Friday

So I went to work this morning but only worked a half day again. We decided to got get some things done and check them off the list. We both needed to update our drivers license with our new address and I needed to update my passport to my married name (yes, I know Im almost 3 years behind). Let me just say how much Stephen hates doing these kinds of things. He hates filling out paperwork and waiting in line but oh well it needed to be done. What a better way to spend a yucky rainy day. We got our license fixed in about 5 minutes (Yes, you poor people who must use the Shreveport DMV, be jealous, very jealous!). Then we gathered all our important documents and headed to the post office in Columbus. Stephen (well I decided) that he needed to go ahead and get his passport while we were in line. It was actually a pretty easy process. We only waited for about 10 minutes and the guy that helped us was very friendly. Then we went to our favorite Mexican place for a late lunch/early supper. It was still pouring down so we decided to go to the early movie to see this....

Let me just say, don't waste your money!! It was so slow and was so cheesy that we were just laughing at it by the end. Stephen was the first one to rush out of the theater. Ha ha, oh well. Guess I will have to sit through a couple guy movies to make up for it. Now we are back home and listening to the rain and watching another movie. I love days like this and now a few more things are checked off the list! Oh and did I mention that this was the first day all week that I made it with out taking a nap! I am feeling so much better and think that this bronchitis is on its way out! Thank goodness!

So over this...

So, I have been MIA in the blog seen lately. I woke up last Friday with a cold. No biggy! This was the second time this month I have had the crud. I just stayed on the couch all weekend and got nothing done that I had planned to do. Then Monday, I started feeling worse but decided to ignore it and head to work. By Wednesday morning, I was miserable and soooo tired of the coughing and blowing my nose!! So I broke down and went to the doctor and he looked at me and asked why nurses are so stubborn. I just shrugged my shoulders. We really are bad patients. We dont listen to our own advice. Anyway, the doc said I have bronchitis and gave me a big ol' shot (thanks for that by the way--I hate getting shots) and some antibiotics and cough med. I went straight back to work and sat through a meeting but could not tell you what happened in that meeting at all. I was zoned out. I came home and took a nap and ate supper and went back to bed. Today, I was determined to go to work all day and just ignore the whole bronchitis thing. Well, by 10:30 I was so done! I could hardly get in and out of my car. I called my supervisor and told her I was headed home. I came home and slept all afternoon and got a little energy back. I made us a quick supper tonight and my sweet husband is cleaning up. I tend to be forgetful and distracted when Im this sick so Stephen did not leave the kitchen while I was cooking. He was scared I would burn the house down. Ha Ha! It was successful. Not too hard to make some rice and re-heat some gumbo. I even made garlic bread without burning it. Woohoo! Now Im back down and chilling until bedtime. I plan on going to work tomorrow. I just have a few patients to see so I think Ill only work half a day. Hope these meds start working soon because I am so over this! Maybe we will do something blog worthy this weekend and I can add some post.

Random

I LOVE these things! ☺

01. High heels or boots? depends on the outfit
02. What time did you get up this morning? 9:30! it was wonderful!!! love sleeping in!
03. Diamonds or pearls? Both!
04. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Leap Year! It was really cute!
05. What is your favorite TV show? I love 18 kids and counting and pretty much anything on foodnetwork.
06. What do you usually have for breakfast?coffee with sweet'n'low and fat free vanilla creamer and usually a protein bar or oatmeal.
07. What is your favorite physical trait about yourself? my dimples
08. What food do you dislike? fish!!!! and water chestnuts!!!! yuck-o!!!
09. What is your favorite CD at the moment? the new casting crowns
10. What characteristic do you despise? Lying
11. Favorite Clothing? jeans, pj pants and flip flops!
12. If you could leave for vacation tomorrow where would you go? A tropical island somewhere
13. Are you an organized person? usually but you couldn't tell if you saw the back of my car right now but i could fix alot of medical emergencies with the supplies in there. Got to love home health nursing.
14. Where would you like to retire to? The Beach
15. What was your most recent memorable birthday? my 22 when I was first dating Stephen
16. What are you going to do when you finish this? going to the inlaws for a steak dinner! yummy!
17. Something people may not know about you? I took piano lessons for almost 13 years! and no I will not play for you so don't ask! I have the worst stage fright! Stephen has not even heard me play
18. Do you remember other's Birthdays? Yes, thanks to my handy iphone reminders and Facebook
19. Are you a morning person or a night person? morning
20. What is your shoe size? 9.5-10 (yeah I know! I have big feet!)
21. What did you want to be when you were little? food stylist
22. What is your favorite flower? Gerber daisies and hydrangeas
23. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to? the medical mission trip to Mexico in July!
24. What was the last thing you ate? Apple Newton Crisps
25. Do you wish upon stars? Nope
26. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Purple
27. How is the weather right now? breezy night
28. Last person you spoke to on the phone? My mom
29. Favorite soft drink? sweet tea and diet coke
30. Favorite restaurant? Hokkaido
31. Hair color? brown with red highlights
32. What was your favorite toy as a child? Barbie
33. Summer or winter? Both
34. Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate
35. Coffee or tea? Both
36. Favorite food of all time? Depends on my mood but probably Mexican or Doritos (which I don't remember the last time I had them)
37.When was the last time you cried? the other day after work. drama, drama! Its all good now though
38. What did you do last night? went to Tuscaloosa
39. What are you afraid of? SNAKES!!! and being trapped in small spaces!!
40. Salty or sweet? both
41. How many years at your current job? almost 2
42. You miss_____: My Shreveport peeps!
43. Positive or negative? depends. I wish I was more positive.
44. Pet peeve? repetitive tapping noises
45. Anywhere in the world you want to go that you have never been to? London, a tropical island

Hokkaido with the Blakes. Birthday Celebration: Day 2

We went to Tuscaloosa Friday night with the Blakes to continue the birthday celebration. Stephen and I went a little early and tried to do some shopping but it was so crowded everywhere we went and the traffic was impossible. We met the Blakes at Hokkaido, our favorite Japanese steakhouse and had a feast. They give you so much food there. Stephen and I shared a plate and still had leftovers! Here are a couple pics from the night. We are about to head to the in-laws for the 3rd celebration. They are grilling steaks. I have really enjoyed the last three days and the food has been awesome but I am ready to get back on my diet! I feel like a fatty! Birthday cake and sushi and on and on! Yummy! But time to get back to reality :(



This is the super crunch roll! Our absolute favorite sushi roll on the planet. Stephen and I devoured one of theses last night. Just looking at the picture makes me want another one. We need to practice our sushi making skills and learn how to make this one.

Stephen's Birthday- Day 1:

Stephen has had a great birthday so far. For someone who used to not really care much about birthdays, he has come along way. He has learned from the master (me) and is actually spreading out the celebration for the next 3 days! This morning we got up REALLY early and I made breakfast and we actually sat down and ate together. I also gave him his cards before he had to leave for school. Then I still had time before I had to go to work so I got busy and got some house work done. Then he spent the day at school and I went to work. Tonight, his family came over for chili and cake. We had a good night visiting and enjoying the food. I made Stephen a xbox themed cake this year. Of all the cakes I have made over the last year, I have never made one for him. He usually just gets the leftovers. I gave him a new Alabama jacket and a new polo. He has another gift coming but it will be a little late. We are both off tomorrow and are going to chill and take care of a few things before we head to Tuscaloosa to eat sushi with friends. Ill carry the camera and post some pictures on Saturday, so check back to see how the celebration has progressed.

Someone is turning 26 tomorrow!

Someone has a birthday tomorrow and will be as old as me!! (yoohoo Stephen, its your turn!!). About time! I don't like being the only 26 year old in the house. Check back this weekend to see pictures of the three day birthday events we have planned and the cake and all the goodies. The house is decorated, the presents are wrapped and the cake is complete. Ready for tomorrow. I just love birthdays, especially when its someone I love. I get so excited to plan stuff and make the day special for them.

Cake Mix Cookies

So we are going to hang out with friends tonight and I'm responsible for something sweet. I decided to be creative and try to make something with ingredients I already have. So I dug through the pantry and found some chocolate fudge cake mix. I found a easy recipe for some cake mix cookies and decided to give them a try. Here goes:

Gather needed ingredients: Cake mix, eggs, shortening, water, pecans.

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine

.
Spoon onto ungreased cookie sheet. Leave plenty of room because they do spread out.

Let cool and then sprinkle with powdered sugar

.Arrange on your favorite tray. I pulled out the Mardi Gras plate since its getting close.

Cake Mix Cookies:

1 pkg. cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 c. shortening
4 tbsp. water
1/2 c. chopped pecans (optional)

Blend all ingredients in large bowl. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Frost when cool. ( I didn't have any frosting so I sprinkled them with powdered sugar.)

Recipe from http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,186,158188-234199,00.html

Snow Day

So today we got a snow day!!! I was dressed and ready for work. I was actually pulling in to the parking lot of our office when I got a text saying we were closing. Stephen went to school and only stayed about an hour before they sent him home. He drove home in constant snow! It was so pretty! I was so excited about the day off but quickly got cabin fever. So I took some pictures of my day to show how I spent my day off:

These were right as the snow started. I went outside briefly but quickly went back inside cause the wind was freezing!!!!

I love my Netflix on days like today. I watched "Catch and Release". It was okay. Good for a snow day and you have nothing else to do.

Sat right on top of the fire all day. I was cold despite my two shirts and sweat shirt and snuggie!

I dug a project out of the craft closet. I re-started a scarf that I had tried to make a couple months ago. I got about 12 inches done. I got alot done during the first half of the Alabama game because I was so nervous.

I drank ALOT of decaf splenda iced tea! So tired of water today so I have made two pitchers of this in the last couple days.

We got dressed in our BAMA gear and waited ALLLLL day for the game to start. We are watching now. Its the 4th quarter.

I made a giant pot of gumbo. Its my favorite on a cold wet day like today. I made way too much so now we have some for leftovers and some in the freezer.

My boss called today to say that IF we do work tomorrow, we will not start until 10. So guess we will see in the morning. Hope we do work because I already have cabin fever! I have run out of things to do!

Making Sushi

My in-laws also gave us a sushi making kit for Christmas. We finally got it out tonight to try and make some sushi. It was a loooonnng process but we were actually surprised with the results. It actually tasted like sushi. We made a roll with crab, avocado and cucumber. The first roll was a little messy but I think we will get better at assembling them with a little practice. The flavor was definitely right. We were so hungry after all that, we decided to just make a salad with the rest. There was a recipe that I have had tucked away that used all the sushi ingredients and has the flavor of a California roll. It was really good too. We will definitely have to get the sushi kit out again really soon so we can practice some more.

My New Mixer!!

The Snuggie!

So I have had a really bad and cruddy cold for the last 7 days!! Ahh!!! It will not go away. Needless to say, I have spent hours on the couch in my pjs. Our den gets so cold at our new house and I am always bundled up under a couple blankets. Saturday, I told Stephen I was thinking about buying a snuggie. I have always made fun of the commercials but decided maybe those super happy people on the commercial had a good idea. So when we were at walmart on Sunday I picked one up. I got the extra plush one. Hey Mom, it even has pockets!!!! :) Now I'm all warm and can still type on my computer. Oh well! I gave in, but I totally think it was worth it!

2009 in Review...

So I saw this on someone's blog and decided to do my own version. I thought it would be fun to see all that has happened in the last year.

Well, the month started off with a big surprise. Stephen was laid off. But, it was a total blessing and God has really blessed us and provided for us in many ways since then. We would never change the outcome. January was also the month that I started taking cake decorating classes which took up alot of my time in 2009. Stephen also had a birthday and turned 25! We celebrated with friends in Tuscaloosa.

February we went to Shreveport with our friends, the Blakes. It was also the first time by parents had sushi! It was a fun and packed three day trip. Need to go back again!

March 1st started off with waking up to SNOW! We couldn't believe it!! Poor Stephen was so sick with a cruddy cold so he missed all the fun but Tara and I played and had a great time. Then just a few days later I made a quick trip to Destin, Fla to spend time with the Pourciau ladies. We had a great time and wished we could have stayed a week!

April 1st marked Dad's 10 year anniversary at Broadmoor Baptist Church. We spent the weekend celebrating and reminiscing with all of the sweet members of BBC. What a great time. We are such a lucky family to be able to serve there. That church family means so much to us! This was also the month that Stephen got glasses. He still is not thrilled about the idea but I feel much safer riding in the car with him :)

May was wedding month. First we went down to Baton Rouge where I was a bridesmaid in my dear friend, Jessica's wedding. It was a party! We had a blast. Then at the end of May, it was Stephen's turn. He was an usher in his friend, Chance's wedding in Tuscaloosa.

June was the month that we celebrated our SECOND anniversary! Can't believe it! We spent the weekend in Birmingham and had a memorable dinner at The Melting Pot. Stephen also started school this month. He is going to Bevill in Hamilton, Al majoring in Drafting and Design. He will finish in Spring 2011. Counting down the days. We also spent many afternoons at the pool working on our tans and floating-my favorite summer time activity!

July was another wedding month. I got to be a bridesmaid in Carrie and Jared's wedding in Shreveport. It was such a sweet ceremony and reception. Thanks Carrie for letting me be apart of it!

August was a month of cakes!! I made several. This was the month that we made our first major cake. We made a wedding/anniversary cake for a couple celebrating their 50th anniversary. They did not have a wedding cake at their wedding so their family ordered one for their 50th reception. That cake was huge and so heavy! I was so relieved when it was finally delivered! Can't believe we made that.

September was the start of football season! We went to a Alabama game with the Blakes. We tailgated and spent the whole day there despite the down pour and getting soaked! No worries though because the Tide still pulled out a win! We also met my parents in Canton for a weekend to hang out and celebrate my Dad's birthday. I made dad a cycling cake.

During October we participated in Trunk-n-Treat at our church, Mt. Vernon Church. We had a farm themed "trunk", which was the back of our truck. We had a great time and enjoyed seeing all the kids having so much fun. I also made a few birthday cakes for a few friends.

November was a CRAZY month. We have been keeping our ears and eyes open for another rent house for awhile now. We were blessed to find one and decided to move very quickly so that we would be settled by the holidays. We found out about the house and were completely moved into it within two weeks. We will miss our old house though. My mom took these pictures of us in front of our old house so we will always remember it. We also put up our Christmas decorations in our new home. Thanksgiving was spent in West Point with the Mays. Lots and lots of eating and laughing!!

December was also very busy. It started with the SEC championship. Dont know if you heard, but ALABAMA won!!! The Blakes came over and we had gator stew and watched the game on a huge screen. It was so much fun and we were so proud of the Tide. We spent Christmas this year in Baton Rouge. It was 4 days of Christmas fun! It was so nice to spend time with my family and be at my grandparents' on Christmas morning. Stephen was introduced to all of the family traditions and was even given some special gifts left by Santa which included a LSU car tag, tissues and LSU stadium picture. He was just thrilled (sarcasm noted).

Now on to 2010. What will it bring?