Ed McMahon, have I got a job for you!

On a previous post I started talked about date night and decided to save that for later. I was thinking I had mentioned date night before, but couldn't find it under my labels. Anyhoo- My friends' church has date night once a month and we drop the kiddos off for a few hours. We take turns picking them up and hosting a sleep over at each other's house.
Last Friday was our night "off" so Steve and I opted for a real-deal, grown-up date night. No, we did not order in sushi and watch porn. We went to a wine tasting at the zoo. It was to be a very nice evening out in the botanical garden, sipping wine and listening to jazz. But oh yeah, we had to go by the funeral home first. No lie. One of Steve's friend's mother passed away so we had to work that into date night. What a way to kick off the evening. The rest of the night was good and I learned I really don't like most wine.
I also learned, not at the wine-tasting, that those cash for gold parties are pretty successful. I know people who have made up to $800. I, myself got $70 for 2 dinky bracelets and a pendant. Wouldn't it be cool if you could cash in other stuff?
Cash for unsolicited mail! 20% off Bed, Bath and Beyond coupons? How about $20 bucks for Bed, Bath and Beyond coupons?!
Cash for plastic water bottles! We'll recycle them and give YOU the reward!
Cash for fast food toys! Trade in your teeny Beanie Babies for bonds!
Cash for dryer lint? You give us the lint, we'll give you the loot!
Cash for empty flower pots because you didn't water it enough/too much and it died. Payout for pots!
$$$$$$$$$$
Whoo-hoo! I just surpassed Warren Buffet...

Tag-lines and Tan-lines

Steve is out of town this week so I've settled into my "blog groove" for now. Don't expect it to last though, we might be moving in come mid-May.
Well, girls, I've been tagged and chosen. Hmm... sounds more like being out on the playground with my first graders...

First the tag from Nutshell Berry
1.What is your current obsession? Lost and the landscaping. No, it is not a new show on TBS
2. Which item of clothing do you wear often? I try to vary my wardrobe, but black pants are in high rotation now, soon to be replaced with shorts!
3. What is for dinner? we had quesadillas
4. What are you listening to? hum of the computer
5. Say something to the one that tagged you. Mrs. Nutshell is a Low country girl so you can't go wrong there! Plus we have some similar interests. Doc Hollywood, anyone?
6. Favorite vacation spots? my requirement: It must have palm trees and blue water
7. What I'm reading right now? Do magazines count? I am not a book reader. Don't have the patience
8. Four words to describe myself. Southern, tall, loyal, left-handed
9. Guilty Pleasure? this darn blog! Hubs isn't too fond of it but he's learned to accept it.
10. First Spring thing? I don't really understand this question. I plead the 5th.
11. What do you look forward to? Moving into the new house!!!! Pool party! (see below)

Then the semi-tag from April
8 Things...
I'm looking forward to: MOVING INTO THE NEW HOUSE! (x8)
I did Yesterday: had a ham biscuit for breakfast, said "sit down" about 58 times, went into the bathroom at work at a bad time, did NOT give Savannah a bath, moped up juice, thought that my boss was a slack-ass, enjoyed the smell of Gain, fed the dog.
I wish: I was finished with work already (school schedule), I would lose 5 pounds (for the pool party), and I was MOVED INTO THE NEW HOUSE (x6)
Shows I watch: Lost, Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, Heroes, Days of our Lives, Bones, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (twice a day) and most anything on HGTV.

There's a few versions of these one out there so if you have not participated in the past 6 months, consider yourself tagged!

OK. Then Mrs. Savant chose me to host a virtual pool party or something like that. All I know is nobody has to shave to play along so there ya go! I'm making the rest up as I go...
What: Girl's Afternoon at the Pool
When: Whenever you get here
Where: The new house! Or if you can't make it, just come to this blog
Who's Invited: Kelly (Housewife Savant) because she'll keep us entertained with her wit, Andrea (My Chihuahua Bites) because she'll give us all make-overs, Janna (Not Mom-a-Licious) because she needs to get out of the house, Ms. Slacker (Slacker Mama) so we can compile all our Dora/Princess crap to sell on Craigslist for beer money, Lisa (French) because she won't have far to drive and she'll decorate the pool area, TMVM (Tattooed Mini-Van Mom) because she'll be DJ for the day, and S (Ramblings...) because we can pretend we're in college again.
I'm providing the pool, Firefly mojitos, and plenty of Southern humidity. What will you bring?And you're invited too, if you bring something good (;
damn, that's a lot of links....

A Star is Born

You may recall that Savannah and I were in the Christmas play at church last year. We practiced and sang and listened to that CD and she knew the words to all 6 songs and it was going to be great! Until she sat down sometime during the second number and then spent the rest of the show in her daddy's lap. I know...too much to expect from a 3 year old.
So when they decided to put on a spring musical, I didn't get too excited. They practiced every week during Sunday school and we played the CD at home some, but I didn't think she was really into it. Even so, they measured her for a costume and told us about the last 2 rehearsals.
Which we skipped. The one was Steve's birthday and the other was Saturday. It was so gorgeous out and it was date night...wait, that's another post....anyway, the show was going to be during the 8:30 and 11:00 services. We don't go to the early service and Sunday was no exception. When we walked in that morning for Sunday school, I said, "I know we didn't make any of the practices, but Savannah might get up there and sing." Yes, of course, that was fine and they had her a tree costume (the whole play was about trees and their hopes- a metaphor for our lives). I told her to stay with the other boys and girls to go sing and I'd see her in a little bit.
Ya'll...it was so cute, it made my eyes tear up! She got up on that stage and she sung her heart out and she did the motions and didn't sit down once! She was dramatic and confident and she even enunciated!!! I had no idea. She did so good. I know because everyone came up to us after the show and told us so.
My pictures turned out pretty crappy, but here's the best one I got:

So cute!

Redneck Cocktail

Steve and Savannah headed out the door after dinner this evening and that left me to do the dishes. Yea. But they REALLY needed to be done since they didn't get washed last night (thanks, Dora) or the night before...Anyhoo...It was gorgeous today! Warm, sunny, low humidity! I thought I would make myself a cocktail for when I was finished. I had a bottle of Firefly vodka that cupcake gave me for my birfday and I had mint growing outside. Mm-Hm, some of you see where I'm going with this? I could make a Firefly mojito! But by the time I finally got done with the dishes, it was dark and I didn't feel like going outside so I looked around for a plan B. Ya'll know what? Firefly and Peach Tea Crystal Light is pretty darn good....

Doomed by Dora

Last night we had to run over to the new house, check some things and then we were going to get something to eat. The pool is looking good, the counter tops are looking good, etc., etc...After we ate we headed to Lowe's to pick up some stuff. By this point, it's about 8:10. I love that it was still light at, but then it tricks you into thinking it's not as late as it really is. Know what I mean?
Savannah and I decided to stay in the van while Steve went in. She was watching a movie and I chatted away on the phone. 45 minutes later...the natives are getting restless and Steve still isn't back. If Savannah said, "Mommy?" one more time I was going to auction her off to the next passerby.
Finally, almost an hour after we had been there, Steve comes out with a buggy full (yeah, I said, "buggy." That's what we call them in the South). We go to leave but the van won't crank! Damn Dora! That's we we get for letting Savannah watch her movie the whole time.
Oh well. We get a jump from one of the guys working and THEN headed home. Whew!

HGTV should have an emergency hotline

I was going to share a few more pics from spring break to round out that week, but it's been too long and it's already a blur... I had another cute post about Durmott Mulroney and puke, but that one didn't happen either. So instead I have house updates. Our "baby" has been growing for 9 months now and it still not ready. The next projected "due date" is Mid-May. We'll see.
I know we are very blessed to be able to build our dream house and it's wonderful and I know in the scheme of things it doesn't really matter, but I am pissed about the landscaping.
This is one of the things Steve and I have butted heads on the most, believe it or not. He seems to think I was supposed to be developing some master plan from the get go so that when I was prompted, I would say,"ta da! Here ya go!" Well, I didn't get that memo.
So now it is approaching the end (we hope) and we'll still don't really have a plan. While we want a nice yard, we don't want to pay someone 1000s of dollars to do it. I really have been doing my homework lately, looking at plants and on-line designs and I thought I had one we could work with. Only to find out that half our yard is off limits b/c electrical runs there, septic is there, our MASSIVE french drains run here, here and here and the a/c unit goes there and concrete goes all the way around there. And I'm talking about a BIG area. See?I want it done right so that in 5 years we have a nice yard and not something that is half-dried up and still not filled in yet. And it's going to need more than standard tree and 6 bushes. UGH!!! Anyway... here's an update on the rest of the house:
Not much has changed here. Notice the wide expansion of dirt that is our front yard? Our amazing kitchen. The trim guys were the bomb!

Which would explain why our budget blew up, but it was worth it. (color: Sherwin Williams Quite Red)

I LOVE this light fixture.

No, I am NOT putting our TV above the fireplace. It goes to the right, in the shelving, thank you very much. (color: Sherwin Williams Rain)

My side of the master bath. I'm ready for some "Calgon" to take me away... Remember that commercial? (color: Sherwin Williams Cay)

Our trim guys built this nifty little thing right into the wall! (color: Sherwin Williams Blonde)

Sorry the pics aren't bigger. I don't have the patience for blogger to upload "medium" sized pics this morning. And if anyone finds the emergency number for HGTV, drop me a line, pronto!

Too much?

No, I didn't OD from the sugar rush. I'm still alive. Just been a busy week. Not bad, just busy with work and house stuff. More pictures and posts, soon. I promise!

5 Glorious Flavors

Happy Birthday to me! I got just what I wanted...

This is for you, Anna (:

That place was a zoo!

I now know why that phrase exists. I and apparently everyone else in the surrounding 5 counties decided to go to the zoo today. I had some errands to run first, but I thought an afternoon at the zoo would be fun for me and Savannah. Maybe all the day cares and early risers would be cleared out by the time we got there. Nope. Not even close.

As I was headed into town, I heard on the radio that one interstate was backed up at the zoo exit...at 1:00 on a Thursday afternoon! So, I decided to go the other way. When I got there, there were cars everywhere! On the side of the road, in a dirt lot, in the weeds...I circled the lot and got the hell outta there! Luckily, Savannah didn't mind that we went to the park instead! Here she is with her bouquet of azaleas.

Like I said, the trip wasn't a complete waste. I had 3 things to take back, got some shoes for Easter and and looked at some tile for the house. I'll post an update soon.

Earlier this week, Savannah and I went to visit some friends out of town, a mini-girls trip, if you will. We took the kiddos to craft hour at the museum Wednesday morning. Here are the girls decorating paper crowns- you know, good princess attire.

Afterwards we enjoyed a truly Southern lunch of fried chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese. Mmmmm... We skipped dessert. I'm holding out for those birthday cupcakes tomorrow (;

Spring Break: it's not just for college kids anymore

*Warning: look away now if you are in an area that is experiencing freezing or snowy conditions - not that it's a "balmy" 80 degrees here right now either- or you will become extremely agitated after reading this post...
This past weekend was a blast! We had great weather, a great house, great food, and great fun! Steve and I got invited to go along with several other couples from work. They go to the beach every year to do a run and then party the rest of the weekend. Here's the view from our back yard:Traffic heading out of town Friday was a bi-otch, but we finally got there around 7:00. We all went out to eat and then most of us called it an early night b/c of having to get up so early for the run the next day.
After the running crew got back, the rest of the day was spent grilling, eating, drinking and sunning. The weather was gorgeous so we all hung out on the deck. One of the guys grilled ALL DAY LONG so we chowed on chicken, pork, sausage, fish, shrimp, and grilled veggies the whole day. Check out these veggie kabobs...And we had this stuff, I don't really have a recipe, but I got the gist of it. You buy already made fresh pico de gallo from the grocery store and add feta cheese, black beans, olive oil and some white wine vinegar. Mmm! Seriously, my mouth is watering just thinking about it!

We had originally planned to stay only one night, but well, we just had to stay one more ngiht so we got that worked out. By the time evening rolled around, some of us were sun burnt, some of us were asleep, some of us were still eating and some of us were raring to go!! Steve and I were in the latter group. We headed to a place down the beach where they had a band playing. They were so much fun and we sang and danced along until about 1:00 am. You know I had to get on stage. Can't help it...

Sunday morning, we were exhausted, but we got ourselves together and headed home. So much fun! Whoo-hoo!

Whoo-hoo!

It is officially Spring Break! That's right. I don't have to go back to work for 10 days! Whoo-hoo! I'm kicking off the week by going to the beach this weekend with some friends. Steve and I are leaving this afternoon and taking Savannah to mama's. We're only going for one night, but I'll take it.
Next week I'm going to go visit friends for a few days that I don't get to see too often. Whoo-hoo! It's always good to catch up with old friends, not that we're old, yet, although...
It's also my birthday next week. Whoo-hoo! I don't have any plans right now, but I think a trip to the cupcake store is in order. And if you want to get me a present, that would be OK, too.
Then we have Easter. Whoo-hoo! Savannah and I each have a lovely dress to wear to church. Afterwards, we always have a big lunch at my grandma's. Yum! And rumor has it, the Easter Bunny is bringing extra Peeps with him when he comes...
What do you having going on for spring break/Easter?