here we go

continued (again)...

2012-02-08T09:02:00.000-08:00

11 - There are a few places that a pregnant woman just feels out of place. A few examples?

- We volunteer with the college ministry at our church, and typically attend their Tuesday night gatherings. Last night, our church was hosting a huge singles event, as well as the college ministry. You can only imagine all of the stares and interesting looks I got as I walked through the doors big and pregnant, being welcomed by the sweet host team. I guess they were thinking I was either single + pregs or in college + pregs...either way that I really did need Jesus. :)

- A liquor store. I don't spend much time in these, but we were hosting some folks, and I needed to get a few items. I'm sure they're used to it, but I just felt this need to tell the cashier (and everyone else!) that I wasn't planning on consuming any of it!

- Parties. Over Christmas, sister-in-law Kelly + roomies hosted a fun tacky sweater Christmas party. It was a fun party, but we didn't know a lot of the people, and most of them were young and single. For those who didn't know us, I know they kept wondering who the old married, pregnant couple was. Jamie said I should have worn a sign that said "Single and ready to mingle." It's not like people weren't giving me odd looks anyway!

- Normal retail stores - Over the holidays, I did some Christmas shopping for my sisters at some of my favorite clothes shops. As I'd pull out different dresses and shirts, the sales people were so nice..."do you want me to start you a fitting room?" And that's when I just laughed, and said it was nice of them to ask, but none of the clothes were for me. :)

continued...

2012-02-07T14:49:00.000-08:00

9 - I've been through the McDonald's drive thru more times in the past 8 months than I have in my life. French fries and McFlurry's (Rayne, wasn't it you who mentioned you were craving them? Cause as soon as you did, I've been snacking on them way too consistently!).

10 - Any time I've been dancing since my belly got big enough to notice, the belly is somehow used as a prop. I mean, we haven't been going to the clubs or anything, but at weddings or any other events with a band, I can't resist the dance floor. But somehow, we all end up dancing around my belly as it takes the center of attention. Sounds weird, huh? But it's actually kind of funny.

pregnant ramblings

2012-02-06T08:57:00.000-08:00

I realize that my blog is getting overtaken by all things dog + baby, but since it happens to be what's going on in my life right now, forgive me as I continue with a few random ramblings about pregnancy.

1 - We're 5 weeks away. Did you hear me? Only 5 MORE WEEKS?! See below for the most recent belly photo...

35 weeks...and HUGE

2 - Given that fact, I'm right where I imagined I'd be. Having procrastinated for the first few months, I now find myself in mild panic mode. Woke up super early yesterday morning, running through the list of things that we still have left to do. And it ain't a short list!

3 - I'm having continuous dreams about all things baby. The nursery, crying babies, etc. Last night I dreamed I went into labor while I was in jail. Not sure why I was in jail, but it was obviously not for anything too serious, considering they let me out to go have the baby. I even dreamed I was timing contractions.

4 - If I've changed my mind about one thing on the nursery, I've changed my mind about a million things! I like to think that I have a decent eye for design, but I just cannot make decisions for the life of me. And I have trouble envisioning things before they are actually in place. So, on Saturday, I tediously drew out something I had planned for on the nursery wall...spending a good 45 minutes on it...only to realize that it wasn't going to work, which led me to repainting over my pencil marks and moving on to Plan B. Thank goodness for my sisters and friends who are opinionated and good at this kind of stuff! :) If we ever finish it, I'll be sure to post pictures galore!

5 - I'm really tired of wearing the same clothes over and over again. As I mentioned before, maternity clothes shopping is not very fun. Anyone ever feel good looking as they pull an outfit on over their overly large belly, while trying to make a normal outfit look as normal as possible...unable to do so considering the elephant in the room (or in your belly...ha...that's when you feel like an elephant!)? We have my younger sister's engagement party this Saturday, and I found a dress. Feeling really good about it, I got home to try it on with shoes, jewelry, etc. Only to realize that it's just impossible to look or feel hott with this big ole' thing in the way! Sweet? Precious? Adorable? Sure. But, not hott.

6 - Everything is really crammed in there. At our childbirth education class on Saturday, our instructor showed us a picture of what our organs look like w/out a baby in there, then what they look like w/ a baby. No wonder I feel like this kid is all the way up in my rib cage. Actually, I think it's the organs, but they gotta go somewhere! And everything's getting a little uncomfortable...can't cross my legs well, bending over is not fun (getting back up is even worse), and my back and feet are squealing at the end of a big day.

7 - For some reason, giving birth doesn't scare me. I mean, people do it all the time, and tho I hear it's really painful, it's just temporary. It ends eventually. It's what happens after we have the baby, like the fact that a sweet little person is going to be totally dependent on us, is what scares me pretty good. Been praying about that for a while.

8 - It is totally worth it. I know I sound like I'm complaining, but the truth is, I just think it's all hilarious. And I really don't mind being pregnant. It wouldn't matter anyway, because even though we haven't even met our sweet baby...I'm in love. To feel him/her move around inside of me, to know that we get the privilege of raising it to know Jesus, and to grow closer to my husband all at the same time. It's amazing. Just funny, all at the same time!

happy birthday, scout!!

2012-02-04T05:42:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, this little guy turned 1! We celebrated by bringing him to my office for the day (he's usually a Tues/Thurs only dog), which is one of his favorite places. He gets spoiled with love and attention, and of course it gets him out of the house for the day. Then, we had a little dog play date in our big back room with some of the other dogs...another of his favorites. Finally, we ended the night with a big ole' dog bone. Oh yeah, and I made him take this picture with a birthday hat on. :)

As Jamie said, "you're doing this all for yourself" (which isn't entirely true), but of course, Scout had no idea what was going on yesterday. He doesn't know he turned 1, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't celebrate, right?!

Scout, it's been an adventure having you as a dog for the past 8 months! But, I'd say Jamie and I have learned a lot that will prepare us for parenthood. And of course, we love you more than we had ever imagined! Plus, you're the cutest little guy I know. (And somehow you turned me into a dog lover...obviously!...which is a feat in itself!)

big brother

2012-02-02T14:25:00.000-08:00

Between the new shock collar (have I told y'all about this? we now have a collar w/ a remote so that we can shock him when we need to...from far away...like when he's digging in the yard and we're inside or trying to eat something he shouldn't...sounds awful but it works wonders! anyhow, between that) and the fact that there's been lots going on in the soon-to-be nursery, I'm afraid our little Scout is having quite a bit of anxiety.

Since we've been doing lots of work in the nursery, and then we brought home lots of new things from the shower this weekend and laid them out in there, Scout has been acting so weird. He'll walk into the room and smell everything (which is better than him trying to eat it all!), and then walk out and plop down outside the door. This is not a normal spot for him to land, so it's been kind of funny. Example below...

this was him last night...nursery is on the right

and later on in the night, I found him here...halfway in,

halfway out....just staring

(oh, and here's a glimpse of the nursery! once we get a few

more things completed, i'll do a post on it...soon!)

Really makes me wonder if he knows that something's up. And how in the world he's going to respond when one day we leave the house and come home with a baby!!

Or maybe he knows that he's turning 1 YEAR OLD tomorrow?! He'll be joining me at work, and we may or may not have a little birthday party planned.

Either way, I do love this little guy. And am still convinced he's going to be a great big brother!

traveling across GA

2012-01-30T09:23:00.000-08:00

These past few days have been a whirlwind. An awesome, exciting, full of family whirlwind.

As I mentioned in the previous posts, last Thursday the non-Augustans traveled to Augusta to support our dad as he received his award. We headed back early Friday morning just in time for work and school!

On Saturday, all the non-Carrolltonians traveled to C'ton to attend the 7th (maybe?!) annual Blue Jean Ball, which supports West GA Habitat for Humanity. I'm proud to say that my sister, Jennifer, is all the creative brains behind this event. She's so talented, and the BBB is not only a fun affair (with an amazingly decorated barn, outdoor bonfire, yummy Low Country BBQ, fun bands, and dancing!), but it's also their biggest fundraiser.

And yesterday we had our first baby shower!! Gma Sue-Sue hosted the event at her house, along with Aunt Kelly, my friend (and honorary Aunt) Jessica, and one of our Augusta family friends, Marilee. I could go on and on, and believe me I will as soon as I have some pictures to accompany my words, but it was amazing. And really made this feel like the real thing (as if my ever-expanding belly hadn't done the trick!). More to come...

Speaking of baby showers, my sweet friend and co-worker, Dawn, crafted these AMAZING invitations for a work shower coming up at the end of February.

Are they not the most adorable invitations that you've ever seen?!

She used baby clothes (sleepers, to be accurate), sewn to make an envelope that you had to unbutton to get to the adorable invite, which was backed with gingham fabric and topped off with a sweet bow. My iPhone photos don't do it any justice, so you should go to her blog to see her photos and to get a better idea of how she created them. She's one of the most talented, creative people I know, so this is one shower I am so anxious for...just to see the decor!!

and while i was out...

2012-01-27T12:39:00.000-08:00

...I got this text from Jamie.

Hi mom...dad let me out and I went straight for the mud.

Hall of Fame

2012-01-27T12:31:00.000-08:00

Last night, I was one proud daughter, as my dad was one of five who got named to the CSRA Business Hall of Fame. Junior Achievement sponsored the event, and let me tell you...it was kind of a big deal. :) After a fabulous dinner, each of the inductees was introduced by someone currently in the JA program, followed by a video highlighting the life, success, and hard work of the inductee. And finally, each award winner got to say a few words of thanks. My dad was surrounded by family, friends, co-workers, and his new staff (the campaign staff, that is), which made it all the more special.

Growing up, I spent most of my life hearing my parents tell me how proud they were of me. However, lately, I've found myself realizing how proud I am of my parents.

Here are a few photos from the event (taken w/ my iPhone)...

bachelorette!

2012-01-24T09:49:00.000-08:00

I hate to admit it, but I am SO excited about this :)

celebrating

2012-01-19T12:45:00.000-08:00

In my family, we have a tendency to celebrate birthdays (and all other fun, exciting milestones) for at least a week. Jamie doesn't feel quite the same way about his own day, but he is always so good to recognize that it's just what we do. :) That being said, he did a pretty amazing job at making sure 30 was one birthday I'll never forget.

it's been on my wish list for so many years...the Nespresso Citiz

amazing, husband...really, amazing!

SURPRISE! husband and i made a lunch date, and when i showed up, it wasn't

husband at all! it was some of my favorite people at one of my favorite lunch spots!

[sidenote: Unfortunately, I'm almost impossible to surprise. But he pulled it off!]

Scout forgot to give me a gift on my actual bday, so Thursday morning

he found and tore apart our new phone book! and i got to pick up all the little pieces!

We were back and forth on how to celebrate 3-0 (mind you, I'm 7 months pregnant,

and not much for a blowout event right now :), but he threw together a pretty

great get-together with some of our closest friends. It was a blast, and the perfect

way to ring in 30. Big thanks to some of the women who helped him pull off this spread!

so much yummy food!

we also got to use the fire pit that J's mom got him for Christmas!

it was cold outside, but this was perfect (and that's the only pic I got of it).

4 of my absolute favorite people came to celebrate, too!

I love it when my sister comes to visit, for so many reasons, but in part

because she will sweep through my house and help me change things

around, rearrange, and just revamp. 30 minutes before the party, she did

just that! she's so talented!

party planner extraordinaire, with his really pregnant wife.

thank you, Jamie, for making this such

a great birthday. i know you're glad it's over. :)

and just because i love him so, check out scout hanging out in the

middle of all that was going on. he had such a big night (the twins wore

him out pretty good beforehand). he just sat and took it all in until

he couldn't keep his eyes open any longer!

Thanks to everyone for making it such a great birthday! I know I've said it over and over, but I am confident that 30 is going to be our best year yet! Grateful to be surrounded by such amazing friends and family.

3-0

2012-01-11T11:06:00.000-08:00

Today's the day. I'm kissing my 20's goodbye, and am officially entering a new decade. Hello 30, hello baby, and hello parenthood! If the celebrations (oh, and the baby-to-be in my belly) are any indication of how great 30 is going to be, then I'd say we're in good shape.

birthday lunch at JCT Kitchen with mom, dad, RA + Bob

celebrating at FLIP w/ Kelly + Sue

husband's eggs + bacon this morning

office birthday party :: all things child-like, princess, and

tacky :) except for the amazing tiffins from ESS! streamers,

balloons, party hats, favors, toys, barbies, and.....

a unicorn cake!!

party planner extraordinaire, Dawn

Tonight it's just me, Jamie, and Scout. With Chef Jamie cooking up something yummy, I'm actually really looking forward to just hanging out. And going to bed early. Lame? Yep. But I've come to totally appreciate this season. :) Here's to you, 30! Bring it on.

projects

2012-01-10T10:14:00.000-08:00

The month of December was a busy one for us, for all the obvious reasons and for the list of projects that we had to tackle.

The first was a fun, random commission project. A co-worker of mine had a friend who was looking to gift a custom-made corn hole set to her husband. My co-worker knew that Jamie and I had made a set last year for my sister, and asked if we were up for it. We figured a little extra cash was always a good thing, so we took it on! That being said, I'm not sure we'll ever do it again. :) It was a lot of work!! And I made the mistake of letting her request whatever design she'd like on the front. Oh well...at least it was a fun, time-consuming project!

If you know me well, you know how meticulous I can be when it comes to

free-hand projects. So, this AU was a pain in my rear!! Especially given that I

needed to make two of them. But, it all worked out...after way too much time!

the final result

(we'll probably end up doing another one next year :)

Between Christmas and New Years I set out to tackle a large to do list. Most of that list was organizing and cleaning...two things that don't make a huge impression to the outside world, but make such a difference in our home!

But two projects that I have visuals for are below. The first was redoing our countertop in the guest bathroom. The top layer is some type of varnish or clear coat that had begun chipping long before we bought the house. It has bothered me so much over the past two years that it was time to finally do something about it!

With little to no knowledge on this kind of stuff (Kristen Davis, where is your full tutorial? :) What, you can't give all your secrets away?!), I did my fair share of google research, and came up with a plan of action.

see the spots

here's why i tried to use sandpaper and elbow grease after we moved in

I wish I'd gotten a picture of the sanding process. Thanks to Gavin and Lindsay, we had an electric sander. But, because the piece was attached to the wall, I had to sand inside. Talk about a huge mess! Oh well, gave me a good excuse to thoroughly clean the bathroom, I guess!

starting the priming process...pregnant ppl have to wear masks

after the first coat of paint

and we're done!

it is by no means perfect, but it is so much better to me...

and that's what counts :)

The other big project was getting started in the nursery.

furniture moved: check

walls patched up and painted: check

cleaning out the closet: check

installing closet door: check

husband was such a good sport...he was put to work!
and of course, scout was a good sport too...wondering
what the heck was going on!

Now I'm working to fill the nursery with all that we need! I'll keep you posted as we make progress!

fun facts

2012-01-06T13:56:00.000-08:00

This week, I am 30 weeks pregnant.

Next week, I'll be 30 years old.

Totally intriguing I know. But, hey...kind of cool. :)

Christmas

2012-01-03T10:43:00.000-08:00

This year, we celebrated the Hargather family Christmas the weekend before the 25th. Sue is such a great host, and even more than that, she's a gift giver. It was supposed to be a small Christmas, but the pile of gifts under the tree proved that she just couldn't do it! We also treated it just as we would any other Christmas, so we ate a huge meal Friday night, and woke up Saturday morning to our "Christmas" Day.

breakfast on "Christmas" morning

Even the dogs had a big Christmas. They played hard (here they are chasing

after a tennis ball in the pool...Bailey was the only one who would actually

swim to get it!). I'm pretty sure Sue-Sue's is Scout's 2nd favorite place to be!

Although we didn't have Christmas at our own home (or even host anything Christmas-ey), I couldn't help but deck it out in Christmas decorations. But all I remembered to take a picture of was our tree! It was a skinny tree, but (a really good deal! and...) perfect for us to squeeze into the small space we are working with.

there's nothing I love more than a lit Christmas tree...

especially with all the gifts underneath

For Christmas, we traveled to Augusta (for the first time since we've been married!). We went down early for the 3D ultrasound, but it was the perfect opportunity to catch up with friends (oh, and for Jamie and my dad to play golf :).

one of my favorite catch-ups was seeing this sweet little girl - Caroline Burkhalter

(and the rest of the Goldsmith's ever-growing family!)

My parents are always on the go, so we went to more Christmas parties, dinners, etc. It sure makes for a festive holiday tho, and some really good food!

Christmas Eve

our attempt at a family photo...Scout wasn't havin' it

the table set for Christmas morning (thanks for our super

talented family friend, Lynwood)

before checking out what Santa brought us

Christmas dinner

[Sidenote: I think my parents' house is so beautiful at Christmas. My mom

always does an amazing job with the decorations, centerpieces, etc. Jamie

joked that we were having the "formal" Christmas this year (as they used to

refer to my family as the formal family...the Hargathers were the fit ones :).

While he was probably fairly accurate, I love it so much!]

On the way home, we took my sister's fiancé, Bob, back to his parents' house in Thomson (where he's living for the time being while they look for a house). They live on a beautiful large piece of land, along with several relatives close by, and a big ole' pond. We let Scout run around for a bit, took him to the pond, and he had a blast! He chased sticks into the water and ran all over...leaving him muddy and spent. The Wills were sweet to let us bathe him before we made the trip home. But I love this picture above. He was like a little kid. He didn't want to go to sleep, so he was sitting up. But, he could barely keep his eyes open! The cute lil' stinker. What are we going to do when we have cute little kids?!

Happy New Years Eve

2011-12-31T10:36:00.000-08:00

We're concluding one of the most amazing weeks yet with a super relaxed NYE. We definitely debated on whether or not we needed to take advantage of the last year we can go out without worrying about a babysitter. But, in the end, we just decided that after a full day, we'd make a night of it...at home.

This morning we took Scout to a park on the Chattahoochee, where he could run around and chase after sticks into the water. It was a beautiful day, and he had a ball.

I love this photo. Man + his dog + nature.

After treating ourselves to a really yummy home cooked dinner (I'm talking filets, veggies, and cheesecake for dessert), we realized that we couldn't find our dog. Want to know where he'd snuck off to?

This is underneath our bed. He'd seen me cleaning out and organizing under there this week, and I guess he decided it'd be a nice place to hang. He's been acting slightly odd this week...maybe he really does know there's a baby on the way?

after I'd cleared some of the clutter to try to woo him out

And now, this is what we're doing...cheering on the Auburn Tigers in our pj's.

And I'm pretty confident the below photo will be an accurate portrayal of us before 11pm.

actual photo taken last night at 10:30pm :)

Wow...guess this means we are officially old. Oh well...Happy New Year! I have a hunch 2012 is going to be our best one yet. :)

a week off

2011-12-29T09:46:00.000-08:00

Christmas was so wonderful...last one without a little one, which made for a very grown up holiday. But we enjoyed being with my family, sleeping in, trying to keep Scout tame for my mom, and envisioning what next year will be like. So grateful for family, and time with them.

I am also so, so incredibly grateful to have the week off from work this week. I can't stress that enough. But, I feel like this picture below depicts how I'm feeling.

Ah...baby's coming really soon! We've got to get a move on!

So, this week we are spending all of our time purging, organizing, rearranging, painting, re-doing furniture, registering (well, it's happening at some point!), cleaning, and the list goes on. There's a part of me that secretly loves all of this, so no need for a pity party. It's tiring work, but so gratifying in the end...baby or no baby on the way. I'm just so glad that I have a full week to focus on the arrival of our babe. And it's amazing how in the midst of all of this, I've managed to realize the things we need to get done on our house, too! It's as though I forget we'll still have a life after the little one arrives. :)

And this guy is so confused, trying to figure out what in the heck is going on...

Little does poor Scout realize that his world is about to be rocked as well. I am confident (or else just trying to convince myself so that I won't go crazy) that this pup will be a great big brother!

3D

2011-12-22T15:20:00.000-08:00

I know this blog has turned into all photos, but I can't help but post a few of these next ones. We got to see Baby H in 3D this afternoon!! Our sweet family friend, Barry, let about 6 of us cram into his office to ooh and ah...and laugh at our baby's sense of humor (seriously, it already has one).

It was crazy, and to be honest, little babe was a little funny looking. :) But, it was so neat. Cannot wait to meet him or her in just a few short months!

baby is flexible!

What a crazy little miracle!

Scout at the beach

2011-12-21T17:06:00.000-08:00

Over Thanksgiving, we got the chance to take Scout to Charleston with us. And he got to experience the ocean for the first time! It was so fun to watch him...he had a ball. As I'm sure you're all dying to see some, below are some photos of Scout on the beach.

And yes, I just posted a whole lot of pictures of my dog....like he's my first born. What has happened to me?! I've totally turned into a dog lover.

ghost of Christmas past

2011-12-19T08:10:00.000-08:00

As most of you know, my brother and his wife live in Madagascar. Last week, he was preparing to give a talk on Christmas in America and asked my mom to send him some old photos from our Christmas' growing up. They were way too good not to share!

my mom used to do an amazing job of decorating our entire home for

Christmas. pretty sure my love of white lights came from her :)

ha...love the mantle...and the curtains, wall color, couches, etc

yes, the gifts are outrageous. my parents, family, friends, etc.

were all so generous. and i love the tree. the tree was probably

my favorite decoration. all of the ornaments have a story.

we'd decorate while listening to Christmas music, and dad would

conveniently pop in just in time to put the angel on top of the tree.

my brother and i sitting on santa's lap (who I'm pretty sure is my Papa).

and i'm pretty sure my mom made the dress i'm wearing.

one of our official Santa visits at the Augusta Mall. definitely

sure my mom made at least all of her daughters' outfits.

we made gingerbread houses every year for as long as i can remember.

and these were from scratch. no kits. we made the dough, used homemade

stencils, homemade icing, and rolled out for all the little men, women, and trees!

a few years in a row, my mom and her friends went nuts with the

gingerbread house making. pretty sure we were featured in augusta

magazine, and they were all sold for a charity. but it was crazy!

the gingerbread house-making process

and another one

and every year, the augusta ballet put on the nutcracker. (that's me,

as a sheep, 2nd from the right...i think). i tried the ballet thing for a few

years, and never could figure out why i wasn't ever a party child or toy

soldier like all my friends. then, i realized it was because i was 5 ft tall

at age 10, and not the most graceful person you'd ever met. :)

speaking of nutcrackers, this is from one Christmas when the parents

took Andy + I to NYC in early December. somehow Jennifer and RA got

their own trips, but I was happy to share the experience with Andy (well,

probably not at the time, but you know...). also this was during my

lipstick wearing phase in middle school. yes, i was in middle school

in the photo. i was always "mature looking" for my age.

my mom (whose back of the head is in the forefront of this photo)

directed one of our childrens' choirs at church for as long as i can remember.

and every Christmas we put on a lovely Christmas play. little sister, Robin

Anne, is the one in the long brown shepherds' tunic, 3rd from the left.

and without fail, even up until today!, we would visit the nativity

at a local hospital. we thought it was the coolest thing because the wise

men started out about 100 ft from the stable, and every day they'd get a

little closer. until, finally, on Christmas, they'd arrive. Jesus didn't debut

until Christmas morning either. here we are with our best friends, the

Goldsmith family. Kathryn and I are on the far right.

and finally, i'll leave you with this lovely family Christmas card. my

mom has never missed the opportunity for a Christmas card picture, and

we're still doing them today! and as my friend, ansley pointed out,

she gets them out by the beginning of December, without fail!

Thanksgiving

2011-12-09T16:00:00.000-08:00

Here are a few photos of our time in Augusta over Thanksgiving...

Molly Kate + Robin Anne...our two spring weddings

we fit a lot of people around this table!

our favorite spot at the house...the back porch

sweet family

Hutton hanging out with Scout

our crazy spread of food

warm-up for the annual football game

Coach Aaron

Hadley + Kelly

After going through all of my sisters' old baby things, Jamie

thought he should try on the Baby Bjorn, to get used to it :)

our stack of goods...so thankful!

Santa Claus

2011-12-08T13:55:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I met my mom, sister, and the nieces and nephew for lunch and their Santa appointment at Phipps! I know there are lots of good Santas out there, but this guy is really, really good. And their decorations, colors, etc...you kind of feel like you're at the North Pole. :)

Here are a few photos of the cutest kids I know....

how precious are these girls and their french braids, waiting to see Santa?

Wyche, Collier, Hutton, + Hadley

think we can make room for a cousin next year?!

And then, I just LOVE this photo! Hutton giving Baby H a kiss. :)

The kids have been so funny about the baby coming...poking at

my stomach, asking lots of questions, and showing it lots of love already.

It's going to be one blessed kid, in so many ways!

An Update on the Babe

2011-12-06T10:35:00.001-08:00

I know blogging hasn't necessarily been my strong suit lately, but I've got some updates coming. However, now that we finally have our own laptop, I have to remember to update when I'm on the computer that my photos live on! Coming up: a Thanksgiving update, and a post on our past weekend (arguably one of the best we've had in a while...thanks to some good friends!).

Up today on the blogroll: Top Six Random Pregnancy Thoughts

1 - The belly is gettin' big, y'all. For your entertainment, I've included a photo of the most recent profile shot. Of course, I know that a growing belly means a growing baby, so I am super grateful for it. However, it is really weird having your body grow and change in ways that you've never experienced. Just when I can't imagine it getting any bigger, it does. And we still have 3 months left to go!

2 - Speaking of that belly, it sure does make it interesting when I'm trying to bend over to put on my shoes, squat down, or get out of a deep-seated chair or sofa. I feel like a senior citizen, huffing and puffing, and grabbing onto something to pull myself back up! Oh, and I don't even want to talk about trying to pull off my boots at the end of the day! Ha. Let's just say that job has fallen to a sweet husband that I happen to know.

3 - Shopping for maternity clothes ain't even half as fun as shopping for regular clothes. Oh my goodness...I'm totally serious. I've tried really hard to extend the life of all of my tunics and non-form-fitting clothes to accommodate the aforementioned growing belly. But, at about 20 weeks, there was some necessary maternity shopping that needed to be done. I'm so incredibly grateful for my friend Kathryn, who had baby Caroline in June. She's loaned me a ton of clothes. But I've done some of my own shopping. A few thoughts on that coming up soon.

4 - Cravings. Thankfully my first few months were not spent with my head in the toilet. Don't get me wrong, I had a constant feeling of nausea, but only got sick a few times. And the exhaustion...well, that's a whole 'nother topic in itself. But, the biggest difference is how frequently I get hungry. And I mean...hungry. Of course, small, healthy snacks are the best options, so I try really hard to be prepared. But when I'm not, watch out! Because all I want is FRENCH FRIES! Yes, french fries. Probably my biggest craving. But, other weaknesses include pizza, frozen yogurt, and anything sweet. For a short season, I had an aversion to vegetables (which I have always loved!), but my aversion to chicken has stuck around (unless it's fried and in the form of a CFA nugget).

5 - If I thought having a dog was a great way to meet random people, having a belly bump and a dog...pretty sure I've met more people in the past 3 months (that I've really been showing) than I have in all my life. And I'm a people person, folks. All kidding aside, some of the people who have started conversations with me....grocery store workers, delivery guys, neighbors (which has been a huge plus!), and more random people than I could even begin to tell you about. What's it going to be like when I have this cute lil' kid attached to my waist?! Who am I kidding...I'm lovin' it!

6 - Finally, the most amazing thing so far has been feeling the baby move. It really is one of the coolest things I've EVER experienced. It was hard to discern at first, but once that baby got moving, it happens much more frequently and much more noticeably. Even more crazy than feeling it, is seeing it! Ha...when the baby kicks, my stomach pops out. I know it will get even more pronounced in these next few months, but it's so cool. And so far Jamie, Sue (MIL), and my mom have all felt it move as well.

All in all, I'm so grateful and so in wonder of the gift we get, as mama's, to carry our baby's for 9 (really 10) months. What a crazy, unique experience. Somedays it just blows me away that this is how we have children, but it makes me even more in awe of the God we serve who made it this way. That God, He's a smart one. :)

the Iron Bowl

2011-11-28T14:34:00.001-08:00

Yes, we lost this year, but I can't say I was expecting anything more. I can, however, share with you this funny sign that someone created. I mean, it being Christmas-time and all. Can you name the movie?

2011-11-22T06:47:00.001-08:00

Yes, I pulled these out of the basement last night, and lugged them upstairs (well, actually the husband did, since I'm preggo and all). And I might have pulled some of the contents out, began rearranging to make way for a tree, hung some garland and strung a few Christmas lights, and started visualizing where everything will go. Oh, and I'm pretty sure I'll try to finish up what I can tonight. All while listening to Michael Buble's new Christmas album.

Just for the record, I love Thanksgiving. I believe it should be given as much attention as possible and celebrated in great fashion.

However, I happened to have last night free and have the same tonight, so I'm going to take full advantage of what I can to get ready for "the most wonderful time of the year." I'll wait til this Sunday to purchase any real greenery we'll be getting (tree, garland, wreath), but I have a feeling I'm going to be so glad that I took the time to handle everything else this week.

Sorry if you're disappointed in me, but honestly, the older we get the shorter the season seems any way. So, I'm just stretching it out. :)

Telling the Family

2011-11-16T14:48:00.001-08:00

Since this is our first baby-to-be, we really wanted to tell our families in person. Much easier for J's family who is right down the road, but it was quite tricky to find the opportunity to tell mine. Schedules were crazy and distance was a factor, but we really wanted to tell them all within a small timeframe (my mom + sisters + I are terrible at keeping secrets from each other!). With a Labor Day deadline in mind (so that we could finally tell everyone!), we just got creative. See below for how we ended up working it all out!

Honey + Daddy Big

My parents had been traveling to Madagascar to visit my brother in late August. Knowing we wouldn't be seeing them before Labor Day, I had to figure out a way to meet them at the airport as they returned thru Atlanta (without causing suspicion). Somehow I convinced them that it was completely normal for us to want to drive to the airport at 7am on a Monday morning for a quick visit. What a great daughter I seemed to be, huh?!

Instead of just blurting out, "hey, we're pregnant!" I decided to a go with a slightly more subtle approach. We brought them breakfast bread (figured they'd be hungry), and a whipped cream "# 5" on top (this will be my parents 5th grand baby).

They definitely took us up on the breakfast, but it took them a little while to figure out what # 5 meant. So, I spelled it out for them on a t-shirt I had hidden under my jacket.

That picture is of us in the security line at the airport! Ha. We had to deal with the circumstances we were given!

Sue-Sue + Aunt Kelly

Once Jamie and I found out we were pregnant, I had somewhat been avoiding people. Between the way I was feeling and the fact that it was SO hard to keep it a secret, I just preferred laying low. So, we were way overdue for a dinner with Jamie's mom and sister. We finally got one set for a Thursday night at Flip (one of our favorite restaurants).

Jamie and I were leaving for Jackson, MS the next day to visit sweet Caroline and her parents. And, I just happened to have a little goodie basket I was taking to her. I figured she wouldn't mind if I borrowed the little baby booties for our Hargather reveal.

When we arrived, I asked the hostess if she wouldn't mind getting our server to bring out the booties (with a sign saying "Baby H, 3.12.12 attached) after we'd ordered. Well, the folks at Flip went over and beyond. Besides beautifully "plating" the booties, they also included a little liquid nitrogen for the smokey/dry ice effect.

It was hilarious. Kelly and Sue had NO idea what was going on. "What is that?" - Kelly "Do we eat it?" - Sue "Are they hand towels?" - Kelly (Keep in mind there was lots of liquid N2 smoking all around it.) Once it dawned on them what was going on, tears were shed. But, it was so much fun to share with them!

Aunt Diddy

Robin Anne (aka "Aunt Diddy") and soon-to-be Uncle Bob came in town Labor Day weekend for the UGA/Boise State game. Somehow I do not have any documentation of our time with them, but I went one more creative route with her. I made about a dozen of my favorite iced sugar cookies (that I make every year for our Unbou cookie swap). And on a few of them I wrote in icing, "Baby H, 3.12.12." Well, I offered RA a cookie that Friday night, and made her read the text before eating it up! Was so fun to have them there to talk through baby plans.

I also used those cookies to tell some friends and other family.

On our way to Carrollton that Monday (up next), we got to Skype with Uncle Andy and Aunt Betsy to tell them the news. Unfortunately, it was really hard to get creative over the phone, but was just as exciting to share with them!

Aunt Jen, Uncle Tee, and the kiddos

Our final trip was to Carrollton on Labor Day to share with the Green family. I know I came up with all sorts of different ways to tell people, but I thought making a puzzle for the kids would be fun. Well, let's just say it was much easier to make than it was to put together!

I gave it to them pretty quickly upon arrival, thinking they could put it together, then come ask me what exactly was going on. Turns out, I had to sit on the floor and help them put it together, while Sue and Jennifer visited. It was really hard! Finally, we figured it out, and the kids were slightly perplexed. Eventually, Hadley asked if I was pregnant, and I told her to ask her mom. The kids were so enthralled with the fact that there was a baby in my belly...it was hilarious.

I showed them the picture from Baby Center's pregnancy app that I had just downloaded on my phone. At the time, we were 13 weeks, and the baby was still looking a little like an alien in a sak, with a big head, large eyes, and a smaller body. Hutton thought it was funny, and decided to draw a picture of it on their chalkboard. :)

On the way home from Carrollton, we started calling close friends and getting the word out. Not only was it fun to share the news with everyone, but it was SO NICE to finally have the word out. No more secrets!!

I Ate All Your Halloween Candy

2011-11-10T07:25:00.000-08:00

Jimmy Kimmel asked parents to tell their kids that they ate all their Halloween candy, and record the kids' responses. Pretty hilarious. Somewhat sad (at least as far as how spoiled many of these kids are!). The last two are the best, tho.

ILMC

2011-11-01T11:42:00.000-07:00

I. Love. My. Church.

I do. Jamie and I have been attending Buckhead Church since before we were together. While we did a little church hopping at one point in our relationship, we have definitely come to realize that BC is home for us. The College Ministry. Andy's teaching. Our community there. Their ministries for kids (baby H is going to LOVE them all!). And the Be Rich campaign.

Every year our church launches an initiative to be the church to our local community. Lots of money is raised, countless hours are served, and hearts of people in our city are moved. None of this comes back to our church in any way, except in the feeling of gratitude when its people are blessed with opportunities to give and serve. I am reminded that this is how Jesus moved. This is how He lived.

If you're interested in doing something for your community this year (or at least our community, if Atlanta's not your place of residence), you can visit the Be Rich website at this link. There are opportunities to give and opportunities to serve.

[Also, I might have heard a little rumor that in one Sunday, the $500,000 goal was already met. However, don't let that deter you! We are reaching further than that with a goal of $1,000,000 raised for an even greater opportunity to reach our community.]

I'm grateful Buckhead give us countless opportunities to be the church.

happy halloweeeen!

2011-10-31T14:02:00.000-07:00

from me + baby 8 ball (magic or non-magic...your call)

the first of many homemade costumes to come for our little peanut

20 wks

2011-10-25T14:20:00.000-07:00

We finally got to see our baby again this morning! Everything is looking pretty good, so we're grateful for that. If ultrasound pictures weird you out, then you might want to skip down to the last bit. But, I had to share, because for one thing...it's fascinating, and for another thing...it's kind of hilarious. Oh, and it's my baby, and this is my blog. :)

Peanut is smart. See it holding up it's index finger. It knows it's #1,

and our first baby (besides the 4 legged one, of course).

Or it's already an avid sports fan, and someone snuck it a foam finger.

Here's the profile shot. See it's tiny nose, mouth and chin?

(Hint...it's lying on its back and the head is on the right.)

Happy Halloween! Baby H would like to go as a skeleton this year. From this

angle, peanut is facing us, and you can see his/her eye sockets (again, on the right),

arm (next to/above its head), and knee folded up on the bottom left.

And finally, here's a little wave, with his/her tiny bony fingers (see the little hand!).

Not to be outdone by his little brother or sister, here is a photo of Scout after he snuck onto the couch and ate half a bowl of candy corn that was on the side table. Needless to say, he's been feeling a little sick to the stomach today. I told him that's what happens to me when I eat too many in a row.

jowlin'

2011-10-21T07:09:00.000-07:00

So, this might be slightly embarrassing...

But, in the spirit of sending off one of my favorite photographing co-workers, David Naugle, thought I'd share a few photos he took yesterday. [Sidenote: Somehow I became the random stand in for various photo shoots around the office. One day I went through all the photos DN has taken of me and sent them to Jamie, one email at a time, for a good laugh. They are hilarious.]

I digress. Ever heard of jowlin'? It came around before planking. You know that face your dog makes when he shakes his head back and forth...the way his lips go all out of control all over the place....that's kind of the idea. In fact, here's a whole website devoted to Jowlers.

Official Urban Dictionary definition:

The violent shaking of one's head side-to-side in order to obtain a photograph of one's face distorted from the intense side-to-side motion.

Pretty sure Naugle has photographed most of the company jowling (and if a video comes my way, I'll be sure to post), but for now, here are a few of my favorite lovely shots.

And then, just for fun, he took some photos of me and Scout.

I'm sure going to miss having a professional photographer around all the time.

more tales from the dog

2011-10-20T08:38:00.000-07:00

These past two days haven't been the greatest for Mr. Scout...

- Forgot to pick up his crate from his stay with Sue this weekend, so he was given the privilege of staying in the laundry room, crate-free!, during the night or while we were out. We even put his bed in there to make it comfy. Talk about freedom (in a small measure), huh? I went home to take him out at 2pm yesterday, and when I got home at 6:15pm, he'd peed all over his bed and the floor (which he NEVER does). Lovely.

- Last night, I was using an old baking sheet in the oven, and the thing was smoking like nobody's business. Needless to say, the smoke alarm went off. More than once. (For those of you concerned, dinner was fine.) Pretty sure the high pitched noise scared the little man to death. He ran out the door to the top of the driveway, laid down, and wouldn't budge. When he finally did come inside, it was clear he was traumatized, so J let him on the couch to snuggle with him. This was where he landed (picture below)...acting like a cat. He hardly moved the rest of the night.

- I'm happy to say that Scout it back to his old self again this morning. After a fun run around with Cooper, another office dog, I took him out to potty. And do you know what happened? He pooped out a sock. Yep, the SECOND of Jamie's dress socks that I've seen come out of his back side. Think there's any chance they're a pair? Or that the husband might start picking up his socks? Or that we can actually train Scout to not eat socks (our trainer says it can be done)? Sigh.

- But on a fun note, the lil' man sure is loving the weather and the leaves. One day I'll get a video to show you, but he runs up and down the strip of grass outside our office, and buries his head in the pinestraw. Then he'll roll around in the leaves/grass looking all happy. It's pretty adorable.

- Oh, and my friend, Charlsie, has officially declared me a dog person. Maybe it's the countless pictures I put of Scout on twitter? Oh well, guess it was bound to happen.

Katsaridaphobia

2011-10-19T09:53:00.000-07:00

If you know me well, you know that I have a serious fear of roaches. And apparently, the scientific name for that is Katsaridaphobia. And apparently I'm not the only one who has this fear. If you see the image below, you'll see what my google search sprung up...aparently there's even hypnotherapy for cockroach phobia. (BTW, just writing all of this gives me chills.)

I know it seems silly. And I realize it seems like it's not possible, but I really am scared to death of them. In college, my roommate, Micah, and I used to just keep track of the roach in our room until we could find someone who would kill it. Or we'd wait til it got to a decent spot for us to spray a ridiculous amount of roach spray on it so that at least that way we could kill it from afar. Silly? Yes. Serious? Yes.

But I'm coming to the realization that I'm going to be a mom in a few months. And one of the things moms have to do is kill roaches for their kids (or else train their kids to be roach killers, which I fully intend to do; however, there will be a few years before it's ready for that). So, I'm trying really hard to man up and get over my fear.

But this morning just made me plain mad with the casualty I had over a roach. You see, I have this great mug that I keep at the office. It's large and microwavable (w/out getting too hot) and perfect for a big cup of chai or tea (and pictured below, except mine was brown w/ creme type). I got it back when I was working at Starbucks, and got a sweet discount. :) I keep this mug in a drawer, so no one else steals it (it's happened before and I went 2 weeks w/out it). Well, this morning's dreary weather was perfect chai sippin' weather, so I pulled it out, took it to the kitchen, and just as I was about to pour the milk in, I see the tiny, thin nasty legs.

Yep, there was a roach in my mug. And worse than that, it appeared that it was stuck to the one of the inside side's of it (I didn't realize it'd been so long since I'd used it!). Although I typically prefer them dead, the reality of it all was very disheartening. So, I do the most logical thing anyone in my position would do...I leave the mug on the counter, stare at it, and wait for the next boy to come into the kitchen. Poor Dave W. He did his best to simply dispose of the roach (is it terrible that I contemplated keeping the mug, and just running it 100x thru the dishwasher at the highest temp?). But the thing was crunchy (eww...his words, not mine) and stuck.

So, alas, I had to say goodbye to my favorite work mug. It now sits in the kitchen trash can until the trash gets taken out tomorrow night. Dang roach, you win again. If I was keeping a life score it would be: Roach - 225, Molly - 10. I know they die in the end (points for me), but the heart attack they almost give me is major points on their end.

weekend starts today!

2011-10-13T12:50:00.000-07:00

I'm taking tomorrow off to travel down to Dublin, GA, and here are some of the things I'm most excited about!

1 - The MOST exciting thing will be celebrating Shellie and Jose as they tie the knot this weekend. The more time that passes, the more confident I am that, other than the gift of His Son, marriage is the greatest earthly gift God gives us. Plus, she'll be an absolutely stunning bride. Oh, and we love her family, and it's certain to be a fun time. :)

2 - The bridesmaids' dresses are this lovely color (or somewhat close to it). Does that not just get you in the fall mood?

3 - The bridesmaids' dresses look like this (except in above color). Thank you, Shellie, for choosing an empire waist...even tho you didn't know I'd have a growing belly by your wedding! It makes this preggo feel and look so much better (since that's really what it's all about...).

4 - Have I mentioned that Shellie's getting married?! Shellie and I met in grad school and became instant friends. Then we ended up living together for a season at the Terrace. She has been such a blessing to me, and in my opinion, there's not much better than watching your friends fall in love.

5 - I found a super affordable dress, in the adorable houndstooth fabric featured below, that I plan on wearing to the rehearsal dinner. It's a great cut, and in my opinion, showcases my better features at the moment. (Once again, being vain. I apologize.)

6 - I get to hang out with these girls! All but Leah (Shellie's cousin on the far left) were in a small group the first year we were living in Atlanta. They were so instrumental during that time, and Shellie's wedding (+ festivities) have given us a great excuse to see more of each other!

And just a few more reasons...
- The weather's supposed to be perfect!
- We're staying in a hotel room. It's the La Quinta Dublin, but it doesn't matter. Whenever Jamie and I stay at a hotel, I feel like we're on vacation. :)
- Good food.
- Dancing.
- Scout's #1 reason he's excited for the weekend: He gets to hang out with his cousins, Gabby + Bailey, and play all weekend at Gma Sue Sue's!

Hope you enjoy your weekend, too!

punkins

2011-10-12T07:50:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, every year when October rolls around I go a little pumpkin crazy. I mean, I've only blogged about it a few times (here, here, and here :). But, who can resist when the air turns crisp, the leaves start to change, you start pulling out your jackets, and pumpkins are everywhere?!

It's funny, bc I am not really a warm color person at all (save game day :). But, somehow, come early October orange pumpkins tend to fill our small home, and I love it. (However, I'm a sucker for the white, green, and various colored pumpkins. If only they weren't so expensive!)

A few snapshots of the abode....

love our front porch, and our new foliage

(pardon the flags, but we're trying to deter Scout from eating the plants!)

really, really love the white pumpkins peeking out from the greenery

and winter lettuce. when I saw them at Pike's, I just couldn't resist.

isn't it un-American to not have a mum by your front door for fall :)

sweet Lindsay made the most delicious pumpkin muffins for us!

if you like pumpkin, you really need to keep up with her blog during this

month, as it's declared all-things-pumpkin! she even tried out

pumpkin mac-n-cheese. and the granola looks heavenly.

Yoforia has finally put pumpkin spice yogurt in their stores,

and it is amazing! try it w/ graham cracker crumbles and

it tastes like pumpkin pie. yummm!

For a small group treat, I tried out this pumpkin fluff recipe that I saw on Pinterest

Pumpkin-y things that I have yet to indulge in, but definitely plan on...

- Starbucks' pumpkin spice latte

- pumpkin butter

- pumpkin bread (although, Lindsay did make us some delicious pumpkin swirl bread)

- Devon's pumpkin cookies

- pumpkin pie

- one of my mom's Thanksgiving pumpkin rolls

- Lindsay's pumpkin apple parfait

- this Pumpkin Risotto recipe from Southern Living

- and, of course, some Brach's mellowcream pumpkins!!

Baby H may be deterring me from certain foods, but I'm so thankful the peanut is loving pumpkin as much as I do!

super dog

2011-10-06T14:45:00.000-07:00

I know this is my second "fluffy" post in a row, but I just couldn't help myself. This is hil-a-rious.

am I really that old?

2011-10-05T11:29:00.000-07:00

because most of the time, this is how I really feel....

and then I remember that I'm going to be a mom in a few short months. sigh. oh, and turning 30 in january. sigh. sigh. oh well, cheers to them both!

how we found out

2011-10-03T09:35:00.000-07:00

And now for the details that I had to keep to myself for what seemed like forever!

The Day We Found Out

Although we weren't preventing anymore, we were still pretty shocked when we found out we were pregnant...mainly because it didn't take much time at all! The week after July 4th, which also happens to be the week of Jamie's birthday, I was missing a key element that usually sends a big signal that you're not pregnant. Jamie knew this, but we had decided to wait until the very end of the week to test for sure. Well, his birthday rolled around that Friday, and I just couldn't wait. I bought two tests, and decided to take one that morning...without telling him.

After making him his favorite breakfast, banana pancakes, I snuck off to the bathroom and waited for the results. Welp, as you can guess, the screen read a big, fat PREGNANT across it. So, I walked out and asked Jamie if he wanted his first gift. He agreed, and I just went out and said it..."I'm pretty sure we're gonna have a baby."

The rest of the morning was somewhat of a blur - we had our freak out moments, I cried, we took a 2nd test, more freak out moments, frantic research about what I can and can't eat, lots of googling about what to do next, more freak out moments, etc, etc. And then the realization that I can't tell anybody! As hard as it was, it was a fun few months for Jamie and I to talk through it, dream, plan, and let it sink in.

Here's a series of photos we took the next morning (really early, as you can tell!) -

remember this photo that I referenced in his bday post about an exciting

morning? even more exciting than you had probably thought :)

big year

2011-09-28T09:38:00.000-07:00

Well, turns out it's going to be an even bigger year for the Allen family than we had originally thought. Looks like Baby Hargather will arrive a little over 2 months before my younger sister gets MARRIED! Robin Anne and Bob are engaged!

Bob planned the whole thing out for this past weekend, and waited to tell the family until early last week! So, while we were off in NY, she was getting engaged. Knowing that I couldn't wait to go celebrate with her, I planned a little surprise trip for as soon as possible (which happened to be Monday night).

the bling and the baby bump

the beautiful Bride-to-be!

Lots of fun in store these next few months as we prepare for baby and for a wedding!

and one more...

2011-09-26T08:17:00.001-07:00

...of the Hargathers + the baby bump :)

eating our way through Rochester

2011-09-26T08:05:00.000-07:00

Thanks so much for all the sweet words about the lil' baby in my belly! We are really so excited, and I am SO happy that we can finally let the world know! I've got lots of pictures, etc to come, but thought that today I should tell you about the way we ate our way through Rochester, NY this past weekend. :)

Of course the main event was cousin Dan and Laura's wedding, but we managed to turn it into one big eating-fest while we were there. Met lots of cousins that I hadn't until now, and we had such a blast with all of the Hargather family! They remind me so much of my extended family...I just wish we could see them more often.

Forgot my real camera, so here's a glimpse of the wknd through my iPhone pics.

Jamie and precious Ollie, one of my favorite lil' kids!

J got lots of daddy practice this weekend, and he was amazing!

Jamie's cousin Shawn (red shirt) owns General Hoock's, which is a one man

show with some of the best (and heftiest) breakfast food I've had

Kelly and our first course, French Toast + Bacom

Jamie and I with the main meal, a breakfast sandwich monstrosity

(eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, cheeses, french bread, and a meat sauce)

J + Kelly at the bar area of General Hoock's

the newlyweds!

70 mini pies that sweet Aunt Debi made...yum!

first dance...Mr. and Mrs. Dan Hoock

Jamie and Ollie

our final meal on Sunday afternoon after church with all of the family;

then we all played PIG (card game similar to Spoons)

By the end of the weekend, you had to roll us onto the plane, but it was such a fun trip! Hope it's not too long til we get to see the Rochester cousins again!

and so...

2011-09-22T11:50:00.000-07:00

...I told you I'd deliver some big news this week to make up for my lack in blog posts. So here goes...

Baby Hargather is making its debut March 12, 2012! Yep, we're going to be parents!!

There may be many of you who already know, but word is really just getting out. Jamie and I were on the same page that this was one of those things we needed to keep to ourselves until the timing was right, and we had to make sure we could coordinate telling my family in person before we told everyone else. So, we didn't spill til Labor Day weekend, which was right at 13 weeks (hardest secret I've ever kept!). If you do the math...

...we're 15 1/2 weeks. Aka...over three months! And this week, we're the size of an apple. :) I say "it" and "we" because we don't know the sex, nor are we going to find out. Fun surprises to come!

In my opinion, I've been "showing" for a while (when it's your body, it's different!), but this week is the first where other people have really started noticing. Without further ado, here's the first public baby bump photo.

thanks for the dress, Kathryn!!

There's so much to share, but I'll keep this short and sweet and more in line with an announcement. Plenty more updates to come in the next few months, and bare with me as I promise to try really hard not to turn this blog into baby central. And in the meantime, we'll covet your prayers for little peanut! This whole process really is a little miracle :)

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart. - Jeremiah 1:5

What a promise from a loving and faithful Father!

bells

2011-09-21T11:01:00.000-07:00

Ever wish you could be two places at once? There is so much good going on this weekend, that I think I'd like to be more than just two places! But, such is life, (and we're super excited about our trip north!), but I wanted to share two awesome sets of couples that are gettin' HITCHED on Saturday!

First up, the fabulous Devon Pasquariello and fiance, Ryan McGinnis. Devon is a former co-worker, but in the process of working together for a few years became a dear, close friend. She moved to Indy a few years ago so that she and Ryan could live in the same town, but she's coming back to GA (one of my favorite cities, Athens, to be exact) to let the wedding bells ring. Devon is one of the most laid-back people I know, with one of the biggest hearts as well. Those are just two of the reasons I wish we could be there to celebrate with them this weekend (oh, and also because she's going to be one amazingly beautiful bride!). So grateful I could soak up some quality time with you yesterday, Devon! Congrats, you two.

love this photo of Ryan and Devon

Next up, the GA Hargathers are traveling up north to join the Rochester, NY Hargathers in celebrating Dan and Laura's wedding weekend! I'm super excited about this trip, because these are some of J's relatives that I've spent the least time with (but enjoy so much!). We leave bright and early Friday morning, and arrive to even cooler temperatures than what Georgia is having now. These guys are so much fun, but even better than that, they are some of the most amazingly solid believers that we know. It's going to be such a rich weekend. :) Really excited to spend some quality time with them all, and spend Saturday celebrating this beautiful couple...

Cousin Dan, and soon-to-be cousin Laura

highlights

2011-09-19T10:34:00.000-07:00

I know I've been a bad blogger lately, but I've got some good stuff coming up this week that will hopefully make up for it. :)

Meanwhile, here are a few of today's highlights...

the weather forecast for this week; yes, i see the rain, but do

you see the ONE day this week that it's going to be over 80*?

HELLO FALL!

which leads me to spending lots of time (esp. in the morning) on our front

porch sitting in a rocking chair doing this. can you say "ahhhhhh?!"

our college small group is starting back up (we've added lots of guys and girls...yay!),

and last night we got together to hang out and celebrate Lucas's 21st birthday!!

have i told you enough how blessed we are by this guy?

another article praising our fabulous little area of town. i do love it so!

and, finally, one of my all-time favorite shows gets some well-deserved

emmy love. cannot wait for the season to kick off so that i can laugh

my little booty off with the Dunphy's, Pritchett's, and the Pritchett-Tucker's

Happy Monday, friends!

Jackson, MS

2011-09-07T10:04:00.001-07:00

Two weekends ago, Jamie and I loaded up the car and took a 6 hour road trip west down I-20 - all to meet sweet little Caroline Burkhalter! Oh, and to see her parents too. :) I told you some about Caroline, and her mama Kathryn, on my blog here. But I've known mama since we were in the crib together.

We spent a lot of the weekend just hanging out at their adorable home, and enjoying the time to catch up (and watch them work their baby schedule like clock work!). But we also got out a few times to see all that Jackson had to offer. Of course, I was mostly interested in the landmarks from The Help movie. [Sidenote: Kathryn was an extra in the film. A teeny tiny extra part, but fun, nonetheless!]

Here are some photos of our weekend getaway to good ole' Jackson, MS.

our basket of goodies for Caroline...

you just don't show up empty handed :)

shortly after bath time

lunch excursion to Brent's Diner - where Emma

Stone, aka Skeeter, had a few meals in the movie

absolutely adorable.

Kathryn and Neal live in the Fondren area of Jackson,

and that's where most of the Jackson filming took place.

It's all super cute and old school, and they said it's

always been like that, not just for the movie.

Caroline's first baseball game...

the Mississippi Braves! Who knew?!

(Apparently lots of people other than myself)

J soaking up sweet nap time

check out that face!

love her

one last photo before we were off

Big thanks to Kathryn and Neal for hosting us so well, even with a 2 month old!

Stories of a Dog

2011-08-30T08:42:00.000-07:00

Along with being a dog owner comes some great stories (which I'm assuming comes along nicely with a kid, too). The best story is saved for last (and might be faux pas to write on a blog, but oh well, it's funny).

We bought him a bed from L.L. Bean so our little guy (who's getting bigger by the day) will have his own spot in the living room. For his projected weight, it was suggested that we get the X-large. Well, good news is that he LOVES it. Bad news is it just doesn't fit in our house...it's HUGE! I don't think we have a choice but to exchange it for the large, which will still be big, but hopefully doable.

[Sidenote: L.L. Bean might just have the best customer service I've ever experienced. They are happy to take back the bed, even tho it's monogrammed. And they even told me to keep it for a while, since he's still growing, and we can return it at any time if we decide it's not best when he's full grown. I will now shop there for everything I can!]

Scout and his bed

his bed taking over our living room

Scout's still got a ton of energy! Sometimes it's fun, and sometimes it's a nuisance, but he's really excited that we're starting our training class at Highland Pet in two weeks. :)

Scout, after joining me for a 4 mile run! Only

wore the sucker out for about 1 hour!

He is a GOOD sleeper! Not a peep from him in the middle of the night, and he naps well at work.

napping really well next to my desk

He still thinks he's a lap dog, and loves to crawl in your lap if you sit on the floor. I kind of love it tho.

Collier and Scout hanging out in his old bed.

He almost crushed her.

Scout and his mama

I've saved the best for last, but I excluded photos for your sake. (Warning: don't read on if you have a weak stomach or are eating a meal.) Scout hasn't been eating very well, and I've been trying to figure out why. Well, I think I just might have figured it out. After spending a super fun-filled weekend with grandma SueSue and his cousins, we had to put him in his crate while we headed out to a college dinner. Well, when we came back the poor lil' man had thrown up....the small, felt chew toy that I saw him swallow last Tuesday. So I'm thinking his stomach must have been full of the chew toy. But it gets better.

Yesterday, I went to let him out at lunch, and the boy had a tough time pooping. I'll spare you all the details, but I had to go get a shovel to help him get it all out. Turns out what he was having trouble getting out was a dress sock of Jamie's that went missing early last week. Disgusting...yes. Hilarious...yes! Think it's time we make sure we leave nothing on the floor!

Feature on Apartment Therapy

2011-08-25T12:44:00.001-07:00

One of my younger sister's closest friends (who I call a close friend too) had her house featured on Apartment Therapy today! Harper and Caleb live in Dalton, and have done an amazing job with their new home...filling it with some pretty great DIY and second hand finds (in an amazing way). Check it out here!

Jaemore Farmers Market

2011-08-22T08:28:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, we went to Lake Yonah with some super fun friends. Lots of relaxing, eating (thanks, Lindsay!), water sports, and enjoying the company. On the way to and from Lake Yonah, on 985, you pass Jaemore Farmers Market. Of the handful of times we've gone, it's always been closed. But yesterday I finally got to experience it! See our bounty below!

A beautiful bucket of peaches - $7!

Blueberry bread + apple cider donuts (picked out by my husband).

Homemade pimento cheese.

Plums, red tomatoes, and green tomatoes (that I plan on frying up, once Lindsay posts her new recipe!).

There's not much more fun than experiencing (and eating the fruits from) an outdoor farmers' market. If you're ever up 985, and happen to pass it, I highly recommend a stop!

2011-08-19T08:29:00.000-07:00

If you have yet to jump on the Pinterest bandwagon, please do yourself a favor and go join now! What is Pinterest, you ask. Well, I'll let them tell you...

Pinterest lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes.
Best of all, you can browse pinboards created by other people. Browsing pinboards is a fun way to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests. To get started, request an invite.

In layman's terms, it's an online spot to consolidate all of the things you find on the web. Recipes. Home decor. Sewing tips. DIY Projects. Party ideas. Etc. Etc. Every picture you pin is linked back to where you found it. Once you join, you have the option to "pin" anything that you find on a blog or website. Once you pin it, it goes onto you pin board, and is shared with all of your followers. One of my favorite parts is that everyone is doing the research for me. You can follow your friends and see all of the things that they've pinned, which means they've already found the best things on the blogs. :)

thoughts on dating (from across the pond)

2011-08-15T11:38:00.000-07:00

I have this hilariously amazing (or is it amazingly hilarious?) friend, who happens to be living in south Asia right now doing some incredible work. This girl has some great perspective and unique humor, and today's "thoughts on dating" was just something I thought I'd share. All credit for this story goes to Miss Jessi Mitchell.

I've been doing some thinking about dating lately...

...and I'm beginning to think that 'normal' dating...

...might not be a good fit for me.

This begs the question: what IS the right fit?

There are so many options out there to consider...

There's blind dating...

...online dating...

...carbon dating...

...carbon dating continued...

...or dilapidating...

...or mandating...

Clearly this story isn't wrapped up, but that's all I can leave you with for now. :)

the God of this city

2011-08-12T11:10:00.000-07:00

I know I've mentioned this song before, but a news article that I just read made it all the more real to me. A church in Woodstock, GA opened its doors early this morning to provide free dental work to anyone who would show up. Turns out hundreds of people did (see below picture). Some even camped out on the concrete last night to ensure that they were seen today.

It's amazing how many of us often see mission work as something to be done in a city, country, or continent that is foreign to us. Well, it can be. But it's amazing the great need that is right in our backyard. On our streets. And in our city. Praying that I can be aware of that more often. And grateful to this church for opening its doors to such a need.

The Fry Guy

2011-08-11T10:03:00.000-07:00

Tuesday night we decided to do dinner at the Howell Mill Food Park again. We usually have a commitment on Tuesday nights, but for the next few weeks, we're free. So I plan on indulging myself in delicious street food fare until then!

This week, the most memorable food I tried was from The Fry Guy. I was a little hesitant, as the fries are a bit pricey ($5). But, he does specialize in fries, so I figured they had to be good. Oh my goodness. Delicious! There's no cooking until your order is placed, so the fries are fresh, hot, and perfectly seasoned. He's got a variety of sauces (one per order, I went with the garlic aioli), and he offers ketchup and malt vinegar as well. I sprinkled some vinegar on top, did a little combo dip of the ketchup and aioli, and those things were heaven. So much so, that I'm craving them now.

Next time you're surrounded by food trucks (hey...they're all over town now! check out the most current schedule that I could find here), you have to try The Fry Guy. I'm just sayin'.

Monday Night Brewing

2011-08-09T11:33:00.000-07:00

Last night was the officially launch party for Monday Night Brewing! What's MNB, you ask? Well, it's a group of three guys, all connected to Westside Church, who started experimenting with hops a few years back. Turns out they were pretty good at it, and they started hosting a Monday night event where they'd serve their beer to neighbors, friends, friends of neighbors, etc. All out of a garage. A garage that happens to belong to our neighbor, Jeff. (For the most accurate story, see the About section on their website.)

Next thing you know, their beer is actually on shelves! Well, at least in kegs at local watering holes. Last night, a rather large group showed up at Ormsby's to celebrate, and to buy their beer for the first time! Such a fun night of friends, neighbors, yummy food, and of course really great beer.

If you're out at any of these spots over these next few weeks, be sure to try one for yourself!

Beach Pictures

2011-08-04T12:42:00.000-07:00

We had such a fun, relaxing vacation in St. Simons!

the little guys went out fishing with the

big guys...and look what they caught!

how cute are all of these kiddos?! second from the right is

my niece, hutton, who also happens to be my godchild...

who also happens to have inherited my wide open personality :)

sisters

RA showing us how to do the Cupid Shuffle

(while reminding herself via You Tube)

Hads and a parrot...downtown SSI

Jamie getting used and abused

"throw me, Uncle Jamie!"

our daily trek to the beach

cutest twins i know

my date and I at the Ocean Lodge restaurant

dancin' to the steel drums

mom, dad, and Collier

Hutton and her Martha Washington do

Christmas card photo session

i mean, seriously, how cute are they?!

Jamie, after an hour and a half paddleboarding excursion

Hutton and I take a turn

fun in the waves

lots of feet

shrimp boil

2011-07-26T07:43:00.000-07:00

We're heading to St. Simons Island tonight for our beach summer vacation. And it couldn't come at a better time. Really. Just looking at these pictures below makes me breathe easier.

Hope you enjoy your week!

DIY: Pallet Shelves

2011-07-22T11:55:00.000-07:00

This was my inspiration for an empty wall space in our bedroom...

Shipping Pallet Shelves

I won't take you through the whole tutorial on here, but you can find a basic one that I followed loosely here.

what I started with (thank you husband for grabbing the pallet!)

Too much time and too much sweat and soreness later, I discovered we had one of these ---->>>>

Made my life, and this project so much easier!

about half way through

The only significant difference b/t the way I did my shelves and the

tutorial I linked to is that I didn't nail the bottom of the shelves into place.

It was just going to be too much. Instead, I measured the bottom pieces

of wood (from the leftover pallet) to exactly match the width of the

opening. Then I used wood glue and a hot glue gun to set in place!

I'd say we're satisfied with the final product!

Confession...

2011-07-14T13:46:00.000-07:00

i. love. harry. potter.

(I guess I have technically already confessed this before.)

Today is a big day. Tonight is the premiere for the final installment of the Harry Potter series. Now, I'm a huge, huge HP fan, but I'm not obsessed. I think J.K. Rowling is a beautiful writer. I have fallen in love with the cast of characters. I laughed with them. Cried with them (used almost an entire box of tissues for that last book). I was so bummed when it was over.

But, I'm not going to dress up like any of the characters and sacrifice sleep to catch the first view of the film tonight. In fact, I haven't even seen the last movie. Now that's partially due to the fact that I knew it would be really hard to watch Part 1, and then wait 8 months for the final one. But also because the books were really what did it for me.

However, I will be seeing this movie sometime soon (hopefully in theatres...maybe IMAX?...and of course I've got to watch the first one before). And I still want to go to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal and visit Hogwarts, browse around Hogsmeade, and sip on some butterbeer.

And you should definitely check out the preview below.

Only one can live.

Celebrations with Food

2011-07-13T13:17:00.000-07:00

This past Friday was Jamie's 29th birthday! In true fashion, we ate our way through the weekend, while celebrating one of the greatest men I know. And definitely the handsome-est.

Exciting morning...happy birthday, J!

(Pretty sure I love birthdays more than he.)

First up, Lindsay's amazing Oat flour pancakes for bfast. I used her

Pineapple Upside Down Pancakes recipe, but I substituted bananas

(Jamie's favorite) for the pineapple. I had never baked with oat

flour before (or Greek yogurt), but they were amazing! And so

much better for you...don't know that I'll ever go back!

Next up: (later that night, of course!)

Jamie's favorite appetizer in the world.

Bistro Niko's mussels. Yum!

On to my mom's pecan crusted salmon recipe with

roasted brocolli, yukon gold mashed potatoes and

french bread - all at his request.

We capped off the weekend at Kyma with Jamie's

mom and sister. Yummy Greek, and they've

got fabulous $7 appetizers on Sunday nights.

Was a really great, exciting weekend, and I can't wait to tell you more about it! More pictures to come too, as we had a Saturday visit from the cutest nieces and nephew you've seen!

7.4 in photos

2011-07-06T13:41:00.001-07:00

The Allen family annual 4th of July mountain weekend was such a fun time, as usual. Here's a look at some of the weekend's events, in pictures.

watched + sent off lots of fireworks

enjoyed a dinner out at Wade Hampton

Lots of time at the lake (High Hampton pictured here)

On Daddy Big's boat at Lake Glenville

tubing til we couldn't tube anymore :)

High Hampton's annual 4th of July cloggers

So much good food...mom's 4th of July ribs

So grateful for such a wonderful family!

(We missed you, Andy, Betsy, Sue + Kelly!!)

Caroline Mae

2011-07-05T13:09:00.000-07:00

This past Thursday night, we got to welcome Caroline Mae Burkhalter into the world.

Her mom (so crazy saying that) is the oldest friend I have. Kathryn and I grew up playing in the crib together, then going through potty training, on to making up our own plays in the backyard, family vacations, high school drama, college road trips, dating relationships, weddings, and now a baby!

I already love this little girl and I haven't had the chance to meet her yet! But I'm on the schedule for a late-August trip to Jackson, MS to love and hug on this girl til she just can't stand it anymore.

Kathryn, I hope you don't kill me for putting up this picture without asking, but I couldn't help it. I mean, you sure do look AMAZING for just having had a baby (well, actually, just in general!)!

Kathryn + Caroline leaving the hospital

Current Favorites

2011-06-30T09:46:00.000-07:00

Here's what's been going on, which happens to be some of current favorites...

1 I The Voice

NBC's The Voice really has become my favorite reality show competition. For so many reasons. The coaches. The 4 finalists (and some who didn't make it all the way). The connection b/t the coaches and their singers. The performances. The blind auditions. The battle rounds. I could go on and on. My only non-favorite part about it: Christina Aguilera's wardrobe. And occasionally her attitude.

2 I Dinners/Random late-nights at Home

Baby Zeke!

Jonathan, Ashley, Rich, and J

3 I The Teels' transplant to "Atlanta"

(well, Alpharetta, but closer!)

Dinner at LaFonda with some of my closest friends from college

4 I Homemade

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Peach Pie, from this month's Southern Living

Definitely recommend!

Was feeling beachy one night, so I tried these strawberry daquiris

Mmmmmmm

5 I Scout

Too tired to stand up and drink

Playing in the ice and mud at J's softball game

6 I Vacation

Pictures to come, but tonight we're heading to Cashiers

for the annual Allen family 4th of July vacation! Happy

day, America...hope you all enjoy!

5:15am Wake Up Call

2011-06-28T08:57:00.000-07:00

Today was "bring a friend to bootcamp" day for a co-worker of mine, and since we'd talked so frequently about my interest in it, I decided to give it a try.

Turns out....I loved it!

Granted, this was obviously my first day. I'm not sore yet. It's the only day in 6 months (maybe even a year!) that I've gotten up so early - 5:15am was my wake-up call. That's definitely doable. 4 days a week...I just don't know.

However, there has always been such a tug in me that has known that if I could wake up at 5am or so, I would have my kind of ideal morning. Today was it. I worked out hard (plus I got an early morning city view at Piedmont Park, where it's hosted). Treated myself to Starbucks. Spent some time in the Word. And even had time to eat breakfast with my husband. All before work!

Plus, I love the idea behind the specific bootcamp I participated in. It's called Bootcamp 4a Cause. These guys donate almost 100% of their profit to a local charity, including Piedmont Park Conservancy (giving back to the place they spend so much time in!).

They invited friends back tomorrow, and I think I might just give it another shot. Next session starts next week, and I'm really tempted to try it for a month. Anybody with me??!! Please?! :)

Bachelor/Bachelorette News

2011-06-22T08:20:00.000-07:00

I'm totally sucked in, and I know it's pathetic.

The Good

Sweet Chris, 2nd runner up from Ali's season, is engaged! Yay for him.

The Bad

Poor Ames had to go to the Thai hospital this past week, after getting knocked pretty hard during some terrible date idea that Ashley had. I think Ames is my favorite. I mean, check out his resume...

The Ugly

Bentley's back next week. Seriously. I know Ashley is kicking herself now that she knows what he's been saying about her. Poor Cozy (for being his daughter, and for being named Cozy). If she mentions his name one more time after next week...

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-20T08:05:00.000-07:00

Scout wanted to make Jamie a Father's Day card...

DIY: Fabric Headboard

2011-06-15T10:01:00.000-07:00

Another project that we've had in mind for a long time was to make a head board for our master bedroom. My mom had generously offered to give us yards and yards of some burlap fabric that she had bought, but didn't need. So, we used some for our bed skirt (huge shout out to my amazingly talented Aunt Kathy who made it), and had plenty left over.

While it took us a while to complete, I think the headboard totally makes the room!

BEFORE

AFTER

Making our own headboard saved us at least $300 (more, if we had decided to purchase from somewhere like Ballards), and it was a fun project.

Step 1: We had the folks at Home Depot cut out a piece of plywood to the measurements that we wanted.

Step 2: We started with foam (from JoAnn's), to provide some cushion, rolled it out, and cut it into strips. (We measured the foam to the exact size of the plywood, then wrapped it in batting. We also doubled up on the foam to make it hardier.)

Step 3: We used some spray adhesive to help keep the foam in place, before wrapping it with batting.

Step 4: (This is when we took the project outside!) Wrap the foam in batting, pulling tightly while keeping everything lined up, and staple the batting to the back side of the plywood.

Note: We used a professional grade staple gun (powered by an air compressor...thank you, Gavin!), which made the process bearable. I don't know that we would have completed it with a regular staple gun, as I imagine we used over 1,000 staples total.

Step 5: Wrap the fabric around the batting, pull tightly, and staple away...again.

Step 5: Hang! This was one of the more complicated parts, because we wanted to be thorough. We used a track and slide wall hanger. Measuring, leveling, measuring, leveling...but we only had to do it once!

Below is a close-up side shot. We actually had to have a seamstress add fabric, because our project was too wide. But I like the seam it created on both sides.

Now I just need to invest in some bigger pillows. :)

Home Grown

2011-06-14T13:30:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things about summer is the produce. Jamie and I planted our garden again, and although we've got lots of tomato plants (and herbs!), that was about as far as we ventured with veggies this year. But I'm thinking next year we're going to need to try out some more options! Thankfully our next-door neighbors have a bountiful crop, and are eager to share (yes, these are the same guys who share their eggs too!).

Tomatoes from our porch, and a cucumber from the Bergers

A little S + P, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, and basil later.

Yummy afternoon snack, and it'll go on our fish tonight!

And just because I'm sure you can't get enough of him....

Scout cuddling with his dad (although he's not normally allowed

on the couch....but he's injured)

And Scout curling up on his new bed

Scout update: He's healing just fine, but we let him play a little this weekend, and he was back to limping. So, he's on strict crate-rest, which he is so not loving. If only he could understand that it's because we love him so. :)

Up next...the headboard and shipping palate shelves! Promise.

Big Day

2011-06-10T07:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a big day for our little family!

To start things off, Scout was playing hard with some of his puppy friends at work, having a good ole' time. And suddenly he started yelping and limping, and then he laid down and didn't want to get up. I know he's just my dog, but, y'all, it hurt my heart. Thankfully our vet also happens to be our neighbor, so I called him up and he said to bring him in. Scout spent most of his day at the vet, until they could see him, and the verdict is that it must just be a pulled muscled or strain.

My poor lil' guy on his way home.

We went over to see Aunt Kelly at her new place, and it just so happens that she was in the pool (yes, they have a pool...it's a great house!). Scout was doing some sniffing, got a little close to the edge, and fell in! (Mind you, I'd just gotten strict instructions to make sure he takes it easy...oops.) Thankfully Kelly helped him out, and he was just so pathetic. I wrapped him in a towel and put him in my lap, and he was content the rest of the night.

Not dramatic at all.

In other news....I bit the bullet and got an iPhone! For those of you who know me well, this was a big step for me.

I mean,

I went from this

<--

to this

-->

Guess this means I'm officially connected. Anybody have any apps to share that I can't live without?

In a few hours, Scout and I will head up to Cashiers, NC to join mom, dad, and Jamie. The latter two are playing in a golf tournament this weekend, and word on the street is that they played pretty well yesterday. Wish me well as I try to keep our lil' man on bedrest. He is not enjoying it!

DIY: moss-covered letter

2011-06-09T08:15:00.000-07:00

As I've mentioned before, Jamie and I have an on-going list of projects that we're working to complete (and then we keep adding to the list!). We love our home, it's just the nature of being a homeowner, I guess!

One area that was further down our list for completion is the back porch. We love it and use it a lot, but being that it's not covered and it's seasonal, we've taken our time with it.

A few months ago, I spotted these moss-covered letters in the Pottery Barn catalogue. I love most all things moss-related, but the price tag ($79!) was way more than I would ever imagine spending on a letter (or even a pair of shoes, if we're being honest)! So, I figured I could totally do this myself. See below...

Step 1: I knew I wanted a large "H", so I bought two sheets of green styrofoam from Michaels. I had been tipped on the green color, so that you didn't have to layer the moss on quite as heavy. Hot glue the two sheets together.

Step 2: Draw the letter first. Then cut out, using a serrated knife.

(This took me forever, but that's because I'm a perfectionist. And I free-handed. If you don't feel comfortable free-handing, you can print out and use that as a stencil.)

Step 3: Lay down a generous layer of hot glue, and then lay down a layer of moss. I bought the sheet moss, and it worked wonders, so that I could do a big chunk at a time and so that it didn't turn out too stringy. Keep in mind, this is a patient process!

The completed look!

Below is an updated photo of where we hung it. The only bummer of the project is that it's been sun stained, and it has gone through all of the storms (and WIND!) of the past two months. I need to patch it up in a few spots, and I might try spray painting it if I can find a color that won't look like it's been spray painted. We'll see!

bentley = tool

2011-06-07T10:49:00.000-07:00

Don't let his curly hair and cute smile fool you. This man is a jerk.

Yes, I'm giving away the fact that I've once again allowed myself to get pulled in by the cheesiest dating show on reality tv.

But I just think it needs to be said, Bentley Williams is the sleaziest man I've met/watched/heard about/etc.

I felt really sorry for Ashley last night, as she watched the show for the first time, hearing Bentley's commentary. What a #@%#*@%*$! (Use your imagination.)

I'm really glad, for Emily's sake, that she wasn't the bachelorette, since he kept saying things might have turned out differently with her. And I feel really terrible for his daughter, who has such an a$* for a dad.

DIY: diaper cake

2011-06-06T09:35:00.000-07:00

I've got a whole slew of DIY projects coming your way. Some were completed months ago (like the one I'm sharing today!) that I've just forgotten to post, and others were completed this past (productive) weekend. Anyhow...here's the diaper cake that I know all (3) of you are dying to hear about.

Obviously, this is one of those do-it-yourselves that is pretty easy for anyone to accomplish, without instructions. But, I'm sharing anyway! I have mixed feelings about diaper cakes...some people consider them super cheesy, yet I think they're a pretty practical gift. And the diaper cake fit the theme that we were going with perfectly. My best friend from when we were in diapers (ha...get it...) is having a baby! Unfortunately, Kathryn lives 5+ hours away, so planning a baby shower was a bit of a feat, working around her schedule of trips home. Finally, we decided that we'd settle on a super low key, fun, girls night at one of our favorite restaurants, Luigi's. Maybe it wasn't an official shower, but it needed to be known that we were celebrating. The diaper cake would be the centerpiece.

I'm a big believer that if you can do something yourself, you need to. So, here are the steps to completion...

Step 1: Find a base for your diaper cake. Start rolling diapers, placing them in a circular shape. I used an elastic rubberband to keep my diapers in the position that I wanted, working the additional diapers into the group in the shape I wanted. I also made sure to turn the colorful part of the diapers to the inside, to keep my cake white. Once the base layer was completed, I tied it off with twine (in case the rubberband busted).

*One thing to note: I checked Kathryn's registry and purchased the diapers that she wanted. That's important to do if you actually want them to use the diapers and not be a waste!

Step 2: This was when I realized that I needed a "backbone" for the cake to keep the layers from sliding. I simply took out the middle diaper, and replaced it with a cardboard tube.

Repeat step 1, with a few less diapers, to make the second layer as large/small as you'd like.

Step 3: Once again, repeat step 1, using even few diapers to make this layer even smaller.

Step 4: Finish off with some ribbon, a bow, and possibly a monogram. Whatever floats your boat!
I also made some votives out of baby food jars (that were emptied and cleaned), filled with jelly beans and a tea light, wrapped in ribbon. Unfortunately, I didn't get a great picture of that, so you'll have to use your imagination. The best part...Kathryn was craving jelly beans that night. :)

celebrations

2011-06-03T08:55:00.000-07:00

Lil' sister turns 27 tomorrow! She'll be celebrating in Pascagoula, MS because she's always wanted to visit. Kidding. (Not that people can't vacation in Pascagoula...) She'll be celebrating her bday at an engagement party for some close friends. So, I took her out when she came through ATL.

Happy Birthday, RA! I can't imagine life without you...in so many ways! :)

Also in big news this week...one of my best friends got engaged! Shellie met Jose almost one year ago, and they are getting married in October. I don't know if I'm speaking for everyone, but once you're married, it makes watching your friends fall in love that much greater. I really think so. God is good! Or, thank you, Jesus, as the Cochran ladies would say.

Friends and family celebrating at Tijuana Joe's

And, finally, this has nothing to do with celebrating, but just because he's the cutest pup in the world. Here's Mr. Scout.

Don't you love how he's got the whole smoky eye look going on?!

One of my favorite things about him...his white eyelashes!! Can you see them?