  So far she's only posted twice, but she is in desperate need of new followers.  And trust me, you want to make sure you follow her before football season begins because I can guarantee you that her football blog stories will be funnier than Boo Mama's.

If you want to read about all things Mississippi State, head over to my Mama's blog at:

http://forwhomthecowbellclangs.blogspot.com/

And don't forget that it's Maroon Friday all over the world!  Wear your maroon!  Football season is less than a week away! WOO HOO!

Tomorrow...

Just because today is Thursday....

And it's raining...

And sometimes we just have bad days...

"Waiting For Tomorrow"

Maybe tomorrow I'll start over
Maybe tomorrow I will finally change my ways
Said the same things yesterday
Don't know why I'm so afraid
To let you in
To let you win
To let you have all of me

Can't spend my whole life wastin'
Everything I know I've been given
'Cause you've made for so much more than
Sittin' on the side lines
I don't wanna look back and wonder
If good enough could've been better

Everyday's a day to start over
So, why am I waiting for tomorrow

Maybe today I'll start believing
That you're mercy is really
As real as you say it is
It doesn't matter who I used to be
It only matters that I've been set free
You rescued me you're changing me
Jesus take everything

Can't spend my whole life wastin'
Everything I know I've been given
'Cause you've made for so much more than
Sittin' on the side lines
I don't wanna look back and wonder
If good enough could've been better

Everyday's a day to start over
So, why am I waiting for tomorrow

Oh, I'm makin this my moment now
To grab the hand that's reachin down to save me You saved me
And I'm makin this my moment now
To grab the hand that's reachin down to save me You saved me

Can't spend my whole life wastin'
Everything I know I've been given
'Cause you've made for so much more than
Sittin' on the side lines
I don't wanna look back and wonder
If good enough could've been better

Everyday's a day to start over
So, why am I waiting for tomorrow

I'm gonna grab the hand that's reachin down
And I'm not gonna wait until tomorrow
Oh, tomorrow

Tasty Tuesday {Hawiian Porkchops}

I don't like Porkchops.  I'm not a big fan of the pig.  I DO eat sausage, bacon, and bar-b-q, but I'm not a pork tenderloin/porkchop girl.  But, David's mom gave us some awesome pork chops around Christmas to stock our freezer.  They were Omaha Steak brand.  So I knew I needed something that would make them taste good!  

When we got married, my mom challenged me to try a new recipe every week, which I haven't really done because I don't like straying from what I know how to cook.  I've mentioned this before, but when I was in the 8th or 9th grade, I typed all of my mom's recipes on the computer, printed them out, and stuck them in clear protective sheets and put them in a three ring binder.  I didn't know it then, but I really was making myself a present!  When I moved out of the Chi O house in 2008 and needed to be able to cook, my mom and I drove to Office Depot and pulled every sheet out, one by one, and made copies.  Unfortunately, while my mom's "bible" of recipes survived, the original hard drive they were on did not.  So for like an hour, we pulled recipes out, copied, put back in.  It. Was. A. Pain.  But SOOO worth it.  I now have my own recipe binder of all of my mom's recipes.  I. Love. It.  Of course, she says it makes it really hard to have a "staple" to cook when we come home because odds are, I've cooked it for David recently!  She actually calls to see what I've cooked lately before she sees us so she can plan her menus accordingly!  I love having and knowing how to cook all of my mom's recipes.  I literally can think about how I've watched her do something, and do it.  

That is the reason I am not ecstatic about trying new recipes.  What if they are bad?

Well, in January, I decided it was time to find a new recipe for porkchops.  Both to satisfy my Mom and to utilize the free {amazing} cut of meat we had been given.  So I broke out the Southern Generations cookbook from the Starkville Junior Auxiliary.  I found a Hawaiian Porkchop recipe that looked good and simple. Plus, I had a lot of the ingredients in my pantry.  It was SO good!  I wanted to share the recipe with y'all then, but I had forgotten to take pictures--mainly because I didn't know if it would be good.  David and I both agreed that whenever porkchops were on sale, I could make this recipe.  

Well, porkchops were on sale last week.  So I made this wonderful recipe and took photos.  I hope y'all enjoy it as much as we do! 

First of all, make sure you remember to go grab your camera to take photos.  I am so bad at this!  

Throw four porkchops in a pan.  I used boneless.  Brown them on both sides until the outside edges aren't pink anymore.  I didn't have to drain mine.  I guess because I was using a good piece of meat?

While those are browning, start the sauce that they will cook in.  First you'll need one can of beef broth.  Pour it in a medium size bowl and continue.

Next, add 1/4 cup of ketchup.  I love ketchup. Yum.

Add in a tablespoon of white vinegar. 

Open a can of pineapple chunks. The recipe calls for pineapple tidbits, but I used what was in my pantry.  Pineapple is pineapple.  Don't forget how wonderful it is when Google Blogs rotates photos so they are the wrong way.

Now, the recipe calls for 1/2 a cup, but I always wind up putting more than that in there.  I love pineapple!  I put approximately 1 cup in this recipe. Maybe 1/2 a cup is appropriate for pineapple tidbits.

I also usually slip in a little bit of the juice just for good measure.  Even though it's not listed in the recipe.

Next, dump in 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. Hopefully your brown sugar didn't look like mine. It tasted fine, but it was all stuck together.  Even the box is beaten up.  We're not very nice to our pantry items at my house.  The August heat must have gotten to it.  If this happens to you, measure as close to a tablespoon as possible. 

 The last thing that needs to be prepared are the green bell peppers.  You'll need approximately 1/4 cup of these. 

Wash your pepper, and cut it up into pieces.  You want to make sure you remove the seeds from the inside of the bell pepper before doing the next step.  Slice up the bell pepper.

Then throw it in your nifty chopper that is super quick. I've mentioned it on here before, but I love mine! 

Easy as one, two, three!

Add that to all of the sauce you've prepared.

Then pour it into you skillet with your porkchops.

Cover and simmer on low for 45 minutes.  You just leave it and forget about it!

After 45 minutes, take a tablespoon of cornstarch and mix with 2 tablespoons of water.  Stir it up REALLY good!

Then pour it in your porkchop/sauce mixture.  The cornstarch will act as a thickener and make it yummy!

And now my computer is being silly and won't upload the final picture!  Maybe it will tomorrow!  The recipe says to serve this dish with rice, but I hate rice so I chose to serve it with wild rice.  And it is SO good with the sauce!

Hope y'all enjoy it as much as this non-porkchop lover loves it!

Hawaiian Porkchops

4 Porkchops (approx 1 lb)
1 can beef broth
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup pineapple tidbits
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water


Brown and drain porkchops in a skillet.  Add all ingredients to pan except cornstarch and water.  Simmer covered for 45 minutes.  Stir cornstarch into water and add to sauce to thicken.  Serve with rice.

I Miss College--Part Two

Today, I spent the day here....

Yes, my sister-in-law pledged Kappa Delta, and I couldn't be more excited for her!  She had a phenomenal rush experience, and she's elated!

I guess I'm going to have to start liking teddy bears, green and white, and white roses. 

I do feel like I should point something out.  Make no mistake, our future children will wear owls.  Yes, boy or girl, they will wear owls.  Their aunt can buy them teddy bears, and I won't forbid it.  Their nursery will be done in owls.  Their aunt can come visit, but she will not brainwash them into Kappa Delta.  Of this I am certain.

I'm only halfway kidding.  And by saying that on the blog, I probably just jinxed our future children to be ALL boys.  Would now be a good time to point out the my brother dates a Kappa Delta as well?

Anyway, for those of you who aren't Greek, have never been Greek, and care nothing about being Greek, this post will mean nothing to you.  And for that, I would apologize, except Greek Life meant so much to me that I won't.

So of course, being back on the row made me miss college again.  If you haven't read I Miss College--Part One {that is titled Friday Fun Finds {8/12/11}}, you should click on the link and read it.  I truly miss college.

But more than anything in the world, I miss this place...



Aka, my absolute favorite place in the world. 

The memories started on this day seven years ago, and I was so blessed by God's incredible plan for my life.  Little did I know then the journey He had in store for me with Chi Omega and the friendships that would abound within her walls!

On pref night of our recruitment. These pictures aren't embarrassing at all!  Haha. But they were a sweet and special time!

. 

Then came bid day!  Sessums 324 was covered with two little wise owls perched on our door.  This of course was before the explosion of owls in retail!

I'm sure that you have seen some of these photos if you've been around the blog awhile. I would have to tell my freshman self how important it is to take as many photos as your memory card can stand.  Because I took 5.  Yes, FIVE.  Not six, but five.  There is one that is missing and it is a copy of a photo that is in my scrapbook.  It's of my friend Katherine Wiley and I.  Knowing that the photo exists is applicable to this post.

This day, while super awkward to be surrounded by 200 people that I didn't know, would have to go down as one of the best days of my life.  I look back on the FIVE photos that I took, and every single lady in yellow has grown to mean so much to me.

I would have no way of knowing it at the time, but every relationship from that first "official" day at the Chi Omega house, God would take, mold, and use for a specific part of my life.  It is obvious to me looking back that He intended to bless  me with a friend who possessed a characteristic that I did not.

I look at these girls in YELLOW, and...

They all got me through some tough times.
They all made me laugh when things weren't going well.
They all played practical jokes with me.
They knocked five times on the wall to signal we were going to bed. {inside joke}
They had RENT movie marathons during final exams with me.
They cried with me.
They stayed up late with me talking about boys.
They stayed up late with me crying about boys.
They stayed up late with me laughing about boys.
They walked with me through a broken heart, and I shared in a few of theirs.
They were the first people to call my bluff on not liking David.
They were the first people I called when David and I got engaged.

They were ALL bridesmaids in my wedding. 

And I met them all on this day.  Don't get me wrong, I met a few more throughout the years in college.  I met a few more of my bridesmaids in the week after Bid Day {and I have photos to prove it}.  But I never could have known at that time just exactly WHAT these girls {who wandered into my FIVE bid day photos} would mean to me.

I guess that's why I'm struggling so much with wanting to do it all over again in my sister in law's place.  I wish at Bid Day 2004 I had taken note of the back of my tshirt.  It read...

"You can have diamonds, and you can have men. But Chi O's my dear are a girls best friend."

Because if I had paid attention to what I was wearing instead of just the Greek letters on the front, I would have realized that I was surrounded by the people that would stand with me throughout a lifetime. 

I have no idea how God brought these girls and gave them to me.  Maybe it was through meeting all of these girls in the RED shirts.  All I know is that He had chosen them for me before I was even created in my Mother's womb.

"Your eyes saw my unformed body;
   all the days ordained for me were written in your book
   before one of them came to be."  --Psalm 139:16

God knew exactly how rush was going to turn out before I even was formed.  That's one crazy detailed God. And for that, I am thankful.

God picked them out.  Me being at the Chi Omega was no mistake. Me meeting these girls was no accident.  He ordained the entire thing.

"Chi Omega friendship is worth more than gold,

Its not had for the asking, no place is it sold.

You can't find it in a book or on a shelf...

You just have to be a Chi Omega yourself!"

And the same can be held true for my sister in law, Danielle and her new sorority.  God ordained her steps in August of 2011 just as He was faithful to do for me in August of 2004. God of faithfulness and details.  And I could list so many more characteristics!

So as I stood outside of the place that Danielle will call home for four years, I was flooded with these emotions.  Not only was I jealous of her, I found myself standing back on the curb, taking photos, and wondering....Who will she play practical jokes with, and which ones will help dry tears when they inevitably come over serious and mundane events in college?  Who will be the ones to swing on the front porch with her?  Which of the girls in the photos above will be seen in wedding photos and albums for years to come? 

Who will be her Bethany Shipp?  Her Megan Fly?  Her Anna Tadlock?  And her sweet Katherine Wiley?

Because, I feel certain that I met them today--that I took some photos with them in them.  I could see my friends faces in theirs.  Seven years ago. Man.

And so with that, I choose to lose my August blues, live in the present, and remember that I HAVE my Bethany Shipp, my Megan Fly, my Anna Tadlock, and my sweet Katherine Wiley.  I have MANY more from my Chi Omega house as well that I could name and tell stories about.  In fact, I'll join a few of them for a bachelorette party this coming weekend.  I choose to trust that the faithful, detailed God I serve will be just as faithful and detailed in the coming seven years as He has been in the past seven years.  He knows the plan He's orchestrating far better than I.  I choose to trust that while we may live miles and miles apart, nothing can separate us from each other!  And this fall, when I see sorority girls with Greek stickers at football games and letter t-shirts on campus, or when my sis in law comes home proudly displaying her all sorority t-shirt wardrobe, it will bring a smile to my face, and I'll be thankful for the present while remembering sweet memories of precious friends.  I'll be thankful that we're not at the end.  Those four years were simply the beginning of a lifelong of friendships.  We'll even welcome our first new addition to the group in February {woo hoo for our new little hootie hoo #1 for Kat}.  The August blues have officially ended.

How elated am I for Danielle?  Words cannot describe!

Alright girls, who's planning the reunion this year?  I vote for the beach!

I nominate you Meg Fly! Seven years later, and we still find ourselves on the row!