Weekend Wrap-Up

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July!

Thursday (the 3rd) Clarksville did their fireworks display down in Liberty Park. L and I went, enjoyed a funnel cake and live music, but were underwhelmed with the actual fireworks display. The company and setting more than made up for it, though, even if I ended up sitting under the blanket we brought to sit on. 

 

On the 4th, L and I did yard work, unpacked the office a little more, and I even convinced him to do a little shopping with me. My favorite finds on Friday? The perfect teal quatrefoil 5x7' area rug from Kirklands for $40 and a sprinkler for the front yard for $1.75 from Target! We grabbed dinner out, watched "Lone Survivor" and camped out on the back porch to watch the neighbors shoot off their fireworks. (The best fireworks are legal in Tennessee!)

Saturday we laid low but yesterday after church we went on an adventure to Nashville with Little Loola. We grabbed lunch at Slider House (yum!), went to the Parthenon, and of course got some Jeni's Splendid Ice-Cream before heading home.  

 

Hope you all have a great Monday - my week will be spent networking, applying for jobs like no body's business, and thrifting for furniture for the house and gearing up for my upcoming DIY projects!

Happy Wife, Happy Life

Y'all, I am the luckiest girl in the entire world. I managed to find a terrifically awesome guy - then convinced him to marry me. (What?!) Then, he provided me with a beautiful home, the furnishings my heart desires, and the worlds cutest dog. (See the evidence below.)

The move could NOT have gone smoother -- my dear dear friends T and M helped me get about 75% of the work done on Thursday, and with the help of a few others, we were able to load up and unload at the new house in 1 hour on Friday! So, the rest of the day was spent cleaning the apartment for our walk thru and unpacking at the new house.

Saturday, however, was spent unwinding from a crazy 48 hours. First, a Crawfish Boil at the CO's house!

It had been a while since I had eaten a crawdad that wasn't fried, and I was pleasantly surprised! Our CO is from Texas with family in Louisiana -- so I should've known he had a grip on how to do it best. I couldn't stood at this table for hours, talking and eating. But, we had a Cookout Club meeting to get to!

Our group of friends here decided to do a cookout together the second Saturday of every month. We created a closed Facebook group so we can add folks as our group of friends gets bigger, and take turns hosting. If you're in town, great! If you're out of town, we'll miss you, but with a fixed date it gets easier to plan around. Our friends on post hosted this month and we had a blast! Plus, look how pretty my friends were in the beautiful Tennessee sunset. (Two of them are even rocking some of their Stella & Dot!)

Sunday we tried a new church, and unpacked more. And yesterday, I convinced my wonderful husband to let me try my first Pinterest inspired home improvement project. More to come on that!!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! 

Manic Monday

I'm going to apologize in advance for being a bad blogger this week -- the move is coming up in just a few days, I'm hosting my first spouse's coffee tomorrow, and there are 1,000,000 other things that needed to happen, like, yesterday.

I hope you all had a great weekend, however! Game Night was a success on Saturday - Cards Against Humanity and Smart Ass are both investments worth making! I haven't laughed that hard in a while. As far as sides - I didn't end up making what I had planned on, but brought onions and bell peppers fresh from the Farmers Market as my pizza toppings and made a batch of brownies for dessert.

Don't forget that today, Wednesday, and Friday are odd days so let us see what you're up to!

Have a great Monday, everyone!

Weekend Wrap-Up

I hope everyone had a great weekend! L and I kicked off Friday with some Sweetwater Brew and some homemade pizza. We decided to have a "Band of Brothers" Marathon, since my husband is in the famous 2-506 (and is a Platoon Leader in Easy Company - talk about big shoes to fill.) Saturday, however, was a big day!

It started off with a 4 mile run with Loola at the Greenway (L went for a run with another Platoon Leader at a faster pace) then back to the apartment for some sun tanning with some friends. Then we packed up and went to a birthday party - and let me tell you, 1 year olds know how to party.

Then we met friends up at MB Rolland Distillery for a tour and tasting - it was so much fun! We probably tried a dozen whiskeys, from good 'ole Kentucky Moonshine to flavored whiskeys that went down way too easy. L's favorite was the Black Patch Whiskey, while I came home with some of the Kentucky Pink Lemonade. But really, you couldn't go wrong. It was all delicious.

Then we grabbed dinner at Cloud 9 - an excellent dinner to top off the best day. I got the grilled cheese - yum! - while L got the white cheddar mac and cheese with grilled chicken. 

Yesterday was the kick off of Allie and my's June Photo Challenge #oddsareIam. I decided to share my brunch date with my old roommate E in Nashville at the Stone Fox. (Again, another delicious choice.)

Here is what other participants were up to yesterday:

Caroline spent her day by the pool - not a bad idea! 

Claire - a fellow Army wife and Sweet Briar alumna - is gearing up for her husband's return from deployment by sprucing up their home.

Laurel - another Sweet Briar alumna - spent time fishing out of her kayak. 

Don't forget to participate every odd day in the month of June and check out the hashtag #oddsareiam to see what others are up to and to gain inspiration!

Happy Monday!

#MDW2014

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. L and I made the trek up to upstate Indiana to visit his family - a trip that was long overdue. (We hadn't been up there since our Open House Wedding Reception in September!) We left bright and early Friday morning (my family is a big fan of leaving at the crack of dawn and getting there that much earlier) and were able to enjoy three days with my wonderful in-laws.

The weekend kicked off with us giving my sister-in-law the second half of her graduation present, and my father-in-law his early Father's Day present. 

My in-laws are huge Cubs fans, so we got them tickets to a Cubs/Pirates game and their train fare into Chicago. I found this white tub at Target in the Dollar Spot and used sharpies we had at home to add the Cubs logo. (Not the BEST artistic depiction, but I am no artist, so I was very proud of myself.) In addition to the tickets and train fare, I added other baseball staples: sunflower seeds, peanuts, and although I couldn't find Cracker Jacks, I added some toffee popcorn. 

The rest of the weekend was amazing - relaxing, filled with delicious food, and seeing many friendly faces. We got dinner up in Michigan at Fat Cam's (Holy Shrimp and Grits), shopped the antique stores in Shipshewana, saw the South Bend SilverHawks win a baseball game, and tested my sister-in-law's new hammock. 

I hope you enjoyed your weekend as well! Stay tuned for an exciting announcement later this week!

Derby Weekend

Did you celebrate the Kentucky Derby this weekend? We sure did! As if I needed an excuse to break out my Lilly, play some cornhole, and be social with friends.

Our party was pot-luck style - and I decided to make my family's famous Pimento Cheese!

My favorite ways to enjoy pimento cheese? Wheat thins are an obvious choice, but I also love it on a BLT, or even with some scrambled eggs! Want to kick it up another notch? Try adding some Cayenne Pepper or Siracha to the mix as well!

I also made The Pioneer Woman's Chocolate Silk Pie. I bought a pre-made crust, but this pie was perfection - I was very proud of myself! We had so much fun - as you can tell from the photos below.

Me and that handsome man of mine! I found when your alma mater's school colors are pink and green, it tends to rub off on your husband. Also, how Sweet Briar is that "She's a Fox" print? 

 All the beautiful ladies!

 With our handsome men, and some pups! (Scout is the puppy on the far left - he stole the show! And Max and Maya are patiently posing by R and T in the middle.)

Everyone loves a candid when the photographer makes you laugh!

We also each chipped in $5, drew 2 names of horses out of a hat, and broke down the winnings. (1st place, $30, 2nd place, $15, 3rd place, $5.) And lucky me - I drew the winner! Yay, California Chrome!

Hope everyone had a great weekend! 

Weekend Wrap-Up

What a weekend, folks! I tell you what - I think the usual Case of the Mondays sets in even worse when you parents leave and head back to their home 9 hours away. But, we had the best weekend - I couldn't have asked for better weather, food, or company.

I borrowed Dad's camera to play around a little bit, but of course, I forgot to get them off before giving the camera back :) But, Mom and I kicked off the weekend at the Commissary (the grocery store on post) and the Class 6 (the liquor store on post). We made a baked ziti Friday night and played Blokus (my parents are way too good and L kept ganging up on me!) and watched "Guilt Trip".

I had the lowest of expectations (the bar isn't set very high for Mr. Rogen) but it was surprisingly sweet! We really enjoyed it - and it's on Netflix!

Saturday we made cinnamon rolls in the waffle maker (oh my goodness - this was dynamite! - a definite Pinterest win) and went to post. We checked out L's office and Mom and I walked through the PX (Post exchange... it's like the Army Target) and Dad and L went to the post museum. We came back for lunch, and Mom and I went to Miss Lucille's. Mom found a great milk glass hobnail ice bucket and a small gift for my sister, while I came out empty handed. But, we stopped at Target on the way home and I found our bar! I got it all gussied up that night and will post photos soon! We grabbed dinner downtown, and settled in for movie #2 - this time it was "Stripes" in honor of the Army.

Sunday we took them to church then went to lunch with our "Best Army Friends" C and K. It was still such a beautiful day, so we decided to take Loola and head to Dunbar Cave State Park for a small hike. Loola did find on the trail, but was so excited to see all the people and other dogs, which got to be a little much. Not to mention when she noticed the ducks in the lake... (that's the black lab in her I guess!)

We made honey jalapeno chicken tenders (recipe adapted from The Splendid Table) on the grill for dinner with a pre-made salad and grilled zucchini and our friends C and M came over with their puppy Bailey to hang out for a while. And, because my family loves a good movie, we wrapped things up with "Mirror, Mirror."

Mom and Dad left this morning and I miss them already! But, it's back to the grind for me and L - including getting ready for a trip to Louisville this weekend! Hope you have a great Monday!

Weekend Wrap-Up

What a wonderful, beautiful weekend!

Friday night was girls night - and we had such a great time. We all seemed equally relieved to have so many other women who were in our EXACT positions. I knew the Army would provide me with lots of great friends, but to click with so many women this quickly? It's truly a blessing. 

Saturday, I ran out to Dunkin Donuts to get some treats to surprise L with when he got home from staff duty. We had a lazy morning, then treated ourselves to lunch out. Did a little shopping for the apartment and had a comfort food dinner. Classic hot dogs, mac and cheese, sweet potato tots, and some beers :) We watched a movie on the couch, and enjoyed the quality time.

Sunday I had my Stella and Dot party! Only a few girls were able to make it, but they were all so supportive - I was so grateful. I'm about halfway to earning back what I invested and couldn't be more thankful for everyone who ordered. 

Today was a typical Monday - it's always hard to get back in the swing of things - but I did get a workout in, and got my usual household chores done, which helps me rest a little easier. Nothing like some endorphins, an empty laundry basket, sink, a made bed, and picked-up dog toys to help my stress levels.

I hope everyone else has a great week!

Weekend Wrap-Up

Well, another weekend has come and gone, but at least now we're officially in February! I've seen lots of hate for January on blogs today, and I have to say I agree. It just feels like a month of Mondays! But, we're already into February so onward and upward!

This weekend, I worked on my first Stella and Dot trunk show! I'm hosting my own party to invite friends over and encourage them to bring co-workers and other Army Wives, who will hopefully want to hose their own parties! If you wanna treat yourself to something nice, click the link and shop my trunk show! (Anything ordered by February 8 will arrive by Valentines!)

With the help of my handsome and wonderfully patient husband, we also got our headboard done!

It took two tries, but I love the way it turned out. I ended up using a razor blade to scrape off the paint marker seating charts, and we screwed a few d-rings into the back, about 4 inches from the top. We hung them up with hooks, each built to support 50 lbs. In all, the project cost us less than $8 and all I want to do is lay around in my comfy room now!

Our Super Bowl party was a huge success, which is more than I can say for my Pinterest snacks. The pinwheels were OK - not as pretty but everyone enjoyed them. I didn't even try the puffs, we took the cop out and went to Publix for chips and dip on the way. But, I made so many new friends and loved putting faces with names of all the people L works with.

I hope everyone else is having a great Monday!

Weekend Wrap Up

What a wonderful weekend! I wasn't feeling well Friday so I took a sick morning, and once I was feeling better, L and I hit the road for Atlanta. We stayed in Buckhead (I love Buckhead!) and I had a school event first thing Saturday morning. We call it them "Sweet Briar Days" and they celebrate the founding of my alma mater. The best part? Connecting with alumnae from over the years and comparing stories. 

This week I had the chance to meet two women who graduated in 1956. I asked what they did for fun when they were in school, and they said their favorite place to visit was Chapel Hill - that boys would send them cars (since they couldn't have their own on campus) and they'd spend the weekends down there.

Afterwards, L and I grabbed lunch at The Varsity. Chili cheese dogs? Not WW friendly, but definitely delicious. 

 Then we met up with friends of mine from high school for white cheddar cheese, spinach and strawberry salad, ahi tuna steaks, and Pandemic. (We played 3 times through! It was so much fun!) We headed home yesterday, cleaned up and got ready for the week, and snuggled up on the couch to watch the Grammys.

Of course, Miss Loola didn't understand why she couldn't have any popcorn! (For more photos, follow me on Instagram!)

How was your weekend? Do anything fun?

Weekend Wrap-Up

My goodness! What a whirlwind but wonderful weekend. I had to go to Louisville for work, and since L had a four-day weekend (thanks, Army!) he came along with me. Which is great for me because it snowed and my poor southern upbringing didn't teach me how to drive in snow. Lucky for me, my South Bend native husband could do it since he was 13. 

I had a few appointments on Friday morning/afternoon, but when they were done, I was a free agent! We took a nap, got Indian food for dinner (oh my gosh, it's my new favorite! How did I go so long without eating it all the time?!), and watched a movie back at our hotel room.

Saturday, we slept in, got dinner at Juanita's Burger Boy Diner. The ambiance was great, the food was even better, and we had a great time. Then, we toured the Conrad-Caldwell House. Here are a few of my (very amatur) photos below:

 Beautiful monogrammed napkins - each place setting had their own salt dish, so they didn't have to bother with passing a salt shaker.

 Hand-carved mantle - inspired by the wife's trip to England and painted to resemble marble.

 There were fleur de lis everywhere - 127 on the first floor alone! - including this stained glass one near the servants entrance.

 One of the stained glass windows in the main stairwell - it was breathtaking.

L and I after the tour was over.

I had an event on Saturday night, and after we just grabbed dinner and went back to the hotel. Unfortunately, noisy neighbors kept us from properly sleeping in on Sunday, but we hit the road, picked up my sweet baby Loola from the boarders, and meal planned/grocery shopped for the week. L got a quick work out in, then binged on football all evening. (Who else is so excited for the Superbowl?!)

I also got my first PopSugar Must Have Box on Friday! You can flip through what was in the December box, but I got a sample of Pipcorn (yum!), some Marchesa nail files, a beautiful City-a-Month desk calendar, "The Juicing Generation", some tech gloves (that are so comfy and actually work!), and some face wash. I loved it and can't wait for my February one! (I promise to take a photo next time..)

Hope everyone else has a great Monday!