Going Home

Ahhhh, two words that I just love....Going= I love to go and do.... and then Home= I love love love home! Dorothy had it right when she said "There's no place like home." Tonights visit home had such great unexpected surprises. I mean time playing and visiting with family is great but then surprise visits is even better. Tonight while helping (watching) my dad work on the pump for the pool, my Uncle Art (Ark) drove up with my older childhood friend Stephen. You see I grew up in an extremely small town and lived even farther out of town so the only people near my age were boys. No wonder all my friends wanted to stay over at my house....Ha! Well anyways Stephen is at least 5 years older but is probably one of my favorite older (adopted) brothers. We had the opportunity to catch up for awhile and then of course we headed down memory lane. Now many people would say it would be horrible to grow up in a small town but Stephen and I would argue that point by the stories we talked about. It made me long for younger days and wish the miles that have drifted so many of my friends away would shorten just a little. Just a few of our memories and a few I thought about after he left:

• Gwen's crazy ideas of always giving us something to get into


• Throwing fireworks out of the Brock's minivan.


• Snow days (we all slept at one house --it looked like a war zone with bodies laying everywhere--and then spent the next day riding the country and playing in the snow)


• The Rain Makers ( a singing group that we were all a part of .....everytime we went to sing it would rain and normally tornandos would be near us)


• Swinging and talking


• Riding bikes


• Movie nights


• Driving to New Albany to go to Wal Mart....sad but true


• Laughter and lots of it!

Thanks to all my friends that were apart of those days! They and you will always be a treasured part of my heart!

Man Cave

Well, Jonathon has lived in "our" soon to be house for a year and a half...it's been his man cave as he calls it! Since we've started having showers and now are on Spring Break I have been setting up a few things to turn the man cave into a family home. Or well at least a place that will feel like home to me.

1 lesson learned pick your battles: My roommate SJ and I went to run errands the other day. She bought a few things and I bought a few things. My favorite buy was really cute lamps. I loved the lamps but wasn't sold on the shades. And I new the Man from the man cave would hate the shades. So I did some shade swapping and he loved it. I also put the other shade (the one I knew he would not care for) on another lamp that was just blah....well that shade and lamp just popped! Of course he hated it and I tried to sell him on the idea of just putting it in the guest room. He said he didn't want to show his guest that ugly thing....we shall see....what happens when we set up the guest room. Maybe I could do some money talking....but I don't know!

2. We have these huge windows in the living room. Before this week they had three separate blinds on them and of course none of the blinds matched. SO....we stole a friends idea and put up shear curtains with a darker top curtain to close off for privacy (or to make the room dark for naps)! Here's a pics of the new look for our big window! Oh and this mismatched blinds are in the yard sale pile!

3. One of my sweet friends gave us this frame as a wedding gift. She also helped with our church shower. We are so blessed by Godly friends.

Well, I hope you are having a great week. Spring Break is almost over.....yes I want to cry. I've gotten so much done and have loved the free time! Blah to getting back to reality! Where is that tree that grows money?

Spring Break!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes it is finally Spring Break! That means no YMCA, no teaching, and no grad school! I really don't know what to do with myself! Ha!!! NOT!!!!

This week is jammed packed of organizing! Yep, that's right! Today I got up bright and early...9a.m. ...... and got started on my to do list! I have already cleaned out one closet and have started on another! I am starting to go through my (junk) stuff and get rid of some of it! I have a huge garbage pile and a yard sale pile. Maybe in April I can have a yard sale! Woohooo! To selling stuff at a low price and earning a little money.

I am also planning to do a little shopping this week. Jonathon and I have had three showers (what a blessing) and we already have plans on what to buy with some of our gift cards and cash. This week we are buying a grill (Woohoo), getting curtains for our living room, and maybe buying blinds for the rest of the house. We are so excited to starting setting up house....ok maybe I am a little more than he is!


Have a great week! I will try to post some pictures as the week goes on!

A recipe post

While in college I was blessed to meet some of the coolest people. I loved having the opportunity to meet these people and getting to hear their stories. One of the coolest girls that I met was sweet Leslie Hale! Leslie was from Arkansas and actually went to the same college (junior) that my parent's attended. So needless to say after getting married Leslie moved to Mississippi and attended to Blue Mountain with me. Leslie is one of those sweet girls who can always make you smile. She is so funny and I loved sitting near her in class every chance I got ( I am pretty sure Mrs. West wanted us to stay far apart)! Well now Leslie and her sweet family live in Texas but we still get to communicate through facebook and blogspot. This week Leslie posted this wonderful recipe. I cooked it on Wednesday night and thought I needed to share it with the blogging world.

Deep Dish Pizza Casserole

1 (15 ounce) can of tomato sauce
1 (10 ounce) can of refrigerated pizza dough
1 package of sliced part skim mozzarella cheese
1 (lb) of ground beef (she used lean, I used turkey meet.....you can't tell the difference)
Then you can add turkey pepperoni, olives, mushrooms.....you know pizza toppings!

While the meat cooks
Coat 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
Unroll pizza crust and press into the bottom of the dish.
Lay a couple of slices of cheese on the dish.

Add tomato sauce to the meat once it's cooked and drained.
And then add all your pizza topings I let it simmer for a few mins.

Then pour that meat/sauce mixture into the crust.

Bake uncovered at 425 for 12 mins.
Remove add a layer of cheese and continue to bake 5 more mins.
Let cool for 5 mins and then enjoy!


Thanks for sharing Leslie! I can't wait to cook this for Jonathon this week! We are on Spring Break! That means no YMCA, no teaching, no grad school!!!! Woohooo we may actually get to spend some quality time together and even start setting up our future home!

Why did I say that?

Just a quick post to ask you have you ever said, "Why did I say that"? At the begining of last week my sweet student teacher asked me if I took some drugs to build my immune system and my response was "Oh, I never get sick!" Oh ....................if I could only take back those words. Not three days later I felt horrible! I mean achy, tired , fever, ear ache, throat ache, and just plain wishing my momma was here kind of sick. But being the adult that I am I bought meds and cried silently from my room! By that night I knew I was going to have to go to the doctor. So the next morning I went to the Walgreen's Take Care clinic and this sweet woman tested me for strep and before it was done she could already tell me that it was going to be positive. UGGG! So after that I went to Walmart to get my meds filled. And slept the day away. That afternoon I packed my bags and went home. I am sorry but there is no better place to be than HOME esp. when you are sick! While at home Mom took such great care of me (and Dad wasn't there so I got all her special care)!!!

So after a sickly weekend I am here to say: I am thankful to be able to swallow again, I love my Momma!!, and I am thankful the Lord made be feel well enough to go to my "friends" shower yesterday! Today I have felt better just extremely exhausted! I am praying I can make it through the day tomorrow! I mean who wants to miss the week before Spring Break?

No Riley's Party

So, our first wedding shower is tomorrow at my parent's church in Potts Camp. I am very excited to spend the day with some of the most wonderful women I know. The same women that's hosting the shower were the ones that taught me the word of God and held my hand as I grew up. I do not deserve anything from these sweet women. Actually, I would love to pour blessings on them. I am praying I can hold it together tomorrow and not cry like a baby!

Anyways....... now to the funny part. On thursday my mom was trying to explain to Riley Kate that she would not see her on Friday but would see her at "Aunt Amber's Wedding Party" props to my mom for putting it in good two year old wording. Well the jokes on us! That sweet little girl looked at her Nana and said "NO Nana! Riley's party and Riley's presents!" Ha....do we have our work cut out for us or not? So of course Kelly had to call me and tell me that it was no longer my shower but it is Riley's party! Haha!! I think some little hands might be helping me tomorrow!

Here's a few pics. from her 2nd bday party at the begining of the month!

I remember

Tomorrow we will celebrate Riley Kate's 2nd birthday!

I remember:

• getting the phone call
  
• the look on Carter's face
  
• the wonder if she was ever going to come
  
• the tears that feel when we first saw her


• the day she came home


• that same she got hiccups and Brad saying "boo" without thinking


• our first photo shoot and that little lip sticking out


• me changing her diaper and noticing her cord was gone
  
• her sitting up


• her baby dedication


• her crawling


• her snuggling


• her walking


• her talking


• her 1st birthday
  
• her saying Amber


• her smile


• her laughter
  

Wow! That's a lot of memories that one sweet girl has given me! Happy Birthday my sweet Riley Kate....Aunt Amber loves you!