Bell Buckle and more....

Mom and I had a wonderful Friday night and Saturday morning together this weekend! She arrived Friday afternoon and we relaxed for a little while at home talking and catching up! Around dinner time we headed to one of our favorite restaurants to visit together, Macaroni Grill, and then went to shop around the avenue! We didn't have tons of time and we were quite worn out from our week of teaching so we only hit our favorites: Ann Taylor (for me) and Cold Water Creek (for mom), and the for both of us Barnes and Noble, Yankee Candle, and Hallmark! :-) I thought I would post some of our finds!

I found this ADORABLE Countdown to Christmas cookie sheet that is magnetic! I can't wait until December so I can put it on my refrigerator! Each cookie is a magnet... the cookie sheet is numbered 1-25 under each cookie! SO CUTE!

Mom got this SUPER CUTE ornament for me! You all know how much I love to cook! :-) I thought this was really adorable and right up my ally so mom treated me to an early Christmas gift! :-)

I also got a couple shirts at Ann Taylor... more practical that anything else... long sleeved, crew neck shirts that I can wear under sweaters and things this winter. Mom got a couple things as well and then we hit Kroger for some ice cream and headed home to chillax and enjoy a movie on TV!

Saturday we got up, got dressed, and headed to Bell Buckle, TN where there is the Webb School Craft Show every year! It is absolutely H-U-G-E and mom and I have been going together for several years now! It has become a tradition! We even have a traditional parking spot, ha! This year it was misty and FREEZING, but we put on our big girl panties (and our coats!) and dealt with it and boy were we glad! We found some really neat things and both got some things for ourselves and for those on our Christmas lists! I can't share everything I got today, because most of what I purchased fall in the gift category, but I will share one thing...

(I am SO getting in the Holiday Spirit with Thanksgiving and Christmas right around the corner!) I also purchased a beautiful piece of framed art that quotes John 15, but I will save that for another post after I have hung it up.

After Bell Buckle we came home and had a lunch! Mom made the most delicious apple salad and I had prepared homemade pimento cheese with olives and homemade egg and Gorgonzola salad with pancetta! It was a wonderful and light lunch! Then we recharged and headed to Hobby Lobby where we shopped some more! I could spend a fortune on all their decorating stuff, but I didn't! I just got stuff to make hair bows (my latest project, tee hee hee) and left it at that! Mom got these cute little boxes...

...to put Lily and Bentlee's Halloween treats in! She is so thoughtful and so together! I love it and I thought these were just perfect! I love all the random stuff you can always find at Hobby Lobby and chances are it'll be half off... and it was... the boxes AND my bow making stuff! Yay!

I hope your Saturday was as full of fall wonderfulness as mine! I have the rest of my Saturday to tell you about, but I have lots of pictures to go with it too, so I'll save it for another post! Just to give you a hint it has to do with my two best galz and their precious little boys!!! :-) In the mean time...

HAPPY FALL Y'ALL!

A girly start to a girly weekend...

I know it's only Thursday and therefore not officially the weekend yet, but I am already off to a great girly start to my weekend! I am setting myself up right to have a great weekend with some of my favorite ladies while my man is off with all of his favorite guys for the annual Pickwick Fall Golf Trip! :-)

This afternoon/evening started about the same as any other... I came home and straightened up, did some laundry, checked the mail. After the stuff that HAD to be done, however, the fun started! I headed to Olive Garden to meet my friend Rondda for dinner! I got a precious phone call from my niece with some very exciting news (more on this in a future post, I'm sure, but I'm keeping it a secret for now)! And I, of course, got a golf update from Pickwick and a few questions about how to bake/heat the dinner I prepared for the guys to enjoy tonight!

After I headed home I decided I was only doing girly girl things that are some of my favorite relax-y things to do! Like a bath and then...

...some lusting myself through the Williams Sonoma catalogue....

...and catching up on some of my favorite DVR'd shows like "Say Yes To The Dress" on which I saw a girl I know from Chattanooga, "Giada at Home" (you know I've got some major food network on my DVR at all times!), and "So You Think You Can Dance."

I also flipped through my new Food and Wine (my FAVORITE magazine!!) and thought about some new recipes and new wines to try!

And of course I am now catching up on some of my favorite blogs! This weekend is going to be all about girls and girly things!

Mama is coming tomorrow as soon as she is out of school! She'll be here about the time I get out and we are going to go shopping and go to dinner! We always have THE BEST time together! I am so glad that my mom is not just my mom, but truly a friend. Saturday we are getting up early, packing a lunch, hitting Starbucks, and heading to Bell Buckle bright and early for the annual Webb School Craft Fair! This is one of my favorite Fall traditions and I am so excited!

After mom goes home I am going to head to the Farm to hang with my two best galz and my favorite nephews! Jack, Vance, and Dawson are going to be having some fall fun....

... going on a nature walk, doing leaf rubs, and decorating pumpkins!

Overall I am planning on a weekend full of fall, fun, and my favorite women in all the world! I can't wait to blog all about it at the weekends end!

An end...

...to Fall Break. How sad!

Back to work I go. And I'm not thrilled! lol. I love my students and I love teaching, but this break, wisdom tooth pain and all, has been so nice!

Let the count down to Thanksgiving break begin!

Made to be a home maker...

The story of my day with some random pictures thrown in for fun...

Today was a wonderfully simplistic day. I took Chris to Web's mom's house to help her with some construction clean up. I had lunch (although I couldn't actually eat) with Julie and some other friends. I went with Chris to pick Lily up from his parents house and visited for a bit. Afterwards, we headed to Chris' where he snuck and afternoon nap while Lily and I ran to my house to gather some yard sale items. We returned to unload, play Simon Says with ALL of Lily's gazillion stuffed animals, straighten up... then I cooked dinner with my favorite little Chef (she calls it "Chef-ing"), played in the back yard while dinner was on, visited with Rob and Crystal (who came for dinner), and then relaxed in the living room as the evening wound down.

Sounds like a very simple day, but I was struck by how much I enjoy making a house a home! Lily and I found some pumpkins and such at my house while gathering yard sale items and brought them over to "Fall up" Chris and Lily's house a little.

While Lily played in her room, I rearranged her closet and categorized some of her toys to make them easier to get to and play with (aka: a tub full of nothing but kitchen stuff and a drawer of all the dress-up goodies)!

As I cooked dinner (Baked pork chops, fried apples, and sweet potatoes) Lily was by my side every step of the way helping and asking questions! I love that she loves to help in the kitchen because (as you know) cooking is one of my very-most-favorite things to do in all of the world! Lily is such a good helper in the kitchen and pretty much everywhere! Today, she darted back and forth between helping me in the kitchen and helping her Daddy do some other things around the house!

While dinner was on we played a quick game of Boccee Ball in the back yard and then Chris and Lily practiced hitting golf balls while I sat at the patio table sipping wine, meal planning and making a grocery list.

I know it might sound strange, but I am such a list person. If I don't write it down, I forget it. Maybe it's because I rely on lists so heavily or just because... whatever the reason I love making lists! Especially meal planning and grocery lists. For the past 2 or 3 months I have been able to plan an entire months worth of meals and groceries and only go once. I love it!

Crystal and Rob came for dinner and we all played and talked for a little while and then Chris put Lily to bed and then the boys watched a silly guy movie while Crystal relaxed and texted and I continued my list making and planning....

...another favorite of mine... Christmas lists! I always do a spread sheet with everyone I have to buy for, ideas, prices, places, etc. So I started that tonight and thoroughly enjoyed every moment!

So, in short, today was nothing spectacular. No major events, no big goings-on, just life. Life that is pure, simple, and fills my heart to overflowing. And as I lived that simple life, it occurred to me that I was (among other things) definitely made to be a home-maker. Caring for, nurturing, and providing for those I love in my own special way is what brings joy to my heart and peace to my soul. Thank you Lord for the life that you have provided for me. It is good.

First few days of fall break...

My first few days of fall break have been so peaceful and productive! We've done some major deep cleaning - it's amazing how quick it goes with two people at work! We have visited with Chris' family. We are getting ready for a yard sale. We even took the "catch all" room at his house and turned it into a really nice study!

We haven't worked the whole time though, we have gotten in a lot of relaxing and some play time too! It has just been SO peaceful! I took mom and dad to the airport to go see my sister in Montana! They are there now, in the snow! That's right, SNOW!

The only unpleasant thing about break so far was a trip to see the dentist. I had my upper left wisdom tooth extracted! I was SO worked up about it because I have heard so many horror stories about wisdom teeth! Well, all my worry was for nothing (so far). Dr. Compton (Megan - thank you for the recommendation) called me back into the office, deadened my mouth, and then I waited for that to take effect. After about 15 min of waiting for the shot to really take effect, he came in and extracted my tooth.... standing up.... with no hygienist! He was in and out inside of 5 minutes and that is NO exaggeration! I was so pleased. Now, a day later I am obviously a little puffy, a little sore, and don't think I can actually eat yet, BUT I am glad that the actual extraction was quick and painless! I was all worked up for nothing! :-)

And last, but not least, I of course watched A LOT of football over the weekend! Most of you already know that I am in two leagues. An all female league in which I am now ranked 2nd (I was first until yesterday, lol) and a co-ed league for which I am commissioner in which I am ranked 5th (out of 14).

That's my fall break so far! Other things on the Agenda for this week; Pumpkin Patch, Discovery Center, some family time, and even more football!

As much as I LOVE the beach and enjoy vacationing, sometimes it really is nice just to have the week of work to spend time at home and with those I love! :-)

Ask and ye shall receive...

SO many have asked for this recipe I thought I would post it so everyone can enjoy!




Vegetable Salsa
2 chopped tomatoes
1 bunch of green onions (chopped)
1 bunch of fresh cilantro (chopped)
1 can drained shoepeg corn
2 cans drained chopped green chilies
2 cans chopped black olives
8 Pepper Jack cheese
1/4 bottle of your favorite Italian salad dressing



Mix all, let sit refrigerated for a few hours, serve with your favorite tortilla chips! This recipe always gets so many compliments! It's a great party dip... you know me, I like best served with a great football game! :-)





And... another great football food, or if you aren't a football adict like me, a good fall-weather meal:



Web's Taco Soup :-) We made this last night and are eating it again in just a few minutes while we watch the football game! It's an award winning soup that Web Hutchings cooked last year at Cooking to Build for Habitat for Humanity!





1 lb hamburger
chopped onion
2 cans stewed diced tomatoes
1 small can of Mexican corn
1 small can shoepeg corn
1 small can chopped green chilies
2 can chili hot beans
1 packet of taco seasoning
1 packed ranch dressing seasoning


Brown the meat and onions (I added green peppers too because I love them so much!)

Add everything else in the pot, and simmer for a while on the stove!


We served it with shredded cheese, Fritos, and sour cream (much like chili) it is OH so GOOD!

Do wisdom teeth make you smarter?

Well, I have now confirmed that one wisdom tooth (after 27 years) has decided to make an appearance! Too bad I don't get an extra dose of useful wisdom with the tooth! So, as I count down to fall break, I also count down to getting a tooth pulled for the first time in my life! Nice! :-) The good news... Thank you Dr. Compton!!!! ... I only have to get one taken out (for now) AND I don't have to go to an oral surgeon, I can have it done under local anesthesia in his office! Yay for me! I promise you, I will be a nervous wreck on Monday thanks to all the wisdom tooth horror stories I have heard over the years, but I am hoping and, more importantly, praying for the best! :-)

T minus 18 hours to fall break.

I. cant. wait.

:-)