Travel time!

In 2003 my sister and I had a wild hair...for some reason we are both super type A control freaks but when we get together we can be spontaneous. It's odd how it works, but it just totally works. So, we're sitting around in our college apartment and we just decide to randomly go on a cruise together. Yep, in a matter of a few hours we had the idea and then had it booked. We didn't tell our boyfriends, parents or anything, we just did it. Off we went two weeks later... We got ourselves to New Orleans and then honestly carted all our luggage from downtown New Orleans to the docks in the rain! Fun fact: we toured the first Real World house while there!

Here we are outside our dining room for dinner. We got to sit with the Isley brother look alike and we have ON VIDEO, me singing "your contagious, touch me baby, give me what you got" over dinner, apparently I had a whisper voice then! (that is also the R. Kelly/Isley brothers song) Dude had a full on red suit, rat tail, the works. We also hung out with some rich kids from Rice University, acted out 90's skits on stage, and totally tripped on the cobblestone sidewalk in Cozumel....while on video.

Do you think I look pale? haha We went on a catamaran out to Sting Ray Island to swim with the sting rays. It was amazing, they are incredibly soft and smooth to touch. However, being on the little boat made me completely sea sick. I had my head in my lap gagging and needing to throw up after an hour. Sarah wouldn't stop video taping me! I have never felt so sick or looked so hideous! It was still lots of fun.

Now, we've gone on multiple trips since 2003 but never as a foursome with our hubbies. It's about time, right? Sarah had been asking us to go all out one last time before we have kids and I kept telling her no. Secretly, I had been searching for a cruise ship, bon voyage type card to mail her announcing we'd be going. Even her hubby was in on it. Needless to say, she got the card today which is why I can blog about it. It worked out perfectly because she's had a rough week! I'm so ready for the fun and know we'll get along great! The boys will deep sea fish while we shop and lounge! I'm looking forward to the vacation, spending time with fun friends and making memories. We also have some other fun, secret shenanigans up our sleeve. :o) I can't wait, let the count down begin!

If you're a bird, I'm a bird...

Have you ever wondered why you are the way you are? Well, I'm always thinking (part of my enneagram I learned) and my friend Mary told me about a personality book. I just finished the book The Enneagram in Love and Work by Helen Palmer. An enneagram is a personality typing system that defines the 9 types of people in the world and how they relate. It's SUPER interesting and a quick read. I literally nodded my head the whole time and my inside was shouting "that's me, that's me, I do that!" It was fun to see how I compared to my husband and it actually said we were good matches for one another. If you know me well, you'll know the following details are totally me:

I am a ONE-perfectionist with an EIGHT-boss as a close second

* be right, has a severe mental critic of self and actions

*feels guilty about not meeting high internal standards

*wants excitement and an exciting career but balk at the risks

*black or white thinker, no room for gray unless I make up the gray

*Remembers details, detail conscious, appreciate smallest gestures like being on time and remembering names

*tends to repeat the known

*can work long hours on their own

*extremely loyal

*avoids risk

* strict accountability

So, if you have time, grab the book or borrow mine. You could be a peacemaker, epicure, trooper or boss too!

It's the little things

A clean house and front porches

flea market finds and the color GREEN

reality TV I love all the housewives of (fill in the county, but especially Jersey)

Snow days off from school

CHRISTMAS! Nuff said...(oh and the color green again)

Traveling and spending quality time with this man

eating out with friends, oink oink, I love food

History! My favorite time periods are: Roman, WWII/Holocaust, and the American frontier years. I also love Native Americans and the Amish.

Mr. Clean Erasers...I'm amazed but they really, really do work!

Coke Icee...it can make any day better but it must be coke not cherry, lime, etc. What are ten random things you love?

Four for our fourth

Four years ago today we stood barefoot on the beach surrounded by 16 friends and family members. The hubbies of the bridal party took a bunch of candid pictures and here are a few. (Sadly, my professional wedding pictures are not on the laptop)

Happy Monday, from Twilight

Just thought I would share... I don't know if it's real but it was on the People Of Walmart website. I guess I've seen it all! What would your favorite movie/tattoo say?

Bringing Awareness

I recently watched PIT BOSS with Shorty Rossi on Animal Planet. All I can say is WOW. Shorty is a little person and has a little person entourage who saves pit bulls. You know I luuurve my boxer, Zane. BUT I hate it when people assume he is a pit bull. Why? Because of the horrible stereotype that they will eat your freakin' face off. Also, Micheal Vick (boo) brought attention to TN and the world with his pit bull dog fights. Well, I have turned a new leaf. On the show, Shorty rescues these horribly abused pits that have fight wounds and it is amazing how gentle and loving they are. I guess what I am trying to say is any dog can be a product of its environment and if taught to fight they will fight. If taught to love, they will love. There is an interesting link of pit bull lovers and I've highlighted a few below.

Rachel Ray has a rescue named Isaboo Jessica Biel has a pit named Tina (and her b/f Justin Timberlake rocks 2 boxers...woo woo)
Helen Keller even used a pit bull for therapeutics...and had some as personal pets!

Other pit bull fans: Dr. Phil, Jamie Foxx, and Jessica Alba.

Need a dog of any breed? Please visit www.petfinder.com and see what is sitting in a shelter in your area!

Friday Night Fun

Friday night we hit up Bunganut downtown. Sadly, it poured so we had to dine inside instead of on the patio. Maybe Loma was still upset?

This is my first time seeing fried Bologna this way. It was massive!!! Does your bologna have a first name? Marci enjoyed it.

Even little MC was mesmerized by its size!

We played pool. Check out my awesome H. :o)

We also played cricket and darts. Lots more pictures were taken, many impromptu...but you won't be seeing those!

Lastly, I had to take a picture of the boxer playing cards....luckily by the time we got home Zane had cleaned up!

I heart barns

I love barns. I'm always trespassing in fields. I used to have a metal detector too (quit laughing). You should have seen me in the backyard...beep, beep, beep I found good stuff. Anyways, I walk Zane every night and tonight I took my camera. This barn is in the back of my neighborhood. I didn't want to walk in the hay alone so I took Zane so he would keep me safe. I hate snakes! Anyways, here are some pictures.

I felt so itchy and sticky because it was like 100 degrees! I'm kinda sad that the barn is abandoned. Just think of those wonderful wood planks rotting and falling. It would be an awesome restored farm table. ;o)

Office Armoire before/after

I found this armoire for sale on Craigslist a few weeks ago. (my first CL purchase) It's 6ft. tall and made from nasty oak. S needed it to store books and supplies in his office but it didn't match my vision for the room. Ta-da! It looks so much better and I think the black highlights the beveled glass doors. Now, we have a place for all his office junk and it looks clean.

Curtains, Living Room and Banana Pudding?

Nope, I do not have a communicable disease...it's a safety mask since I am possibly working with lead based paint (but it wasn't) and so I wouldn't breath the dangerous fumes while sanding that good ole' 5x3 ft. window I showed you many posts ago. Zane says hi in the background. This baby took F-O-R-E-V-E-R.... say it like they do in the movie The Sandlot. Remember the many coats of white previously? Well, this is what it looked like after sanding it with a gigantic sander several times. It still wasn't done. It was also hellaciously (word?) dusty. But, I wanted it to work.

After much sanding, sweating in the sun, cleaning and magical Windex my dad is putting it up for me! Check out his still bummed leg.

and VOILA! It's now located on the small/short wall in my living room. I know it's kinda boring around it but I have more ideas for decorations and I can't wait to get my super fun, colorful pillows that BKJ is giving me. Pillow pictures later, they are from Pier 1 Import. Remember the curtains I said I got from IKEA?

Those are my IKEA curtains people.... twenty bucks and I love them. I think they look better in person. Also bought the curtain rods this morning from Target on sale for a whopping $8.99 each. They are square, wrought iron black. Good deal.view from the main living entrance minus my pillows (shot straight into the deck, sorry) view from the kitchen hall

I wanted my walls and surroundings to be neutral so my pillows and accessories can POP! On top of doing the curtains and wall, walking the dog, going to Target I grocery shopped. Made my FIRST banana pudding too. Now before you gasp.

1. you know pudding qualifies as a swallow food and I am not into swallow foods

2. you know I don't eat whip cream and you people usually smother it in whip cream

3. (I made it better minus the whip cream woo woo)

Sorry the triffle bowl is fogged from being in the fridge

I forgot to show you previously....don't look at the decorations just the antique chest piece.This is the entry way for right now. My dad bought this piece for me at the Nashville Flea Market in June. It needed no work....just a little bit of min wax polish and a good cleaning!

Southern Hospitality

I spent the last 4 days in Atlanta with my girlfriends. We had a fabulous time talking, laughing and shopping. It wasn't long before the camera came out. This is Katie, showing her excitement as we crossed the Nickajack. Look closely, it is her toe!!!! She couldn't control herself! The car ride was so funny I can't put it in words. So, I won't! Breaking out the snacks

We hit a lot of stores in 3 days. Every now and then I would turn around and see my two sleeping beauties dozing between destinations.

We didn't just shop and eat. (yes we did) We got to see Loma's old stomping ground and hometown, high school, places she hung out as a teenager and where she worked. While downtown we saw the infamous Varsity...and lots of fun license plates that I didn't have time to take a picture of. ....like this plate downtown

We all loaded up at IKEA! My loot: 96 inch panel curtains for my living room...a whopping 19.99$ for two!!! Also had self control and got some picture frames I needed and stackable kitchen stuff. I have a wish list for later though!

Lunch at Atlantic Station- Doc Green's...we had salads all around!

Background story on the picture below. We ordered buffalo chicken salad. It was more like atomic fireball chicken salad. So hot, BKJ ended up eating ice cubes.

We played with hair accessories in H&M and glasses in Urban Outfitters.

We ate A LOT! This is one of my favorite little places in Atlanta-Provino's. Every time I go to Atlanta I make sure this is one stop I never miss. The eggplant parmesan is fabulous! Also, I ate bread. Big squeal... totally worth any stomach ache it might have caused. Picture oven baked dough ball covered in garlic and garlic butter. Little slice of heaven!

Loma's back yard pre dinner

at Provino's!

This was another fabulous trip! I think you 3 ladies are just wonderful! I don't want to get all sappy but I loved all the conversations. In fact, my left eye is tearing up right now! Shaaaa :o)