Gobble til you Wobble?

I sure did ... did you? We ate Thanksgiving dinner around 12:30 - it is currently 7:15 p.m. and I am still miserably full! Thanksgiving with the in-laws was officially a success! The food was good, the company was good, the nap afterwards was good and looong, and tonight we are going to see Four Christmases. The movie theatre here has one screen called Mugs and Movies and luckily Four Christmases is playing in that theatre - that means the Beau can drink beer so he is equally as excited as I am. The weather is warmer than I would prefer (I am currently sitting on the porch) but that's okay ... we have a fire going in a pit outside so that is nice! A recap of our day -

The Beau was up bright and early frying our turkey. I had never had a fried turkey before and it was delicious!

"Before" Pic ... the Beau and me with his sister and her boyfriend

"After" Pic ... "Girl I think my butt gettin big!"

And like all the fine people of the world, we sat outside and I made s'mores ... like I had any business putting anything else in my mouth!

Happy Thanksgiving to all ... and to all a good night! I hope that you all find some good stuff tomorrow if you brave the crowds. We will be out bright and early!

xoxo~

O Happy Day!

Six more hours of work and then the Beau and I will be embarking on our Thanksgiving travels and, ya'll, I am more than ready. I need a break from work like no other! We are spending the week/weekend with the Beau's family, which will be a change for me, but I am putting on my big girl panties and being optimistic. My biggest concern is the food. How dumb is that? But I am picky about my Thanksgiving meal and if they have stuffing instead of dressing I might cry. I know, I know ... silly. Everything is going to be fine, and it's not about the turkey and the dressing anyways. We have oh-so-much to be thankful for!!! I complain about having to choose between our 2 families on where to spend the holidays but, in reality, we are very lucky to each have wonderful, happy, healthy families. Not everyone has that luxury. I often complain about my job (truthfully for no apparent reason) and about the Beau working so much but we are so fortunate to both have secure jobs - especially in this economy. I am thankful that I married the man of my dreams this year ... I am very thankful for that. I am thankful for our church and the group of friends we have found through our Sunday School class. I am also thankful for our country and the freedom each one of us enjoys. I give thanks to our troops who won't be with any family during the holidays ... what a tremendous sacrifice they make. So, so much to be thankful for!

I think I mentioned before that Thanksgiving became extra-special in my book because the Beau popped the question on Thanksgiving night in 2006. Talk about something to be thankful for!!! I am sure my kids will get really tired of hearing the story each and every Thanksgiving :)

It is so funny how much we have changed just in the past 2 years ... I don't even feel like that looks like us!

I am off to eat lunch with my daddy and brother who is in town from college but hopefully I will be able to check in a couple of times throughout the week. I wish all of you safe travels, a house full of family and love, and a heart filled with thanks!!!

xoxo~

Email to the Beau

five minutes ago ...

My email:

i just checked weather.com and it is supposed to be around 70 degrees in (town his parents live in) at thanksgiving. if that forecast doesnt change we might be changing our plans. who wants to eat thanksgiving dinner in their bathing suit? i already had my thanksgiving day outfit picked out. guess you will have to take me back to atlanta shopping this weekend.

His reply:

Something is seriously wrong with you!!! We will turn the air down low so you can wear your clothes

Oh dear!

xoxo~

One day at a time

As many of you know, the past 2.5 months were extremely, extremely busy and stressful for me as I travelled for work constantly. Things have started to calm down and I am returning to my regularly-scheduled life and I couldn't be any happier! There is a lot left on my running to-do list but I am marking things off at a steady pace. Such a good feeling. My house is pretty clean (I still have one junk room that I am going to tackle this weekend), my Christmas shopping is half-way done (what would I do without the internet), the stockings are not hung by the chimney with care but all the decorations are ready and waiting (I always wait until after Thanksgiving to decorate), and I finally ordered my Christmas cards today (after months of debating). Take a peek at the cards - oh and please excuse the editing job!

After work today I am running over to the closest "city" to do a little bit of necessary shopping. I do not have a coat. It was 22 degrees last night and poor, pitiful me does not have a coat. In all fairness, I have some fleeces and a north face jacket but those aren't exactly practical for work. I used to have 2 pea coats, a red one and a black/white tweed one, but they both have mysteriously disappeared. I cannot live without a decent coat for one more day so that is my mission. I really also need a couple of new turtlenecks and a sweater or two because with it being this chilly in November we might be in for a long winter ... even in Georgia. Maybe I should also spring for some new gloves and a scarf. Stay warm!!!

xoxo~

PS: If I am going to freeze my tail off I would really, really like to see some snow this year ... especially around Christmas. So if any of you Northerners would like to send some my way, I will take it :)

Too good to turn down

It is almost quittin' time here at my office so I have to be quick but I had to share ....

So do ya'll remember this post when I talked about the little Vera Bradley PJ shorts? Well, this morning I went to verabradley.com to order a pair for my sister-in-law for Christmas and, lo and behold, they were advertising PJ pants (even better than shorts) on the homepage for FIFTEEN dollars. They are marked down from $46!!!

I don't know about you, but that doesn't look like a $15 gift to me! A great present for a cousin, aunt, friend, etc ... any girly girl would love a pair.

One gift down!

xoxo~

Time flies when you are having fun!

This weekend flew by as have the past 6 months! The Beau and I are celebrating our 6 month anniversary today ... if you consider dinner at home and a new episode of Two and a Half Men "celebrating". It seems like our wedding was just yesterday and, at the same time, it feels like we have been married forever. But regardless, I cannot imagine my life any other way! We have been so busy but we have had so much fun .... I look forward to the next 6 months and hopefully we will have a real celebration in May (like an exotic vacation ~ hint. hint.) :)

Lots to report from the weekend.

Friday night started with an Engagement Party here in town for one of my very best friends from high school. It was so great to see everyone -we had a blast!

The bride and groom-to-be. Such an exciting time!

A delicious spread of food!

I had to crop out the boys because they were not cooperating.

The bride, me, and H ... we have been best friends since 5th grade!

Our whole group. Take two ... being silly (and to think he is going to be a surgeon)! :)

Saturday morning the Beau and I drove up to Atlanta and went to Phipps to do a little bit of shopping. Well I had this platter that I received as a wedding gift that really wasn't my taste and didn't go with anything in my house. It came from Belk so while we were at the mall I was going to exchange it for something else. I figured I might get $50 for it tops and I would just get something practical for our kitchen. Well it turns out that this mall's Belk didn't have a home store but the lady said we could still receive a gift card at customer service. When I returned the platter, the lady gave me a gift card for $178. I was in shock! I am go grateful to be given such a generous present (from family I barely know) but I find it strange that you would spend so much on something that you have no idea if the person will love or hate. That's why people create registries ... but that is beyond the point. Anyways the Beau (because he is such a sweetheart) told me to go look for a cocktail dress for a wedding that we are going to in December and we would use the gift card towards a dress. Well for the first time in my life I couldn't find anything that I loved and after trying on 10 dresses I told him that I would just come back another day with my mom or a girlfriend. On the way out we stopped by the men's shoe department and the Beau was looking at some new driving loafers ... which in all honesty he really needed. He finds a pair that we both really like and I open my big, fat mouth and tell him to go ahead and use the gift card to buy the shoes. Good one. Now I will be searching Belk for a $40 dress. That's going to happen. A tube of lipgoss, anyone? The joys of being married ... sharing and caring. He better be glad I love 'em!

Saturday evening I dropped the Beau off downtown for his Employee Appreciation Party that, I might add, spouses, dates, etc. were not invited to ... stupid economy. So I met up with my friend Jenn for a pedi and an incredible sushi dinner at Genki. It was my first time there and it might have been some of the best sushi I have ever had in Atlanta. So any of you Atlantian sushi-lovers should definitely give it a try ... right in Buckhead on Roswell Road. Mmmmmm!

On to the most important part of the weekend ~ what I cooked last night! We had some friends over for a Sunday night dinner and I tried 2 new recipes that turned out fabulously. I did a shrimp pasta and a mandarin and kiwi salad ... both were to die for! Now the shrimp pasta is not, I repeat, not low-fat in any way, shape, or form but both the salad and the pasta were great for having company over. This will be my from-now-on meal for special guests. It was pretty easy too!

Divine Shrimp Pasta

1 pound cooked shrimp (I got mine from the seafood counter at Publix)

1 block of cream cheese

1 jar of sweet roasted red peppers

1 cup of chicken broth

3 teaspoons of crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 cup chopped basil

1 package of linguine or vermicelli noodles (I used linguine)

Cook your noodles and drain. Pull the little tails off your shrimp and cut shrimp in half. In your blender, puree the cream cheese, chicken broth, roasted red peppers, and red pepper flakes. Put the noodles back on the stove on low-medium heat, add the pureed mixture, the shrimp and the basil. Stir together, cover, and let simmer ... it will thicken up as it simmers. So good and makes a great presentation!

Mandarin and Kiwi Salad

Romaine lettuce (I used a bag salad)

11 oz. jar of mandarin oranges, drained

3 kiwis, peeled and sliced

1 large red onion, sliced

Croutons

4 oz. bleu cheese crumbles

Toss lettuce, oranges, kiwis, and onion together. Add croutons and bleu cheese to the top. Super simple!

Salad Dressing

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

4 tablespoons orange marmalade

1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1 teaspoon salt

I added some mined garlic as well even though it didn't call for it. Shake well. I served the dressing on the side. Enjoy!

Ya'll have a great week!!!

xoxo~

A whole lot of nothin

That's right, a whole lot of nothing has been going on in the life of a Belle and her Beau. I have been busy this week, hence my lack of posts, but I can't begin to tell you what I have done. Couldn't be all that interesting since I can't remember! I did travel on Tuesday and Wednesday so that basically killed my entire week. Last night I managed to get home in time to attend my Book Club (for the first time in 3 months) and then stayed out way past my bedtime. For December we are looking for a light, easy read since everyone is always so busy during the holidays ... preferably a Christmas-related book. Anyone have any suggestions?

I am only working a half-day tomorrow and have an action-packed weekend planned. Friday night we are going to an engagement party for one of my very best friends from high school who is getting married in March ... I went and ordered my bridesmaids dress today and I am so excited. My group of girls from high school are still extremely close and we have so much fun when we all get together - which is not often enough. I am really looking forward to seeing everyone!

On Saturday night the Beau has an employee party in Atlanta so we are going to drive up early on Saturday and hopefully get some Christmas shopping in beforehand! And on Sunday night we are going to have one couple over for dinner out of the 52 couples I need to have over at some point. I need more hours in the day and more days in the week!

So I know that Halloween is waayyy behind us but I just had to share my little triplets Halloween costumes. **To clarify to any new readers ... they are not my triplets. They are my cousin's but I am obsessed :)

Too stinkin cute!

Okay well I may not check back in until Monday so ya'll have great weekends ... some good football this weekend! Gooo Dawgs!

xoxo~

"Blessed are we who can laugh at ourselves ...

... for we shall never cease to be amused."

Last night the Beau and I were both in the kitchen washing dishes after dinner. I said something, can't remember what, that I thought was funny and I laughed for probably 5 minutes. Note that this happens at least once a day. But last night, as I was busy laughing at my own joke/comment, the Beau stood there and looked at me like I was absolutely nuts. He finally said, "you laugh at yourself more than anyone I know."

What can I say ... I find myself hilarious! Obviously the Beau doesn't find me quite as amusing.

Hate it for him.

xoxo~

Give thanks!

As I was pacing around my house last night I decided to pull out some Thanksgiving decor. Thanksgiving has quickly become one of my favorite holidays ... quite possibly because the Beau hit one knee on Thanksgiving night in 2006 (I will share pictures with you one day). Today, I will share some of my favorite Thanksgiving things:

I bought these 2 platters at Swoozie's right after Thanksgiving last year for 50% off so this is the first year I have been able to use them. It was like pulling out brand new presents last night ... don't you love it when that happens??!! So cute, so festive, SO CHEAP!

I absolutely love these ... they are squash, gourds and assorted fall fruits (or are they vegetables) that are actually candles. They are gorgeous when they are lit but I couldn't get a clear picture of them while they were burning. I ordered these from Williams-Sonoma last year and I like them so much that I am afraid to light them too often because I don't want them to lose their shape!

I picked this soap up the other day from Bath & Body Works for only $3. That is as cheap as you can buy Dial from Wal-Mart. The scent is Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin and it smells soo good. I want to wash my hands every five minutes just so I can sniff 'em!

For some reason I have been really in to candles lately. Pumpkin Pie from Yankee Candle smells just like the real thing ~ and since I have no idea how to cook the real thing ...

This, my friends, is worth $10. I ran in to a Williams-Sonoma while I was in Birmingham a couple of weeks ago and knew I had to have whatever it was that smelled so yummy. It was Mulling Spice! I haven't used it to make cider yet but if you put just a teaspoon of the spices in a pot with boiling water it will make your entire house smell just like the holidays!

UPDATE: We finally made a decision to spend Thanksgiving with the Beau's family and we will spend Christmas with my family. I am totally fine with it and I am open to beginning new holiday traditions. I picked up these cups and napkins at Swoozie's to take as a little gift when we visit at Thanksgiving ... cause I am a sweet daughter-in-law like that :)

I also saw these fill-in-the-blank cups (but didn't purchase them) and thought they would be cute if you were going to a Thanksgiving celebration with lots of kiddos!

Is there anything special that you love about Thanksgiving ... I love getting new ideas??!!

I also quickly wanted to say that we all have so much to be thankful for and despite last night's election (that did, in fact, leave me saddened) when it all comes down to it this is what I believe:

You're the God of this city, You're the King of these people, You're the Lord of this Nation!

xoxo~

Got Roots?

Lord knows, I do! But I am off to have that fixed in one hour. Thank goodness cause nothing makes you feel better than a fresh cut and color!

Ya'll have a great night and may God Bless America!

xoxo~

My new favorite kind of Lilly

Hopefully everyone is already familiar with one of my all-time favorite blogs, The Adventures of a Georgia Girl. If not, quickly familiarize yourself. I have been following GG's (Georgia Girl's) journey of adopting her little girl, Lilly Lu, from China for about a year now. GG finally went to China this summer to pick up her precious baby. I love clicking on her blog and hearing her hysterical stories of what her family has been up to and I cannot get enough of the pictures of Miss Lilly.

Well guess what? GG and I live in the same small town in Georgia! Our dads are best friends and you can find them eating together at this same little restaurant at least twice a week. I have been commenting on GG's blog since she got home with Lilly telling her to bring that child to see me! But she now has 4 kiddos to juggle and I have been gone so much that I haven't been able to meet Lilly Lu in person. Until today! My mom called me on my cell phone as I was walking out of the school where I voted today. She said that GG and her whole gang were up at her store and for me to come up there and see them. Since it only took me 5 minutes to vote, I had plenty of time before I had to be back at work so I raced up there. Tell me she is not the cutest thing you have ever in your life seen ... and go over to GG's blog and tell her too!!

We are both double L's. She is Lilly Lu and I am ... sorry, can't tell :)

Clinging to her mama ... she wasn't so sure about me at first!

I could eat her up!

Making a big ol' mess and looking cute doing it!

xoxo~

Lame Joke

When Fat Phil Fulmer announced his "resignation" yesterday, 6 Knoxville-area Krispy Kreme's immediately shut down.

xoxo~

Today is the day!

I took a sick day yesterday but I came in to work today feeling like donkey (no political pun intended). I seriously didn't think I could sit at home today ... I am a nervous wreck! I have some fun stuff to share with you all today to keep our mind off all things political while we work the 9 to 5. But first I must go and cast my vote and pick up some comfort food - I think Chick-fil-A is calling my name!

And for all my Georgia girls out there .... I will leave the Presidential race alone but remember, Saxby for Senate!!!

xoxo~

My chances aren't looking good

You probably won't win Wife of the Year if you haven't seen your husband in over a week and you dress like this ALL weekend long ...

Yes, I wore the same sweatpants three days in a row. Yes, the crotch hangs down to my knees. Yes, I am ashamed of myself. No, all these pictures were not taken in my house (in case you were questioning my taste in interior design) ... we were at my grandparents for awhile this weekend.

In my defense, the "best business trip evah" went south and I have been dog-sick since Thursday morning. And believe me ... you don't wanna know!