12.31.2010

Adios 2010, a year in review!

JANUARY 2010--went downtown with these fun ladies! Met a celeb who shall remain nameless and hung out with him all night!
Girls' weekend in Knoxville- turned into Guidettes- Sweet Sista Sarah and KPow

Posed for the camera for Ootie....
Just had fun together!
FEBRUARY
Thought about putting our house on the market. Insert big ?...what to do, what to do...
Went to Ohio!
Celebrated Steven's birthday!
Decided to put the house on the market on February 15th (Steven's birthday). It sold on March 14th--less than a month. We were beyond blessed!

MARCH- got a phone call that the house sold! This is a picture at the park when Steven got the phone call.
APRIL- we lived a part for the month. Zane and Steven at his parents and me living with mine. We had major house issues as in the people decided they wanted to stay another month and it pushed our closing a month behind. We didn't find this out until our move in date. Sadly, there is no place to go hotel wise when you have a big dog and our entire life was in storage. Yikes, it was stressful.


MAY- baby Molly Cate joined our world!
Zane turned 2! Little brother, Justin moved to South Carolina!
FINALLY, FINALLY, FINALLY, moved into our new house after living a part for awhile!

JUNE- Enjoying the summer...found the best fried pickles around!

woo hoo, the girls came to visit!
yellow kitchen underway....
JULY- 4th anniversary!
Took Ari swimming!
restored this old buffet with my dad and used a lot of power tools!
House gets painted!
Stayed with my sister for 3 fun-filled days of shopping and she cooked for me!
4th of July with the E family
Trip to Atlanta with the girls! Met LOMA's family and bonded!
AUGUST- Our business turned 2 years old and is thriving!

Mary's birthday!
I FINALLY got my Farm table!
ehhhhh school started!!
SEPTEMBER- my dad came home from China.

Shower for LOMA and baby Grayson was born!

Baby shower with the girls for Natalie and baby Nolan!
I was told I needed carpal tunnel surgery...severely...didn't do it.

OCTOBER- Eastern Caribbean Cruise with Sarah and Joe!


NOVEMBER- turkey day with the family!
DECEMBER-
posed for family Christmas card pictures.
First Christmas in our new house.
Downstairs toilet flooded our wood floors--eeeekkkkk!
My sister came to shop with me for 3 days!
Turned 29.

Of course, if we're being honest here, a lot of crappy, horrible, bad, no good, things happened in 2010 too. But, who takes pictures of the ugly stuff? It was a really, hard year although you can't tell. I grew. I changed. I never cry, I cried. I learned a lot too. But, life moves on. I don't make resolutions...I just plan on having a better 2011 all around! I want to give more, love better and grow in every aspect! In 2005 when I met Steven and we were dating he told me he was going to make my 2006 year rock (random, but he said it a lot)...all I'm saying is 2011 has got to rock. I need a rockin' year!!

Birthday with my Family

My sister sent me a beautifully wrapped birthday package....
with a passport cover! So cute!
It's hard to have a birthday between Christmas and New Years but not when you're in my family! My momma is a great birthday planner and always made our birthdays special, even when we are 29! My family, including my brother who is still in town, went to Cajun Steamer-it's yummy! I told you, we are a seafood variety lovin' family!


Then, we always go back to my parents for presents and every year I get a double chocolate chip cookie cake.
Except this year I asked my mom to make it with chocolate...since I am not a fan of icing. period. I still had to scrape some off but there are plenty of icing fans in my family so it always works!
THE BEST GIFT EVER... this is the Bona wood floor cleaner. No batteries, just a special thingamajig and solution it is beyond amazing. Like, I have been dying to get this since I tried my moms. I do love to clean and I love anything that makes cleaning fun or easy! I give it a perfect 10 and I have a 76lb. boxer who is messy!
my antique wood chargers woo-woo
salt and pepper shakers
my dad made me sugar cube mold candle holders (like at the flea market) got some bird prints and more white dishes I collect.
Do you see a pattern of birds. I love birds! I had a great birthday with yummy food, people I love, and lovely gifts.

Surprised on the 29th for my 29th!

So, I seriously have the best friends around! We got a big screen for the bonus room and have been trying to stream Netflix along with the surround sound and were lacking a cord. I was supposed to meet my hubby at Sam's Club at 6pm to get the cord. Steven was running late. I was starving!! I wanted to get an icee and a hot dog but didn't want to be eating alone so I only got an icee. So, here I go, happy girl (oink oink) drinking a coke icee and shopping in Sam's. I'm walking around the store and I hear "hey" and look up to see 3 familiar hotties coming my way. I was NOT even thinking about my birthday...I think I asked what they were actually up to. Surprise, we are taking you to dinner to celebrate! They had worked it out with Steven and told him to inconvenience me and get my to the mall area. Thank goodness I showered because I had been painting the bonus room with my dad all day! I was totally caught off guard and surprised!
We went to Molinaro's! (similar restaurant to where we eat when we go to ATL)
It's delish!
sugar to make lemonade
AMAZING garlic rolls drenched in butter
beets in the salad...ehh not so much
ending the night with a gangsta grill "call the jewelry store and tell 'em make me a grill" compliments of LOMA. It really has little diamonds/designs and is strawberry flavored-ha!
I know I have a hard shell but I am a big softy on the inside and I was totally surprised and touched that you all secretly planned something fun for my birthday! I love you VM's!

12.27.2010

Hot Reuben Appetizer Dish



-My Hot Reuben Appetizer-
some of you asked, here ya go! I made this for Christmas Eve. It's super easy and delicious....

1 pound of corn beef
1 16 oz. can of shredded sauerkraut
2 cups Mayo (I use Miracle Whip)
8 0z. swiss cheese (you can use more if you like it cheesy)

In a large bowl shred the beef with your fingers. Drain the sauerkraut really well and pour into the bowl. Add approximately 2 cups of Mayo. Stir mixture. Add cheese. Stir again. Spray a 9 x 11 oven safe pan and pour entire mixture in. Bake the covered dish at 350 for 20 minutes. Serve with Town House crackers, wheat thins or pita bread. It taste best when hot!
Enjoy!