A Day in the Life of the Morgans

~Clara's First Birthday~

2011-04-09T09:31:00.000-07:00

Birthday Girl with Momma.

Enjoying a new book with Dada.
Clara turned 1 year old on December 8th. A few days later we celebrated with her very first birthday party. We went all out. You only turn one once!

Happily awaiting cake

With her sweet little pal Solo.
The birthday party was a huge hit. It had a Muffin theme since we call her Muffin most of the time...well, that and Pea Pie. We invited family, friends from school, teachers from school, neighbors...We had brunch with breakfast pizza, pigs in a blankets, lots of muffins, fruit, plenty of milk and chocolate cupcakes! Our house was packed to the brim with little ones. So much fun! Thankfully Clara's teacher, Miss Courtney, my Mom, Nonna and Poppa, Aunt Jamie and my friend Terri all came early to help out. We needed all the help we could get. OH! and we had a bounce house!! Hurray for babies in a bounce house! Clara had so much fun she crashed half way through the party~ "It's my party, I can sleep if I want to!"

My wonderful friend, Allison, made the birthday banner, cupcake toppers and invitations. They turned out exactly as I hoped. Allison has mad skills. Mad skills I tell you! The colors were pink, orange, brown and white. We had balloons which Clara loved! I made her tutu and her cupcake shirt was a combined effort between my friend Terri and myself. For all of you out there considering making a tutu- go for it! They are fun and easy!

The spread (I laid out photos of her from each month).

Playing with her Learning Cake from Aunt Andi and Uncle Gene.
I can't believe our little tiny baby is one! Time flew by and continues to fly by. Every day she is growing, learning and turning into a girl! A big girl!! She is talking more, walking, dancing, making the cutest, most adorable faces and I want so much for it to slow down just a bit. We love her so much and that love grows and grows and grows.

This month marked some firsts- her first birthday, first cake, first cupcakes, first time with no bottles, first bounce house experience, and more. She will get to try some new foods this month like strawberries, peanut butter and fish. She is off mom's milk now and a whole milk girl. This is amazing considering her dairy allergy when she was first born. We can't wait to see her other firsts and celebrate them with her!

Tutu butt.
She is saying more words and repeating new sounds. New words include "this", "Bo" for Nonna and Poppa's dog, "No", "Nah" for yes, "Mas", "Bird" and I am sure there are more I am forgetting. She says "mmmm" when you ask her what a cow says. So cute!

Boomer continues to be a favorite in Clara's world. She calls him "Bubba" and now all dogs are "Bubbas" (and sometimes goats for whatever reason). She loves to snuggle him and give him hugs and love. It's very sweet even if Boomer is terrified of her big baby hugs. Ha! He loves her though and wants to be wherever she is...just at a safe distance.

She still LOVES music and dances along by bobbing her head or swaying from side to side. She is sweet, snuggly, loving and stubborn. She knows what she likes and what she doesn't. She is forgiving and working on her patience. She is smart and sassy and her heart is big and full of love. Clara Charlise, Momma and Dada love you so very much! Our cups runneth over with love and pride for you. Thank you for loving us and for being such a sweet girl! Happy Birthday, Baby!
Here are more party pictures:

Birthday digs.

With Nonna playing with balloons.

With Aunt Sarah.

With Aunt Jamie enjoying a pig in a blanket.

First bite of cupcake.

It's so good I have to share with Daddy...

...and Mommy, too.

View of the party in action.

Baby Bounce House!

Magpie and her sweet Momma.

Travis and Cart Cart. They're not quite sure about this bouncing thing.

More party view.

Learning something very important from Poppa.

Opening presents with Oma, Haiden, Bergen and Preston.

Preston and Bergen (with Nonna in the background).

Fun new toy!

Enjoying her Busy Box from Aunt Sarah and Uncle Keith the next morning.

11 Months Old

2010-12-06T14:19:00.000-08:00

Eleven months old is just too close to one...In fact I am writing this post late and it is three days until her first birthday. How did one year go by so fast?! Our darling girl is WALKING, talking, dancing, whistling, giving sweet kisses, waving, signing and more.

She is very interested in Boomer who she calls "Bubba" and loves to pet him and share a kiss or two with him. She started sharing her snacks with him too and thinks it is so funny to stare at you square in the eye as she drops a handful of goldfish on the floor for Boomer to "Clean up" (as in "clean up on aisle three").

We haven't been to the doctor in a while, but I imagine her stats on Friday will be something like 28 pounds, 31 inches long and above the 97th % all across the board. She is currently wearing a size 4 diaper, but won't be for long. She is wearing size 18-24 months and 2T clothes. Her shoe size is a 4.

She now has 9 teeth with two new molars coming in which will tip the scale to 11 teeth! Her hair is lightening to a soft brown and her eyes are piercing blue. So pretty. My sweet girl still has the cutest dimple you have ever seen.

This month marked some firsts- her first plane ride and short vacation to Nashville, TN, her first art museum visit- the Frisk in Nashville, her first cow's milk- we started weaning off mom's milk a little over a week ago. She experienced her first Thanksgiving with Turkey, cornbread dressing cranberry sauce, broccoli rice casserole, sweet potato casserole and a little iced tea. She really liked the dressing with cranberry sauce and the iced tea. I am pretty sure she is going to have a sweet tooth. The biggest first was taking her first steps. On November 15th, she took her first steps at school. Since then she is becoming more and more confident. She is still pretty clumsy though and takes a good tumble at least once a day. She has lots of bruises and scrapes because she has NO fear. She is on a mission and wants to get there fast. We have been trying to work on "slow" and "easy", but she wants NOW and NOW! A new favorite past time is walking around the house looking at pictures of all the family and friends and talking about them. "Who's that?" asks Daddy, "Momma", says Clara. "Who's that?", asks Momma. "Dadda.", says Clara...and so on. She loves to see familiar faces.

She is saying more words and repeating new sounds. New words include "car" "yes" "my" "mo" (for more) "peas" (for please) "nigh-nigh" "Nona" (for Noni) "Oma" and I'm sure there are a few more. With molars coming in her appetite has been smaller. She still loves her milk, but tends to turn her nose up to food when her mouth is hurting.

She LOVES music and will dance if the song is particular appealing to her. She is loving all the Christmas music and live concerts on TV. Aside from all her milestones it is her personality that makes her. She is full of life and sass and we are so proud to be her parents. She is a loving, sweet girl who will toddle over and sit down for a snuggle, who twiddles her pony tail in her fingers with one hand while holding your hand with the other, who loves to see her momma and daddy share a kiss so she can share one too. Baby Clara- you bestill our hearts and we love you more and more and more.

10 Months Old

2010-11-04T07:56:00.000-07:00

10 months old came much faster than I was prepared for. She is getting so big and losing that babiness a little every day. More and more we see her becoming a little girl. In just two months she will be one. I never thought time could pass by so fast! Where does it go? Clara is sweet, loving, funny and full of her very own personality. She laughs, loves to see us laugh and has most definitely found her hero in her Daddy.

"Uh-Oh"
She is still talking and talking and talking. Now that she has gotten that first real word out of her mouth, new ones just keep coming and small sentences too! She says, "Hey, Dad?" to Derrick when she wants his attention, says "Hi" as she waves and other new favorites are "uh-oh", "tay tu" (said sometimes for thank you), "Mom", "ay ya", "agua", "bah" (for bath)...She shakes her head "no, no, no" and signs more, milk and all done. She is by far the cutest little muffin I know.

Full of smiles after a snack
Here lately she has really become quite the snuggle bug. She loves to give hugs and kisses and she loves to watch Mommy and Daddy share hugs and kisses. Sweet morning snuggles and sweet bedtime snuggles are mine and Derrick's favorites. I just don't have enough words to tell how sweet these moments are.

Being cute at school
She is at the best little school here in town and LOVES her teachers. She has so much fun playing with her friends and we see how much she learns when she is there. The weather this month has been perfect so they have spent a lot of time outside playing in the dirt and exploring and she is a big fan! I love that we found the perfect place for her and that they treat her like she is their own.

She still has eight teeth, one of which is a MOLAR. Her hair is getting longer and lighter. It is the prettiest shade of chestnut brown and has sweet little wavy curls at the bottom. Her typical "do" is a pebbles style pony on top of her head. It's the best way to keep her hair out of her eyes.

She still loves to eat- she loves all veggies except broccoli, any and every fruit, any kind of pasta, gold fish crackers, cinnamon, garlic, mushrooms and sweet potato fries. She likes to see us eat something new before she tries it and makes the "mmmm" sound when she thinks something is good.

She weighs just at 25 pounds and is 30 inches long. She is above the 97th percentile all across the board. She still wears 18-24 month clothes and a size 4 diaper.

She still loves walks and baths, but new favorite activities include playing with her toy house her Aunt Jamie gave her. She plays with this toy every day and it is so cute to see her discover all the things it can do. I highly recommend this toy for anyone with crawling babies. Her favorite type of play at home involves all three of us on the floor together.

Lately we have played a lot of "I'm gonna get you" and "where is Clara?" which she loves. Occasionally we will watch an episode of Sesame Street or have music time, but mostly we play, read books and snuggle.

This month marked Clara's first Halloween. She was our little stinker- a skunk- and the cutest little stinker at that. She was a trooper wearing the hat and was a big hit at music class in her first costume.

This month a few firsts- first trip to the Ft. Worth Zoo, first Halloween and first Halloween costume, first visit to the pumpkin patch, first graham crackers, first Mexican food, first molar, first sentence (it was short, but it was a short sentence), and I am sure there are more I am not remembering right now.

Clara, words cannot tell you how much joy you have put in my heart. I am so proud to be your mom and your Daddy is so proud to call you his daughter. You are more than we could have ever imagined and I pray for your future to always be filled with this much love, contentment and happiness!

9 Months Old

2010-10-18T09:02:00.001-07:00

Nine months! NINE MONTHS! Time flies by so fast now that she is here. She is growing and changing right before our eyes and we love her so much! She has her own personality, her own opinions, her own favorites and her own not so favorites. This month she stood solidly on her own for several seconds and does it more and more and more. Daddy bought her a walking toy and she is so speedy! Her little legs just go go go. We know she will be walking any time. It is so cute to see how proud she is of herself as she stands there like a big girl. It fills my heart up!

She is talking and talking and talking. This month she crossed a threshold and went from saying "Dadadadada" to saying her first real word. Boomer walked into the kitchen and she looked at him, then looked at me and said "dog". Well, it sounded more like "dawg", but it was definitely a purposeful word. Later that same week she said "ball" (and it sounded like "bawl"). Now that she started talking, she just can't stop. She says "agua" for water (and watermelon), "Pop pop pop" to one of her songs from music class. She signs "more" when she wants more and is trying really hard to say "thank you" and "no". "Dada" is still her favorite though and she still loves to say it as loudly as possible. Occasionally she will have a "daddy wrapped around my finger" moment and will tenderly whisper "Dada" and it is by far the sweetest thing ever.

She has EIGHT teeth and her hair is long enough for REAL pigtails! She still has those sweet curls that I hope will never go away. She is now cleared for table foods and LORD HAVE MERCY! This child loves Italian food! I think she would eat just about anything if it had marinara sauce on it. She loves lasagna, spaghetti and tortellini. She loves it loaded with veggies and mozzarella. Little piggy. She is also a huge fan of blueberry yogurt. Tried and true favorites are squash, apples and turkey.

She weighs just at 24 pounds and is 29.75 inches long. She is above the 9th percentile all across the board. She wears 18-24 month clothes and a size 4 diaper.

Favorite family activities for her include evening walks around the neighborhood with Boomer Dog and bath time. We play music while we have bathtime and it's a party for her. She loooves water. She is also a big fan of all three of us playing on the floor or bed together. She is most content when we are all together, even if it is just to snuggle.

This month marked many firsts- first time to stand on her own, first Texas Tech sporting event (Lady Raiders Volleyball), first college football game, first stomach bug (which was a family event), first table food, first real words, first temper tantrum, and first extracurricular activity. We started music class on Saturdays and she is a big fan. It is for babies infant-2 years and she just lights up when we are there. She is such a little ham and loves being around people. She laughs, coos, squeals, claps, clicks things together and has a blast. We listen to the music in the car and she is becoming so familiar with the songs. She "dances" to the music by bobbing up and down and is starting to try to keep rhythm. Precious musical girl.

Clara, we love you! Our cups runneth over! Our hears sing! We are SO thankful for you and for the opportunity to be your parents! I can't wait to see what you have in store for us this month!

8 Months Old

2010-08-16T13:14:00.000-07:00

I

LOVE

HER
Where oh where has my little baby gone? Oh where oh where can she be? She is growing and moving and she has SIX teeth!! She is faster than lightening crawling and she is getting very brave when she is standing holding on to something and will LET. GO. While this makes me so proud and happy, it also makes me sad and breaks my heart into a million pieces. Is this the plight of motherhood? Eternal bitter sweetness?

She is talking more and more. "Dada", "Daddy", "Ba Ba" and the occasional "Momma" are regular sounds at our house along with sweet giggles and big belly laughs. Her favorite thing to say (ahem...yell) is "Dadadadadadadadada". She thinks it's hilarious and will yell it at the top of her lungs in her room from her crib, in the bathtub while splashing up a storm, in the grocery store waiting for the deli man to cut our lunch meat, in the restaurant waiting for our food to arrive, outside on walks, in the car...it doesn't matter. Dada is apparently best said as loudly as possible.

She loves BBQ Turkey. Girl after my own heart.
She is growing so much. Her hair is long and is in this sort of swing bob style where the side and front are a lot longer than the back. It's pretty cute and has a little curl to the ends which means I absolutely do not want to cut it. I have a feeling those curls will never come back. That day I will be so very sad. Those curls...those sweet curls. I love them.

Can you tell she is thinking, "Mom! Enough with the Pictures! Geeze!"
She loves to eat and is now able to enjoy most of the things we do. She loves chicken, turkey, corn, any kind of squash, tomatoes, cheese and yogurt. We recently tried blueberries and she is still trying to decide what she thinks about them. She will get to try beef, egg yolks and cottage cheese this month.

Swingin' fun with Aunt Jamie.
We have had a lot of firsts this month- first clap, first high five, first wave bye-bye, first top tooth, first time to swing at the park, first night away from mommy and daddy, first pizza, first antibiotic. Other than the cold and anitibiotic, we are really looking forward to more firsts at our house.

She ADORES her daddy as she should. He's pretty adorable.
We are so very blessed to have this little wonder in our lives. I am so thankful to God for giving me the gift of being her mother. I love her so very much. Clara- you are a pure joy to us. We love you more than we could ever imagine and you fill our lives with laughter.

Could these legs be any cuter? She thought this was the neatest thing ever.

7 Months Old

2010-07-29T15:13:00.000-07:00

7 months old, already? How did we get here so fast? Every day we watch her "click" and things that were impossible are a breeze. Our little baby girl is growing and discovering new things faster than we ever could have imagined. We are blessed because she is happy, healthy and a goooood sleeper (at night- not naps)! She has a sense of humor and a strong little spirit.

She looooves her school too and is learning so much. Just recently they graduated her to a bed roll because she was standing in her crib. I just want to tell her "Slow down!". She enjoys reading time. The city library visits her school each week for story time and she (and her friends) LOVE it! She also enjoys spanish lesson. "El burro", "El gato", "El perro". :)

She is crawling faster and faster, pulling up to stand, cruising and will occasionally "free stand" but as soon as she realizes she's doing it she is holding on again. She is still all about saying "Dada", sometimes very loudly. She will also say "Momma" but usually only when she is tired and upset (because she is tired). She still loves music and will hum her own little tune. I attribute this to all the Daddy DJ-ing Derrick did when she was in my tummy. We played 3 songs a night and she LOVES those songs! She also dances along to music. If I say, "Dance, dance dance..." she will bop along- so cute! She is mastering picking things up with both hands, but seems to be more skilled with her left hand. She has favored that left hand from day one. Derrick and my mom are lefties, so we'll see. She smiles, laughs and squeals and here recently will just plain crack up. It is ADORABLE! I can hardly hear her because I end up laughing so hard. She loves to jabber and in public places she will jabber REALLY loudly. We ask her nicely to be quiet, but she has very important things to say.

She has become much more aware of Boomer. She will crawl towards him and he quickly moves. One time she got a strong handful of his jowls and he is fully aware of what those little hands are capable of. He loves her so he stays close by, but keeps a safe distance. Having your fur pulled hurts!

This girl loves her food and I really thought we would go through trying new things without a hitch....That was until broccoli. She actually gagged. We will try it again in a month or so. I even put a little cheese on it and she still said, "No thank you!" She is still a big fan of mommy's milk. We are at 7 months with that and going strong!

I weighed her last night and the scale says 25 pounds! She is at least 29 inches long and wearing 18 month clothes!!!. She has lots of golden brown hair and it has a little curl to it. Pony tails are my favorite, but Derrick likes pigtails. Her hair is getting really long and we have talked about getting it trimmed soon. I am reluctant because those little curls might not come back. :(

We got her ears pierced on her 7 month birthday. She cried a bit, but was fine after a few minutes. Derrick treated her to a carousel ride after. Cutest thing I ever saw. She loved it and seeing him RIDING the unicorn/horse with her in his lap melted my heart. He loves his baby girl.

The next day we took her to her first Texas Ranger's game. She LOVED it! It's a great place for an inquisitive baby. The sounds, the sites, the smells AND she got her first few bites of soft pretzel (with no salt of course). We may have a baseball fan on our hands which would suite her daddy and Pops just fine.

A week later she had her first fever which turned out to be roseola. Her first illness. Her first fever. At 7 months that's not too bad. She finally has a top tooth and WOW was it a doozy. You can see about 3 more working their way in too- all at the same time! The top teeth have really given us a run for our money. They must really hurt.

We are just totally, head over heels for this little muffin of ours. Each day brings new memories, new adventures and new discoveries! Life is so good with this happy baby, her wonderful daddy and that fluffy pup of ours.

6 Months Old

2010-06-29T08:18:00.000-07:00

At 6 months old, every day is a new adventure. We are literally watching her grow and develop right before our eyes. Each day she discovers something new, finds a new trick, a new toy, a new milestone. It is amazing being a parent to such an extraordinary girl. We love her so much!

She is crawling, saying "Dada", "Ma" and humming. I love the humming. It's so cute! She reaches and grabs for things with her finger and thumb and is fine tuning those fine motor skills. She smiles, laughs and squeals. She jabbers constantly and lately has discovered how to yell to tell us she does not like something. She has mastered sitting up and can now put herself in the sitting position.

She is eating all sorts of solids now. Her favorites are still apples and zucchini but she will pretty much eat anything. She is still a big fan of mommy's milk. We are at 6 months with that and going strong!

She is weighing in at 21 pounds 5 ounces, is 27.5 inches long and has a head full of the prettiest dark hair. Her hair is getting really long too. She regularly has ponytails and pigtails. So cute! Everyone is amazed that she is only 6 months old because she is a big girl with all that hair. Time is flying by too fast. I wish it would slow a bit before she is completely out of this baby phase.

We took her to the zoo on Father's day and she might need a few more months before she is into the zoo. Plus, it was hotter than you know where. She would much rather be in the pool. She loves water! She loves the pool!

She is getting four top teeth and has been a little out of sorts because of them. We are thankful for Hyland's Teething Tablets (and tylenol when absolutely necessary) and frozen washcloths! Even when she's grumpy she's still cute. We love her so!

5 Months Old

2010-05-12T15:05:00.000-07:00

Clara is so much fun at 5 months old. It is like all of the sudden something has clicked. She can see and focus on so much more. She reaches and grabs, pushes up on her hands, tucks her knees under her in preparation for crawling, rolls to toys she wants to play with, laughs regularly and is so smiley and so sweet! She has almost mastered sitting up. She does really well in her bathtub and grabs the edges to brace herself if she feels like she is going to fall.

She is eating all sorts of solids now. Her favorites are apples, bananas, pear, butternut squash, zucchini, and sweet potatoes. She will tolerate peas and avocado and is NOT a fan of green beans. Daddy told her she will like them much better with butter and salt. She prefers oatmeal over rice cereal. Her all time favorite is still milk though. Did I mention I am making all her baby food. I love it! It's easy and so good for her.

She is weighing in at almost 19 pounds, is 26 inches long and has a head full of the prettiest dark hair. It's curly when it's wet. Where did that come from?

She takes turns being Mommy and Daddy's girl. It varies from day to day. She still looks like a mini version of her daddy with a bow but has recently started showing little parts of me. She definitely has my nose- the rest is up in the air. Her eyes are ocean blue. So beautiful.

She is a fan of music- all kinds at any time. Recently she discovered she has a mad crush on Elmo from Sesame Street. She also LOVES to be outside and really likes people watching, especially older children. She is doing really well at school and loves her teachers, especially Miss Courtney, Miss Adrianna and Miss Mary.

She is getting three bottom teeth and doesn't complain much. She sleeps through the night (from 8:30pm-7am!!) and we recently moved her to her crib in her room. This made us very sad, but she is doing great! She is truly a doll baby and we are so in love.

4 Months Old

2010-04-14T12:35:00.000-07:00

Four months already? This week I took time to go back and look at the hundreds of pictures of our sweet blue eyed girl and tears filled my eyes as I witnessed with each photo how quickly she is growing. How quickly she has changed, discovered and transformed...and how I know time is going to fly by and before I know it I will have a toddler, a child, a teenager, a young lady. It fills me with joy and breaks my heart at the same time. I want to enjoy every minute. I want time to slow.

Lovin that lovie
The world of our 4 month old is still filled with new discoveries, she still sleeps through the night and as of late her feet are the coolest things she has ever seen. She grabs them and tries to stick them in her mouth.

Actually, to be honest, she tries to stick everything in her mouth. Let the drooly teething fun begin! She is happy, laid back and curious. She only gets mad if she's hungry and if you make her wait too long- watch out! She doesn't really cry so much as she yells...She yells loudly. She yells, "Hey! Hey you, Mommy Person! Where's my milk? Where is it?!"

This picture cracks me up!
Her appetite shows in how quickly she is growing. She weighed 16 lbs. 12 ounces at her 4 month appointment and she is 25 1/4 inches long. 97th percentile. She is going to be tall, I think.

Check out those rolls!
She has always been a snuggler- nuzzling into us when we held her and loving touch, hair play, foot rubs, etc... but lately she snuggles back when we hug or hold her. She will lay her head on my shoulder and play with my hair. At night I always sing to her. I sing "Jesus Loves Me" and "Go to Sleep Little Baby" and now while I sing she cups my face in her little hands. It melts my heart! I love this sweet girl. I pray she is always sweet, gentle and kind hearted.

The big news for this month is we started solid food. She has had rice cereal, banana, avocado and sweet potato. She is loving the banana and sweet potato and especially loved the avocado and banana pureed together. I am making her food from scratch and they don't taste too bad. I love seeing her reaction to new things. In a few days we will try green beans. I don't know what she will think about those. I tasted the puree and I am not a fan.

Life is good and Clara is great! We hope you are all doing great!

Toes are so cool!

I don't know if I will be able to say "no" to this face!

3 Months Old

2010-03-06T15:13:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe 3 months have passed. I feel like just yesterday we brought this baby girl home all new and tiny and wrinkly.

The world of our 3 month old is filled with new discoveries, sleep filled nights, smiles, laughs, rolling overs, and pure pure joy. Clara is growing like I never imagined. She is keeping up in size with the 6 month old babies in her class. Everything about her is long- her legs, arms, fingers, toes, her hair, eyelashes...She is content and easy to soothe. This week she started grabbing toys and sitting in a bumbo seat. She holds her head up and really doesn't like tummy time. She "talks" and makes sounds like "Ga", "Da" and "Ma".

She gets really mad if you don't feed her when she's ready. She is in love with her daddy, thinks Boomer is her very own giant stuffed animal and has taken to a plush bunny blanket we call "lovie". She used to love her pacifier but doesn't really need it anymore. She sleeps 8-10 hours a night and we think she might be teething. She loves bathtime, music, mirrors, faces, kisses and snuggles. We are completely smitten and can't wait to see what this little girl has in store for us. We hope you are all doing great!

A World Forever Changed

2010-01-31T16:34:00.000-08:00

On December 8th, 2009, at 3:31 pm, we welcomed a big beautiful girl into this world. 8 pounds, 10 ounces and 20.25 inches long- God blessed us with this daughter, who looks so much like her daddy and who we call Clara. Okay...we really call her "muffin", but her name is Clara.

She is almost 8 weeks old, has blue eyes, a head full of dark hair and is tipping the scales at 14 pounds. I think she is going to be tall. She is so so long! In the last month she has showed us her big gummy grin, the beginnings of her precious personality, how strong she is already and how big her appetite is! She is sleeping through the night (she has slept 8 straight hours the last TWO nights) and every day she is learning more and more. She is a daddy's girl to the core and loves to hear his voice.

She loves music, when we sing to her ( her favorites so far seem to be Jesus Loves Me, Heads Shoulders Knees and Toes, and the songs Daddy makes up for her) anything that is black and white, snuggling close to mommy for naps, laying on Daddy's chest, bathtime, playtime and her swing.

I know in the coming months she will learn more than she will for the rest of her life. I can't wait to see what this sweet pumpkin has in store for us. We are loving this journey!

My dear daughter, I love you more than I can ever express. You are a precious joy in my life and I am so blessed to call you mine. Love, Mommy

33 Weeks

2009-10-15T08:37:00.000-07:00

Time is flying by and I cannot believe in only 7 short weeks we will meet our little girl. Lately I have found myself more emotional when it comes to this whole experience. It is amazing to me that God allows our bodies to do such amazing things. Right now there is a little girl in my belly with her foot in my ribs and I couldn't be happier.

Last week we had our 32 week sonogram. Because Derrick and I were both such big babies (I weighed 10 lbs. and he was close to 10) our doctor thought it was a good idea to have a sonogram to see how big she is now and to guestimate how big we think she will be come her due date. Well, ladies and gentleman...she's gonna be a big girl. Baby Center says she should weigh about 3.75 pounds and our chunky monkey is weighing in at 4 pounds 12 ounces (just shy of 5 pounds). The general rule of thumb is that she will gain 1/2 a pound each week until her due date. That means another FOUR pounds. So, we are pretty sure she is going to be between the 8 & 9 pound mark.

The sonographer also said she had long legs. She gets those from her Daddy. Her Daddy is in love with her already and it is THE cutest thing I have ever seen. I cannot wait to see him with her. I don't think he wants to wait much longer either.

Last weekend was my baby shower held by amazing friends and family. So many of my favorite people in the world were able to make it out to celebrate Clara and I was so happy to see them all (some couldn't make it, but that's okay I know they would have if they could have). This little girl is going to be the best dressed baby in town. She received so many adorable outfits, sleepers, onesies and blankets. Her closet is already filling up!

Her room is really coming together. Brenda finished the bedding. It's BEAUTIFUL! I am assembling the mobile right now and hope to have it up in the next few days. I have a large "C" to paint and some frames to hang, but all in all- it is almost ready for her arrival. :)

Another Look at the Nursery

2009-10-09T06:36:00.000-07:00

The pretty crib and wall mural. You can't tell from this picture but the flowers are covered in fabrics from the bedding and are 3D so they stick off the wall.
We have made good progress in the nursery. The walls are painted, the mural is painted, the curtains are made and hung, the furniture has arrived, the bedding is almost finished (courtesy of and many thanks to the amazingly talented Brenda Mangold), and little by little the final touches are falling into place.

Glider and Dresser which are now in different locations.

Accent pillows made by Brenda Mangold. So cute!
The furniture is dark espresso stained and the gilder is upholstered in chocolate chenille with a subtle geometric square pattern on it.

Curtain panel and sheer panel with a view outside and of one of the bookcases. This was my first attempt at curtain making. Do not look closely. My sewing machine revolted in a few places.

My Grandma Harriet left this set of plates to me. She purchased these because the little girl reminded her of me. I couldn't remember what colors they had in them and I was so happy not only to see that three of them are blue, but that these same three plates have a little girl holding or watching birds. Perfect!
We have been spending more time in the nursery too. Derrick and I will go in there and put the ipod on Clara's playlist (yes Derrick started her very own play list) and take turns rocking in the glider and talking. It's so relaxing in there. I can't wait for her to see it.

These handmade flowers will help to make the mobile. They were also made by Brenda Mangold.

Little Clara's closet is beginning to fill up with cute girly things. My friend, Tina, in California gave us the cute organizers to divide clothes by size. Right up my alley. :)
Even Boomer likes the nursery, although he is not so sure about the new family member in my tummy. He gets very jealous when Derrick talks to my belly or feels the baby kick. I think he will be a good big fluffy brother though. He's so sweet and protective.

Another view of the hand quilted flowers for the mobile.
I hope to have finished pictures in the next week or so, but until then, here is a picture of the much enlarged bump. I am 32 weeks on Tuesday. Less than 9 weeks to go. I cannot BELIEVE she will be here in 2 months! To be honest, I am totally and absolutely ready to meet her. Derrick might be more ready than me (probably because he is ready to have his energetic, non-moaning wife back) and asks Baby Clara, "When are you coming to see Daddy." This of course melts my heart and makes me love him even more.

Boomer thinks Clara's room is the perfect place for a nap.

...and a stretch...
Oh and I have been working on little projects for her too. I made this taggy blanket and a boat load of hair bows. I will post pictures on the hair bows later because there are a ton of them.

First taggy blanket attempt. I made one for my friend Terri too.

Nursery Beginnings for Clara

2009-08-20T06:12:00.001-07:00

Before we started planning to try for this baby, we talked about nurseries and how we would not have a pink room if it was a girl. She would have enough pink in her life from dresses to pj's and toys. Plus, neither one of us could imagine so much pink in our gender neutral house.

Her nursery, pre paint (Derrick was getting the room ready to paint)
Fast forward to June, we found out it was a girl and I started looking into nursery ideas. When I first started thinking about the nursery, I decided to look at all kinds of bedding and the rest of the nursery would come from there. The first bedding I loved was a Dwell Studio baby bedding called Dragonfly. It has bright yellow, chocolate brown, white and the palest pink you've ever seen. I started imagining the room and just really liked the whole idea...then I showed the bedding to Derrick. He vetoed it immediately saying, "I thought we weren't going to do pink."

The Dwell Baby Dragonfly Bedding- super cute, but vetoed
So, I started looking at bedding that was girly, but not pink. There were not that many choices out there. That's when I found the Serena and Lily website. I just loved the Rye Bedding. It was simple and clean and could be turned into a relaxing girly paradise. Derrick approved it too. Then I looked at the pricetag. $500 for THREE pieces. Really? I know it is the nursery and you only get to plan it once, but I would rather invest that money on her crib, the glider or her entire stroller/carseat getup.

Serena and Lily Rye Bedding- beautiful
Allison, one of the best friends a girl can have, has the best mom, Brenda, who can sew up a storm. She made Allison's nursery bedding (which is amazing) and generously agreed to make ours. I was so excited! Not only would I not have to spend $500 on three pieces, but this baby girl's bedding would be made with love from someone I love. Hurray! I traveled through the greater DFW area searching for the right fabrics and finally found them all. They are now safe with Brenda being made into something wonderful and I can't wait to see it! It definitely has the color scheme of the Rye bedding, but with a girly, funky twist.

Her crib and dresser (we didn't need an armoire)
A few weeks ago we ordered Clara's furniture- a convertible crib with an espresso stain that not only converts to a toddler bed, but also a full sized bed. She'll have it for life. -a double dresser with six drawers that will act as the changing table for the first few years. -and a glider. The glider was lovingly provided by Derrick's parents, Pops and Noni. It is pretty big and covered in a chocolate chenille with a geometric print. I love it! Thanks, Pops and Noni!

One of the bookshelves in her room (Derrick brought her the "pudgy bucky" from a conference)
In the meantime, while we wait for furniture and bedding to arrive, we have started preparing the nursery. Derrick painted the closet this weekend (it was blue and the wrong color of blue and really needed a facelift) and Tuesday night he painted the nursery. The color is Latte by Sherwin Williams and it's perfect! I sewed new liners for the baskets I found at Hobby Lobby. The fabric is one of the fabrics for her bedding. I am now working on the curtain sheers. I have finished one of them. It's a white cotton with a blue/tealy raised dot. I love it!

The baskets I just lined with one of her fabrics. I love my sewing machine!

The fabric for her curtain sheers. This fabric is the most "baby" thing in the room.
Oh- I also found a super cute lamp at Pier One. I added ribbon details and a covered button. The covered button is fabric from her bedding too. It's a funky retro floral with blue, turquoise, pink, chocolate, ivory, white, orange and green.

The cool lamp from Pier One with the embellishments
Above her crib, I am going to apply a tree branch wall decal and to the decal I am adding little blue birds and 3-dimensional flowers. Above the tree branch I am paiting her name "Clara" in a very girly font. Allison's mom is making quilted flowers for her mobile and I am putting the mobile together. I ordered the hanger for it yesterday.

It's hard to see, but this is the mobile hanger
So, it's all coming together. I am really getting excited and I love this planning phase. I can't wait for the room to be complete and I promise to post pictures as soon as I can.

This great bird painting was painted for me by my Aunt Dale for Christmas last year. It goes perfectly in her room.

30 Years and 23 Weeks

2009-08-13T08:15:00.000-07:00

Today, I turn 30. I really can't believe it. How did 30 get here so fast? In so many ways I feel like I just graduated from high school and college. I remember the days when I thought 30 was old. I don't feel old. I feel young...and pregnant. I am officially past the half way mark in the pregnancy and I thought from this point out, I would keep a better update of how things are going.

So, to update, IT'S A GIRL! Clara Charlise Morgan will be here in less than four months. I can't believe how fast time has flown! We have accomplished many things in preparing for her, but still have many things to do as well. We have ordered the crib and dresser, the glider and the fabric has been mailed to my amazing friend Allison's very talented mother who will sew a miracle (she's so talented). We picked out and purchased the paint and I have started picking up little accents for her room here and there. I am going to attempt to make the curtain panels myself, which I need to start and I have pretty much wrapped up the registry. We are booked for our birthing class and feeding class and next week I have my super exciting glucose test. So far I am feeling really great, other than terrible sciatica in my left bum area. It really smarts and may be the most painful thing I have experienced to date. I am sucking it up though. I have been to the chiropractor, tried stretches, warm baths and I am currently sitting on an icepack. Nothing seems to relieve it. The doctor says my hips are spreading and that combined with the baby gives a lot of pressure to that nerve. I just want to be able to walk without looking like I'm 80.

I am 23 weeks and Baby Clara is 11" long and weighs about 1 pound. She can hear sounds, voices and music and can feel movement like the sway of dancing. We can't wait to meet her!

I hope everyone is doing well! Here are some of the latest ultrasound pictures:

Her perfect little hand

Both of her not so tiny feet (I think they look huge!)

Her profile

She sucks her left thumb, which is cute because Derrick is left handed.

20 Weeks

2009-07-22T14:10:00.000-07:00

I am officially 20 weeks as of Tuesday and Friday could not get here fast enough! We have our 20 week ultrasound on Friday morning and we will find out if there is really a little girl in there. I am so excited and nervous at the same time. It would be pretty funny if the doctor told us it was a boy after we have imagined a little girl, started registering for a girl and planned the nursery (we have not painted or anything...yet). We will be happy with whatever we are blessed with. We just want a healthy baby.

I think I have started feeling little flutters/movements, but I am not 100% sure. I will say that on Friday, this baby did a somersault in my belly and it was the weirdest/coolest feeling. I can't imagine what it will be like when the kicks really get started. I am really ready for Derrick to be able to feel the baby move so he can have something he experiences other than a sleepy wife.

As of this week, Baby Morgan is about 10 inches long from head to toe and about 6.5 inches long from head to bum. I still can't believe how fast this process flies by. Before we know it, December will come and we will have a baby, a little person to love who will have us all wrapped around their little finger (ahem...Derrick).

Our parents are so very excited. Billye practices holding any baby she can get her hands on, my mom is already trying to schedule her visit and Derrick's dad is so over the moon. He said, "I just am afraid I won't be able to tell the baby no." He of course says this about 3 minutes before he asks me how old the baby has to be before they ride in a go cart!! We are going to have one spoiled little person on our hands!

Boomer knows something strange is going on. He is very snugly (more than usual), super needy and pouts like crazy. It's going to be interesting to see how he reacts when the baby is actually here. Friends have given us a few gifts and he loves to smell and root through them. One of the gifts is a little green stuffed elephant and I know he thought it was for him. Poor Boomer. His world is about to rock.

I hope to update again soon and be a better blogger. That first trimester really did a number on me. I was so tired and nauseous, but I am feeling like my old self again.

Hudson Christopher- Bestill My Heart

2009-07-22T13:59:00.001-07:00

Allison and I have been friends for 12 years. We met in the dorm our freshman year of college and were roommates for 4 years. She is like my sister. I don't even know if you would just call us friends. In November, when she told me she was expecting, I was ecstatic! When she told me it was a boy, I was thrilled, but now that he is here I am over the moon! Look at how TINY! Swoon!

Yesterday, my heart grew a little. Hudson Christopher was born. He is perfect, tiny and has tons of beautiful hair. I cannot wait to meet him! I cannot wait to sing him funny made up songs (which his mommy used to "love" when we lived together) and I cannot wait for he and our growing bun to meet in the new year. Hudson, no dating til she's 30!

Allison, Colby and Hudson- I love you so much!

Baby Girl?

2009-06-03T08:25:00.000-07:00

I have been a terrible, basically non-existent blogger as of late. I swear it has been for several good reasons. The main reason being that nausea and exhaustion took over my life for several weeks and I am just beginning to feel like myself again. Pregnancy is a magical thing, but feeling like I have a permanent hang over is something I could do without.

Yesterday Derrick and I had a 13 week appointment complete with ultrasound. The doctors did some early testing for chromosomal defects (Down Syndrome, etc.) and provided an ultrasound. It was amazing! In just 6 weeks the little bean we saw at first turned into a baby. We saw the toes, feet, hands and fingers, the head, profile, brain, heart beating and round tummy. The heart beat was 163 beats per minute and that baby was wiggling up a storm!

The doctor also provides a gender prediction. They are accurate 95+% of the time and only have 1-2 false predictions a year. The prediction....GIRL! Derrick and I were in shock. For some reason we have had boy on the brain. We are happy with whatever God blesses us with, but now we have to get used to the idea of pink, bows and girly things. We have the official gender ultrasound in July, but this lets us call the baby "her" instead of "it" which I like a lot better. I am starting to show a bit which is SO WEIRD but exciting! I know the next 6 months are going to fly by. I hope you are all doing well!

Happy Birthday to My Sweet Husband

2009-03-22T13:40:00.000-07:00

I may be late in posting this, but I am not late in celebrating. Derrick's birthday was Friday. We have been having all sorts of fun, so I am just now getting around to posting. Friday night we drove into Addison and went to 300 Bowl. It was so nice. It may be the nicest bowling facility either one of us had visited.

You grab a lane and they bring your shoes and ball to your lane. You have a server while you bowl who takes your order for drinks and food. We played 4 games and Derrick beat me every time. It's okay, I will bring my mad bowling skills next time.
After bowling we stopped by the Flying Saucer for a beer before heading home. Can I just tell you that both Derrick and I are sore from bowling. We are officially out of shape and getting old.

Saturday, I had a whole day planned. We drove into Dallas and had a late breakfast (basically brunch by the time we got there) at Lucky's Cafe. So good. They have such a friendly staff, great coffee and it is a great spot for people watching. After our late breakfast, we headed to Ft. Worth for a tour of the Rahr Brewery. Neither one of us knew what to expect, but I guess we both imagined it would be like the wineries we visited in California. A little quiet spot with a nice walking tour of the beer making process. Boy were we wrong. It was a very laid back operation that was hopping with live music and tons of people. It was a blast!

We will definitely be visiting again. Every Saturday fro 1pm-3pm they offer the "tour". $5 buys you a pint glass and a few tokens for beer tasting. From 2-3 they offer a free tour which is basically a quick visit through the metal building telling how they make the beer. Top that off with BBQ, burgers, live music and perfect weather and we were in heaven. It would be a great spot for an event too.

After our visit to the brewery we headed to downtown Ft. Worth. I had originally planned for us to visit the Arabian horse show or Ft. Worth dog show, but it was D's birthday and he just wanted to sit outside and relax. So we visited Razoo's for an afternoon snack on the patio. The weather was perfect. It was nice to just spend time together after we had both been out of town all of the last weekend and week. We headed home and spent the evening watching movies and hanging out. So fun. I have to say I cannot believe this was our 6th birthday to spend together. Time flies when you are having fun and we are definitely having fun.

Oh and for his big birthday gift, I got him tickets to the Ron White Comedy show in April. Hurray! He is so funny. Happy Birthday, Derrick! I love you more and more and more every day.

Where Oh Where Has My Janna Gone?

2009-02-28T11:12:00.000-08:00

My brain might explode. How much information can fit in there anyway?
Remember back in the summer when I was trapped under hundreds of flashcards, dozens of sheets of vellum, drawing templates, study guides and other related NCIDQ nonsense? Well, folks, I am at it again. As soon as I passed the NCIDQ, my boss smiled at me and said, "Great! You know what that means?" I said, "Um, I should have a vodka tonic and treat myself to a pedicure?" He laughed and said, "No. Now you get to take the LEED exam." I love how he used the word get as if all my days have been spent pining away over when I get to take that test. I am scheduled to take the exam on Monday, March 9th. I procrastinated as long as I could and have forced myself to give up all joys (well...not all joys, but alot of them) so that I can be a diligent studier. Only one person in my department has passed on the first try. I am determined to be the second. If that means I have to sit here and memorize the difference between a Merv 8 and a Merv 13 filter and what exactly constitutes as a brownfield site while my hubby goes to the Emerald Ball without me and enjoys the weekend doing fun things solo...then so be it. I am going to pass that test!

Here's a little blurb about LEED Accredited Professionals:

LEED Professional Accreditation

The LEED Professional Accreditation program is now managed by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI).

LEED Professional Accreditation distinguishes building professionals with the knowledge and skills to successfully steward the LEED certification process. LEED Accredited Professionals (LEED APs) have demonstrated a thorough understanding of green building practices and principles and the LEED Rating System. More than 75,000 people have earned the credential since the Professional Accreditation program was launched in 2001.

Alright...enough of that...back to my practice test. Yay (not a hint of sarcasm here...I promise).

Wordless Wednesday

2009-02-23T18:29:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas

2009-01-01T15:08:00.000-08:00

I love this picture. Uncle Doug was telling a story and we were all ears.
I love Christmas. I love the sounds, the smells, the sites. I love red, green, white and silver. I love the twinkle of the lights. I love the food and fun with friends and family. I love the anticipation of given gifts, wrapping each one and tying them up tight with real ribbon. I love wreaths and stockings, cookies and milk. I love the meaning of Christmas, that Jesus was born on that Holy Night, sent to die for our sins that we might have everlasting life. I love carols, cracking fires. I love it all.

This year was our first year to host Christmas. We usually travel for Christmas, but decided this was the year to stay put, to celebrate being in our home. I might never travel for Christmas again! Staying put rocks! Derrick's mom, dad and brother and my cousin Sarah, her hubby Keith and my Uncle Doug and Aunt Dale came over for Christmas dinner.

We had pork roast, beef tenderloin, potatoes gratin, sweet potato casserole (for my sweet potato loving husband), glazed carrots, sauteed green beans with tomato and mushroom, salad with candied walnuts, dried cranberries and honey balsamic vinaigrette. Derrick's mom and brother made homemade bread that was outstanding. We all sat at one table, which I don't think I have ever done at Christmas. Growing up, we always ate Christmas dinner picnic style. I think I prefer the table better. Everyone talks to everyone. We laughed, told stories, took pictures, ate and it was GREAT! We are so blessed!

For dessert I made pumpkin bread pudding, icebox cake, rugelach cookies and coconut macaroons. We drank milk and tea and laughed about stories of pets, family, adventures. After our bellies were full we gathered in the den to exchange gifts. The night flew by and before we knew it, it was time for my uncle, aunt, and cousins to head home. It was a wonderful Christmas!

I hope everyone had as great of a holiday as we did. Happy New Year! Here are some more pictures of the festivities:

Derrick and moi

Uncle Doug and Aunt Dale

Billye and Don (mom and pops in law)

Me and Sassy Sarah posing for Aunt Andi
Keith and Sarah- They're adorable

Aunt Dale and Jeffy

Boomer posing with his new favorite toy

Derrick's brother, Jeff, me and Derrick

Drum Roll Please...

2008-12-24T14:10:00.001-08:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to announce the following today:
I PASSED THE NCIDQ!!!

All Three Sections!
Hurray!

I am officially a licensed interior designer (and Aunt Andi, I will get to put those fancy letters after my name). Thanks to everyone for their prayers and encouragement. This is truly a wonderful Christmas gift and I am thankful to the Big Man upstairs!

Merry Christmas to all!
Love,
Derrick, Janna & Boomer

Sweet Allison

2008-11-19T06:30:00.001-08:00

This past weekend I flew to St. Louis to visit my friend Allison. Much like the girlfriends I posted about a few weeks ago, she and I have a special bond. We will be friends 'til we are old and gray. I hope our kids will be friends, go to the same college and share a house like we did. We have some awesome, hilarious, warm-hearted memories between us. Spending time with her really made me a mush ball of emotions. While sitting at the airport, waiting for my flight back to Texas on Sunday, I called Derrick to tell him my status. He answered, "Hey there! Did you have a good time?" I responded through my teary eyes and stuffy red Rudolph nose (cause that's who I turn into when I cry), "Yes. I really miss her."

You see Allison and I lived together for the better part of 5 years. First we were roommates our last years of college and then we were roommates in our "holy miracle, we've graduated so now what do we do?" phase. She has always inspired me to be a better person and I can trust her with any little secret. God has certainly blessed me with wonderful people who truly love me and know me for the me I really am- she is one of them. We didn't do much, but just spend time together, did a little Christmas shopping, laughed, talked, and caught up. She is such a special friend to me and I love her dearly! I just wish we lived closer so we could have weekends like this more often.

Amy- I Consider Myself Tagged

2008-11-12T06:56:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Amy for tagging me -

8 TV Shows I Love to Watch:
1. Mad Men- Because it ROCKS! Seriously- if you are a fan of scandalousness, you should watch the first season stat. You, too, will be addicted. I can't WAIT till next year!
2. Project Runway- I totally wish I could sew.
3. The Shield- to be supportive of my husband as he mourns the last season
4. 60 Minutes
4. The Daily Show
5. The Colbert Report- Do you see a trend here (Comedy Central)?
6. Sports Center- but mostly Game Day
7. Texas Country Reporter- Cause that's how I roll
8. Scrubs Reruns- so very funny

Favorite Restaraunts:
1. Sushi O Sushi where I would have sashimi and an Aloha Roll with Mara
2. The Salt Lick- BBQ oh sweet BBQ
3. The Frenchman Inn- their croquilles de st. jaques will make you cry
4. Annie's Burgers
5. Abuelo's
6. JR's Steakhouse
7. Cafe Beaujolais
8. Bob's Steak and Chop House

8 Things that Happened Today:
1. Derrick sweetly woke me up at 6:45am.
2. I stumbled into the bathroom shortly thereafter with my crazy hair and brushed my teeth.
3. Found my way to the hot shower that is always the key to making me a happy morning person.
4. Applied the face and visited with sweet Derrick and Boomdiggity while I did so.
5. Laughed with Derrick about something he said "for" Boomer.
6. Picked out work clothes and dressed.
7. Poured coffee into the chartruese polka dot mug Crystal gave me (love it) and made Derrick a roady cup.
8. Kissed my man goodbye, snuggled the pup and headed to work.

8 Things I Look Forward To:
1. Seeing Allison this weekend in St. Louis!
2. Making Apple Pie for Pops for Thanksgiving.
3. Decorating for Christmas. What kind of wreaths should I make?
4. Finally ridding our house of the blasted spiders that apparently think we are their family. I HATE THEM.
5. Finally finishing the kitchen revamp. It is getting closer!
6. After the holidays when we can start making the master bedroom a "sanctuary".
7. Getting the eggo preggo.
8. Texas Tech's National Championship- GO RED RAIDERS!

8 Things on My Wishlist:
1. A sewing machine.
2. A cake decorating class.
3. A smart phone of some kind. Why did Apple sell out to ATT? I wish Sprint had Iphones!
4. New bedroom furniture.
5. A romantic vacation with my husband to a far off place.
6. Health for many many many years to come.
7. That Boomer could live forever.
8. That all my family and friends lived within 30 miles so I could see them more often!

If you are reading this, consider yourself tagged...

My Orchids Are Growing!

2008-11-06T17:22:00.000-08:00

We bought our house from the Turners. Mrs. Turner has a very green thumb. Our atrium is filled with palms and caladiums growing strongly because of her. New baby caladiums shoot from the soil, our palm leaves spill over the brick pavers, the tree in the corner is just pruned because it was growing into the ceiling. It's like magic. When the Turner's moved, they couldn't take their potted plants with them. I bought all nine of the orchids Mrs. Turner had sweet talked, nurtured and pampered. In my experience orchids are hard work. They are sensitive and particular and as much as I wanted them, I was scared of, well, ahem...killing them.

It's been a good four months since we bought the house and I am proud to say the orchids are ALL alive and not only are they alive- they're growing. Look at those baby leaves! Mrs. Turner was able to have successful blooming for 4 and 5 years with these orchids and I am keeping my fingers crossed they will bloom this spring for me.

I water them every Sunday, just like Mrs. Turner said to do. I feed them with a special concoction made from worm manure. Ha! It makes me laugh to know my orchids love worm manure, but they do! I will keep you posted on their stats when the spring gets closer. I really can't wait to see if they bloom!

Pumpkin Carving Contest 2008

2008-10-29T15:57:00.000-07:00

**** Updated****
The pumpkin carving contest is over. There were some great entries. I won 3rd place.
Here is a link to the entries this year.
More amazing, however, was the pumpkin my friend Annie's husband carved. WOW.
They hosted the contest, so he did not enter but it is simply amazing. It's a good thing. His pumpkin would have blown the rest of ours out of the water! You MUST go see it!
Here is the link to the the amazing pumpkin.

This week has been all about Halloween. I made Halloween bark, baked some Halloween cupcakes, made a few apple pies and dusted off my trusty pumpkin carving tools.

My friends, Annie and Jeremy, challenged all their friends to a pumpkin carving contest. We could carve as many as we wanted and they will open up the entries for voting on Friday. Each year I carve a pumpkin for Derrick's office, so I continued the tradition this year with their new logo.

I also carved a pumpkin in honor of Annie. She loves owls, so I found a picture of an owl jack-o-lantern online and did my best to recreate it. I have a feeling Annie's husband, Jeremy, is going to kick my butt. He has mad pumpkin carving skills. Last year he carved Abraham Lincoln. HELLO! This is stiff competition. I don't know if my owl will make the cut. I will say that rather than carving I sort of whittled this owl into the pumpkin and then highlighted it in black. Do I get extra points for effort, sweat and tears (okay, no tears or sweat really, but effort for sure)?

Wish me luck in the carving contest!

Famous in a Small Town

2008-10-23T18:46:00.000-07:00

This weekend we headed to Derrick's hometown of Childress, Texas. It was homecoming and many people from his class were headed there for an impromptu reunion of sorts. It was an opportunity to get together, but also to visit with a classmate who has been battling cancer. Before I go on, I ask that you please pray for Rachel. I was so amazed by her strength and joy, her humor and her big bright smile. Cancer can bring about an awful battle and she has been fighting it for a while now. I was happy to meet her, her husband, her beautiful children and her sweet mom and dad. I know that her family and friends have started an around the clock prayer for her. I have been praying. I would love you to join me.

Dana and Rachel
On our first night, we headed to the home of the Bobcat football team to watch them whoop Floydada. Growing up in Houston, I was never exposed to the uniqueness of small town Texas. Life was so different for me. I get all warm and fuzzy when almost everyone we pass not only knows Derrick, but throws their arms open for a big "how you doing son?" kind of hug. I am sure small town life and everyone knowing everyone can have its pluses and minuses, but this weekend was full of pluses.

Bobcat
I got to meet many of his classmates and town friends, say hello to the few familiar faces I knew and enjoy visiting with blasts from the past who had many tales to tell me of my favorite man. Derrick's best friend, Joe, and his little boy, Preston, (who is not so little anymore- what are you feeding that kid to make him grow?) also joined in the festivities. We always share a million laughs with Joe and his family. I missed his wife Amy and baby boy Berg, but they weren't able to join us (Amy are you proud? I took these pics for you.)

Preston and Joe

Preston who is almost as tall as me
When we weren't visiting with old friends, we spent time visiting with Derrick's parents. We also had a fish fry Saturday night and invited a few friends over to share in the catfish love. We had a great time!

Derrick's Crew

Friends Are Friends Forever

2008-10-17T09:32:00.000-07:00

Me, Julie and Crystal (notice the Kathy Smith video...haha)
Last weekend some of my favorite friends, Crystal, Micayla, and Kristy, from college were in town with their husbands and new babies. We got together at my friend Julie's house to visit and catch up with other friends from school that live in the area. It was Family weekend at UNT that weekend, so Derrick had to miss out. He kindly let me skip the football game so I could spend time with these sweet girls I don't get to see enough.

Me and Crystal
Friday night we just camped out on Julie's patio and visited. Saturday we went out to an Irish pub and sat on the patio. Julie even planned a fireworks display for us (actually the ballpark right by the restaurant just happened to provide that for us, but I'll still give Jules the credit for it). We had a great time! Crystal even brought with her a video we made in college. It was so fun and we looked like babies! Now my friends have babies of their own. Time sure does fly!

Julie, Crystal, Me and Micayla
I am always sad when these friends go home. I wish they lived closer so I could see them more. They are dear to my heart and now their babies are too. I don't know how I got away with no pictures of the babies, but check out Julie's blog for pics of them. SO cute! I LOVE YOU GIRLS!

Me, Julie, Crystal, Kim and Micayla

Kitchen Revamp

2008-10-17T09:31:00.001-07:00

BEFORE. We did keep the original vent hood. It's sweet!

AFTER: New cooktop and backsplash. You can see to the right we are not quite finished yet. We were short on tile. Had to order one more box.
One of our big projects in making this house our home was to spruce up the kitchen. When we moved it, the counter tops were an ivory laminate with a wood trim in the kitchen and at the bar they were a wood laminate. It made the kitchen feel smaller since the bar and kitchen counters touch each other. We wanted the surface to be one seamless material.

Also, after having granite counter tops in our loft kitchen we both really missed the look and feel of a stone surface. While working for the development company in San Jose, I discovered Ceasarstone. It was becoming really popular in the high rise condominiums that were being built when we lived there. Ceasarstone is a quartzite material. It feels like granite, but it more durable and requires less maintenance. It is heat and cold resistant, scratch resistant and the best part- you don't have to seal it. You have to love something that is pretty and low maintenance.

Corner in the kitchen. You can see the cabinets. They are actually a little darker than this, but the flash brought out the gold in them. We still need to put outlet covers on and replace the original pulls from 1969.
The previous owners of our home laid this gorgeous porcelain tile and it has slate blue, chocolate brown, gray and other earthy colors in it. The cabinets are the original teak stained ash cabinets. We really wanted to stick to the mid century modern feel of the house, so we picked a chocolate colored stone for the counter tops. It is really dark and almost black so it has a nice modern feel, but it is warmer than a plain black. Perfect for this house.

When we received our quote for the countertops, we found out the bottom of the backsplash would most likely need to be chipped away to level the new countertops. We decided to just replace it. We picked out this really cool glass piano tile. It has a Frank Lloyd Wright kind of feel to it with a bit of a modern twist. It looks great. So we have a seamless kitchen surface, pretty glass backsplash, undermount stainless sink, goose neck faucet, and a newer look to the kitchen.

Next on this list for the kitchen are new cabinet pulls to tie in the stainless sink, faucet and refrigerator, a more appropriate paint color and brighter lights. I think we will probably pick some sort of muted earthy green or sage for the walls and just a different bulb for the lights. It's a little dark in there.

Here are a few pictures of the atrium. I know Derrick's mom and dad wanted to see the lay out in there. We have turned it into a breakfast nook/office. Derrick loves it because he can work and watch football at the same time. Every man's dream, right? I like it because of the light and plants. I can't wait for the orchids to bloom.

Dark and a little blurry, but you get the idea.

Picture from breakfast table looking out to dining area.

Picture from dining looking in to atrium.

I Love Fall!

2008-10-01T15:37:00.000-07:00

This morning greeted us with cool crisp air, promises of fall and a very frisky puppy (who prefers the cooler months because of his beautiful fluff). I have been studying for what seems like months and as soon as the afternoon hit, I needed a break. I picked up some fall decor at Hobby Lobby several days ago and put my mind into something non NCIDQ related- making wreaths for the front doors.

So you start with this:

Add a little of this:

And end up with this:

And this:

And this:

I love simplicity, so these are perfect for me. They also go well with Halloween AND Thanksgiving decor. I also found some table decor for the new dining table.

Oh! And I am really looking forward to pumpkin carving time. My friend Annie and her husband Jeremy have challenged several friends to a pumpkin carving contest and I am going to have to come up with something creative. Jeremy carved an amazing Abraham Lincoln last year. I will have to find a way to top that. Any ideas?

Hope everyone is having a great first day of October!

The Importance of Sunscreen and Your Dermatology Exam

2008-09-30T19:38:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday I paid a visit to my local dermatologist for a skin screening. Now, this does not mean I get into some high tech, fancy schmancy machine or anything. What it does mean is that I get to strip down to my birthday suit (shiver) and have the good ole' dermatologist give my "spots", as I like to call them, a once over. I have lots of spots (I don't like the word mole).
This is a mole:

That's a spot:

Anyway, I digress. Once a year I go for a screening. Well in the last year or so a new spot joined my family of spots. It was different from all the rest. It was very flat, very dark and asymmetrical. "Hmmm..." I thought to myself, "This one is different. It looks mean."

Well, we moved here in August of 2007. I started my job in October and I didn't have insurance until January. I made my dermatologist appointment in late February and he couldn't see me until LAST WEEK. Dermatologists are quite popular apparently. I finally had my appointment and to make a long story short, the spot was suspicious. He took a biopsy immediately and sent me on my way...along with 15 samples of sunscreen and a promise to wear it.

Today he called. It is not cancer, but it was definitely headed in that direction. I will have to have minor surgery to remove the rest of the spot. Why am I telling you all this? Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer. Catching it early is key. I am not even 30 yet and I will most likely face this again. If you have never been, make an appointment with your dermatologist. And please, join me in promising to wear sunscreen, put sunscreen on your kids. It could prolong your life and your pretty face.

I've Been Tagged

2008-09-16T17:45:00.000-07:00

My Aunt Andi recently tagged me. I haven't done one of these in a really long time, so I thought I would go for it.

1. Where was I ten years ago?
Ten years ago I was a sophomore at Abilene Christian University, pledging my social club Delta Theta and thinking about changing my major from advertising to interior design (which I did the very next semester).

2. What was on my To Do list today?
Meet with the countertop manufacturer at the house to make a template of the new countertops.
Meet with a client at his office to review temporary furniture solutions that could be used until his furniture arrives (which will be 2 weeks late thanks to faulty information from my furniture vendor).
Have lunch.
Have a conference call with a contractor regarding their contract for a sorority housing project.
Review and approve invoices.
Make revisions to an RFQ.
Study for NCIDQ.
Head home to my "evacuees" (family in town from Houston which still doesn't have power.
Visit and play with godsons.
Eat dinner.
Visit with Jamie and Derrick.
Rest.
Watch Project Runway.
Go to bed.

3. What would I do if I were a billionaire?
I would pay off our mortgage. Buy vacation homes in Colorado, California and somewhere beachy.
Start a huge college fund for future child(ren).
Donate a large sum of money to both Derrick and my universities.
Donate a large sum to relief efforts in Africa.
Give large gifts of money to all my family to allow them more comfort in their lives.
Invest.
Travel.
Shop.
Travel some more.

4. Five places I've lived:
Houston- born and raised.
Abilene, TX for college.
Lubbock, TX after college.
San Jose, CA.
Denton, TX.

5. Bad habits:
Sometimes it is hard for me to say no and I take on too much.
I REALLY like ice cream and pastries.
I have a kitchen accessory purchasing habit.
I don't ever exercise.
I don't see my friends who live in Texas and the DFW area enough.

Now of course to complete my participation in this "Tag YOUR IT" meme, I'm to tag five others to participate. My 5 are Julie, Allison, Mara, Missy and Amber.

House Update and a New Dining Room Table

2008-09-13T10:36:00.000-07:00

So many of you have wanted to know how the house is coming along. Well, it is getting "there" (where ever "there" is) slowly but surely. Each week we do something else to help make it our home.

It goes without saying that Boomer is in heaven. He loves it here. He loves to lay in the yard and on the porch taking it all in. He chases squirrels, lizards and beetles. He goes over and visits with the neighbor pups through their fence and finds any reason to go outside and just be. The first picture is of him laying in the middle of the back yard, just 'cause. So cute. (he's the fluffy black and white dot in the center)

Back to the house update. So far we have replaced the carpet, painted the master bed and bath, hung curtain panels in the guest room, started the process of hanging panels in our room too, painted one of the guest rooms, and scheduled the replacement of the kitchen counters. They will be installed in 2 weeks! Hurray! I have hung some prints, paintings and pictures have organized some of the built in bookshelves.

By the way, do any of you have suggestions for my book shelf dibacle? There are so many and we have nowhere near enough "stuff" to fill them all. I would love any ideas you may have there are two 7' high by 3' wide bookshelves in all three bedrooms and two 5' high by 4' wide book shelves in the living room. Help! I have candles, books, movies and pictures. Vases, plates, baskets and other things...but there are still so many empty shelves.

Okay, okay...onto the dining table. After living in 1 and 2 bedroom homes for, well, forever, we have lots of empty space. We have always had a breakfast table but now, for the first time, we have a dining table. A real one. A family table. One where, for many years to come, I can gather and make amazing memories with friends, family and my favorite man over one of my favorite things (um, that would be food). So what do you think? I can't wait to buy a runner and centerpieces (cause each season calls for a new one, right?) The finish is perfect with the style of the house and we can even seat 10 if we really wanted to. I love it and I look forward to family meals around this beautiful table!

Happy Birthday to Me!

2008-08-18T17:47:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday, another year came and went. I am officially 29. I can't believe it has been a year since we left California, a year since we moved back to Texas, and I am another year older. I love birthdays though and I don't mind adding a year to my age. Why, you ask? Well, I happen to have the most wonderful, thoughtful, creative, spectacular, best birthday making husband ever.

On my first birthday as his girlfriend, Derrick started a tradition. A letter tradition. Each year he selects a letter and my entire birthday is themed after that letter. The first year it was "F". The day was filled with f- words (and not the 4 letter variety for all you comedians out there). There was "flowers" and fifteen roses appeared on my desk. "Food" for the restaurant he took me to for dinner. "Flavor" for my first set of wine glasses. "Fidel" because my birthday is the same as Fidel Castro's (this word was accompanied by cigars.) "Funny" for a funny movie he gave me that year. The list goes on and so do the years. The next letters used to celebrate the birthday game were M, R, J, and D.

A few days before my birthday this year I asked, "So, are you going to tell me this year's letter?" He answered, "Nope." as he showed me a huge cheesy grin. He's so cute. On the morning of my birthday he had me close my eyes and stick out my hands. In them he placed a tiny piece of paper with "2008...C" printed on it. C. Hmmm.

Hiding under my cell phone was a gift card to "Cinemark".
Nuzzled up to my purse was a Cappuccino and Hazelnut "Candle" and a sweet card.
In the living room was a "Coffe Table Book" of Frank Lloyd Wright homes (for inspiring ideas in our own home).
He surprised me with the promise of a trip to "California" in September.
He ordered the additional 4 dining "Chairs" I have been jabbering about for our dining room.
I was in heaven.
He took me to the restaurant of my "Choice" for lunch (sushi) and after taking me to a movie that night, he sprung THE gift on me. "CARRIE UNDERWOOD" TICKETS!
I was so excited I jumped up and down and started singing one of her songs. I love her. Heart her. Want to be friends with her. I am not a huge country loving girl, but I LOVE her. YAY!

So here's a toast to my wonderful husband for being my best friend, for making my birthdays so remarkably special, for knowing me better than I know myself sometimes and to all the other letters we have yet to celebrate. I love you, D, and I am so thankful for you!

Oh! And it seems the day was meant for the letter "C" as 2 of my friends gave me cookbooks and a coworker gave me a cookie bouquet. It was a perfect, wonderful day. Happy Birthday to me. :)

Finger Surgery

2008-07-17T17:34:00.000-07:00

Before I get to the heart of the post, let me say Derrick is going to kill me for putting this incredibly sexy picture of him up on the blog. That being said...let's get on with the post.

So many of you are asking, "Finger surgery?" Well, a few months ago Derrick injured the tip of his middle finger on his left hand. He either got a splinter or stuck himself with a staple. To this day, it is a mystery. Even the doctor doesn't know exactly how it got started. Apparently the injury damaged a blood vessel and when this happens it causes the blood vessel to act as a growth and form a tumor of sorts. A non cancerous tumor. It's no big deal, more annoying to him than anything. We actually thought it was a wart at first from pulling weeds in the garden.

Can you see the slight discoloration in the shape of a circle? That's it.
We tried wart treatment and it wouldn't go away so Derrick went to the doctor. The growth was about the size of a small little pea, maybe smaller, but because the blood vessel was damaged he had to have it surgically removed. They put him under and everything. If he hadn't had it removed it had the potential to keep growing. The surgery lasted about 30-45 minutes and he has several stitches on the tip of his finger that come out next week. It will leave a scar, but the doctor said he did really well. He was exceptionally funny coming out of the sleep meds. The nurse talked to him to wake him up and when she walked away he turned and whispered to me, "She woke me up." I said, "Yes. She had to make sure you were okay." He laughed and said, "I wanted to sleep longer."

Thanks to everyone for checking in on him.

We've Moved!

2008-07-14T11:38:00.000-07:00

We are finally in the new house! I am so relieved and super tired. Derrick's parents came in this weekend and helped us unpack boxes and get the kitchen set up. Check out the food blog for some amazing pancakes. Yum!

We started sorting what goes in what room and honestly I am slightly overwhelmed with where to start first. I will post pictures of the house after we get a little more settled. We painted a few rooms, had new carpet laid and got a snazzy new refrigerator. Hurray!

I will also post a 4th of July update and a Derrick's finger surgery update here soon too!

Have a great week!

Happy Birthday Crystal!

2008-06-28T14:48:00.000-07:00

Today is my friend Crystal's birthday. She and I have been friends since our freshman year of college. We were roommates our junior and senior year of college. I was a bridesmaid in her wedding and she would have been one in mine, if I'd had bridesmaids. She loves the Lord, her family and her friends. She is always routing for the ones she loves, has a huge genuine heart and she is one of the funniest people I know.

Happy Birthday, Crystal! I hope you have a great day!
I love you!

>> Happy Birthday Sweet Aunt Andi! <<

2008-06-25T18:13:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday Aunt Andi!
Happy Birthday to you!

Today is my precious, adorable, sweet, huge hearted, loving, thoughtful, amazing Aunt Andi's Birthday! She is one of the kindest and most generous people I have ever met. I am honored and thankful to be her niece. Her unselfish and thoughtful nature inspires me to be more giving of myself. She also inspires my friends to wish they had an Aunt Andi of their own. I can't tell you how many times a friend will say, "Where can I get an Aunt Andi?" They are jealous and they should be!

Happy Birthday, Aunt Andi! I hope you have a wonderful day!
A fun package is in the mail headed your way!
I love you!

Aunt Andi Rocks!

2008-06-10T20:12:00.000-07:00

I know I have said this before, but my Aunt Andi ROCKS!
She is so thoughtful and selfless!
She remembers the little details, the things you love.
She is an expert at making others feel special!
I feel special to call her MY aunt!

Today in the mail was a special package from her. Included in the envelope with her signature Mary Engelbreit address label were two Paula Dean magazines (one all about chocolate), a Southern Lady magazine and several recipes. Original family recipes. My favorite part of the package were the recipes. An original recipe from my Grandma Harriet, my Uncle Doug's "Award Winning Chili", a few recipes from my Aunt Dale and some unidentified recipes that may be Aunt Andi originals!

Thank you Aunt Andi! You made my day!
I love you!

Becoming a Professional is on the Horizon

2008-06-05T07:42:00.000-07:00

Here's a little history for you. I graduated from Abilene Christian University in 2001 with a degree in interior design. My career path started in the interior design industry and segued to the construction and development industry, eventually leading me to my current position which is a happy mix of both.

The interior design industry is often misunderstood. It is not all about paint colors and fancy fabrics (what I like to call the color picker Barbie aspect of the job), but about reflective ceiling plans, electrical plans, cabinetry details, load bearing walls, space planning, creative solutions to architectural interiors, accessibility codes, building codes and much more. Anyone can be a decorator, but in order to call yourself an interior designer (and in some states to even practice interior design) there are many qualifications required first. The most important being a passing score on the NCIDQ. The NCIDQ is the holy grail of interior design. Without a passing score, you are a decorator. Period. (granted decorators have their place and there are many talented decorators out there)

Tuesday, I submitted my application to take the test. The NCIDQ. Yes, I must be accepted to take the test. The qualifications needed to allow you to take the test include a degree in interior design and a minimum of 3 years experience in an interior design or architecturally related field. I had to request employment verification from my previous employers, provide a certified copy of my college transcript, provide a detailed job description from all previous work experience, and a copy of my birth certificate.

In August, I will take the S.T.E.P. course through ASID (American Society of Interior Designers). This course will help prepare me for the months of studying I face before facing the scary NCIDQ in October. My tummy is doing sommersaults right now. It makes me so nervous.

You see, I haven't had to study in 7 years. I haven't calculated necessary carpet yardage in 7 years. I haven't had the pressures of an exam in 7 years. And on top of all this, every one I know has passed this mother load of a test ON THE FIRST TRY. No pressure, right?

Please say much needed prayers for me in the coming months as I prepare (ahem...cram) for this stressful test!

Little Fluffy Boo Bear

2008-05-27T18:59:00.000-07:00

Okay, so he's not so little. Topping in at a little over 70 pounds my big fluffy boo bear is anything but little. That being said, he is such a sugar plum. I had to share the newest picture of him. He is about to enjoy his annual "summer cut", so we had to get a few shots of him at his fluffiest. I'll post an update of our undercover Dalmatian soon.

Wedding Reunion

2008-05-22T06:00:00.001-07:00

Sitting pretty with my fellow Delta Theta ladies.
Two weekends ago, a college friend of mine tied the knot. Even though the day was all about the bride and groom, it felt so much like a college reunion because so many of my blasts from the past were there. It was great to catch up and hear what everyone has been up to since graduation.
Most the girls I reunited with were in social club (Delta Theta) with me at Abilene Christian University. It is a tradition to encircle the bride and groom and sing our club song. I felt so bad because I had not practiced in YEARS! I forgot some of the lyrics, but made it through without making a complete fool of myself. Everyone is happy, healthy, and doing well. It was a great time.

At Dinner
The wedding itself was outside, simple and so intimate. The bride, my friend Kim, looked absolutely gorgeous! Congratulations Kim and Shane on your new life together!

Wedding Sparklers are fun!

Weekend of Help in Houston

2008-05-22T05:55:00.001-07:00

Tanner and Haiden checking out the sea lions.
My grandmother, Mema, moved from Monroe, Louisiana to Houston a few weeks ago.
This past weekend I went to Houston to help her get her apartment organized, boxes unpacked, furniture arranged, kitchen cleaned, dishes scrubbed and pretty much anything else she needed done in order to feel settled in her new abode.

My cousin, Jamie, and her family live a few blocks from my grandmother and can help with grocery shopping and whatnot, but it was hard to devote a lot of time to Mema's organization needs when two boys under 6 are running around at her feet wanting to play. I stepped up and spent two days with her and now she is in ship shape condition (with the exception of a few boxes of bills and things that need shredding).

In the afternoons, while I was there, I picked Jamie's boys up from school and took them to do fun things with "Cricket" (ahem...that's me). Thursday afternoon I took them to the park. Friday afternoon, I took them to the zoo. We saw all there was to see. The boys, Tanner (5) and Haiden (2.5), LOVE the monkeys, snakes and elephant. They were really good sports and let me take lots of pictures of them posing with things. They behaved so well at the zoo that I treated them to ice cream cones and we visited the petting zoo.

Saturday I made a big batch of chicken and dumplings for Mema. She has lost some weight during the move and I was determined to get some meat back on her bones. That night Jamie and I took the dumplings over to her house and visited with her for several hours. She told us hilarious stories about my aunt, mom, uncle and herself. We laughed until there were tears in our eyes. It was such a good visit!

Here are some pictures of my zoo visit with the boys.

Self portrait on the way out of the zoo.

Haiden playing at the petting zoo.

A picture of a giraffe (I took this just for my friend Julie).

One of the many posed pictures outside the reptile exhibit.

The Perfect House

2008-05-20T08:48:00.001-07:00

So many of you have been asking to see pictures of the house. We will be replacing the carpet, doing a few updates in the kitchen and painting. It has LOADs of potential, TONS of storage space and sits on a 1 acre wooded lot. Boomer is going to love it. I know we do.
Please see below for your viewing pleasure (although pictures really don't give justice). You can scroll over the picture to read what room you are seeing.

We're Buying a House!

2008-05-13T07:50:00.000-07:00

After months and months and months of looking, we have finally found it! We are so picky, we knew it would take time. It didn't help that we had a fabulous, amazing and totally cool loft in California. This house is a good mix of modern and traditional. It is only 4 miles from our offices, is located on a 1 acre wooded lot that is covered in oak trees and there are so many closets that my OCD super-organized self can run amok (insert devilish laugh).

It is a mid-century modern house with loads of personality. There is an herb garden, a great little kitchen for moi and so many windows. We are going to do a few minor renovations before we move in, but we are looking to be in the house in August. I'll keep you posted on the progress. Until then, wish us luck on closing, renovating and paint selecting.

Have a great day!

UNT Annual Alumni Awards Banquet

2008-04-20T09:01:00.001-07:00

Friday night we attended the UNT Annual Alumni Awards banquet at the Gateway Center. Each year alumni are awarded for exemplary achievements, years of service and spirit for the university, etc. The scheduled announcer was ill, so Derrick filled in and I was (of course) so very proud.

Derrick and his board president, Phil
This year Derrick's board president was honored in addition to many other very worthy graduates of UNT. Each honoree was significant, but in very different ways. Among the honorees was an acclaimed musician, a professor, a businessman, a lead opera soprano, an astronaut, a former mayor, a city manager and many others.

Phil receiving his award from Dr. Bataille (president of the university in pink). Derrick is behind at the podium announcing the honorees.
Hearing the stories, meeting the families and learning of the ways UNT grads are making a difference for our cities, country and world, make working here even more meaningful. Derrick and I have really enjoyed our time here so far. We look forward to many more Alumni Awards banquets.

NT40 Dinner

2008-03-30T06:35:00.000-07:00

Last night Derrick and I went to an event on Campus for the NT40 (North Texas 40). I am not 100% sure what the NT40 are, but I think they are 40 selected students who represent leadership on the North Texas campus. Derrick's board president and his future board president were both in the NT40 when they were in school. Therefore a new relationship exists between the Alumni Association and this student group. Derrick seems pretty excited about the opportunities. The evening was fun and we enjoyed spending time with some very smart, good natured college kids.

2008-03-25T11:32:00.001-07:00

Introducing the Newest Addition to the Food Blogging World- Honeyed Hashette

I have been contemplating it for a while and decided to start a food blog in addition to the family blog. It seems that my family blog has been taken over by tales of flour, garlic, cream cheese icing and other yummy foodie delights (not in that particular order of course). This foodie blog will serve as a more organized and purposeful outlet for the recipes I love to tweak, test and torture. So, you can consider it your very own version of the Food Network brought to you personally by moi.
Fun, right?

The "Honeyed" comes from the fact that I am, in fact, a blonde. The "Hashette" comes from a more girly twist on the word "hasher" which is another word for cook. It has a fun little ring to it I think.

So please head over to Honeyed Hashette some time soon. I will be posting about a newly tested recipe tonight!

2008-03-23T12:10:00.000-07:00

Matt's Big Breakfast
Phoenix, Arizona

Before we left for our Arizona trip, I read up on great places to eat (since I am a self confessed foodie and all). One of the places I read about was Matt's Big Breakfast. Well, while we were on our trip, Derrick spoke to his best friend, Joe (aka TV Joe), and he too had heard the rave about this breakfast spot on the Food Channel.

We love breakfast and so we headed that way.

It did not disappoint, quite the contrary. The restaurant itself holds a maximum of 40 patrons (and that includes 5 counter seats). The exterior is unassuming, kitschy and almost lost in the sea of the approaching downtown high rises. The interior is bright, charming and reminisce of that small town diner in any small town, America. And the food was I.N.C.R.E.D.I.B.L.E. Really.

it's the tiny little place in front

Derrick ordered a simple breakfast plate of eggs, sausage and hash browns while I had an omlet with Wisconsin cheddar, smoked ham and portabella mushrooms and hash browns. Sounds typical, right? WRONG. So, so good. Everything was remarkably fresh, flavorful and special all the way down to (or up from- your preference) the orange juice. The hash browns were almost shaved into thin ropes of potato magic perfectly crispy and slightly sweet. The eggs were fluffy and light and buttery and...well, perfect. The jams are homemade. The breads bursting at the seams with whole wheat and savory nuts. And the orange juice...oh the orange juice. So good you wonder if there is something illegal in there.

Enough of me praying to the breakfast god that is Matt. Just promise you'll try this place for yourself when you visit. Get orange juice. Get hash browns. Get happy.

2008-03-23T11:33:00.000-07:00

Baseball Birthday

For Derrick's birthday, I planned a getaway trip to Phoenix for some sunshine, relaxation and baseball. We flew into Phoenix last Friday night and spent the next four days sleeping in, eating great breakfasts, watching major league baseball up close and personal in minor league stadiums, drinking cold beer, eating great hot dogs and enjoying some time together just the two of us. It was GREAT!
The weather was perfect.
The teams we routed for, won.
The food was great.
The company was best!

Our first day was in Surprise, AZ and we watched the Texas Rangers play the Colorado Rockies. The Rangers won. Did I mention the weather was perfect? Shorts perfect. Tank top perfect. Flip flops perfect. We got some sun. The day was all we expected. 75, sunny, soothingly breezy. They started the game with patriotic parachuters. That was pretty cool. After the game we went returned to Scottsdale for some "Best of Phoenix" slider burgers at the Papago Brewery and people watched. It was two hours earlier in Phoenix so we were beat before all the locals and turned in early.

Day two was spent in Scottsdale. It was slightly rainy and a bit chilled that day, so we went to the mall, shopped, peeked at puppies in the pet store window, and had an afternoon snack of sake sashimi (salmon sushi) and cocktails at the Kona bar and grill. Yum! I got some new prizes at Sephora. Man, I love that store!

Day three was spent in Phoenix, AZ where we watched the Oakland A's whoop the Kansas City Royals on St. Patrick's Day. Go Green! We sat next to some nice folks from Kansas City and enjoyed the spring time weather. Phoenix is so beautiful with the rough edges and soft colors. Cacti are every where, but so are colorful bouganvillia vines. After the game we went for burgers at the Chuck Box in Tempe (so good and flame broiled) and walked around the Arizona State Campus at night. All the students were a buzz, decked in green for St. Patty's Day.

We started day four by having the BEST breakfast of our lives at Matt's Big Breakfast in downtown Phoenix. That morning spot deserves a post all it's own, so stay tuned for that. After an amazing hearty spread, we headed to Tempe, AZ where the Angels defeated the Brewers and we camped on a blanket in lawn seats. It was so warm and the sun was so inviting. Sigh.

The next morning was jet set time. Our flight was early and filled with reading and resting. When we arrived in Dallas on Wednesday our fluffy (and stinky) boy was waiting for us at Sarah and Keith's house. He loves camp at their house! We had a great time, recharged our batteries and returned to Texas ready for spring. If you love baseball and a fun atmosphere- go to spring training in Phoenix! We highly recommend it!

2008-03-11T07:55:00.001-07:00

Derrick, Boomer, Me...A Happy Family

i couldn't find one of the three of us on the new computer
~ I've Been Tagged ~

I've been tagged by my Aunt Andi of Andi's Everyday Adventures to write a 6 word memoir.

I am to tag 5 blog friends to write their six word memoir.

The rules are:

1. Write your own six word memoir.

2. Post it on your blog and include a visual illustration, if you like.

3. Link to the person that tagged you in your post and to the original post if possible, so we can track it as it travels through the blogosphere...if you know how...

4. Tag five more blog buddies and Remember to leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play.

I tag:

Eggs Benedict

2008-03-02T13:31:00.000-08:00

Since I didn't sleep well last night, I slept in this morning. It was nice and I feel rested.
Sunday is always a good day for a hearty breakfast, so I gave Derrick the choice of egg and pesto stuffed tomatoes or eggs Benedict. By the title of the blog, I am sure you know what he chose.

This recipe is really easy and has a tart twist on the traditional eggs Benedict with dill and white wine vinegar. So yummy. Mmmmm. You can find the recipe in the Crate and Barrel Bride and Groom Cook Book. It is a great cookbook filled with recipes for two and I have yet to make anything from it that wasn't well received. If your not up for buying the book, here is the recipe:

4 eggs
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. white distilled vinegar
4 slices Canadian bacon
2 English muffins sliced

2 egg yolks, room temperature
2 tbsp. heavy cream, room temperature
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp. white wine vinegar
1 dash cayenne pepper
2 tsp. lemon juice

dry dill for garnish

Poach the 4 eggs in water seasoned with the salt and white distilled vinegar.

Meanwhile brown Canadian bacon and toast English muffins.

Heat butter in microwave until melted.
Whisk egg yolks, cream, cayenne pepper and a dash of salt in small bowl.
With a slow steady stream add hot butter while continuously whisking until all butter in incorporated and a creamy hollandaise results.
Whisk in lemon juice and white wine vinegar.

Place Canadian bacon atop brown muffins, top bacon with poached eggs.
Spoon hollandaise over the tops of the eggs and sprinkle with dill.

I warm my serving plates in the oven so the eggs stay warm.
Serve with orange or tomato juice.
Enjoy!

2008-03-02T12:41:00.000-08:00

A Weekend of Random Things

Originally our weekend plans consisted of me making a trip to Houston for a post baby- baby shower for Crystal and Derrick attending the Emerald Ball at UNT for the president of the university. Well, Thursday, Crystal's sweet baby was diagnosed with RSV (please pray for her) and the shower was canceled. With my Saturday open, I headed to the salon to get a trim and highlights (which were long over due).

Last night D headed out the door looking dapper in his tux. We got him a "real" bow tie last week and learning to tie it was...um...fun. Thanks to "youtube" for a video tutorial on the subject, 10 minutes and a little bit of frustration and I got it just right. He looked so cute. Really- he is quite handsome (sigh).

I on the other hand, dialed up Papa Johns and ordered my favorite- pepperoni and pineapple and settled in with Boomer to watch Music from the Heart and Devil Wears Prada. It must have been Meryl Streep night on HBO. I ended up dozing off half way through the second flick and woke to find Derrick in the living room watching The Departed. So I finished it up with him and then we hit the sack.

I didn't sleep well last night. I kept waking up with tickle in my throat needed to cough. I really hope I am not getting a cold. I have been in my new job for 5 months now and in those 5 months, every . single . person . in . my . office . has . been . sick . but . me. And each of them has been sick at least twice. I don't know what that is all about, but I am happy to say I have stayed healthy (knock on wood). Maybe the tickle was a result of too many hair color fumes and stray hair clippings flying through the air?? Yes. I will stick with that.

Angel Hair and Italian Meatballs

2008-02-24T14:05:00.000-08:00

So Derrick has been craving meatballs and I set out to find a simple recipe.
I found it on cooks.com. I tweaked it a little and the result was yummy and easy and can be done in a healthy but flavorful way. I love that!

First preheat oven to 350.
In a large bowl, using my fingers I combined the following:
1/2 pound lean ground beef (could use ground turkey)
1/2 pound mild (or sweet) italian sausage (could use turkey or chicken variety)
1 cup fresh whole wheat bread crumbs (made from pulsing 3 pieces of wheat bread with crusts in the food processor until small bread crumbs form)
1/2 cup milk
3 cloves garlic minced or pressed
1 Tbsp. parsley flakes
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. ground oregano
1/4 cup grated parmesan

Form golf ball sized balls and bake for 15 minutes. Flip and bake additional 15 minutes.
Simmer cooked meatballs in a jar of your favorite marinara sauce and serve over cooked pasta. We have ours with angel hair garnished with parmesan and parsley. Enjoy!

2008-02-23T15:50:00.000-08:00

Abilene, Sing Song and Bowling

Last Saturday I drove to Abilene to see my fabulous friend Allison and her wonderful, loving and funny family. Allison and I were roommates in college and for about 2 years after college. She is a wonderful friend and I love her dearly! When we were in college, her family came to visit often and her middle sister is a good friend of mine as well. So many ways they are family to me. Allison is the oldest of three girls and her youngest sister is a freshman at our old alma mater. She is living in the same dorm we once called home (which still smells the same after 11 years) and this year was her first Sing Song.

Here is a group as raggedy ann
Sing Song is an old tradition where all the classes and social clubs (basically non national sororities and fraternities) have competitive themed performances. They take popular songs and change the words to fit their theme (with witty words and perfectly placed ooo's and ahhh's), have choreographed hand movements, hilarious eye and cheek enhancing makeup and hand made props and costumes. The entire performance is a capella and so fun! When I was in college my social club's themes were Morton Salt Girls, Vikings and Swiss Miss Girls. We never won, but we had so much fun!

Saturday while we were waiting for the performances, we decided to go bowling. It was a chance to visit, hang out and pass the time. I posted silly names on the board like "Janna the Great", "Lauren Spectacular", Colossal Colby", "Extra Awesome Allison" and "Super Dad". Allison's husband, Colby, is a MASTER bowler. Just look at that score. EIGHT, count them, EIGHT strikes! Hello! The man scored a 223!! I am telling you, he should go pro. Not to ring my own bell or anything...but I scored a 148. Not too shabby for a rusty bowler.... The short trip was great and it was so good to catch up with Allison, her sweet family and reminisce about ole college days...Can you believe I have been in the adult world for 7 years? Crazy!

Birthday Cupcakes

2008-02-23T15:28:00.000-08:00

February is full of birthdays and I have been busy making baked treats for friends and coworkers. I have made more peanut butter cookies, a white cake with strawberry cheese cake filling and whipped white icing, loaded carrot cake with cream cheese icing and the birthday cupcakes featured in today's blog. I am particularly proud of the cupcakes because they were so pretty!

The cake is vanilla and the icing is creamy bittersweet chocolate. They were good and decorative and I had fun using the new icing gun Derrick gave me for Christmas! I LOVE that thing! It rocks! If you don't have one and LOVE baking, or filling anything (it is perfect for deviled eggs, whipped quiches, etc.) you NEED this. It's my new favorite gadget.

I topped the iced cupcakes off with decorative chocolate curls I bought at World Market (which look a lot like the curls on the cover of the Southern Lady magazine you sent Aunt Andi). The finished product was loved by all especially with the skinny Wilton Sparkler candles I got at Kroger (which I forgot to take a picture of).

Speaking of Aunt Andi- the mailbox had a surprise from her yesterday. My Aunt Andi is THE most thoughtful lady I know. Not only does she have impeccable shoe taste, great decorative sense and a keen creative nature...she has the biggest heart! The package included a heart shaped bunt cake/tart pan, a copy of Southern Lady magazine with delicious tiramisu featured on the cover, an adorable Vera Bradley jewelry box and a new dessert cook book. Does she know me or what? Thank you Aunt Andi! I love you very much!!

2008-02-13T12:20:00.000-08:00

Vote for Boomer!

Hi everyone!

We entered Boomer in the "Bissell Most Valuable Pet Contest".

If he wins, his picture will be featured on the new Bissell vacuum for pets!

Also, $10,000 will be donated to the pet charity of our choice.

Please take the time to vote for him! Click the link here: Vote for Boomer!

It takes a few seconds to load and then vote away.

We really want him to win!

Thanks!

Janna, Derrick and Boomer

Peanut Butter Cookies with a Twist

2008-02-10T20:31:00.001-08:00

We celebrated Super Bowl Sunday with our great friends Joe, Amy, their precious (and quite funny) boys Preston and Bergen, and a group of their friends and their kids. Joe treated everyone to homemade chili and cornbread. He is an EXCELLENT culinary mastermind. Seriously. Everything he makes is grande. From BBQ ribs to pancakes made with Sprite. What do you take as your dish to someone who could blow your recipe's socks off? Seared foie gras in an apricot demiglaze? Haha- I'm not that fancy. How about the best carrot cake? Nope- maybe for Easter...

I decided to make something easy that the kiddos would love (cause there were about 10 kids there all together). This peanut butter cookie recipe was nabbed from Smitten Kitchen, of course. I made a minor adjustment. Instead of peanut butter chips and chocolate chips, I went with mini chips and added a little over half of the required amount. The result was just the right combination of peanut butter and chocolate.

The key to these puppies is using a cookie scoop so they thick and turn out crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, rolling the dough in sugar (so fun!) and not baking them too long. Derrick gave them two thumbs up!

To get the recipe, click here: Smitten Kitchen PB Cookies
This is a great recipe to make with kids because the dough is surprisingly clean and easy to work with.

2008-02-05T11:24:00.000-08:00

Thankfulness
Thanksgiving is not the only month to be thankful

Here we are in February, the month of red cinnamon hearts, construction paper Valentine's, romantic candlelit dinners, sweathearts, whispered secrets, fireside snuggling and dream sharing as we have so much to be thankful for in the year to come.

This post is dedicated to my husband. I love him. He is my best friend. I am so thankful for him, his love, his friendship, his pet names, his hard work, his humor, his infectious smile, his encouragement, his admiration, his warm welcomed hugs. He is my biggest fan and we are a perfect team.

To Derrick- thank you for being my favorite thing to be thankful for.
I love you so much!

2008-01-29T06:37:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday, Billye!

Today is a day to celebrate my wonderful, sweet Mother-in-law!
Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you!

Thank you for being so loving, supportive, complimentary and kind. I know a lot of women are not as fortunate to have a mother-in-law as sweet and fair as you. You have treated me like your daughter from day one and I could not be happier! Because of you, I have an amazing husband and best friend. To you and Don I owe my heart and my thanks.

I love you, Billye!
I hope your birthday is a wonderful one!

2008-01-26T13:53:00.000-08:00

So very, very fluffy

a picture of Boomer in the kitchen "helping" me cook
"helping" is code for "waiting for something to drop"
Boomer had a wonderful treat today- a trip to the groomer. He LOVES to get a bath and LOVES to go to the groomer. As soon as we pull into the driveway, he starts howling and crying. If he could speak I imagine he says, "LET ME IN THERE!" I don't know if it's the attention he gets, the social time with other dogs, just being clean or all of the above...but this very fluffy little man loves it! He was returned to us extra fluffy today, smelling of baby powder and wearing a smile. We love this dog!

Taco Soup

2008-01-24T19:46:00.000-08:00

Again, the last 2 weeks have been crazy busy with all day meetings. When I get home I want to make something easy or have it waiting for us which is even better. This recipe was given to me by my sweet friend, Crystal. I tweaked it a little and it is perfect for freezing cold wintery days like today! The best part is you throw all the ingredients into the crock pot and dinner is ready when you get home. I love that!

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lb ground turkey
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can ranch style beans
2 cans stewed tomatoes
1 can rotel tomatoes with diced green chiles (original)
1.5 packages of taco seasoning (I used McCormick brand)

Sautee onion and garlic in olive oil until cooked through and beginning to turn golden, add ground turkey and brown thoroughly. Drain fat. Transfer turkey to crock pot basin. Add remaining ingredients and cook on low for several hours. Serve with sharp cheddar and sour cream. Crystal serves hers over Frito's. We skipped the chips.

Enjoy!!

Shrimp Pesto Pasta

2008-01-24T19:30:00.000-08:00

This recipe is so flavorful and so easy. I had a late meeting, got home at 8:00 and had dinner ready by 8:30. Fantastic!

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. olive oil
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound uncooked pealed and deveined shrimp
2 quarts cherry tomatoes, halved
1 half lemon
1/2 jar of your favorite pesto
shredded parmesan cheese for garnish
thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta cooked according to directions

While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in deep skillet or large sauce pan. Sautee garlic until turning golden.

Add shrimp and cook for 2 minutes on medium high heat.

Squeeze lemon over shrimp. Flip shrimp and cook additional 1 minute.

Add pesto and stir gently until combined.

Add tomatoes and fold into shrimp pesto mixture. Squeeze lemon again over shrimp. Cook on medium until skin of tomatoes are bursting. Serve over pasta and garnish with parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

2008-01-23T16:01:00.000-08:00

Babypalooza
Derrick's word for a weekend filled with all things baby

The girls- me, Julie, Braelyn, Allison, Ellie & Crystal
This weekend was wonderful! It is so rare that I get the chance to just hang out and visit with my friends without the pressures of a baby shower, bridal shower, wedding, reception, birthday, etc. It was such a blessing to have a full weekend to hang out, catch up, relax, laugh and get to know these new sweet babies.

Beautiful mommy, beautiful baby and beautiful puppy
Crystal was an excellent hostess. It did not phase her one bit that she has a newborn baby. She had fun, fancy meals for us and the house looked great! She looks amazing and is so very much in love with sweet Ellie! She is already the best mommy. Ellie is a lucky little girl.

This is one hungry little girl.
Her husband, Brett, toured us around his newly opened Dental practice. Woodlands Family Dental is going to be all the rave! It is gorgeous and spa like and I AM SO PROUD of my friends and SO HAPPY for them as they enter into many new chapters at once!

Is she not so happy?
Julie and baby Braelyn were my travel partners. Julie provides non stop entertainment. She is so much fun and I will go on a road trip with her any time! This was baby Braelyn's first big road trip and she was EXCELLENT! It was a big step for mommy to leave daddy at home without his sweet little girl. He called to let Julie know he was "in agony"....little drama queen Jay...haha.

Braelyn sleeping after some "Praise Baby" time.
I tell you what, this baby girl is THE HAPPIEST, SNUGGLIEST, SWEETEST little thing ever! I wanted to pack her up in my Lands End monogrammed tote and bring her home with me.

Allison with baby Braelyn
Allison was able to get a flight in last minute and I am so glad! As I said before, it just wouldn't have been right meeting baby Ellie without her. Someone would have been missing. If I can place my bets now, I think Allison will be the next one to join the land of mommihood. She was experiencing some serious baby fever this weekend. SO cute!

I also got to see Jamie and the little boys for a little while. They came to meet baby Ellie and to see me too, of course. I just love those little boys. They say and do the funniest things. Julie asked Tanner how old he was and he said, "I'm five because God chose to have my birthday in October." Adorable. Another college friend, Roz, came by with her new baby Henry. It was so good to see her. Her little man is so cute and so tiny!

Baby Ellie sleeping soundly (she looks just like her daddy)
So, as you can see...it was most definitely a Babypalooza. I came home smelling of Johnson & Johnson, lavendar and formula. Boomer didn't mind one bit.

2008-01-16T06:02:00.000-08:00

you can't tell but Julie and Crystal are preggo in this picture

Girl's Weekend

I am so excited! This weekend Julie, her baby daughter, Allison and I are going to Houston to see Crystal and meet her new baby daughter! At first we didn't think Allison was going to get to go, but American came out with a sweet weekend deal and voila! she gets to come now! Hurray! It really didn't feel right meeting Crystal's new baby without her. We have always been together as a group for each other's milestones.

I promise to take pictures to share! These girls and the new additions are so special to me! I am thrilled to spend some one on one time with them this weekend!

Chicken and Dumplings

2008-01-13T14:46:00.001-08:00

a recipe just for Mara

I am a southern girl. I was a raised a southern girl by lots of other southern girls. My mom's grandmother was from Louisiana and with that heritage came certain food influences. There are lots of dishes she and her daughter, my grandmother, made. One of them, in particular, has left a lasting impression. Chicken and dumplings.

Just the word makes me think of kneeling on a backwards chair in my grandmother's kitchen. My cousins and I would help her and my great grandmother roll out biscuits. It seemed like ETERNITY before it was finally ready. It's a great flour, broth and chicken filled memory. Mmmmmmm!

When we lived in California, my "foodie" friend Mara and I would get into discussions about some of the "best eats" of our lives. When I mentioned chicken and dumplings (which I am sure was said as one word "chickenandumplings")she looked at me like I was nuts. "What is that?" she asked. When I explained she said, "When are you going to make that for us?"

Well, I made lots of other things when we lived there, but Chicken and Dumplings was not one of them. Now that we are back in Texas something about the colder winter, being at home in the lone star state and being surrounded by other southern women gave me the itch to make this favorite from the past.

Now some of you (Julie...ahem...Amy) may gasp at the fact that I use cheap canned biscuits instead of slaving over my own. Well, that's how my Nana did it and that's how my Mema does it and so do I.

I will warn you...this is a recipe for feeding a large group (like Jolene's) or freezing some for later. It makes a good LARGE southern batch and no, Mara, it is not low in calories. ;)
I do not recommend trying to make it low in calories either. There are some things that should just stay "Fat Full". However, if your New Year's Resolution is to tighten your waste band, you can use tortillas instead of biscuits. I have never had that version, but you can find a recipe here: Light Chicken & Dumplings

Here's my southern, full fat version:
Ingredients:
8 boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 bay leaves
3 cans of biscuits, with 10 biscuits each
[It is IMPORTANT that you get the cheap kind.
DO NOT GET FANCY BISCUITS! (fancy biscuits are flaky, super flaky, buttermilk, etc.)
Get cheap, store brand biscuits.]
flour, as needed
16 ounces chicken broth
salt to taste
pepper to taste

In a large pot that is non-stick or good quality cover chicken breasts with water.
Add bay leaves and little salt and pepper.
Boil chicken for about 1 hour or until chicken is cooked through and tender.

Meanwhile, lightly flour a smooth surface.
With a rolling pin (or a sturdy cup- that's what Nana used) roll the biscuits out until they are thin. Using a sharp knife, slice the biscuit dough into 1/2 strips. Set aside on a plate or bowl.

Once chicken is cooked, pull chicken out.
Pour chicken broth through a strainer to remove bay leaves, unwanted starch and fat.
Place strained chicken broth back into the large pot and allow to simmer.
Cut chicken into cubes or you can shred it- your choice.

Place chicken into broth, add chicken broth and bring to a slow simmer.
Slowly add strips of biscuit dough, stirring gently and stirring often.
You do not want biscuit dough or chicken to stick to the bottom of the pot and you want all the biscuit strips to be coated in broth.

Once all the strips are added, allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve warm.

You can freeze the leftovers. IF you have some... Enjoy!

2008-01-12T10:21:00.000-08:00

New Project!

My beautiful friend, Julie, is a new mommy and a working one at that. In her daughter's 5 months, she has collected a large supply of scrapbooking material, pictures, and an album...she just has no time to do the scrapbooking in. SO- she is hiring me to scrapbook for her! Babies are so fun and all the products out there for them make the possibilities for this scrapbook colorful and creative. I will post updates of the progress as it comes along. I am really looking forward to this new project. Thanks Julie and sweet baby Braelyn!

Glazed Over

2008-01-12T10:06:00.000-08:00

I love all kinds of seafood and a quest for a healthier diet encourages this delightful dish. It is easy, fast and SO GOOD! I could eat it twice a week and not complain. Derrick might just agree. The second it hits the plate we are both silent as we devour this healthy meal.

Ingredients:
2 tilapia filets (increase all ingredients for larger meal)
Marinade:
1/4 cup sherry
3 Tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger (or 1 tsp. ground dry ginger)
3 cloves garlic pressed or minced
1 lime squeezed
dash of asian chile sauce (very hot, so do not include if you don't like spicy)
2 Tbsp. honey

Whisk together and set aside

Glaze: (same ingredients as above, your eyes aren't fooling you)
1/4 cup sherry
3 Tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger (or 1 tsp. ground dry ginger)
3 cloves garlic pressed or minced
1 lime squeezed
dash of asian chile sauce (very hot, so do not include if you don't like spicy)
2 Tbsp. honey whisk together and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350. Place tilapia in glass baking dish. Pour marinade over fish and bake for 20-25 minutes or until fish is flaky. Meanwhile, pour glaze ingredients into sauce pan over medium heat. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Stir often. Mixture will slowly reduce to glaze. When fish is ready, plate it and drizzle each fillet with glaze.

I serve this with Near East curry cous cous (also low fat). ENJOY!

Crunchy Baked Pork Chops

2008-01-12T09:44:00.000-08:00

If my husband could have anything in the world as his last supper he might choose pork chops. Not grilled ones. Not fried. He would pick a crispy baked variety. He LOVES “shake and bake” and although I humor him from time to time with that crazily salty concoction, this was a much better (and tastier) alternative. I called my hubby on the way home from work and asked him if he would like pork chops or risotto for dinner and he (literally) yelled with excitement “Pork chops!”. I knew that would be his answer.

They DID NOT disappoint and my pork chop loving hubby was in heaven. They were so flavorful and so crispy. I loved the shallots and garlic in the bread crumbs…mmmmMMmmmmm! I even caught him picking at the crust of the leftover porkchops after dinner.

thyme....sweet thyme

Homemade crunchy bread crumbs...smelling of shallots, garlic and pepper

pork chop dredged in dijon mustard mixture

Baking in the oven
To get this recipe, click here: Smitten Kitchen OR Check out the latest issue of Cook's Illustrated. That's where it came from originally.

The Other White Meat

2008-01-02T17:58:00.000-08:00

Derrick and I have decided our 2008 resolutions will include eating healthier, more veggie filled meals; taking our lunches to work more often to add a little room in the waste lines of our pants and our wallets; and to focus on necessities over wants. We aim to treat our bodies with a little more respect through better eating. I always forget that pork can be a part of a lean healthy meal.

A few months ago, I saw a recipe on The Wednesday Chef and bookmarked it in my brain to make after the calorie filled holidays. The recipe is for salt roasted pork tenderloin. Let me tell you- it does not disappoint. In the past when I have made pork tenderloin (and pork chops for that matter) I find them dry and sort of "meh" (say it with me..."meh"). This recipe provides a tenderloin that is full of savory pork flavor, bursting at the seams with moisture. I skipped the fingerling potatoes and served it with blanched broccoli. A happy husband had I. To save the recipe and make your own salt roast pork tenderloin, check out The Wednesday Chef. Yumtastic.

You sear the pork tenderloin in a little olive oil til all the sides are browned.
Meanwhile you mix together 6 cups of coarse salt, 4 Tbsp. of rosemary, & 1 cup water.

Spread 1/4 inch salt mixture in glass baking dish.
Lay seared tenderloin over salt.

Cover the tenderloin with the remaining salt mixture.
Bake in oven at 400 for about 30 minutes (or until reaches 160).

The result is a perfectly pork flavored, juice filled tenderloin.
Enjoy!

2007-12-29T17:32:00.000-08:00

Floridian Santa?

A few days before the holiday winter break (Derrick and I both are fortunate to have the whole week of Christmas off), a package arrived from the Floridian Santas- Aunt Andi and Gene! In the box was a precious snowflake ornament, a fun creative game and a Christmas album!

Thank you Aunt Andi & Gene!
We love you!

2007-12-29T17:00:00.000-08:00

Elizabeth Joy

We are all blessed with special people in our lives. In college I was blessed with genuine, loving friends. I truly believe these girls helped to shape me into the adult I am today. They continue to keep me accountable and we have a bond that is so special. It's an amazing and somewhat weird feeling when we have milestones. It was strange & wonderful for us to graduate college, scary and empowering when we got our first jobs... Life became more real as friends, and even me, fell in love & got married... but I think the most surreal part of life is when these special friends start having babies. These friends who snuggled up in big overstuffed chairs between classes and watched TLC "The Baby Story" in amazement, friends who make me laugh like I am a little girl again, whom I feel a kindred connection to as if we were sisters. I love these girls and they are becoming MOMMIES!

Yesterday evening at 9:34 pm, my amazing friend, Crystal, and her husband Brett, welcomed precious Elizabeth Joy. She weighed 8 lbs. 13 ounces and is 21 inches long. She is absolutely gorgeous (which is expected since her parents are also absolutely gorgeous) and she is welcomed into a loving home with parents who prayed for this day! Welcome Ellie! I can't wait to meet you! Congratulations Crystal and Brett! I love you and I am so happy for you!

2007-12-29T16:03:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas 2007

Christmas for us this season has been a joyful one! We started off our winter break by meeting our friends Joe & Amy and their 2 sons, Preston and Bergen, at the American Airlines center to watch Texas Tech play Stanford in basketball. The game was close. Tech lost by 1 point! We always have a great time with Joe and Amy and their boys are SO GOOD!

Derrick & Bergen showing their "game faces"

Sweet Preston

Me & Derrick

Joe & Amy
After the game, we headed to my sweet cousin Sarah's house to have the first of 3 Christmas dinners with Sarah, Keith and my Uncle Doug and Aunt Dale (Sarah's mom and dad). I hadn't seen my aunt and uncle since I was very little. We had a great time and as usual- the food was amazing! We had pork roast, mushroom risotto, candied carrots and mashed celery root. We got to meet my aunt and uncle's new addition, Izzy. He is a very sweet Scotty. After dinner we exchanged gifts. We had so much fun taking pictures, telling stories and laughing! We didn't leave until midnight!! A good time was had by all!

Aunt Dale, Beautiful Sarah & Me

Beautiful Mom & Daughter

Silly Sarah, Keith, Uncle Doug, Me & Derrick

Evita K-Nust

Santa Sarah (isn't she so pretty?)

Izzy
The next morning we headed to Houston to spend three days with my family. My nephews, Tanner and Haiden, are getting so big! Tanner is full of energy and does his best to be the center of attention. We had fun playing games and he suckered me into sleeping on the bottom bunk of his new bunk beds. :) I try to be a good Cricket! Haiden is more quiet and brings lots of laughter with the funny things he says and does. He loved his bath time where I gave him mohawks! Ha! I got to have some quality time with Jamie and my mom, which was nice! Derrick had "boy time" with Tommy and had fun being Duncle Errick to T & H. We had a great 2nd Christmas dinner with honey ham, broccoli rice casserole, sweet potato soufflé, Tommy's famous mashed potatoes, deviled eggs (which had to be made twice because Tommy & Derrick snuck away with the first batch!) and several pies...MMMMMmmmm! Santa brought the boys many toys. I have to say they are two blessed little guys! They have so much to be thankful for! They are certainly loved! Boomer enjoyed playtime with Jamie and Tommy's dogs Simba and Sadie and we enjoyed relaxing and laughing!

This little boy is a big ham!

Look at that sneaky little face!

Derrick & Tommy

My beautiful cousin Jamie and Haiden all dolled up

Sportin a mohawk

Pure joy!

Duncle Errick & Tanner

Mom & Me

Me & Jamie
On our way home to Denton, we stopped at my Dad and Linda's house for the night. We had out 3rd Christmas dinner with smoked ham, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, rolls and more pies. We had fun just visiting, laughing, telling stories and resting. In the morning, Linda made bacon and eggs and Boomer enjoyed a walk by the lake. (I'm waiting for Dad to send pictures)

We still have plans to make with Derrick's parents so we can exchange gifts, but I'm sure we'll do that soon. I am truly blessed and loved this holiday season! I have a wonderful husband who loves me and a great family full of humor and warmth! I hope each of you had a wonderful Christmas!

2007-12-16T07:11:00.000-08:00

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza

For Derrick's staff, my coworkers and a Christmas party at my gorgeous cousin Sarah's house- I baked a multitude of Christmas cookies. About 30 dozen to be exact...I also made candied popcorn (which has quickly become a favorite of my husband...who was caught sneaking bags to snack on thinking I might not notice...). I made World Peace Cookies, Apricot Rugelach Pinwheels and the Sugar Cookie sandwiches that have become a Christmas tradition.

The World Peace Cookies are LOADED with gourmet cocoa powder and bittersweet chocolate chunks with a touch of fleur de sel (fancy salt from the seas of France). The Rugelach Pinwheels are my favorite of this year. The dough boasts of smooth cream cheese and the filling is a perfect combination of apricot preserves, crushed walnuts, raisins, brown sugar and cinnamon. The traditional Christmas sugar cookie sandwiches are something I created in college after adapting a Martha stewart recipe. They are melt in your mouth and also pretty. After making the sandwiches (which are part cookie, part cream cheese icing), I roll them in holiday sprinkles. Finally, I made candied popcorn, which is simple! You take 3 bags of popped buttered popcorn, a bag of white bark coating (or almond bark), M&Ms, and peanuts. After melting the bark (4 squares to one bag of popcorn) you mix in the popcorn, M&Ms and nuts until coated and it makes a wonderful sweet and salt holiday snack. I got the world peace cookie recipe and the rugelach pinwheel recipe from...you guessed it...Smitten Kitchen.

After making the treats, I wrapped them in cello bags tied with pretty ribbon, and loaded them into Kraft paper boxes lined with Christmas paper. I tied the boxes up with Christmas Ribbon adorned with a gift tag and a mini ornament. Voila!

Here are some pictures:

World Peace Cookie Dough

World Peace Cookies Baked

Apricot Rugelach Pinwheels

Sugar Cookies Rolled and Cut

Sugar Cookie Sandwiches Cooled, Iced, and Decorated

Popcorn Still Steaming in a Bag

M&Ms in a Bowl

Roasted, Salted Peanuts

Melted White Bark Coating

Candied Popcorn in a Cello Bag

Kraft Paper Boxes

Finished Little Boxes

2007-12-16T06:51:00.000-08:00

Oh Christmas...Mantle?

When we finally sold our house in California, we moved into a little rental. It is plenty of room for every day needs, but leaves little room for extras. Our 2 bedroom "quad", as we like to call it, is just under 1200 s.f. It was built about 2 years ago, so everything is new and there are nice amenities like a pretty fireplace, large garden tub and a little yard for Boomer. However, because of the scale of our furniture...there is no room for a Christmas tree. Instead...I present to you...THE CHRISTMAS MANTLE.

I haven't taken updated shots, but the mantle also has pretty ribbon that matches the ribbon I have wrapped gifts with. I know...I'm over the top...but I just can't help myself.

2007-12-13T08:15:00.000-08:00

CANDY CANE KISSES

Okay- this post is dedicated to Jolene George. For 2 Christmases I have heard her praise and praise the holiday Hershey's candy cane kisses. I now understand what all the rave was about.

In telling you this it is important that you understand that I:

a) can't stand white chocolate

b) do not fancy peppermint

c) adore candy cane kisses which contain both!!! (what is this world coming to?)

These little bundles of wonderfulness are so yummily surprising. Each one is smooth and slightly minty but filled with crunchy little white non-pareils...They...are...delightful!!

So Jolene George- thank you for encouraging my newly found addiction!

Candy Cane Kisses are the best!

Now everyone go out and buy a bag! I promise you won't be disappointed.