Finally Blissful

Announcing Baby #2!

2012-06-08T16:23:00.001-05:00

Guess who is going to be a BIG SISTER!?

It was nearly a month ago that we publicly announced the exciting Baby #TWO news to our family and friends. If you're reading my blog, then chances are you already know because you also stalk my facebook profile! ;) What most of you don't know is the story behind this "surprise" pregnancy.

It's no secret that John David and I have always said we would like to have four kids. I've had baby fever since Khloe was around 8 or 9 months. It's never been the thought of a second baby that put a second pregnancy on hold, it was just the fear of pregnancy again. It took alot of prayers and some convincing, but in March John David agreed to start "trying" again. We figured we would have a new addition sometime around March or April of next year.

Three weeks later, I packed up and headed to the backwoods of Louisiana ;) to visit with my BFF, Tabatha. The ladies at her church were hosting a baby shower for her sweet baby boy and I was so excited to be able to attend. After a five hour drive, a trip to the mall and Slinkies (a big fun inflatable place for kids) I was EXHAUSTED. She was 36 weeks pregnant and I was convinced I was more tired than her. We both went to bed at 9pm. HA! Old fogies!

The next day, we got up bright and early and started getting ready for her baby shower. {I should have taken a pic of the ADORABLE handmade gifts I made her. I made a nursing cover, fabric covered wipes case, diaper holder, and matching burp cloths.} It was nearly time to leave and I suddenly got the worst migraine. Within minutes, nausea hit. Later that night, on the way to dinner, I got extremely car sick. "Tab, I haven't been car sick since I was 12 years old......... there's no way I would be having pregnancy symptoms this early, right??" We both laughed... but I knew it had only been three weeks.. That's just silly.

A week later, I was home cleaning and the migraine returned. Since being pregnant with Khloe, it's not uncommon for me to get multiple migraines a month, but after a couple days of having some weird symptoms, I decided mid-day to just get up and go take a pregnancy test..... minutes later... BAM.

My first reaction? Well, it had been awhile since I had taken a test and for the life of me I could NOT remember what a double line was. I frantically dug through the cabinet searching for the box. I tore open the box, flipped through the instructions, and found the double line. Time stopped. Just like in the movies, I was moving in slow motion. "Oh...........................my...............GOSH!" Khloe was standing in the bathroom with me (because she follows me around the house 24/7) and that's when the truth of the test hit me... "Khloe... I guess you are going to be a BIG SISTER!!" Right then and there, I texted the picture to John David. No caption... Just the picture. A minute and a half later, he called. "Ummm...." "Yeah, that double line means positive.." I said. There was a moment of silence, and we then both started laughing.

Remember my first post announcing we were pregnant with baby K? (Click the link to read more). It took us six long months, more pregnancy tests than I could count, and buckets full of tears to finally conceive. You can't even imagine the disbelief and excitement when I realized it only took ONE time (TMI sorry!), and ONE test for baby #2.

I bet you are wondering why I just texted him the picture and didn't do some fun presentation. Well, #1 I was dying. There was NO way I could hold it all day without telling him. #2 The second John David knows I am going to take a test, I'm pretty sure his heart stops. He doesn't catch a breath until he knows the results. I knew he was about to start operating, so I thought I'd spare him the heart attack by saying "I just took a pregnancy test". I wanted his reaction to be as stunned as I was.

We wanted the announcement to be fun for our family, so I ordered a special "Big sister" shirt and we let Khloe walk around until they finally caught on. Here's two of the reactions we caught on tape: Click the image to watch.

First up: John David's parents. We had just arrived in Gatlinburg, TN for a family vacation with my sister and brother-in-law. We had to edit the over 10 minute video and doesn't seem to be the best quality, but it's still fun!

Next is my baby sister, Kelli. Her reaction was the best of ANY!

(I was extremely sick when we announced it to my family, hence the laying on the couch)

A few days later, we made it Facebook official with a status update of, "Guess what Khloe is getting for Christmas?!!!!" with this pic attached:

Our official due date is December 28, 2012. Due to the previous HELLP syndrome I developed with Khloe, I will have to have a second cesarean, and we doubt my doctor will risk waiting until my due date to deliver since the chance highly increases for developing it again. We expect to have baby #2 sometime between December 10-20.

It has been so much fun announcing our second pregnancy, and are so thankful for everyone's loving reactions. Most of all, I would like to say a huge THANK YOU for all your support, and willingness to go out of your way to help me during this crazy time in my life. You are all so amazing and I thank Jesus everyday for my amazing friends and family.

Stay tuned. I'm positive there will be many updates to follow on Baby NUMBER TWO!! :)

Family Vaca

2012-05-10T15:42:00.000-05:00

John David had some free vacation time coming up, so we decided we were overdue for a trip to the mountains. We were so excited when John David's parents and Rebecca and her family were all able to take off work at the same time to join us. Jd's Ortho conference in Destin, FL finished up and we headed North.

John David and I arrived first and then his parents. We had a top secret that we were dying to tell, but Rebecca made us wait until they arrived to share the news. An hour later we finally spilled the beans that we were almost 7 weeks pregnant. (See my previous post to see how we did it!)

We had an amazing three bedroom condo at the Westgate Resort which features an indoor waterpark. If you are ever planning a trip to Gatlinburg, I would definitely recommend you check out this place!!

I got the waterpark picture off their website just so you could see how fun it is. This is only one side of the waterpark: the kiddie area.

Khloe had an absolute BLAST!

1...2...3.. GO!

The look of pure joy! :)

Later that day we headed into town but got caught in a nasty thunderstorm. We caught a trolley and stopped by Ripley's Aquarium.

Poppey (as she calls him) is kind of Khloe's favorite. :)

Becca, Daniel and Grayson

John David and I have a lot for aquariums so we try to go whenever we find a new one. We had both visited when we were younger but didn't remember a whole lot about it. While this wasn't the biggest or the best we've ever been to, it still was very well put together and super nice. I wasn't able to get very many great pictures because morning sickness hit and I spent most of my time running back and forth to the restroom :(

I happened to catch the diver feeding the fish.

Khloe was a little nervous of the shark tank that you walked through.

Sweet Gman.

Because Nana is SO cool!!!

The penguins were expecting too!!

Later in the week we went to The Dixie Stampede since I had never been. I'm extremely allergic to horses, but just couldn't pass it up since everyone else wanted to go. I took 2 (yes TWO) antihistamines before we even walked in the door.

Khloe and Grayson couldn't take their eyes off the horses and all that was going on. We were nervous how they would act, but I don't think either made a peep during the entire show :)

The show was awesome, and though I did have some sneezes it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. We spent most of the week indoors at the cabin because of the weather and I was extremely sick half of the time but we still had a wonderful time and it was great to be with our family for a few days and enjoy each other's company.

Before leaving the city, we stopped by Walmart and Jd bought me a trashcan for the trip (for the sickness), because both our babies need their own can. I plan to monogram both and keep forever. Every time they give me problems I will have them bring me their garbage can and I will remind them what I went through to bring them into this world! LOL!!!!!

We stopped by my family's in Olive Branch on the way home and made the big announcement that we were expecting baby #2! :)

My 18 month old Khloe

2012-04-20T15:13:00.000-05:00

I haven't updated Khloe's progress for almost 6 months now and it makes me sad! Naps used to be longer and her play time didn't consist of getting into every single thing in this house she knows she shouldn't. :)

Somebody out smarted Mommy & Daddy by crawling UNDER the gate. Ahhhh!

First time play-doh experience!

I've pulled out the dress up clothes a few times, and she has a blast with all the accessories!

I tell everyone that I love this age/stage. The first year of your first sweet newborn baby's life is spent worrying over every little runny nose and desperately clutching their hand so that they don't fall. These past few months have just been so fun watching her come down the curly slide all by herself, letting her run as fast as she can until she falls (and then kissing all the boo-boos), and finally letting her explore the big kids playground by herself (but keeping a very watchful eye and guiding hand as she needs it).

Such a big helper! She LOVES unloading the "Hoott hott" laundry and then helping mommy put it away! :)

Some of the basics:

Weighs about 23-24 pounds.
Size 4 diapers, 18 month clothes, Size 5 1/2 - 6 shoes.
Sleeps 12-14 hours a night, without waking.
Has 9 teeth, four JUST broke through in the past two weeks.
Eats anything but ground beef (HATES it) and cantaloupe (which gives a very bad diaper rash?). Drinks 2-3 cups of milk per day.
Loves her Dee-dee (Bella). Poor dog spends most days under my bed hiding from K lol.

Still very much loves the bath! :)

Here are some of the words she's saying these days...

Mommy
Dada (which Jd is very jealous she won't say Daddy)
Cookie (aka ANY type of food)
Nana (Banana)
Nana (Grandma), Gigi (Great Grandma), Poppa (Great Grandpa), KK (Auntie Kelli), Tootoo (Auntie Tooty)
Bebe (Bella)
Side (Outside)
Wawa (Water)
Sinnnng (Swing, which is her FAV!!)
Night-Night
Bankie (Blanket)
Baby (LOVES her baby dolls!!)
Poo poo, pee pee & Diaa (Diaper)
Counts to three: Waan, Duuu, Dweee!
Shew (Shoe)
Barrr (Barney..... oh how she loves Barney! I can't quit singing the songs too!)
Eye-Bibe (High five)
Duga-Duga-Duga (tickle-tickle-tickle!)
SDOP! (Stop!)
She knows all body parts and can point to them individually. Daddy recently taught her where her Boobies are... I'm pretty sure he is going to regret that one! She runs around and pulls up her shirt and says BOOOOOBIES!!!! As loud as she can! LOL!
Oh, and we can't forget NO-NO!!
Dog
Car
Buuurd (Bird)
Haaat (Hat)
Ball
Light

Sometimes all that play time leads to an early nap!

If you know me and know about my secret baby blanket, you understand why Khloe holding onto to HER fav blanket for dear life is so funny. This thing goes EVERYWHERE with us!!! Ahhhhh!

I know I am forgetting more words and things she does, because this kid does NOT stop talking or doing! She's forming more sentences every day, they usually don't make much sense but when you ask her to repeat it, it sometimes sounds exactly what she said before!

We are loving summer already. Our fav playdate is at the fountains, and then at home she's loving our new flower spinning sprinkler! And what would a Mobile baby be if she didn't love the beach!!? :)

As sad as it makes me, my tiny little preemie baby is a full blown, bossy toddler now. And every time people tell me to cherish this time because it passes so quickly it silently breaks my heart because I know how much it's true.

Please stop growing sweet girl. I'm not ready for you to NOT fit in my arms anymore.

I love you Khloe, and no matter how old you get, you will always be mommy's baby girl! :) xoxo.

Easter 2012

2012-04-09T12:58:00.000-05:00

We celebrated the resurrection of Jesus in Batesville with John David's family. The entire family gathered together at Grandma's house and had a wonderful family dinner followed by an egg hunt on the front lawn.

The Tullos Grandkids

(L to R: Elisabeth, Joselyn, Khloe & Grayson)

Khloe loved collecting the eggs, placing in her basket, dumping them out and starting over. :)

Daddy had to get in on the egg hunting after he learned there was a "special egg" that had $20 inside.

(I think Elisabeth or Joselyn was the lucky winner of that one)

We took a break from egg hunting to play and Elisabeth was the victim of a mean tickle game.

Grayson decided Khloe needed to be tickled too!

We had just found out I was pregnant a couple months before Easter, so we asked Rebecca (my sister-in-law) to snap a few family pictures to remember when it was just the three of us! :)

My little doll.

"Look see that bird? Bird up in the sky!"

This was Khloe's favorite saying for months!

"Family. Where life begins and love never ends."

A few snap shots later, Khloe was over it and ready for a nap!

We spent Easter morning at John David's hometown church worshiping with his parents. Such a beautiful weekend that we will forever cherish!

Christmas 2011

2012-04-03T14:24:00.002-05:00

I just realized I forgot to post any Christmas pics, so this blog is going to be mostly for memory's sake.

I set up a little mini photo shoot around our Christmas tree to get some cute pics for our Christmas cards.

Our family Christmas tree.

Last year Khloe was a teeny tiny two month old. This year at 14 months old, she had a BLAST with the Holidays. She would barely be done opening one box before moving on to the next. Christmas takes on a whole new meaning when you have your own babies. We had a nice family dinner and then sat down to watch Miss Khloe make a HUGE mess of wrappers and bows in our living room. Here's a few pics:

She is very much into all things girly. She always has a baby doll on her hip and a purse on her shoulder. I think one of her favorite gifts was a little purse full of baby bottles and cups. She carried it around for the rest of the night. : )

We left Mobile and headed to Nana's house. Mom bought her a tent and she was very reluctant to get in until her Daddy showed her just how to do it. I LOVE Mom's reaction. Too cute.

Next up, Gigi's house. Khloe and Lauren love each other. Kloko (as Lauren calls her) loves crawling all over LaLa! :)

Love my sweet sweet family!

Silly girl. Everything has to go on top of her head!

Let's see how many pictures it takes to get a descent family pic:

Sadly, I didn't get any good pics from Nana T's house. Everyone's schedule was very different this year so the kiddos were ready for naps by the time we opened gifts. And as all you Momma's know, pictures during the crash of nap times never turn out pretty! We did have a wonderful time there though. Didn't want anyone to feel left out!

These are just a few of the 300+ pictures we took during the holidays. The saying really is true, "It IS the most wonderful time of the year." I can't think of anything better than family, food, and fellowship with the ones you love the most!

Happy 5 years Husband!

2012-04-02T16:33:00.004-05:00

It's hard to remember my life before John David; seems like we've been together forever. Our young sweet love began in February of 2003, four years later we read our vows to each other in front of our friends and family and this March we celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary.

It really feels like yesterday I wrote my super mushy four year anniversary blog to you.

March 10, 2007 Mr. & Mrs. John Tullos

We were going to be in Dallas on our anniversary so on a whim, I decided to combine a Valentine and Anniversary together and surprise John David with the biggest gift I've ever given: a candlelit dinner!

I cleaned out our carport, strung up all the christmas lights, and pulled the area rug from our dining room. Do you remember the table John David made for me from the neighbor's trash? I pulled out two white sheets from my linen closet and it all started coming together.

I can't think of a better occasion to pull out the wedding china!

John David was on-call Valentine's day so he said he had a special dinner planned for Friday night. Little did he know, I had a bigger plan. I text him around 1pm and told him I had a babysitter coming at 7pm for our long overdue date night. His response, "WOW! I'm impressed!" (babysitters are rare around here, because this momma has separation anxiety from my babeeeey.) To my advantage, he got stuck at work late and didn't get off until around 6:40, just as it was starting to get dark!

Unfortunately, I don't own any taper candle holders, but after a run to the Dollar Tree I made my own. Five dollars and E6000 Glue is all it took to glue two small glass candlestick holders together to give me just the height I needed. Brilliant, huh?!

To his surprise, when he pulled in the driveway the gate to our backyard was closed with a sign that read "Come to the front door for your Valentine surprise!!! (The carport is behind the house). --I forgot to take a picture of it :(

John David walked in the house (all wide-eyed) and said "Soooo............" (as he looked questionably at the back door that was covered by a sheet) I hurried him along and told him to go and change out his scrubs because the "babysitter" would be here any minute.

He came back, wearing my favvvv cologne, and asked where the babysitter was, and why was I out of breath? Then I broke the top secret to him. The babysitter was Khloe's bed, as it was already past her bedtime, and his secret was right outside our back door.

I wish I could have captured the look on his face of sweet sweet shock as he stepped outside the door.

I had a package of tea light candles, left over from our WEDDING, awwwww.. which added a super special intimate touch.

My Itunes played a sweet romantic playlist as we sat down for dinner and I must say it was one of the most romantic dinners we've ever had.

To make the night a little more special, I created nine notes (to celebrate the nine years we've been together) and we took turns opening the envelopes and reading what was inside. *Spoiler alert* Some are supppper musshy. :) You've been warned.

9. March, 19 2003

After a month of getting to know each other we officially became boyfriend and girlfriend. And to be clear, you were the first guy that I cared enough about that I didn't "talk" to other guys. *wink*

8. March 19, 2004

Young, sweet love. Our first dating anniversary. You surprised me with a romantic dinner to J. Alexanders and I couldn’t wait to take you to your first “Stick’s” concert.

7. May 17, 2005= Poem I wrote for his Birthday.

I wanted to write a poem concerning what you mean to me

I think I’ll start with the things I don’t like about you

Need not worry, this poem will not be too “mushy”

I hate the way you sip your milk from the cereal bowl

I hate the way you mumble when we talk on the phone

I think it’s really uncool when you make me sit in the driver’s seat

Especially when I’m talking and I see you’re already fast asleep

I hate how you put things off to a later date

I hate your last minute decisions

and how you are always running late

If you are gonna wear your flip flops

Then the hair on your toes has got to go

If you are going to have long hair,

Then the styling GEL in it must show.

I expect you to do the “guy job”

And I’ll do the girls’

That means you must load and unload the groceries,

Mow the lawn, and make the money.

Baby don’t worry I’ll uphold my end of the deal

I’ll stay home, clean the house, buy the shoes, and look pretty.

Now you know all the things I don’t like about you

And it’s good because now you can change.

BUT even if you don’t my love for you will stay the same.

You’re the queen of my heart, and I’m your lil’ shru’ and it forever it will stay that way.

God knew what he was doing February 21

When he sent you all the way up to Northern Mississippi

I still can’t our first kiss was right after cow tipping.

February 21 was the day I found my friend.

We became even closer on March 19 when you became my boyfriend.

And then you came to see me unannounced Tuesday, June the 3^rd.

You said you had to tell me something you felt was important,

My heart began to beat fast, as I was becoming very concerned.

You touched my hand, and said I love you Heather

And that’s when our relationship really began.

Thank you for loving me

When I’m not patient and unkind

Thank you for putting up with me when all I do is whine.

I’m sorry that I make you wear pink clothes,

And keep styling gel in your hair

I’m sorry I want you to shave your toes and always look your best

I’m sorry I make you drive, and never let you sleep

Maybe I’m the one that needs to change

I doubt it

But it may be true (hee hee)

Just remember "Here's the world..."

and it doesn't revolve around YOU..

I wanted to write a poem concerning what you mean to me

I think I’ll start with the things I don’t like about you

Need not worry, this poem will not be too “mooshy”

I hate the way you sip your milk from the cereal bowl

I hate the way you mumble when we talk on the phone

I think it’s really uncool when you make me sit in the driver’s seat

Especially when I’m talking and I see you’re already fast asleep

I hate how you put things off to a later date

I hate your last minute decisions

and how you are always running late

If you are gonna wear your flip flops

Then the hair on your toes has got to go

If you are going to have long hair,

Then the styling GEL in it must show.

I expect you to do the “guy job”

And I’ll do the girls’

That means you must load and unload the groceries,

Mow the lawn, and make the money.

Baby don’t worry I’ll uphold my end of the deal

I’ll stay home, clean the house, buy the shoes, and look pretty.

Now you know all the things I don’t like about you

And it’s good because now you can change.

BUT even if you don’t my love for you will stay the same.

You’re the queen of my heart, and I’m your lil’ shru’ and it forever it will stay that way.

6. July 12, 2006

You got down on one knee and made me the happiest girl alive when you {finally} asked me to marry you! We spent the rest of the year planning our fairy tale wedding, and preparing to move into together in Jackson, MS

5. March 10, 2007 = Wedding Vows

This is the moment I have waited my whole life for. I, Heather choose you, John David as my best friend for life. I am honored that you will have me as your wife and I am proud to have you as my husband. You are everything I need, and at this moment I know that all my prayers have been answered and that all of my dreams have come true. As we face the future together, I promise to stand by your side. I promise to unfailingly share and support your hopes, dreams and goals. When you fall, I will catch you. When you cry, I will comfort you. When you laugh, I will share your joy. Everything I am and everything I have is yours, from this moment forth and for eternity. I promise to give you my all and I know that I could not ask for more from you. I lay down my life for you, John David, my friend and my love. Today I give you me.

* I cried LIKE A BABY when I read this note to him!!!*

4. March 10, 2008

We spent our first anniversary over a romantic date at Serendipity, followed by a musical Broadway in New York City. You took me around the city and told me stories of places where you “ALMOST” proposed when we traveled to the city two years ago. I think the highlight of the trip was when you scheduled a limo to pick us up to take us back to the airport at 4am!

3. Mach 10, 2009

We spent our second anniversary falling in love with Dallas! From the amazing restaurants, to all the fun places we visited, and horseback riding through the country, we were smitten. It was quite depressing when we quickly realized a five year Residency at that hospital was NOT the life style we wanted, even though we absolutely loved the city.

We had a lot of fun traveling together across the South and South Eastern states meeting new people and interviewing for Residency, and not to mention, trying to have a baby *wink*

2. March 10, 2010

We spent our third anniversary on March 10, 2009 sitting in the Doctor’s office as she excitedly announced we were six weeks pregnant! As if this wasn’t present enough, we celebrated our love & new addition on the beaches of Mexico (and we realized the smell of fish + pregnancy was NOT a good situation for my newly pregnant body)

Your vows of “through sickness and health” never rang clearer as you carried me to bed for eight months as I endured the worst pregnancy on Earth.

1. August 2011

I couldn’t bear the thought of leaving our 6 month old baby at home so for the first time, we didn’t go away for our fourth anniversary. You took me to New Orleans for my birthday and with excitement, finally gave me the Journal you had been secretly keeping of things we did every week for the past six months. As if that wasn’t good enough, you set up an email for Khloe so that both of us could send her letters she could read when she got older. I cried. Hard. Love you!

It was a beautiful dinner filled with lots of laughter, a few tears, and reminiscing on the beautiful nine years we've shared together. I can't imagine a world that didn't have my Dr. John David in it.

I love you always and forever. Here's to another 50+ year together. Xoxo.

*Edited* I ALMOST forgot to include the amazing dessert!

Beautiful evening!

Winter on the Gulf Coast

2012-03-10T13:58:00.000-06:00

The sweet thing about Gulf Coast living is the weather. The winter is warm enough that you can get out and enjoy the outdoors without freezing to death. These pictures were taken within a two week time frame from each other and boy how different they are! :)

We developed a love for hiking over this past winter. Every Sunday afternoon we bundled up and headed out to explore a new trail.

One Sunday we stumbled across the Muddy Creek Wetlands in Theodore. The trail is well-marked and have informative signs that point out the different species of trees and other information are posted along the trail.

Khloe didn't stay in the stroller very long before she decided she needed to have a little mini photoshoot! :)

The boardwalk went on for what seemed like forever. Khloe loved hearing her boots stomp as she raced along the path!

The short winter season is beginning to arrive as the leaves change into beautiful colors.

TWO weeks and almost 40 degrees later, we packed up the sand toys and headed to the beach for a family fun day.

Khloe was still a little nervous about the sand and crashing waves, but eventually warmed up.

She spent the next two hours digging and filling the buckets with sand.

GORGEOUS afternoon.

These beautiful days full of precious memories will be what makes moving away from Mobile so hard on me in a couple years.

Until then, I plan to cherish every sunset this coastal living has to offer!

Football

2012-02-01T17:51:00.000-06:00

So. There's this guy I live with, that I totally adore.

He's everything and more I ever hoped to have.

He's a Southern boy with the purest of hearts,

who loves his wife and kid more than most men I know.

He's a man's man,

a "Mr. Fix-it",

and a wealth of knowledge.

He's the total package, and I absolutely adore him.

There's just this one thing...

He has a love affair with FOOTBALL.

I know, right!? ;)

Saturday, Sunday, Monday.

Kill.me.now.

I can't even imagine him watching that much LMN with me!!

Admittedly, he doesn't get to watch most games,

and sacrifices watching many just to spend time with us,

BUT those few he does watch seem like an eternity

of confusion and frustration for me! ;)

So, Superbowl is this Sunday and guess who's going:

none other than one of the Manning boys.

(can you see me rolling my eyes?) :)

Being the uuuuuber sweet wife that I am :)
I broke out the craft supplies in honor of the hubby for once!

Happy Crafty Superbowl Baby!

(Even though Ole Miss sucks, Jd's a loyal fan.. I know, I don't get it either!)

Roll Tide.

Have you seen these things around craft world?
Burlap Football Door Hangers.

Adorable.

In no way do I claim to have the best handwriting,

but for not having a stencil or pattern,

I thought they turned out pretty cute.

Supplies Needed:

Burlap

Paint

Stapler

Plastic bags (for stuffing)

Ribbon

The hubs loved them and felt pretty special

that I made a craft just for him.

He said he still knew I did it mostly for my blog though. HA!

Now, I'm kicking myself for not thinking of these as Christmas gifts for all the crazy football fans in our family!! Next year!!

As much as I hate it, I try to watch and limit my complaints to as little as possible, simply because I do love the guy. He's always up for doing fun things with me and Khloe, so if football is his only request, it's the least I could do. *See, I do love you doll! :)

Kelli's Bridal Shower

2012-01-26T11:16:00.002-06:00

I know what you're thinking, "Didn't your sister JUST get married?" The answer is yes.. but that was my baby sister. Kelli, the middle child (heehee) announced her engagement a few days after Thanksgiving 2010. I think we were all a little shocked when she said the wedding would be February 11th! Tooty and I immediately started planning for the upcoming bridal shower in January.

We decided on a country vintage theme. Burlap, mason jars, and soup was featured at the shower! Here's a peek at the Desert table:

The "Sweets" table featured an ice cream bar with three toppings: M&M's, chocolate syrup, and crushed walnuts. Yummy sugar cookies topped with vanilla icing, strawberries, kiwi, and blueberries, along with white & dark chocolate strawberry cake pops were also served. Kelli's favorite candy is a sucker so we set up a cute dish of strawberry suckers.

I began collecting the pewter serving dishes from Mistletoe Market five years ago. I was so excited to find the same seller here at Christmas Jubilee in Alabama! I added a chips and salsa server to my collection at Christmas last year!

Don't you just LOVE that juice server!?!! Christmas gift from my MIL!

Keeping with the country vintage theme, the food table consisted of Homemade Chicken & Dumplings (thank you Momma!), buttery dinner rolls, cream corn, and a strawberry stand.

L to R: Flowers from my wedding in a large pewter vase (Goodwill $1.99). Pewter dinner roll stand- Gift from Tooty to add to my collection!! Large soup bowl with serving spoon wedding gift from Mamaw Tullos. Plate stand borrowed from my MIL's amazing collection. Serve ware stand from Hobby Lobby for $7 filled with baby food dyed mason jars!

The strawberry stand was my favorite piece of the night!

Topiary stand and kabob sticks (and patience) is all it takes. SO easy!

Much thanks to Tooty for having enough patience to make this perfect! ;)

Vintage Decor

I'm kind of in love with burlap right now and these "Sweets" and "Cards" signs I just adore. First create your desired font on the computer and print. Next, use an exacto knife to make a stencil of each letter. Last, center the stencil on your fabric and color in with a permanent (or fabric) marker. If you are creating a banner, simply place your twine along the top of the letters, pin and sew closed. That's it!

Tip of the day: you can use a Hobby Lobby 40% off coupon to buy fabric (that's not on sale) by the yard. I bought five yards of burlap at 40% off!

Dyed Mason Jars

I've been saving random size mason jars for MONTHS for this very reason! Using a couple drops of blue and green food color mixed with mod podge, paint the outside of the jar and turn upside down to dry. Adorable, right? The flowers were from the arch of my wedding FIVE years ago! I bought a pack of tea light candles at Dollar Tree and voila. Super cheap and chic centerpieces!

Games

Don't you get tired of the same games you play over and over at each shower? I do. My goal was to come up with some fun games that not many people have heard of.

#1. Mystery Toilet Paper. Ice Breaker.

Who knew toilet paper could be this fun? As your guests arrive, hand them a roll of toilet paper and ask them to tear off whatever length they think they’ll need. When your guests ask why they are tearing off sheets of toilet paper, give them a cute answer like, “We’re super short tonight and just want to make sure everyone has some before we run out!” Toward the middle of the bridal shower, announce that you need to borrow some toilet paper. Take each guest’s length of paper and try to fit it around the bride’s body. Whoever has the closest length of tissue to her bust wins!

There was A LOT of laughter as people joked about how they THOUGHT they would have enough, but didn't realize just how big...... ;) VERY fun. Kelli was DEFINITELY blushing.

#2. How well do you know the groom?
Poor Kelli. When she heard the title she was overly confident. She had no idea what the consequences would be when she got the answer wrong!

Double Bubble

If you don't know already, this is the BIGGEST piece of gum you can find. It's very hard to chew. With every answer she got wrong, she had to add ANOTHER piece of this massive gum. Poor Kelli. She got 3 out of 35 right. HA!!! Every time she answered wrong the room exploded in laughter. Mid game her mouth was so full she had to start over. She says we set her up, and admittedly some of the questions were meant for her to not know the answer :O. I would recommend this game to everyone. So much fun.

#3 Pass the Teddy.
Guests are in instructed to sit in a circle. Three wrapped boxes are dispersed around the circle. Then, tell the guests to listen closely as you read them a special wedding story (feel free to customize the example we’ve posted below). Each time they hear the word “right,” the guests must pass the gifts one person to the right; when they hear “left,” the gifts move one person to the left. The key to this game is to start reading at a normal storytelling pace. Then, as everyone starts to get comfortable passing the gifts, speed up! The faster you go, the more frenetic and hilarious the gift passing gets. At the end of the game, the bride will pick one person holding a box and they will have to go into the bathroom and come out modeling the TEDDY inside the box. Everyone will IMMEDIATELY get very nervous and try to leave the circle. *The room will explode when she comes out of the bathroom holding a teddy BEAR!*

Here's the story:

“[Insert bride’s name] knew RIGHT away that she had found Mr. RIGHT and the RIGHT date was set. Now seemed to be the RIGHT time to start so she LEFT RIGHT after lunch and went RIGHT to her mother’s house. She LEFT in such a hurry that she LEFT her to do list RIGHT on the living room table. But there was no time to turn back. She knew she needed to get started RIGHT away to make sure nothing was LEFT undone.

With only 24 days until the wedding day, there seemed to be little time LEFT to spare and so much LEFT to do. She asked her mother to WRITE down a guest list because she knew mom would make sure no one was LEFT out. [Insert bride’s name] LEFT to find the RIGHT invitations. On her way, she LEFT a message at the florist and then RIGHT into the bridal shop she ran.

RIGHT in the window was the perfect dress. “Oh no, I LEFT my checkbook RIGHT in the car.” “Hold that dress, I’ll be RIGHT back.” With that accomplished, she called Mr. RIGHT and LEFT him a message to call her RIGHT back. She LEFT to meet the florist who had LEFT her a message that they had the RIGHT flowers for her. Mr. RIGHT called her RIGHT back and said he LEFT a message for the preacher RIGHT down the road to call them RIGHT back and that he had just LEFT work and would be RIGHT over. She LEFT the florist and ran RIGHT over to meet Mr. RIGHT. RIGHT away they discussed what was LEFT to do. “Who will be the RIGHT best man?” She LEFT that up to Mr. RIGHT. “I’ll get the RIGHT maid of Honor.”

RIGHT away they started shopping for the RIGHT rings. With that done, the next stop was to order the RIGHT cake. Mr. RIGHT could clearly see his future Mrs. RIGHT was on the RIGHT track. After a long day, they were both LEFT exhausted. All that was LEFT to do was get RIGHT home to see if any messages were LEFT while they were out. Sure enough, Mom had LEFT a message that the church RIGHT down the road was available so she requested it RIGHT away. Now that was not LEFT to worry about. “Lets call it a day.” “Whatever is LEFT to do, can be LEFT until tomorrow.” They agreed and with a kiss, he LEFT and she went RIGHT to bed…”

People are still talking about how much fun this game was! Definitely recommend!

We had a GREAT night of fun, fellowship, and lingerie gifts! Thank you to everyone that made it a huge success for our future Bride!

I have a passion for party planning. I absolutely love planning, designing, and decorating for an event. Everyone keeps telling me I should do this as a career and I am seriously considering it! Again, thank you to everyone that helped me! It was such a fun night and we made some great memories. Love you so much Kelli. Can't wait until the wedding day to see you walk down that aisle!

Thanks for reading!

Crafty Christmas

2012-01-25T08:23:00.003-06:00

If you follow my facebook, you already know that this was a CRAFTY Christmas. Just about everyone in the family received some type of handmade happy. I had so much fun creating and personalizing gifts. I do LOVE receiving a gift, but I have always loved giving more! Here's a roundup of some of the Christmas gifts I came up with.

Christmas Dresses

Being the first time I ever made an actual outfit, I was quite impressed with the two ruffled dresses and pants I made from scratch (with no pattern) My little model wore these on Christmas and Christmas Eve! :)

She was really hyper from opening gifts (and the Grandparents spoiling) so I didn't get a great picture.

Ruffled Tree Skirt

After putting my tree together, I decided it had been way too many years without a skirt and naturally the ones that I loved at Hobby Lobby were $79.99, so I decided to make one. I've had a huge roll of cream fabric that was given to me from my Grandma for probably six months now. Since I'm planning on buying a new tree and decor next year, the neutral color was perfect and would match just about any color tree!

Without using any type of pattern, I cut a huge circle and got started. Instead of sewing, I used hot glue to ruffle the remaining fabric strips around the skirt. (If you don't know already, sewing in a circle is not an easy task!) Just to be clear, this is NOT the type of craft you are going to finish in an hour. It literally took me FIVE hours to make this beauty. In the end, it was TOTALLY worth the hard work and extreme back pain from bending to glue. Total cost: FREE and you just can't beat that! :)

Therapy Sacks

Using leftover fabrics from previous projects, I made nine of these rice filled heating/ice packs. My super sweet friend, Jessica Bellinger, had a huge supply of brown rice built up in her freezer and happily gave it away when I told her about the project. Attached to each pack was a really cute poem:

This little pillow filled with rice,
Is such a comfort that's oh so nice.
Microwave for 1 to 2 minutes on HIGH
and kiss those aches and pains goodbye.
Apply it to the troubled spot,
The heat will ease the pain a lot.
Or warm those little toes, so cold.
You'll find this nice to have and to hold.
Or freeze it for a little while,
And fix that boo boo up in style.
Instead of a compress made of ice,
Use this pillow of rice that feels so nice
ENJOY!! *Love, Heather*

Personalized Gag Gift

My sisters and I LOVE gag gifts! We have an "inside joke" for Sun In hair lightener. Instead of sticking it in a boring little gift bag, I thought it would be fun to brighten it up. This method could be used on all kind of gifts to make it a little more personalized!

Personalized Wedding Ornament

Using strips of Tooy and Dustin's wedding invitation, I created a personalized ornament for their very first Christmas Tree. The theme of their wedding was peacock feathers and bling-bling, so this is what I came up with:

Adorable, right?!

Family Pictures

A few months ago, I swooned over this gold frame in my Grandma's storage shed. After some persuasion she finally gave in and said I could have it. She had no idea she would be getting it back, with an old picture I stole from her photo album.

Using the 4x6 original picture, my scanner, and color correction, I had Sam's Club enlarge this picture to a 16x20. My grandparents do not have any enlarged family pictures that include my uncle, Bubby, who passed away when he was 12 years old. Grandma hung the picture the first chance she got! :) <3

Ruffled Camera Strap Slipcover
For the two photographers in my life: Rebecca & Kelli :)

Fleece Tied Blanket

For my nephew's soon to be "All things that move" Big Boy Room.

(Check out sleeping Pappaw in the background. No surprise to all
of us family members!! And now you all know where Jd gets it from!) HA

Fleece Scarves

For my fashion-ista nieces.

Presenting America's Next Top Model: Elisabeth Tarpley :)

Bed skirt turned Apron

I bought this multicolored bed skirt at Goodwill in February 2010. I didn't know what I would do with it, but the material was so cute and for $.99 I had to have it. Around the Christmas season I pulled it out and instantly realized what I needed to convert it to: APRONS! Kelli & Tooty LOVED them!

The handmade tag was a quote from Julia Child AND Miss Piggy: "Learn how to cook. Try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all, have fun! -JC / Word to the Wise: "Never eat more than you can lift." MP PERFECT!

Handprint Apron

Teresa always says she's having a "GRAND" time when she hangs out with her grandbabies. I took that inspiration and created a GRAND apron. Handprints from all the kiddos and ruffles on the bottom. Could it be any cuter? I think not!

Handprint Pillow

Letter to Nana from Khloe: "I know you wipe some away, but this handprint was made to stay. So keep it forever, a treasure it will be. This is the hand you once held when I was only 1 year old. Love Khloe Brooke 12/25/10. Mom, of course, made the whole family cry when SHE opened it and began crying! ;)

Homemade Salsa

I didn't save hundreds of mason jars for no reason! All the guys of the family received large homemade salsa jars! How perfect?! Cheap and homemade. Perfecto! Want my recipe? Click here.

Oreo Truffles

Last, but certainly not least, the desert our family ALWAYS requests I bring to Christmas dinner.

There were more gifts I wanted to share, but sadly, half of my Christmas picture folder was somehow deleted. :( Thanks for reading, and I hope I inspired you to create a few crafty gifts too! Make someone's day and do something special for them. You will most likely find that it makes you happier to give than to receive! :)

Hallow-BEE!

2012-01-20T09:44:00.000-06:00

Auntie Tooty found this adorable Bumble Bee costume a few weeks before Halloween and sent it to us. I still wasn't sure what she was going to be, but when I put those antlers and wings on her cute little body, it was over! We were headed to Missouri the day before Halloween so didn't get to do any trick-or-treating, but luckily Khloe's friend Maddox had a costume party the week before and she got to show off her new outfit!

The cutest little BEE I know! :)

Mac Mac was a fireman and matched Khloe perfectly.
He thought her antlers were pretty fun!

Under the Sea at the Exploreum!

I mean, how adorable are those wings?!

Mya is going to be a GREAT big sister! She and Khloe held hands throughout the day and giggled everywhere they went! Mya's mom is actually having her baby brother as I type this! :)

And of course, the Holiday foot prints. We made Ghosts out of these! :)

Hope everyone had a fun Halloween around your parts. (and stop judging me for posting this three months late!!!)

-Heather

Vacation!

2012-01-19T10:21:00.000-06:00

John David and I took a much needed vaca to Missouri a few weeks before Thanksgiving. We asked his parents if they would like to join us and spend some time with Khloe Bear. It was great to spend almost a whole week hanging out and enjoying the mountainous views the city had to offer.

Nana Teresa enjoyed all the loving she got from Ms. Khloe.

In the {almost} five years John David and I have been married, we have only went on one vacation (NYC) that wasn't on a tropical beach. It's funny how having kids change just about everything in your life! : ) Of course, we had to spend a little bit of time playing on the fun playgrounds.

One....Two... Three.. GO!

Pappaw LOVED the fact that she wanted to sit with him rather than Nana! ;)

The Great American Steak & Chicken House.Very yummy!

Khloe didn't get spoiled.. at all... HA!

Love our little family!

Watch as Khloe learns how to open the door and then takes off. Danger! The rest of the trip was spent with the latch hooked at all times!

The fall leaves were just BEAUTIFUL and Khloe had fun running through them!

Look at that adoring Nana standing in the background. Just so cute!

Great memories made, special family time, and lots of love. What more could a girl ask for? Through the ups and downs, I love this life and feel so special to be a part of something so wonderful: my family.

-Heather

Potty Training

2012-01-18T13:37:00.001-06:00

Last Wednesday, John David and I were hanging out in the living room when Khloe came running in from her bedroom with a diaper. She handed it to me and laid down in front of me. A little shocked, I pulled her diaper off and as I slid the new one under she peed all over me. John David thought it was the funniest thing and said “Well! She tried to tell you she needed to go!”

About a week before, I unpacked her new little potty chair (that Auntie Tooty bought for her bday) and put it in the guest bathroom next to the toilet. I don’t know about your kiddos, but this child follows me EVERY where I go. I decided to sit her on it every time I went to the bathroom. It didn’t take but one time of sitting her there that she would follow me and sit on it by herself.

After the peeing on my hand incident, we decided she must be trying to tell us she’s ready for potty training! Later that night, Jd left for a work meeting and I stuck Khloe in the bath. As I pulled her out of the tub, on a whim, I picked up her naked little body and sat her on the toilet (the big one). Much to my surprise, she immediately started straining and within seconds she had her first poo-poo in the big girl potty. I tried so hard not to laugh, but my giggles made it that much more fun for her. All smiles, she strained until she raised her arms in the air and said "Awww donne" :) Yep, I videoed the entire thing on my phone, and yes, I called all of my family in utter excitement….. and I may have even updated my facebook status about my kid pooping. LOL!

The next morning we got up really early and headed to Memphis. An hour away from home, I stopped at my Mother-in-laws to pick up a few things. I didn’t think much would come from it, but since she did so good the night before, I decided to make it a habit of sticking her on the toilet. In a total new environment and house, she immediately went #2 as soon as I put her on it! Again, I was in total disbelief.

Later that day at my Grandmas, the story continued. She didn’t have an “accident” all day. The best part was when she came and grabbed my hand and walked me to the bathroom and reached for me to put her on the toilet to again use the bathroom. The entire family was there to witness it and everyone was going crazy!

After a few days of being out of town, we are back at home, and I am happy to report she is still going! Much to my surprise, she really won’t go in the little potty chair, which can be good and bad. Good because it’s much easier to clean by a simple flush. Bad because it’s not something she can do by herself.

She is still having a few accidents, and it’s mostly because I forget to make her go often enough. I’ve come to realize that potty training is not just for the baby, but also training for the momma! I’m not at all expecting perfection and no accidents from my 15 month old, but I think this is a HUGE start and advantage to the process!

*You know you’re a Mom when you write a blog about exciting new bathroom activities!*

Thanks for reading!

-Heather

Thanksgiving

2011-12-02T13:10:00.000-06:00

Have you ever had those days where everything, and I mean everything, that could go wrong does go wrong? That’s been the theme of my last three or four months. I can’t count how many times I’ve sat down to write a new blog and got halfway through and deleted it after one quick glance. It didn’t matter what the subject was, but every new entry seemed sad, uninspired, or even angry. Two months later, there has not been one new update. : (

Last night, I stood in the shower and silently spoke to myself. Sometimes, that’s the best therapy. I know I need to update my blog, and I know everyone is wondering where I’ve been, but where do I even begin? And then, like a flood, it all came pouring in. Like previews at the beginning of a movie, the last year flashed before my eyes. It’s been one whole YEAR! I’ve come so far. I can not believe I actually made it. The pre-planned five minute shower evolved to a motionless fifteen minute meditation.

It was just over a year ago that I found myself in the saddest and darkest time of my entire life. Khloe was a tiny little newborn baby and I cried every single day. Not a moment passed that I didn’t beat myself up for feeling sad and not enjoying every second I shared with my sweet little girl, but I literally could not stop the sadness and the tears. Everyone that knew me was seriously and legitimately concerned. My OBGYN convinced me to keep taking the antidepressant she prescribed a month before I gave birth, but John David and I both knew my depression wasn’t anything medicine would fix. It wasn’t a mental problem; it was one hundred percent circumstantial. I took the pills anyway. It was the only solution that was tangible or realistic at the time.

I was five months pregnant when we moved to Alabama. John David intentionally set his schedule up so that the first half of the year would be the busiest so that when the baby came, he would have more time to spend at home with us. No one could have prepared for just how bad my first pregnancy would be. I spent nearly every day completely alone, crying, and vomiting with severe migraines. John David felt completely helpless. He had no control over his ridiculous work schedule and couldn’t be there for me when I needed him the most. My family did everything they could to come see me, but I never felt happy because I had complete anxiety knowing they would be leaving me in just a few days. I couldn’t make friends, even if I wanted to, because I physically could not leave my house by myself. Problems with our realtor left our savings completely wiped out and money was tighter than I had ever even imagined it could be. Khloe was finally born, and I wasn’t sick, but I was still home alone and everything John David and I touched seemed to crash underneath us.

I stood in the shower with tears falling from my eyes remembering just how desperate I was only one year ago. I thought about the little things that have had me down over the past couple months and couldn’t help but laugh. “If I can just make it ONE more year..” I said aloud to myself.

For a long time I’ve been very embarrassed and ashamed that I was sad and depressed during what was supposed to be “the happiest time” of my life. There are only a handful of people that even know I took antidepressants. At some point, you realize you are not alone. Just because other women have had amazing experiences during pregnancy doesn’t mean that I should have had the same experience. There are families all across the world that would give anything, ANYTHING to conceive and carry a baby in their womb. My experience was absolutely horrible, but at the end of the eight months I delivered the most precious little girl who has become such a huge part of my life. I am completely convinced that I have lost my mind, but I want to do it again. Maybe even three more times. Don’t get ahead of yourself. I am not getting pregnant anytime soon, but I definitely want more babies, even if it means eight or nine months of complete torment.

Here’s my point: we all have our ups and downs. I have had an incredible life full of happiness and sadness, heartache and joy. I can not think about all of the things that have went wrong in my life because your past does not define you; what you do with the present does. Though I’ve had a rough couple months, I still praise God for the things he has done for me and the unseen things he has prepared for my life. Things may not be going the way I would like, but I know God has brought me through before and he will do it time and time again. He never fails.

Ecclesiastes 3: There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and enjoyed every minute spent with your loved ones. We are all so blessed. Sometimes we take for granted the little things in our lives that many people are not fortunate to have. Hug your babies tight and kiss your husband every single day. There are people across our world that would kill for the crazy lives we live at this very moment!

Heather

Khloe's Birthday Circus Decor

2011-10-03T14:11:00.003-05:00

I know everyone is dying to see the birthday pictures! I think the easiest way to blog about Khloe's OVER THE TOP #1 birthday party is to do a few posts instead of one massive blog. I know most of you are most interested in the decor, so that's what we'll do first.

Step right up! Welcome to Khloe's Birthday Circus!

Invites!

The birthday girl!

Circus Sweets!

The personalized birthday banner

The "Big Top" Cake was the centerpiece of the sweets table.

Can you believe my AMAZING mother-in-law made this?!

You are awesome Teresa!!

To the left of the cake: Gumballs, animal crackers, ring pops, fruity pebble treats, pixie sticks, lollipops, and cupcakes.

To the right of the cake: Chocolate and sprinkle covered pretzels, stacked gumdrops, gummy bears, cotton candy, gumballs, and cupcakes.

My sister thought I was CRAZY when I asked her to color coordinate the skittles.

Totally worth it, right!?!

Cupcakes are always cuter with personalized toppers!

Popcorn, of course!

We served corn dogs (not pictured because I completely forgot they were still in the oven. Luckily John David remembered before they burnt! HA), chips & mexican cheese dip, and drinks. You know I had to put a little personalized label on the water bottles ; )

The smash cake

Khloe's little friends table

I made this balloon wreath :)

The kiddos place settings

The ball pit

Prizes and face painting table :)

Gift table

Bounce house

The pinata

Circus photo op :)

Special thanks to our amazing friends and family who helped make Khloe's first birthday a HUGE success! She had so much fun and got waaaaay too many toys! Thank you for helping me spoil her!

John David told me that I set the bar super high and he didn't know WHAT we would do for her second birthday. :) What can I say? I don't really do "small." Is it really a bad thing?! ; )

Happy 12 Months Khloe!

2011-09-30T08:01:00.014-05:00

(Khloe's birthday is actually tomorrow, but since her BIG bday celebration is tomorrow, I'm posting one day early :)

Dear Khloe Brooke,

One year ago at 9:33 p.m., you were taken from my belly and placed in my arms. At 5 pounds and four ounces, you were the tiniest, most adorable, John David-looking, sweeeeeeeeeeeetest baby I have ever laid eyes on. Friday, October 1, 2010 my heart quadrupled in size when you made me the proudest new Mommy in this whole world!

Every day you learn and you do, and your Momma doesn’t miss a minute! You are one year old today and your Mommy & Daddy are absolutely stunned by how much you have grown and have become such a “big girl!”

The basics:

- Weight: about 20lbs

- Size: 4 diapers, 6-9 shirts, 9 month pants, some 12 month outfits. 4W shoes.

- Teeth: 6 total. Top two side teeth just broke through a few days ago.

- Food: She had her first sips of cow’s milk on 9/18. I’m introducing it slowly, but excited to wean her from the $20 a week formula!!! She’s eating more and more table foods, but I’m still taking it slow on how much we give her. A few of her new fav foods this month are yogurt, granola bars, and bread.

A few fun things she’s learned in the past few months:

-Points to nose, foot and mouth

-Marches in place

-Makes high pitch shrills when asked “what does Bella say?” (umph umph!)
-Climbs on top of EVERYTHING

-Sits on her Dora couch and reads books constantly

-Dances non-stop

-Carries her baby around and kisses (licks!) her face

-Does sign language for “eat”

-Started playing in her room by herself

-Runs to the bathroom {super excited} when it’s bath time

-Regularly calls Daddy on her phone (hand) throughout the day, especially if she gets mad at me!
-Loves playing with Bella (Deh-Deh, as she calls her). I’ve caught her a few times trying to give her kisses.. eewww!

-Blows kisses

-Plays peek-a-boo
-Gives "high fives"
-Tries to put shoes on her feet

John David and I are absolutely smitten by this little girl. We’ve been spending a lot of “floor time” this month. We sit...she performs. The more we laugh, the harder she works for it. We can’t get enough of it.

I can’t believe it’s been one year. Honestly. It seems like it was just yesterday she made her dramatic entrance into our world. I can’t imagine where my life would be without her.

Happy Twelve months my precious Khloe Brooke. You make life so much more fun and worth-while. I hope you never forget how much your Mommy & Daddy love you! I can’t wait to see how much you grow and learn in the next year. Have no fear, Momma will be there.. camera in hand, blogging about it! ; )

Love always, Mommy

P.S. The CIRCUS is in town!! Khloe’s First Bday pictures coming soon to a city near you! Get your tickets now! ; )

Happy 11 Months Khloe!

2011-09-12T17:24:00.003-05:00

We’re less than 1 month away from my baby turning ONE. I can’t take it!!!!

(attempting to take her headband off and I am attempting to distract her from doing so.. ahh)

Weighs about 20 lbs. Wearing size 4 diapers and 6-9 and some 12 month clothes. Officially wears a 4W shoe.

She has completely mastered walking, and now thinks she can just take off running. She can turn in a complete circle AND walk backwards. She’s learned how to climb up on the couch all by herself.. she doesn’t quite understand that she can’t go off the edge without a boo-boo yet. As soon as I finish these “11 month” pics, the bumper is coming out of her bed. She is WAAAAY too close to being able to flip out of it, so sadly it has to go. : (

John David and I started reading to Khloe when I was pregnant and have continued to do so since then. I love that books are the first toys she reaches for right now. She walks around with them and sits down and flips through the pages while mumbling to herself.

This month she's really started to take an interest in baby dolls. Aunt Ruth bought her a baby doll a couple weeks ago and she has carried that baby around every where she goes. She gives the baby kisses (which means she all but licks the whole baby's face). SUPER cuteness!!

Still napping three times a day, but I feel like we are close to dropping the third. Her bed time is still around 7 and she gets up around 8-8:30.

She has FOUR teeth and two more on the top are just before breaking through. She LOVES finger foods (finally), especially puffs. One more month until whole milk, and let me tell you- I can NOT wait. We go through about $20 a WEEK of formula right now….One more month! : )

The past few weeks she has really started babbling more and more words. It seems like the only time the house is quiet is when she’s napping! A few words she’s saying: Mama, Daddy, Bye Bye, Bella (which sounds like Dey Dey), THIS, and Dance (which also sounds more like Deh Deh)

She LOVES music of any kind. The minute she hears music, she smiles and begins bobbing up and down. She’s recently started stamping her right foot really hard while dancing. The more you laugh at her the harder she dances. We really can’t get enough of it.

She gives BIG wet kisses, points for things she wants, and full on waves for “bye bye.” Things that she knows she’s not supposed to have she says “Da?” and brings it to me. Ha!

Her big ONE YEAR birthday invitations just went out today. It’s going to be October 1^st at 2:00 pm at my Grandparents’ church Family Life Center. We hope to see you all there!!

Happy Eleven Months baby girl. Please stop growing so fast.

Love, Mommy

"The Big 2-5" Bday!

2011-08-25T15:00:00.007-05:00

A day that's "all about Heather." That's just the perfect day, if you ask me! :)

Twenty five feels old. My teen years are LONG gone and I'm not getting any younger! My ~~baby~~ cousins are now the "cool" kids that wear the cool clothes and know the cool sayings and laugh at me when I attempt to be "cool". Wasn't it just yesterday I was THAT kid?? Nope. That was YEARS ago, Heather. I like to tell myself that I'm still cool though. :)

Regardless, it was a great day. The hubby always makes me a grilled cheese sandwich on my bday, but this year I was craving a McDonald's hotcakes and sausage breakfast - not to mention, we were running way low on groceries anyway! After breakfast we decided to check out the Farmer's Market Downtown Mobile. We were so disappointed when we got there and realized it was closed. We didn't have any plans for the day, but the Hubs was off ALL day, so we wanted to make the most of it. On a whim, we decided to drive to New Orleans and spend the day window shopping and relaxing in the French Quarter. :)

We started off with lunch at Bubba Gump's Shrimp Company. It {the chicken} was very yummy. Jd said the shrimp was good. I wouldn't know, because shrimp is another item on my do-not-eat list. LOL!

The {old} Bday girl. :)

Khloe wanted in on the onion ring tower action. Look at her licking her lips!!

The birthday girl & K Bug in front of the St. Louis Cathedral.

I heart this picture!

Apparently, August 13th just so happened to be the Red Dress Run in NOLA. I have never seen so many men in dresses. It was.....disturbing.

Yep. That's a guy. In red lingerie. It was not pretty.

Guy riding a bike... in a red dress.

It seems like every time we are in New Orleans they are having a parade! Actually, I don't think I've been when they haven't had one. Craziness!

I was a little sad that I had already eaten, because this hot dog stand looked yummy.. and it reminded me of the hot dog stands in New York City.

The thing about New Orleans that I love/hate is that you just never know what you are going to run into. I enjoy NOLA during the day, but am not a fan of the night life. It's just not my style. Again, I'm obviously not "cool!" ;)

There are a ton of people that dress up and encourage you to take their picture (for money, of course!) They get a little agitated when you don't drop a few coins in their buckets. This kid painted himself in all silver and sat on the corner hoping for a few bucks here and there for people to take pics with him. He couldn't have been more than 14 years old. It was 100 degrees outside and I absolutely do not know how he didn't melt!

I'm not EXACTLY sure what he is. I think a statue? There's another form of this guy who dances like a robot. We try to avoid him when we are there because he is very verbal about someone taking his picture and not paying. Ruuude!

And then there's this car:

This is a for-real car, that someone actually drives around. It looked like a homeless person lived in it because it was crammed to the top with junk. The only open space was the driver's seat. Weird.

After a couple hours of strolling through the sidewalks and boutiques, we finally made it to the French Market.(John David was convinced he knew exactly where it was, but he was wrong.. and his wife was RIGHT.. he still won't admit it).

John David brought me here a couple years ago for Valentine's Day and I bought a really cute yellow purse. They have a little bit of everything. I really wanted to buy some of the yummy looking fruit, but didn't want to tote it around the city for the rest of the day.

After a long, fun filled day, Jd snapped a pic of me and Koko on the steps of the entrance to the Cathedral. I love the vintage look of those wrought iron gates!

Khloe, of course, wanted to get down and walk around. Little monkey!

Spending the day with my hubs and baby girl was the absolute best birthday present. Family days are few and far between with John David's crazy busy schedule. We always have the best time when we are able to spend quality family time! I love that husband and baby girl!!

All of the cards, texts, and FB comments wishing me a Happy Bday made me feel very special and very loved on my August 13th National Holiday {wink!}. Thank you to everyone who made me feel like the center of attention! You know I soaked it up! ; )-

And did I mention I got a new camera? Because I did. And I ADORE it. Still learning all the functions and how to work it. Thank you to my amazing familia for making the number one item on my "wish list" come true!! ;) I require no Christmas gift this year. My camera was enough of a gift for the next 5 Bdays and Christmases!! ; )

Happy 2-5 Bday to me! Now, back to the world revolving around Miss Khloe. Her bday is coming up and I can't WAIT!! :)

Guilty pleasures!

2011-08-23T16:42:00.002-05:00

I added a new label to the bloggity blog a couple months ago called “Confessions!” (Catch up on those here). This week I thought it would be fun to share a few of my guilty pleasures. You know.. the little things that make life just a little bit more fun.

Wikipedia says a guilty pleasure is “something one enjoys and considers pleasurable despite feeling guilt for enjoying it. The "guilt" involved is sometimes simply fear of others discovering one's lowbrow or otherwise embarrassing tastes.”

These are just a few of the little things that make my heart flutter! {try not to judge me TOO hard!} :)

Candy. I'm not talking about chocolate. I'm talking about hard, sour and tart candy. Skittles, Sweet Tarts, Gummy Bears, Starburst, lemon drops.. I could sit and eat candy, literally, all day long. You can find random candy pieces floating around the bottom of my purse pretty much all the time. It’s bad for my teeth, it’s wasted calories, but I LOVE it.

Reality TV. I’m talking about the super juicy ones, like ALL of the Real Housewives, Keeping up with the Kardashians, Teen Mom, and I even admit that there may be some "fist pumping" going on around these parts!! Ummmmm… STOP judging me!

Popcorn at the movies. But wait, I'm not talking about just a large buttery popcorn, I'm talking about the large, buttered halfway AND on top, and then smothered with the white cheddar popcorn seasoning!! I DIE!!!

Scaring people. Like hitting the bathroom door super hard while Jd is showering, or standing beside the door and waiting for someone to walk in and scream in their face. I don’t know why, but I just LOVE it!!

Vacations. Going out of town with my hubs, eating out every night, doing fun things that cost too much money…all because it’s VACATION. No work and all play. Making memories that last a life time. I absolutely heart vacation!!!!

Wax Museum, New York City 2008

Shopping. It doesn’t matter if it’s the Goodwill, The Dollar Tree, Walmart or the Mall. Shopping is a drug to me that makes everything feel better! :)

Facebook. There is no better way to catch up on gossip, look at embarrassing pictures of friends, ex-friends, or better yet ex-boyfriends. Do not even TRY to deny it. You KNOW you do it too.

Jammies and a ponytail. Unless I have errands to run, or know someone is coming over, you will most likely find me in mismatched pajamas and my hair pulled back into a pony tail and then piled on top of my head in no sort of cute fashion. My poor hubby. Some days I do attempt to run a brush through my hair before he gets home. {SOME days..}
Pampering. It would be so much easier if I didn't enjoy getting my nails done. Or paying (an arm and a leg) for a day at the spa. Or having my eye brows waxed instead of taking time out of my oh-so-busy day to tweeze them. What can I say?!? I'm a girly girl and I thouroughly enjoy some pampering.
Watching Khloe cry. Does this make me a bad mom? LOL! Sometimes she's just SO stinkin' adorable when she puckers that lip! The words "NO NO" have recently began to hurt her feelings and just as she begins to pucker I can't help but almost laugh.

Tell me, tell me! What is a few of your guilty pleasures? Think about it. Write it down. Laugh at yourself (and then let me laugh at you too!) ; )

Love you guys!

My Life List

2011-08-08T09:03:00.003-05:00

A few days ago, I was surfing online and came across someones bucket list. It quickly inspired me to make my own list of goals, dreams and life experiences that I want to do in my lifetime. I don't know about you, but sometimes life can get SO boring. Why not have dreams? Make a plan? Decide that life doesn't ALWAYS have to be so monotonous! {Besides, you know I'm a "make a list" junkie!!!}

I decided to start with 100, in no specific order and some have been crossed through as accomplishments. In my world the best lists show proof that you've been productive {which is like a drug to me}. Surprisingly, I learned a little bit about myself during this challenge! You should try it!

So, this is a peep into what I hope my life to entail:

~~Grow a vegetable garden~~
Open my own furniture consignment store
Take sewing classes
Snow Ski
Sell my handmade gifts
~~Become a mommy~~
Swim with dolphins
~~Learn to sew~~
~~Parasail~~
Go on a foreign missions trip to bless children
Design my own craft room
~~Reupholster furniture~~
Take photography classes
Renew with my vows with my hubby in Hawaii on our 10 year anniversary
~~Coordinate a wedding~~
Make a baby boy
Zipline across the jungles of Costa Rica
Go sailing
Make a Thanksgiving turkey {by myself}
Go to a Mommy & Me yoga class with Khloe
Adopt a baby from a foreign country
Ride an elephant in India
Learn to speak another language
~~Build {from scratch} a piece of furniture~~
~~Have my own yard sale~~
Be the "class mom" that does fun arts & crafts in my kids classrooms
Experience Disney World with our kids
Have a breast reduction
Learn to whistle
Learn to tango
Take a Safari in South Africa
Wear a large hat at the Kentucky Derby
Buy my Grandparents a new house
Own a beach home
Begin/Finish Khloe’s baby book
Host an annual event
Watch the sun set and rise on an exotic beach
~~Go skinny dipping~~
~~Experience a Broadway show in the theaters of NYC~~
Go to a Rascal Flatts concert
Have Christmas in another country
Give to charity
Get to know my neighbors
Go whale watching
Take a painting class
Workout at least twice a week
Go to a ballet
Create a memory list each year
~~Take a Cruise vacation~~
Find the positive in everything that has disappointed me
~~Throw someone a surprise party~~
Visit all 50 states
~~Ride in a limo~~
~~Register to be a donor~~
Hire someone to pay my monthly bills
Experience a normal pregnancy
Leave a huge tip to a deserving waitress
See the Pyramids at sunset
~~Have a blog~~
Pick a goal each month and achieve it
~~Learn to clean the pool to help out my hubby~~
Surprise someone with a new car
Hire a babysitter once a week and start back weekly date nights with the hubs
Install a TV above a big Jacuzzi tub in my bathroom
~~Stay in my pjs for a whole day~~
Take a cooking class
Learn to make cakes like my mother-in-love
Make a difference
Have family pictures taken on the beach
Go to Pier One and Hobby Lobby with an unlimited budget!
Buy a monogramming sewing machine (and monogram everything in my house!!!!)
Have Bella professionally groomed once a month
Replace all the furniture in my house with exactly what I want
Be a financial blessing to our family
Ride a camel in the desert
Take Khloe on a daily walk
Buy a really expensive straightener
Have two Christmas trees. 1) Traditional with the kiddos yearly ornaments 2) White / Super Chic Girly!
Have a picnic in Central Park (New York)
Make a memory quilt from tshirts
Get Lasik eye surgery
~~Go tubin’ down a river~~
~~Restore an old house~~
~~Marry for love~~
While in the drive thru, pay for the person's meal who is behind me.
~~Ride in a taxi~~
Throw a monthly dinner party
Feature a friend refinishing furniture on my blog
Set up all of Santa Claus’ toys for our kiddos on Christmas Eve!
Have a big family!
~~Host a themed party~~
~~Laugh until you pee yourself~~
~~Make it through John David's four years of medical school~~
Make it through John David's five years of residency
Cheer for my kids from the stands as they play a team sport
Experience complete fulfillment
Watch Khloe walk down the aisle to someone she loves as much as I love her Daddy
Transfer to Gmail 100%
~~Overcome a fear~~
Be a healthy eater

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -Mark Twain

Cozumel snorkeling 6 weeks pregnant / The baby moon :)

I would love to hear a few things on your list!

Happy 10 months Khloe!

2011-08-05T12:37:00.002-05:00

I think she weighs about 20 pounds (checkup is scheduled for the 15th)
Wearing size 3 diapers and 6-9 and 9 month clothes.
Two bottom teeth and I can feel at least one on top trying to break through. Have I mentioned how horrible teething is? Poor baby (and mommy!)
Upgraded to the non-silicone spout on sippy cups. I can’t believe how easy the transition from bottle to cup was!
Walking more and more! She knows she can get where she wants faster by crawling, but I am noticing she prefers to walk a little more every day.

(it's harder and harder to get her to SIT while taking these monthly pics!!)

She is into everrrrrrything! She discovered how to open and close cabinet doors last week while at my Gmas. Oh joy!!
Did I mention she is CLIMBING? On anything and everything she can get her foot on. I really have to keep an eye on her to keep the number of “flip overs” to a minimum!
Babbles non stop but she will NOT say Momma! Every time I ask her to say it she says Dada! Couple of new words this month: Toooodee (for Tooty!) and Gi (for Gigi).

(look at how thick her hair is getting!! I LOVE it!)

Napping at least twice a day and still sleeps all night.
LOVES music! She bounces and claps her hands as says DANCE "deeh, deeh deeh" as soon as she hears music! So cute!
She has finally warmed up to the idea of letting strangers hold her. I was amazed at Tooty’s wedding how she let girls pass her around before the ceremony started.

Let the party planning begin! Khloe’s 1^st birthday is less than two months away! {tear} And yes, it’s true; I’ve been planning for this party since she was 4 months old! Would you expect any less from me?? :)-

Save the date! Khloe’s First Birthday Celebration October 1^st in Olive Branch, MS. Time and location TBA.

TUTUtorial

2011-07-13T08:13:00.003-05:00

Chances are if you're a {tight budget} mom and you have little girls, you've already made your little princess a tutu. If not, today is your day! This is the easiest, no sew, absolutely adorable creation!

What you will need: Tulle, Scissors, and a long piece of ribbon. Three things! Seriously, it's that easy!

Let's get started: Fold your tulle in half and measure (or eye it like I did) and begin cutting 1 inch strips.

Cut through the middle fold to make two strips.

Do this over and over again. I used three colors (one yard each): turquoise and two shades of green.

Stack them in somewhat of an order, but it doesn't have to be perfect.

I used a long piece of ribbon for the waist. You could use velcro but I think the ribbon is easier, plus you can always add to it as she grows. Tie a knot at the end of your ribbon to keep your tulle from falling off as you're working.

Gather your strips in tulle and fold in half. I used three green for the middle and one turquoise on the top and one on the bottom. I wanted it to be symmetrical so I stuck to the same pattern, you could mix it up as much as you want.

Tie a knot through the ribbon where you have the strips folded. Try to point the not downward to make it lay better.

Turn on a good Lifetime movie and keep on tying.

Hold it up to your princess to measure as you are going. I knew Khloe would be wearing hers for an upcoming photo shoot so I wanted it to be super full and fluffy.

And there you have it! From beginning to end it took me about 30 minutes to complete.

I got the tulle on sale at hobby lobby for less than a $1.50 per yard, plus I already had the ribbon. Total cost was less than $6.00. Now, go. Go buy that tulle and see just how easy it is to make!! :)

Here's the pic of Khloe wearing it during her photo shoot with Kayce Stork Photography. We LOVED how it turned out.

Happy 9 Months Khloe

2011-07-12T07:52:00.001-05:00

I'm not gonna lie, I didn't REALLY want to title this blog "HAPPY 9 months." This momma is sad at how fast her little love bug is growing up! It is so fun to watch your tiny little creation develop her own little personality.

This has been a very fun month with all the new things she's doing! Plus I'm so thankful those terrible teething crankiness has subsided, at least for now..

Weighs about 18 pounds
Wearing 6-9 month clothes and is in between a size 2 and 3 shoe. Size 3 diapers.
Napping 3 times a day and 12 hours at night. Still prefers to sleep on her belly, but she has started sleeping on her sides a lot more this month.
Has TWO teeth!
Officially weaned from a bottle as of four weeks ago. She thinks she is such a big girl when she gets to sip from an open cup during meals and drink through a straw when we are at restaurants.
She is great eater but does NOT like puffs. At. All. She does like the Baby Mum-Mums.
Walking! Walking! Walking! And it is A-DOR-ABLE!!!
Climbing on EVERYTHING. I have to keep my eyes on her at all times or she is likely to come crashing down from whatever she is trying to get on top of.
The girl LOVES dancing. The minute she hears music she starts jumping up and down and clapping her hands.
Waves her hand for hi and bye bye, mimics people snapping, claps on cue for patty cake and loves playing peek-a-boo! She's also discovered how to smack her lips together to make kissy sounds. This week she has started bumping heads (It's all fun and games until the day Momma gets a busted lip! ha)
New words she's saying: DaDa, buh-bye, k, hey and hi. Still won't say Ma-ma :(
Still loves bath time and being outside
Hair is getting so full and thick! She really likes "petting" my hair and surprisingly she does it as gentle as she can. She's learned that she has to be gentle with Bella so I think that helps. She is much harder to keep a bow on these days. As soon as she feels it on her head, she rips it off. I'm TRYYYYYING to break that habit.

Notice her pulling her headband off above? Not ok Khloe Brooke. Not ok!

This was the only picture I was able to get her to actually smile while looking at the camera. She's at the age that it is nearly impossible to keep her still enough to catch a good pic.

Case in point, she was smiling so big until I snapped the picture above. Ahh.

Happy 9 months sweet baby girl!

The Royal Wedding Shower

2011-07-11T09:07:00.001-05:00

My baby sister is getting marrrrried. I can't believe it. It seems just like yesterday that she was hiding my car keys and not telling us where they were until Kelli and I agreed to let her go shopping with us. (Which, she JUST confessed a couple weeks ago that she regularly did this!!!! BRAT!)

I have been living vicariously through her wedding preparations recreating what I SHOULD have done for my wedding. We have had a lot of fun shopping and planning her big day. Though I have become her personal slave, I have enjoyed every minute of being the "wise big sister!" I told her a couple weeks ago that I didn't care how old she was or if she was married I would STILL boss her around and that would NEVER change. :)-

My sister, Kelli, and I hosted Toot's lingerie shower a couple weeks ago at my Grandma's house. We asked everyone on the invites to wear a hat for this ROYAL event! ;)

A picture of the gorgeous bride-to-be wearing a "Wife in training" badge that I made out of tissue paper and mosquito netting.

The food table. Very disappointed at how blurry it turned out. :(

Super fun and cute cake pops we made.

We couldn't have a party without pepperoni bagel bites. Our fav!

Cupcake toppers made from my printer, hot glue, and toothpicks : )

Such a cute and super cheap accessory to add some FRILL!

You know when you are coming to a party hosted by the Allison girls there WILL be chicken and ketchup. Our menu consisted of: chicken & cheese quesadillas, pepperoni bagel bites, sausage balls, chicken strips, mexican cheese dip, salsa, fruit sticks, strawberry shortcake, strawberry cupcakes, and strawberry cake balls dipped in white and dark chocolate. So yummy!

Yummy pink lemonade with strawberries and lemons.

I loved the personal touch of the custom napkin holders.

I really expected Khloe to be asleep for the night by the time the party started. I wish I would have dressed her up in a cute hat too!

Some girlfriends from Toot's school.

This gag gift was definitely the best laugh of the night. Thanks Kelli for helping me get it together!

Her expression was just priceless opening a lot of the gifts!

Thank you so much to all the girls that wore hats. So cute!

Sisters!

Great turn out, great food, great gifts, and great memories! Thank you to everyone that let me boss you around and make my baby sister's shower perfecto!

19 days and counting until the big day!! Bittersweet!

ps. Kelli, can I convince you to do a destination wedding???!?!?!? ha ha ha. jk. I will do it all for you again babe!

Confessions of a picky eater

2011-07-07T14:29:00.003-05:00

If you know me, you know how much of a picky eater I am. Just to be clear, when I say I am a "picky eater," what I really mean is I have the taste buds of a five year old. Salad, steak, fish, ranch, and sweet tea are just a few of the items on my do-not-eat list. Chicken nuggets, french fries, mac & cheese, and coke are the staples of my everyday diet. For most of my life I have been such a picky eater because I was just too scared to try new things. As I've gotten older, I've become very self-conscious and embarrassed of my not-so sophisticated palate.

I think the embarrassment began while working at Scruggs, Sossaman & Thompson, a law firm in downtown Memphis. Every holiday or special occasion was a perfect excuse to have a celebration dinner at a super swanky restaurant. While attempting to place my order during the first Christmas dinner with the firm, I had a full fledged panic attack. Filet Mignon was the only thing on the menu that I could actually read and understand what it was. I have never really liked steak, but at least I knew what I would be eating. Turns out it was 32 ounce steak! Yes, THIRTY TWO ounces. The waiter was astonished when I returned the steak and asked for it to be cooked more thoroughly. "The chef will be offended," he informed me. He (along with the rest of the table) was APPALLED when I went even further and requested a side of ketchup to dip the steak in. I ate THREE bites of the steak and was over it. The attorneys NEVER let me live down that experience!

By no means do I enjoy being so picky. I feel so awkward and uncomfortable when refusing such pretty and well prepared food at friends' house. I hate it. So much so that I have recently began forcing myself to be a "big girl" and just try it.

This is the {true} story of the biggest accomplishment I've had with new foods to date.
As you remember, Khloe's birth was a sudden and very unexpected experience. If you missed the story of her arrival, you can read about that here. Sunday afternoon a nurse came by our hospital room and told us not to make plans for dinner. The hospital prepares a "special dinner" for Doctor's and their wives after giving birth. How SPECIAL can a hospital dinner really be, I thought.

We could not believe our eyes when they rolled in a cart with white linens and fine china plated with a Steak dinner for two. Juicy steaks, baked potatoes, salad and sweet tea. "Babe, when I get done eating, I'll go and get you some chicken nuggets," my sweet and understanding husband said. I waited patiently as he cut piece by piece of his thick and savory smelling steak. I'm not sure if it was the smell or the fact that I hadn't eaten in three days but I wanted a bite. John David sneakily watched as I ate the two pieces he cut for me, and then continued to place two more bites on my plate until I realized I had just devoured an entire steak.

Seven days later, I wished I had ordered a steak at Applebees when everyone's steak orders came out. It wasn't until that day that I discovered my love for steak, which is a very bad thing considering Longhorn Steakhouse is less than a minute WALK from our house!!

After eight years of being together, I was so excited to go on our first Steak Dinner Date to Outback last weekend. It was yummy!

(picture of a very excited wife on our first real date withOUT Khloe since she was born!)

We have had more steak in the past nine months than I can count! John David is loving it since it has broadened the range of restaurants that I am willing to go to now that chicken is not required to be on the menu!

So there you have it! One day at a time I am becoming quite the big girl! Stay tuned... you never know what I might try next!!