Tuesday Rambings {and a recipe}

Well this blog post is exactly as its titles, just some random ramblings and pictures.  The weather here has been absolutely beautiful and we have tried to enjoy it as much as possible.  Lately, we have really enjoyed going to the parks and Lucy has aptly named each park.  Let's see in out rotation we have the pink park, Mickey Mouse park, green park, Pressy's park, and Railroad Park or as Lucy pronounces it Wailwode Pawk.  Its not one I take the girls by myself too often, but its our favorite park to go to as a family.












There are huge grassy lawns for Lan Man and Ash to throw around a frisbee or football.  There are numerouse tracks to stroll the girls, a playground, a workout gym thingy that the kids just like to crawl on, a playground and a huge covered area for a picnic with a little restaurant.  There are also a bunch of food van vendors (what is the real name for those???) that may or may not be there.  All in all its a great clean and green urban park that we really enjoy.







Again, I tried using my camera on manuel, but I could not get the settings right.  It could be that I was facing the sun in almost every picture and things were just to bright.  So far, taking pictures of rocks is the easiest!  ha!  :)  They didn't turned out to bad but there are a lot of shadows...thank goodness I think my kids are so cute that nothing can make there pictures too bad.

Lil Bit is a mess here lately.  She is into everything and is starting to climb.  Yesterday she had climbed up on the fireplace hearth and was sitting in the fireplace.  I freaked before realizing nothing could have happened, (the gas is turned off from the outside) so I wasn't able to snap a picture.  It was pretty funny to see a baby sitting inside a fireplace.  But I guess I better nip that in the bud quick before we start using the fireplace again.  Speaking off, a cold front is coming through tonight and we wil be getting some real cold fall weather the next few days.  I'm so ready because I just got a new pair of boots that I can't wait to wear.  Okay, I warned you this was a rambling type post...sorry!



With Lil Bit becoming her own little personality, she and Lucy have realized they have best friends in each other.  They are really cute to watch play.  Lucy is quite bossy of course, but Lynlee can quickly have enough and stand up for herself.  Here is another random picture of Lucy helping me fold clothes...notice all her piles.  :)



And finally, I have a recipe to share.  I made it last night and it was oh so good (and a hit with all the kids too!)  Its
Buffalo Chicken Pasta.  First get all your ingredients together...



Plus chicken.  (Depsite my best efforts, I can't make raw meat look good, so I'll just opt not to post pictures of it)

Put your chicken, cream of chicken soup and equal amount of buffalo sauce in your crockpot on low sometime in the morning, then go about your day.

When your ready for dinner, cook your penne according to directions.  Meanwhile, shred chicken in crockpot with a fork, add about 1 cup of sour cream, 1/2 cup of chunky blue cheese dressing, and about 1 cup of mozeralla cheese to your crockpot.  (Honestly, I didn't measure any of the ingredients, so its all approximate, add as much or as little as you want...I really don't think you can mess it up:))  When your noodles are done, drain and add to crockpot and stir all together.  And thats it, your ready to serve. 



Serve with a blue cheese salad kit and a loaf of french bread for a complete meal.   The girls gobbled it up...










Some notes:  Since my kids won't eat anything to spicy, I choose extra mild buffalo sauce and used just enough to get a flavor.  Ash and I later added more to our plates for an extra kick.  And to make it as healthy as possible, use low sodium cream of chicken, low fat sour creme, low fat blue cheese dressing, and whole wheat penne pasta.   And to make things even easier, I have also been using these...



But am wondering how safe or toxic free they are...seems kinda not right for plastic to be touching a hot surface for long periods of time while your food cooks in it...hmmmm.  But it sure made cleaning up easy!  :)  Have a wonderful day!

"Fall"ing in Love

I got a new camera and I am in love!  Actually, I got this camera back in the spring.  And it was still amazing then...


 But recently, I have learned a few tricks of the trade, such as aperature and shutter speed and it has slowly begun to open up my world and make for some amazing pictures.  Believe it or not, I have sat down quite a few times to blog but realized I had no pictures to blog about.  As I am learning what this setting does as opposed to another setting, I take pictures of still life, like a flower or dish.  I would love to have been learning on my children, but we all know they are never still!  Unless their asleep and then its dark and well I can't take pictures in the dark.  ha!  Anyhow, I figured its kinda pointless to be learning and miss funny moments because I'm too busy taking pictures of ummm, rocks.  So, I dialed it back over to automatic and snapped away this weekend.  But I did manage to snap a few on manual and I'll let you guess which ones are which!  :)
So, baby brothers celebrated their 21st birthday this weekend.  There birthday is actually today - HAPPY BIRTHDAY BO & RETT!!  But of course, we kicked it off early and celebrated Friday night with a family dinner at Ruth's Chris.

My family is pretty funny and we always leave from these sorts of get togethers with stomach aches from laughing so hard. (and maybe the delicious food might have something to do with it too :))
The boys are the babies of the family and there are 22 years between them and the oldest sister, so they were quite loved and mothered growing up, which makes them pretty spoiled.  Just kidding... (not really)  :)  After dinner we all I tried to get them to go out on the town but they had no interest and were ready to head back to t-town to party on with their friends.

Saturday, we deemed family day.  The weather was gorgeous!  So while Lynlee (and I) took a morning nap, Ash took the other 2 hiking at Moss Rock.  They came back and picked us up to go to McDonalds.  The most fun McDonald's ever!  The playground was enormous!!

First we ate...


Then we played...

and played...

and played...

Finally, when everyone was worn out (including myself and Ash), we made our way to buy our Halloween pumpkins.  Because everyone was so tired, we really should have waited.  It was chaotic and fussy to say the least, but quite memorable and really kind funny now.

Each child was going to get their own pumpkin with the intentions of carving all of them.  Well, Landon wanted the warty kind of pumpkin.  (Ewww...just looking at those pumpkins makes my head itch!)  As I tried to calmly [insert rolling eyes] explain that type of pumpkin would be very hard to carve and as he very politely [again insert rolling eyes] tried to argue with me, we looked over and saw Lynlee crawling over all the pumpkins as they were rolling off of the pallets.

As I ran to rescue the pumpkins Lynlee, I look over and Lucy is busy organzing all of the teeny tiny miniature pumpkins exclaiming that those were her pumpkins.

Meanwhile, Ash is asking the sweet volunteer how much everything was to make sure we wouldn't go broke buying pumpkins.  Landon is pouting about the warty pumpkin, Lucy keeps telling me the tiny pumpkins were hers and Lynlee is crying because she is ready for a nap.  Ahhhh...fun times!  :)

We left with 9 pumpkins, 3 fussy children, 1 ticked off mommy and 1 husband trying to keep the peace!  Needless to say we all took afternoon naps!  Speaking of, I hear the girls waking up...enjoy whats left of your weekend!

Our Little Shrimp Turned ONE

And it was so much fun!  I still can't believe a year has now come and gone and I no longer have a baby.  Lynlee is in full toddler mode and running around everywhere.  She was an early walker around 11 months so she has it mastered and is full speed ahead.  But anyway back to her birthday party.  Since our little shrimp turned one (and its funny because she's not a "shrimp" at all) we celebrated with a shrimp boil.



I found a great shop on etsy and bought all of the printables: invitations, banner, cupcake toppers, thank you cards (which I still have to write...eek!), water bottle labels, food tents, gift tags, etc.  I bought all of those files for just $35! The shop is AllisonPowellDesigns and I cannot say enough great things about them.  For starters, I knew exactly what I wanted and they worked and worked and worked with me until it was perfect!  So the party was all pink and teal and I had more fun doing the decorations.  Lucy's party will be a different theme but you can bet, it too, will be pink and teal!  :)





And of course no one sat at the tables...I have learned this lesson a hundred times over!  :)


The birthday girl !!!





and the cake....





It was such a fun party and the weather could not have been better! We are blessed to have such great friends and family!










Next party, I will be hiring someone to come take pictures. I did an awful job....I don't have one of Lynlee and I, or of Lynlee and her daddy, or of Lynlee smashing the cake and the list goes on. I didn't realize that until just now. Bummer. Next up is Ash's birthday and then you know who...I better get to plannin'!

1st day of School & a Cowboy Redo

So, in our house we have 2 first days of school, one for "big" school and one for mothers day out.  The girls started at the beginning of the month and the pictures were too cute not to post.










I have become obsessed with them matching.  All the time.  Its maybe gotten a little out of hand.  But they sure look cute matching.  Lucy loves it too.  She is now asking me everytime we get dressed if  "We going to match?"  To which I am more often than not replying "yes" and Lucy then responds "cool" HA!!

She is still as funny as ever.  She also has become obessed with her birthday.  Between Lynlee's first birthday party (which I will post on next) and all the other birthday parties we have been invited too lately, Lucy is beginning to question my sanity. She cannot wrap her mind around why she isn't having a party.  I tell her its coming up, that her birthday is in Novemeber.  So everyday we hear "I got a birthday comin' up in 'no-ember"  She's got that right and it will be here before we know it.  Days seem to be flying by lately.

And finally, Landon is getting a new room.  We have decided to switch his room with the girls, for space, closet layout, etc.  And with that he is getting a redo.  He has had a cowboy room for over four years now.  And even though it is still one of my favorite rooms, I do believe its time to move on.







In case you couldn't guess, he wants a sport room.  So I have been pinning away (finally got the whole craze on pinterest) and scouring all the magazines for ideas.  There are a bunch of them.  But for now, I am starting here with these vintage postcards...



My sister gave them to me, and they fit our family too perfectly not to use.  For starters, I am a born and bred Alabama fan (roll tide) and since we live here, Landon is too.  And as much as I fight it, he is also a Tennessee fan (gag :)) just like his daddy.  And my dad and sister are both grads of Sewanee which is also where I called home in my early childhood.  So, seriously, how perfect are these cards!?  There gonna get framed in black and going on the wall and will serve as the inspiration for the rest of the room. 

Oh, I will be selling Landon's cowboy decor on ebay.  It consists of a cowhide bedspread from Pottery Barn, 2 sets of longhorns, bow and arrow finials, cowboy boots decor, big Texas metal star, real wagon wheel and other various wall and shelving decor peices.  If your interested in any or all of it, let me know and I'll cut ya a deal!  :)   Have a great day!

Lynlee, the Birthday Girl

Lil Bit just had a birthday. I still just can't believe that my baby is now one!?!? I remember vividly the day she was born...I was sooo ready to get her outta there...



She entered this world at 12:32 and was her sweet self from that moment on.



That hasn't changed. She is still the sweetest thing anndpretty timid, although that seems to be changing. Its do or die around here so she's learning quick to be heard! :) We have all had so much fun watching her grow.





She's walking around everywhere and is getting faster by the day. I have no doubt she'll be running everywhere soon!



She has the sweetest smile and sweetest disposition...





and she's a big eater...





She loves her momma and her momma loves her and is always at my feet.   :)



and she lights up with her daddy ...




She's got a brother who adores her...



and a sister who bosses watches out for her.





I quite simply cannot remember life without her. I am so glad she's mine and love her more than life. I cannot wait to see the woman she becomes and the life she will lead. But in the meantime, I am going to treasure our days at home together, those first steps & first words,  her cuddles on my shoulder and her melt my heart smiles and sweet sweet kisses. My life is so blessed because she's in it. Happy Birthday Lynlee!!