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!