it's a big one...

I’m not exactly big on reminiscing about my early college years.  I mean, they were great and all, but I’m quite different than I was back then in a lot of ways... important ways.  Growing and changing, living and learning ways—basically what college is designed for.

I do, however, look back fondly one particular night.  A night that my naive freshman self went to a band party with complete strangers because she literally knew one person out of 24000 at Auburn.

At said band party I met a boy.  A very handsome boy who had very devious intentions, although he claims he thought I was an easy target because of my attire.  What?  I grew up at the beach—lace up pants and navel piercings were common.  The boy was cute, he asked me to dance, and then he got in way over his head.

My mature, serious but fun, accustomed to committed relationship self was a little too much for the frat boy to handle.  I think he liked the idea of me; he just wasn’t ready for me.  Our twisted paths crossed many times over the next few years though.  I was growing and learning and changing, and luckily so was he.

We ran into each other one fated night at Ralph Draughton Library of all places.  He said, “call me” but that wasn’t necessary because he beat me to the punch.  The rest, as they say, is history.

And now, ten years later, it’s fun to look back and think about how far we’ve come.  To think about the late night call I made to Cassie announcing that I had met a boy.  To think about staying up all night talking to the cute boy at the frat party.  To think about butterflies before football dates, and tears when he took someone else. To think about lace up pants and belly button rings {what was I thinking?!?}.

Lofton is my greatest blessing.  He fills my heart everyday with encouragement and praise.  He is my very best friend, my very best partner.  I'm so thankful for these ten years together and excited about the decades to come...

project gallery wall

I've been coveting a hallway gallery display for quite a while.  In fact, I started collecting frames about six months ago in anticipation of doing one this summer.  In our old house.  On the gigantic walls.  But then we put our house on the market and in the interest of keeping things "neutral" and "clutter free" we abandoned the wall.

Until now.

The wall space isn't as massive so my arrangement took some type to develop.  Lucky for me, Lofton whisked Reese away for a round of golf yesterday morning.  It left me a quiet house {something I've actually never experienced here} and some uninterrupted time to work on my project.

Here's what I started with:

This isn't what it ended up looking like but I forgot to take another picture.  Basically I started with the middle photo, in this case also the largest, of Reese {his one year portrait}. I worked out from there trying to balance horizontal and vertical photos, frames with mats and frames without, and gold toned frames with the brown toned ones.

The next step was to use construction paper and cut out templates for the frames. I then used the paper templates to duplicate the arrangement from the floor onto the wall.

The last step was easy-- marking on the paper where the nails should go.  A little hammering {done by the husband when he got home}, some minor tweaking, and we were done.

There are still two paper templates on the wall because the mirrors that will live there need some tweaking... Nope, I didn't become so attached to the construction paper that I wanted to leave it forever.

And now a few of my favorites:

Whipped this up on the computer to signify our new start in our new house.

At first glance Reese though this was a picture of he and Buck, but no it's a picture of me and Buck.  I love it.

Chunky legs in daddy-o's boots.  I melt.

Best friend.  Big belly.  Lovely day.

Toomer's Corner after Auburn won the national championship.  War Eagle.

Love him.  

And that, my internet friends, is it.  One project down, one thousand to go...

weekend snack

Run, don't walk, to your local grocery store and purchase the ingredients to make these sweet treats.  You can thank me later.

S'mores Bars

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs*
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 king-sized milk chocolate bars (e.g. Hershey’s)
1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme/fluff (not melted marshmallows)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla.
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix at a low speed until combined. Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan.
Place chocolate bars over dough. 2 king-sized Hershey’s bars should fit perfectly side by side, but break the chocolate (if necessary) to get it to fit in a single layer no more than 1/4 inch thick.
Spread chocolate with marshmallow creme or fluff.
Place remaining dough in a single layer on top of the fluff (most easily achieved by flattening the dough into small shingles and laying them together).
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned.
Cool completely before cutting into bars

Makes 16 cookie bars.

Recipe and photo courtesy of: Baking Bites

baby steps

Three cheers for progress!

Nothing says we live here more than pictures on the wall.  If only my picture hanger wasn't so whiny about it...

the ducks hold a lot of sentimental value for me

love love love

diy lab art

please ignore the horrible lighting

and the plant is dying

a little obsessed with egg prints right now

 Now we're just working for the weekend.

shoot

Hi again.  Umm... when you only blog once a week are you still considered a blogger?

I swear, I resolve to do better.

How about an update on my favorite toddler?

Three year old Pre-K is just dandy.  Monday was amazing and then Tuesday we hit a little speed bump.  It's called "my son has an abundance of sass just like his mama".  Shoot.  After some serious talking to, a forced apology, the withholding of an afternoon treat, and a second tongue lashing from his daddy-o we seem to be back under control.  I'm pretty sure he was just testing his new teachers, but this teacher mama doesn't do adult disrespect.  Ever.  Even when you're doing it with a smile.

oh this smile

The promise of a spanking from daddy-o has kept us on the straight and narrow for the duration of this week.  There was evidently some pushing of a friend today, but we don't punish as severely for toddler drama.  

Funny side note:  I asked Reese what he did to get time out and he kept yelling, "jakeamantooth."  

Umm, what?  I started guessing things like "You hit Jake in the tooth?" "Jake hurt your tooth?" "Jake said he was going to bite you?" All the while Reese is yelling LOUDER and louder "NO! JAKEAMANTOOTH!"  Finally, it hit me.  "Reese, did you hit Jake Mantooth today at school?"  

And now, drum roll please....

We have a functioning living room/family room.  The walls are painted Sherwin Williams Grain of Rice, the couches are new, and the built ins need to be painted... BUT, it's livable and box free.  Yippee!

I had a meltdown over the weekend and told Lofton I really needed to have pictures on the wall.  He hung two.  That's compromise for you. This weekend we tackle to toddler's room.

I'll be back before next Friday.  Promise :)

oh life, why so exhausting

It's been a week, Internet comrades.  A long week.  A week full of new bosses, new students, paper work, lesson plans, BOXES to unpack, backpacks to load, and preschool teachers to meet.

I am wiped out.  And we haven't even had students in class yet.  Monday will be a doozy for sure.

Despite my exhaustion, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention two very important things:

Sweet boy had preschool "meet the teacher" night last night.  It seems like just yesterday he was starting daycare...

And now we are learning to write letters, drinking out of big boy cups, and walking in straight lines.  Sigh.  This mama's heart is breaking.  {And no, I don't want another baby.  I just want my baby to be a baby again.}

Important event number two is a very special lady's birthday...

My most favorite friend celebrates her 28th birthday tomorrow!  Cassie is smart and sassy; two crucial qualities in a best friend.  

It's hard to believe that this is the sixteenth of her birthdays we have been friends for.  Yep, we are getting old.  And we are also getting wiser, and closer, and more real as the years pass. 

Life is not always simple.  Neither are friendships.  Marriage, jobs and children cause relationships to ebb and flow, BUT we seem to have weathered it all together.

I love you sweet friend.  And I hope your birthday is unbelievable.