An ignored blog is a sad blog!

I last updated in October!  Crazy.  I am committing to being a better blogger.  For me. 


In February, the Hubs and I starting working hard to become healthier, cleaner eaters.  We have tried all sorts of new foods like mashed cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, and others!  This new venture has proved very fruitful as we have both lost more than 10 pounds!

We are very much looking forward to Spring in Alabama with top-down Jeep trips, evenings on the soon-to-be constructed back deck, and cooking out with friends.

Unfortunately the beginning of 2015 has brought some sad moments and maybe I will talk about them later, we are still blessed in many ways.  I look forward to the rest of 2015 and all of the awkward moments it has waiting for us.

The Queen of Bad Decisions

One of the keys of healthy living is to make good decisions.  And I'm the queen of making bad decisions when it comes to my healthy living. 

 Just today instead of making a salad, I made fries. 

With that really high-calorie honey mustard.

And I ate it all.

Here's to eating better.  Making better decisions one moment at a time. 

An apple instead of a mini Snickers.

A big salad instead of fries.

I'm going for a run later.  That's a good decision. One at a time.

That Trip to Gatlinburg

Earlier this month, The Husband and I visited the Smoky Mountains.  We stayed in a beautiful cabin and spent a lot of time relaxing.  I'm fairly sure we watched an entire season of The Big Bang Theory not to mention three movies from Redbox (possibly the greatest invention ever).

We drove up on a Wednesday morning. The drive was beautiful.  The mountains are beautiful anytime of year but most especially in the fall. 

Thursday morning we visited the Roaring Fork Motor Trail.  I can't believe as many times as I have visited this area and I have never been on this drive before.  It was a cool and completely beautiful drive.  I think the total mileage is eight miles and it's conveniently located right in downtown Gatlinburg.

For lunch Thursday, we visited Fannie Farkles in downtown Gatlinburg.  They cook their food basically on the street so that you can smell it for blocks.  This year I had the amazing hand-dipped corndog and The Husband had a smoked sausage sandwich with grilled onions and green bell peppers.

We browsed the shops as always.  We grabbed some treats at the Ole Smoky Candy Kitchen.  They make all of their own candies including tons and tons of taffy.

For dinner, we headed into Pigeon Forge and had dinner at one of my favorite local places, The Old Mill.  I didn't take an food photos!  But that's because they bring your food so fast and it is delicious!  I had the chicken tender plate and The Husband (TH) had chicken and dumplings.  Before your entrees, they bring salad, corn chowder, and the most amazing corn fritters with honey butter.  Along with the entrees, they serve mashed potatoes, green beans, and biscuits family-style.  And following dinner, they bring you select bakery items.  This trip I had the banana pudding and TH had pecan pie.  Dinner was amazing.  We left full and happy.

Friday morning I made pancakes in the cabin.  Delicious if I say so myself.  It was a rainy, dreary day in the mountains so we chose this day to honor our vacation tradition of hitting a movie theater.  We watched The Equalizer with Denzel Washington.  We love some Denzel around our house so we enjoyed it.  It was a standard good guy vs bad guy shoot 'em up movie.  But it's Denzel and you can't beat Denzel. 

After the movie, we had a late lunch at Bennett's BBQ in Pigeon Forge.  I wasn't in the mood for bbq so I had the salad bar.  TH ordered the bbq pork nachos.  They were HUGE and pretty good.  Bennett's is a little bit pricey so we spent more than $30 for lunch so I'm not sure it was worth that.

Friday evening we went back to the cabin and watched movies and made chili for dinner.  It was a nice relaxing evening. Further proof that cabin rental is the way to go!

Saturday morning was TH's turn to make breakfast and he didn't do so bad.  He actually looks breakfast at home often since it's his very favorite meal.

After exploring more of Gatlinburg, we decided that we were sort of ready to return home.  Instead of waiting until Sunday morning, we headed back to the cabin and packed up for our drive.  It was another beautiful drive, south this time.  We made it home about 8pm and enjoyed a really long, lay day before returning to work on Monday. 

We really enjoyed our time away and one thing is certain - cabin is the way to go.  Right before we left, TH snapped some phone photos of the cabin but it really doesn't do the place justice.  The owners, which I loved that it was locally owned instead of handled by a management company, went to great lengths to make this cabin perfect.  Besides the decor and the basics like the fully stocked kitchen and a cabinet full of DVDs, books, and games, the small details everywhere really showed us how much the owners enjoy what they do.  We would definitely rent this cabin again.  Click here to see all of the official details about "Time After Time."

View from the road.

View from the back of the dining room, stairs, and kitchen.

Living Room with gas fireplace and jacuzzi tub.

View of the living room from the master bedroom loft.

View of the living room/dining room from upstairs.

Dad

Today is my dad's birthday.  He likes to say it is the 19th anniversary of this 39th birthday.  My dad is the youngest of five children - two older brothers and two older sisters.  He was a surprise baby - born when the youngest (at that point) was 15 years old.  His parents had just celebrated their 22nd wedding anniversary.  He grew up being close with both his siblings and his nieces and nephews.  We share hair color, eye color, a stubborn streak, and a massive curiosity in all kinds of things.  My mom would say we are nosey.  I prefer inquisitive.  I'm definitely a daddy's girl - since the very beginning.

 

 

Above are just a handful of my favorite pictures of my dad. 
(clockwise from top far left)
1. Dad observing the fun around him.  Most likely a family karaoke gathering.  Elvis shirt and all.
2.  Dad and I at my maternal grandparent's house.  I think I was three.
3.  My dad with his parents on vacation - the picture says 1964.
4. Dad and Mom on their first cruise.
5. Dad at Christmas.  About two years old there.
6. Dad on one of my uncle's horses in the mid-late 1980s.  He shared that love of horses with his eldest brother.
7.  My Uncle L, Dad, and Uncle J at our annual Christmas gathering 2013. 
8. Lastly, a school picture from 1962 or 1963.  Sweet face!

So Dad, like I said on Facebook, I wish you a year of lots of laughter, good music, and more happiness than ever.

Love, your favorite daughter.

I'm his only daughter.  When the first one is perfect, you don't try again. 

Thirty Two!

I turned 32 today.  That number sounds so strange.  As I age, I say it even more..."age ain't nuthin but a number."  But even still, 32 seems so strange.  Several people have said that 32 is the perfect age.  Maybe it is the phrase "old enough to know better but still too young to care."  Regardless, I'm going to embrace this new number. 


My birthday weekend was jam-packed with friends, family, and way too much food and television.  Being born on the first day of September has always been afforded me with a three-day weekend either before or after my birthday and sometimes, like this year, occurred on Labor Day.  I would say Go Mom! but since I was clumsy even in the womb, I was an emergency delivery and they really didn't care what day it was.

My life has always been full of awkward moments and, truly, I wouldn't have it any other way.

So here's to 32 more fun, crazy, awkward years.

A Special Day

Today is a pretty amazing day in history for two very special reasons.

First, in 1959, my precious mother was born.  The second child (of four) and first girl (of two).  Today she celebrates 55 years.  She's beautiful, independent, and strong.  She loves to read and plays a mean game of poker. 

Clockwise from top left

1.  Riding her tricycle at age 3 or 4.

2. That time I caught her binge watching The Vampire Diaries on her laptop...with headphones.

3. A family reunion a few years ago with my dad and the Husband.

4. Kindergarten school picture I believe.

4. My most favorite picture of my parents.  Olan Mills circa 1985?  This was before brother was born.

5. My mom was her (and later mine) high school's first ever prom queen.  I'm really digging my Granny's pink pantsuit and my Pawpaw looked sharp as always in a jacket and tie.

6. Mom and I after a trip to Panama City Beach (again before Brother was born).

7. A recent picture from a trip to Mississippi.  My mom rocking the animal print.  Stylish as always.

I wish my mom many, many more wonderful birthdays.  This makes me happy.  It fills me with joy that I can celebrate her birthday with her.

The second reason today is special is because on this day in 1967, my sweet cousin Kim was born.  My dad was the youngest of his siblings by a fairly large age gap so he ended up being closer in age to his nieces and nephews.  He was especially close to Kim.  When I was growing up, I always looked to Kim.  She was always so sweet to me and she loved her family fiercely.    I bring up her birthday because this is her first birthday that we have been without her.  Maybe I'll talk more about her later but her passing is still so fresh and raw.  It makes my heart ache.  So today I don't want to talk about that.  I want to remember her life and the wonderful memories I have both as a little girl and as an adult.  Like my mom, Kim was strong and independent.  And beautiful. 

 Kim and my Dad at one of our famous family karaoke gatherings.



So today can be bittersweet if I let it but I'm choosing not to recognize those aching feelings.  Today is about celebrating.  I'm so happy that God chose August 27th to give these two beautiful women to the world.  They have each made this world, and my life, a better place.

That Time I Went to Atlanta for Work

In mid-July I attended a conference on the campus of Emory University in Atlanta.  I traveled with two co-workers.  We went, we saw, we ate.  It was a very enjoyable trip and I definitely need to take The Husband and see more of what Atlanta has to offer.  For our trip, we did not leave Emory's campus except to drive home.

Now please enjoy a timeline of our trip, complete with restaurant links and really bad cell photo photos.

Jax was not a fan of the suitcase and packing business.

Day 1
After departing Birmingham around lunchtime, we didn't make it far before we decided lunch was in order.  We stopped at The Irondale Café, made famous by the movie Fried Green Tomatoes.  It is a wonderful meat and vegetable place.  My favorite!  I had fried green tomatoes (of course!), cream corn, peas, and cabbage.  It was all delicious.  I remember visiting years ago and not enjoying it so they either stepped it up or I was in a much better mood/frame of mind (definitely the case). 

We headed east towards Atlanta and arrived with time to spare before our meet up with colleagues for dinner.  We stayed at the beautiful, Emory Conference Center Hotel.  Originally I thought it was part of the University but I don't believe that it is the case.  It's located on (or extremely close anyway) to campus so we were within walking distance to our conference space as well as a fun place with restaurants and shops.

My super spacious hotel room at the Emory Conference Center Hotel.

For dinner, we met up with colleagues (about 15 of them) and walked the short distance to Emory Point.  We decided on Marlow's Tavern.  It was a fun spot and we had a HUGE table/booth combo right next to the bar and were basically all to ourselves. 

I quickly found heaven on the menu in the form of the word "Feta."  So I ordered the Sizzlin' Feta as an appetizer to share with my co-workers and our other friends.  The Feta was oven baked with roasted tomato and basil pesto and served with ciabatta crostini.  It was pretty amazing.  Like really pretty. 

My boss ordered a deviled egg plate to share.  It is not on their regular menu so it must have been a special.  Being good Southern girls, we love some deviled eggs and these did not disappoint.

For my entrée, I ordered the Tavern Burger and fries.  A basic bar burger on a delicious-toasted bun.  It was so big I had to cut it in half!

Day 2
After a day a conferencing and learning and talking nonstop at certain times, I was exhausted by the time we arrived back at the hotel.  My pajamas were definitely calling my name so I did what any self-respecting professional does when she is at a conference, I called room service!  I invited my co-worker and friend to join me and we both ordered grilled chicken sandwiches.  I added a side of fries and she added the most amazing looking flour-less chocolate cake.  Sitting on the bed in stretchy pants, watching reruns of Castle, and having dinner delivered to the room made for a perfect evening.

Side Note - At the afternoon break, instead of sugary cookies or baked goods, the conference venue had granola bars, fruit, and this amazing trail mix.  Loved this!

Pecans, coconut shavings, dried mangos, bananas, and pineapple, raisins, and a whole plethoria of other stuff.

Day 3
The conference wrapped up at lunchtime and we headed back west to Birmingham.  Before leaving Atlanta we made a stop at The Varsity for lunch.  You can't go to Atlanta without visiting this famous landmark.  I had the chili cheese dog and fry combo and I might have had an apple pie on the side. 

This is not my photo!!  But this looks like exactly what I ate - well minus the onion rings!

And because in almost 10 years of marriage, we have only ever been apart for one night at a time, The Husband planned something special for dinner when I arrived home.  He made reservations and we visited The Melting Pot for the first time.  

So that's my Atlanta adventure.  Maybe on my next adventure I should shoot for some better quality photos.  I am a photographer after all.