Weekend Rewind

Hubby & I had a fantastic weekend full of fun & relaxation. Friday night, I simply enjoyed being at home by myself with no plans and nothing to do but relax. Hubby was playing golf with a good friend & didn't end up getting home until 9:30--no big deal, I thorougly enjoyed sitting on my couch watching a couple chick flicks (i.e. He's Just Not That Into You & Sex In the City).

Saturday morning I had to work, but after I got home Hubby & I decided to venture out for some dreaming. The annual Springfield HBA was having their parade of homes & we made it to 7 beautiful homes. We actually got lots of ideas for what we'd like to include in our next house & we had a great afternoon just dreaming of what we might possibly be living in one day. There were honestly about 3 houses that I would have moved into in a heartbeat if only 2 conditions had existed...1) If we had more money & 2) If they had been in the current town we live in. Seriously, the houses would have been perfect for our next home. Oh well, a girl can always dream!

Saturday night we headed to Hubby's sisters' house dinner. We had a great time with them & their two adorable boys, Hunter & Jackson Uncle Nicky & Aunt L are definitely important people in their lives & we always have a great time hanging out with them. We even got to experience Hunter's wonderful golfing skills & we shot off a few fireworks.

Uncle Nicky & his favorite (only) nephews, Hunter & Jackson

I love this shot!!! Out of control on a tricycle!

Hmmm...thumb, pacifier, or the my pacifier chain...such a decision!!!

Or maybe a bottle is my favorite!!!

The next series of pictures is Uncle Nicky's attempts at trying to get Hunter to do an official golf pose...as you can tell, this didn't go so well, but I think what I captured on film is much better than any formal posed shot!!!

Sunday the weather finally cooled off (from 99 degrees with a heat index of 110 to 88 degrees and almost no humidity!!!). We went to church and then headed down to the lake with some friends. We had a great time tubing & just relaxing on the boat. The water was also incredibly warm (due to the excessive heat last week) which made it nice! After dinner at a local pizza place, Hubby & I finally headed home to get ready for the week.

Hubby & I getting ready for some tubing!

Tony & Dana enjoying a beautiful day!

Woohoo for a 4 day week and a 3 day weekend!

Welcome Weekend!

I'm so ready for this weekend! It's been kind of crazy this week at work so I'm ready for some relaxation. Hubby & I don't really have anything huge planned which is a nice change from the past several weekends. Tomorrow night we are having dinner with my husband's sister & her family. I'm so excited to see my adorable nephews! We're also heading to the lake Sunday after church with one of our pastors' & his wife ( they are only a few years older than we are so it will be a great afternoon)! Happy Weekend!

BLACKOUT....Ughhh...

So last night around 8:15 pm, Hubby & I are in our house enjoying the air conditioning doing our own thing when all of a sudden the power is gone. It doesn't flicker, it doesn't pop, it's just gone. It's still plenty light outside at this point so we head outside into the 95 degree weather (very carefully as to not allow too much heat inside) to take Bogey for a walk. We learn that our entire subdivision is without power & so are people in our town almost a mile away. We head back into the house & I continue folding the laundry while Hubby holds the flashlight for me so I can properly match socks. About 9:15 the power flicks back on, then off, then on again.

YEAH!!! We have power...oh wait, no we don't. It's now 9:45 and the power goes back off. This time it's really dark in our house so I start gathering candles to light so I can at least see where I'm going. However, in a house where the air conditioner is no longer running is it really energy efficient to light a bunch of mini-fires in your house to create light when this is really also creating small amounts of heat?!? Oh well, we did it anyway & then decided it was time to head to bed. We gathered some wet washclothes to keep us fairly cool & we laid down in our incredibly quite house. Do you know how quiet it is in a house with absolutely no noise? No A/C, no fans, no electronics buzzing, no nothing. It was certainly hard to get used to, but we headed to bed simply laying on top of any sheets as it was way too hot to be under them.

We woke up about 12:50 AM as we realized that there were lights now on in our kitchen & our television had kicked on--of course we would forget to turn them all off when the power is already out. Aww...what a fantastic sound, the hum of the A/C!!!

Apparently there was a malfunction at the power station & almost 1/3 of our town was without power--some people still didn't have it this morning. At least we were one of the lucky ones!

Whew...Weekend Rewind!

Do you ever have those weekends where you're so busy that you're almost glad to go back to work on Monday? Ok, I said almost glad...;o)

This was definitely one of those weekends, we had a blast but man was it busy! Friday we took off work at noon & headed to KC for a Cards vs. Royals baseball game. We had a little bit of extra time so we headed to the Country Club Plaza for a bit & I ended up getting a pair of denim bermuda shorts at Banana Republic for almost 75% off! SCORE!!! We grabbed dinner at California Pizza Kitchen & then headed to the game. We were actually in the shade so that was definitely a plus--however, with our new seats we could only see the bottom third of the scoreboard...OH WELL! We saw a great game and the Cards won 10-5! We drove home that night & actually it wasn't a bad drive at all plus we were so glad to be at home instead of a hotel room.

Our seats were at the top of the first level--right in front of a Cotton Candy vendor!

This was the view from our seats...I was so thankful that we were in the shade!

Saturday morning we sorta slept in & then I headed to a friends' open house for her new business. She had a very successful day & I know it will only continue on as she grows her business into something wonderful. Here's a shot of her display table for her bows--she has sooo many & they are all so adorable!

After the open house, we headed down to my parents' house for a family reunion with my mom's side of the family. It was a gathering of all my grandma's siblings & we had almost 75 people at my mom's house. We had a great time just catching up with so many people we haven't seen in a while. My mom even arranged to have a professional photographer come out and take family photos..I can't wait to see the ones of Hubby & I. We also took Bogey along & he had a great time!

Bogey was very excited to be going to my parents' house--he loves it there!

The pool was full of little kids & their parents most of the afternoon so Hubby & I opted to wait until the next afternoon to enjoy the pool!

We had enough food for an army! This family is known for having a bunch of great cooks so all of the food was wonderful!!

My parents spent a lot of time setting up & everything looked so nice!

Hubby had to bribe Bogey during dinner so he would stay away from everyone else! He was one full puppy after that!

This is my parents' house & my childhood home. I love going home & spending time with them! What a great retreat for us to have!

I took this shot of my brother, his wife, & their puppy Romo at the end of the evening. Aren't they just a beautiful family?!?

Sunday after church we headed back down to my parents' house & had lunch with my them for Father's Day. We spent the afternoon relaxing by the pool (without all the small children) & we had a great time. I got my dad a glass popcorn bowl from Pottery Barn that I had engraved with the STL Cardinals logo. It turned out really neat & he loved it!

I also have to share the Fathers' Day card that Hubby got from Bogey. (I think Hubby's mom might have had something to do with this!)

Oh I love it!! It's absolutely perfect. On the back it also says..."Or is it off?" Plus, the puppy looks just like Bogey. Hope you all had a fabulous weekend! I know we did!

Happy Father's Day!!!

Today is the day that sons & daughters everywhere take a brief moment to honor their fathers. I have had the incredible privilege of being raised by an amazing man of God who has brought so much wisdom & love into my life. I have the incredible opportunity to work with my dad each & every day. We've been working together now for 3 years, & things are so much better than I could have hoped for. I'm sure everyone who works in a family business is apprehensive about spending each day together, but if anything, the relationship between me & my dad has gotten better & better. He has had the opportunity to continue to teach me so many things & be a sounding board for so many things in life. My dad raised my brother & I in church & taught us that no matter what God would be there to pull us through whatever life might throw at us. He has never been one to sit on the sidelines & cheer but be the dad who's right there in the middle of everything. From coaching my softball team for many years, to helping head up Band Booster activites, to having some fantastic opinions when it came to planning our wedding...my dad is certainly more than my father--he's a friend & support system--he's my Daddy.

Just as with my grandmother's, both of my grandfather's are still around & are such a joy to be around. (Excuse all the wedding pictures, I should really be better about taking more pictures during the year!)

Woods Grandpa & me

Town Grandpa & Me

Hubby also has an incredible father who is always willing to help out & give advice when we ask for it. They have an amazing relationship & it is so fun to watch them interact together. With us being so far apart some might think it was difficult--but not with the two of them.

Happy Father's Day to all the fathers in my life & to all those fathers out there! You mean so much to us!

Mom & Dad in Destin

Crazy Weekend Ahead...

This weekend promises to be anything but boring. I am leaving work in about an hour & Hubby & I are driving to KC. We're going to shop a bit at the Country Club Plaza (possibly my most favorite place to shop!), grab some dinner, & then we headed to the 1st game of this weekend's 1-70 series (aka STL Cardinals vs. KC Royals). Hubby just e-mailed me to let me know he has purchased better seats than the ones we had originally purchased & he plans to sell our old tickets to basically pay for this entire quick trip. What can I say? I certainly married an entrepreneur! Anyways, after the game we are driving home & hope to be in bed close to 1 AM TONIGHT!!! Yikes!!

Tomorrow morning I am headed to a dear friends open house for her new business. You can check out some of her stuff on www.jadorableonline.com! She makes some adorable stuff & I'm so excited for her!

After a quick showing at the open house, Hubby & I are headed to my parents' house for a family reunion. It's for my mom's side of the family & she has already heard positive RSVP's from about 65 people! Wow...it should be a fun & entertaining afternoon & evening!

Finally, as we all know, Sunday is Father's Day & we have plans of spending the day by the pool & relaxing with my dad all afternoon!

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Rainy morning & one muddy puppy!

This morning we woke up to sky that was almost black as night & torrential downpours. I haven't checked our rain gauge but I'm guessing that we probably had close to 2" of rain in about 2 hours. YIKES!!! Photo of the sky this morning from www.ky3.com

Yes, we need a little bit of rain but here recently it's been a little bit ridiculous. This wouldn't be such a big deal except for what it does to our backyard. In both corners of our yard we have low spots where the rain collects---this also happens to be where the guttters empty out into our yard which creates a lovely water hole. Lovely, just lovely. In addition to the small ponds we have in our back yard let me also remind you that we have a 95 lb lab who loves water, mud, & anything else that might have the ability to cool him off. Needless to say, this is similar to what I expect to find when I get home from work tonight. Sweet innocent face, wagging tail, & covered from head to tail in mud!

Weekend Rewind

For the most part, this weekend included beautiful weather & relaxation. Friday night we had dinner with some friends at their house. We had a great time & enjoyed hanging out with their kids as well!

Saturday morning I had to work & Hubby had a golf tournament. It was a tournament to benefit the Lions' Club that my dad is a member of & Hubby played with his brother-in-law. I am very proud to say that THEY WON!!! Woohoo! They did donate the winnings back to the Lions' Club since the tournament was for charity....Aww, way to go guys!

Saturday afternoon I headed to Walmart & in addition to the weekly groceries I also picked up a new pool for Bogey. (You know, those blue plastic pools for little kids!) He had already destroyed one this year, but it's just getting to hot to leave him everyday without plenty of water. I pulled the new one around to the back & filled it with water--he couldn't have been more excited. I was planning to grab some pictures, but trust me...it was not the place for a camera! HE LOVES THE WATER!!! We spent the rest of the afternoon doing yardwork & picking up around the house. I honestly love doing this so it was no big deal for me.

Last night we headed out to a local Mexican Restaurant called Maria's & had a fabulous date night. After dinner we headed to a nearby park where we actually spent a lot of time when we were dating. It was a beautiful evening, not to cool--not to hot, & it was so fun to reminisce about our relationship & just spend time together. We then came home & Hubby got a wonderful fire going in the firepit. I just love this! It was so peaceful & nice to just enjoy the beautiful evening.

Today after church we came home & actually both took a power nap. We'll spend the rest of the day just relaxing & enjoying the sunshine! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

Oh and by the way...2 Congratulations are in order.

Happy 1st Anniversary to Nick & Millie!

Photo by VM Photo Design

Today my brother & his wife are celebrating their 1st wedding anniversary. Congratulations you two! We love you!

Also, just click on the link below if you need a pick me up! My cousin Kevin is a freelance musician aka drummer for the worship team who plays at almost all of Beth Moore's conferences. Congratulations to Kevin & Ashley on what I know will be a wonderful life together!

http://vimeo.com/5139621

Pepperoni Bread

Tonight for dinner, I am fixing on of Hubby's favorites...Pepperoni Bread. It's super fast & easy & it makes plenty for leftovers. So...I thought I would share the recipe.

Ingredients:
1 loaf frozen bread dough
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
Pepperoni Slices
Cooked Sausage
Mozzarella Cheese
approx. 1/4 cup Pizza Sauce

Layout loaf of bread dough & let rise. Spread dough out onto cookie sheet. Mix egg & Italian Seasoning--brush egg wash onto dough. Set remaining wash aside. Layer pepperoni, cheese, & sausage on middle 1/3 of the bread dough. You can use any toppings you want & fill it as full as you want as long as you can still fold over each side of the dough. After you're done with the toppings, pour the sauce over the toppings. You will want to be careful with how much sauce you use or it will bubble out while cooking. Fold over each side of the bread dough to seal. Also make sure each end is sealed. Flip the loaf over on the cookie sheet so the seam side is down. Baste the top with the remaining egg wash. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into slices and serve with additional pizza sauce & a nice salad.


Hubby loves this meal because it is great for easy microwave leftovers for lunch. You can use any pizza toppings you want--these are just our favorite. Enjoy!

Belated Birthdays, Ballgames & Bark in the Park 2009

Hubby & I ended up having quite the weekend, considering we thought we were going to have a fairly quiet weekend at home with a few events thrown in. Friday night we met up with my parents, brother & sister-in-law for a belated birthday dinner for both of my parents. Their birthdays were both while we were in Florida and while Hubby & I were with them, my brother wasn't (plus I had failed to buy a present before heading to FL). So we had dinner then headed to the driving range for a bit and then off to Andy's Frozen Custard for dessert...which in my opinion is the best custard around...hands down!

Saturday I had to work & Hubby had a golf tournament in the morning (his team took 2nd place!!!) then in the afternoon we worked in the yard. Saturday night we headed to a Springfield Cardinals game (the Double-A affiliate of non other than the STL Cardinals) because his work had purchased a block of tickets & it included a free meal!!!

The highlight of our weekend was Sunday evening. After church in the morning and some unexpected yard work/sprinkler repair in the afternoon we got all decked out in our STL Cardinals gear again to head back to the ballpark. Why you might ask?!? Well, because Sunday night was Bark in the Park with the Springfield Cardinals...meaning we got to take Bogey to the ballpark. I have to admit I was quite apprehensive about the whole situation as I had images of Marley & Me where Marley runs away from his owners and takes off across the ball field. However, I was more than pleasantly surprised & we had a fantastic time! Bogey was a perfect gentleman for the most part & since he's just a beautiful dog he certainly took part in stealing the show. I took tons of pictures so enjoy!

The start of the dog parade where Hubby got to walk Bogey around the entire field! I was such a proud mom!

My family crew taking part in the parade--Hubby & Bogey are out in front

Louie the mascot stopped for a quick photo-op

Hubby & Bogey showing off for the crowd!

My sister-in-law Millie, their Bichon/Maltese Romo, & my brother

My dad and Josie, a Havenese pup!

Nick kept Bogey occupied for awhile be feeding him peanuts---he loved it!

Bogey enjoying the sun (Don't you love his bandana?) & Josie checking him out

Don't they always say that owners start to look like their dogs?

The next series of photos is our attempt at a family photo...needless to say it didn't quite turn out like we'd hoped!

Take 1--Good of the lovely couple, Bogey not so much

Score: Bogey 2, Lovely Couple 0

Waving the White Flag---Bogey 3, Lovely Couple 0

Oh well, this is what our life is like most of the time...who wants a perfect family photo anyway?

More from the White Sands...

Here's a few more Florida pictures. Every year that we go down to the Gulf Coast, I am amazed at the softness & the whiteness of the sands there. It just doesn't get much better than this! This week has just been a week of catching up on laundry, cleaning, work, etc. so as you can imagine I'm already looking towards the weekend.

How I spent almost all of my days....;o)