a les than ordinary life...

No day but today.

noreply@blogger.com (lesli) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:00:00 +0000

3 years ago today I met this man.

2 years ago today I married him.

Today I thank God for his provision in bringing our lives together.

Thanksgiving 2009

noreply@blogger.com (lesli) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 15:15:00 +0000

The new Thanksgiving tradition for our family of 3 is to spend Thanksgiving away from our families. Our business has it's busiest day of the year the day after Thanksgiving, so it doesn't make sense for us to travel, but we would love to have our families here. I think they are all afraid we'll put them to work the next day, so they shy away.

Last year was a fail. We ate mexican food and went in and worked. BOO! This year, we invited friends over that had no where to go and made a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Much better for the heart and soul to stick to traditional Thanksgiving plans (and not go into work when not absolutely necessary!)

First, I tackled a turkey breast. There were only 3 of us, so really there was no need for 15lbs of turkey. I worried that it would be dry, because it seems that more often than not turkey is dry, but the method worked.

I did a variation/adjustment for size on Cooking Light's Ultimate Roasted Turkey. Don't shy away from the "cooking light" in the title. I patted him down with herb butter and slid some under his skin. I basted him every 30 min for 2.5 hours and he was moist and delicious!

To accompany the bird, I fixed Sweet Potato Casserole {for me}, Southern Cornbread Dressing/Stuffing (depending on where you're from) {for me & justin} & Hash Brown Casserole {for justin}. And of course, Sister Shubert made my rolls. I just looked back through all these recipes and they all came from Cooking Light as well. The Sweet Potatoes {save for being under the broiler for too long} and the Southern Cornbread Dressing were both delicious! I couldn't tell that they weren't chocked full of bad for you calories.

I made everything the day before so all I would have to do was bake the dishes and I do not think that was a wise choice for the hash brown casserole. We all ate it, but it wasn't as good as I'm used to.

Justin told me later that day, "Babe, honestly, that was the best Thanksgiving meal I've ever had." No better compliment.

Happy Thanksgiving 2009

from The Flowers'

what is there to be thankful for?

noreply@blogger.com (lesli) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:37:00 +0000

I know blogs are usually happy and fluffy and thanksgiving is tomorrow, but Justin and I were talking the other day and I told him, "2009 has been my least favorite year." Marriage has been harder, because our work has been so stressful. My family has suffered major heartache. Mostly it feels like everything I've asked the Lord for has gone the other way. I refuse to believe that woe is me and I can boldly claim in His name that He will not give me more than I can handle and He will give me the desires of my heart. I know I will one day look back on 2009 and realize aha, this is why things didn't turn out MY way!

It got me to thinking, though, surely beyond all the frustration and the stress and the heartbreak there is something to be thankful for? When I looked around, there was much to be thankful for.

~I'm thankful I'm not Kate Gosselin. When I think about her life, damn. I have learned from her how not to speak to and treat my husband. I vowed to love, honor & cherish him, which starts with my words and manifest in my actions.

~I'm thankful that God has entrusted me with 25 lives that I get serve and love every day. As crazy as work gets at time, I cherish the moments when I look around and think holy cow (no pun intended) how were we lucky enough to get this opportunity?

~I'm thankful that hamstring injuries heal. My body has so graciously allowed me to do things this year that I never dreamed of doing and pushed itself to limits I never knew were possible.

~I'm thankful for candle warmers. I love the way candles smell, love to have them burning, but dang they melt down fast. Not with a candle warmer! Best $5 I've ever spent and now I need like 5 more.

~I'm thankful for our neighbors. I haven't know or been friendly with neighbors in YEARS. Our neighbors feel like an extension of our home. They go in my home when I'm not there (even if my house is messy) and I've let their dogs sleep in our bed. Honestly, if they moved or we moved I'm not sure who would be the saddest ~ us or the babies.

~I'm thankful for waking up every morning. The best part of my day is when I wake up and see my 2 favorite loves sleeping peacefully. With those two by my side, how bad can things get?

Happy Thanksgiving, Friends.

Princeton, KY

noreply@blogger.com (lesli) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:38:00 +0000

As mentioned in the previous post, Justin & I got out of Mississippi for a night and a day and headed up to Princeton, Kentucky for Justin's grandmother's Christmas open house at her antique store. Please ignore the fact that you've already recently seen me in the shirt above, thank you! Princeton is actually smaller than Kentucky, but we enjoy going there especially this time of year, because the fall is beautiful and life is simple. And I always seem to find fantastic treasures at Antiques on Main.

Here's Justin in front of the store. Now that I think about it, I can't believe I didn't snap any pictures inside. Probably couldn't have done it justice and I was too busy looking for what was going home to my house.

First off, I found these Santa mugs and immediately handed them over to Justin for safe keeping. The open house brings the whole town out, so you have to get while the getting is good. I then snagged this beat up wash bowl and old Noel dish rag. I'm thinking this is going to make a great holiday centerpiece on my kitchen table!

Justin had his eye on this 8 paned window, and we already have several windows with glass in them, but we kept coming back to it.

I recently saw this idea on another blog and I'm going to get creative with my pane and figure out a way to incorporate it into a pot rack. New project!

Finally, I took full advantage of the Christmas love ~ my mother in law wanted me to pick something out and I immediately fell in love with this entry way table! It also came with a shelf, but I find myself without a hammer and nail, so this is how it's currently set up. Justin's grandmother was sweet enough to give me 4 milk glass plates that I hope to string with ribbon and hang on the wall.

I just realized that I'm missing a table! I found this fabulous round scallop~ey table that will be perfect once I take my sander to it and give it a fresh new coat of paint! Guess that table will have to have a post all it's own!

Happy thanksgiving week, friends! Our life is about to get CRAZY!

What's the Deal ~Long Bauble Necklace~

noreply@blogger.com (lesli) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:37:00 +0000

A couple of weeks ago Justin & I had the good fortune of going to his grandmother's Holiday Open House at her antique store. Indeed God was looking out for me when he had me fall in love with Justin who recently acquired a grandmother who owns the greatest treasure bearing antique store in Kentucky. Of course we had to make a trip to Wal*Mart during our 24 hour stay, because I forgot to pack Justin's shoes, but as it turned out, it was a 2 week old Wal*Mart and just about the nicest one I had ever been in!

As we were checking out I came across this black bauble necklace that caught my eye. There were clear ones, multi color ones, but only one black. I debated in my head and thought ~ you know, this is really fun and for $10 I think I can splurge.

It's different ~ all the little beads are tied together in a messy pattern and then tie in a bow at the top. Here it is all displayed on one of my newest treasures from the antique store. I can't wait to show off all those new treasures!

Here I am actually wearing the necklace last weekend in Birmingham.

Today I walked into Ann Taylor Loft, because I was lured in with a 30% off Friends & Family coupon that was burning a hole in my pocket and look what I found!

They had them in clear, multi color and turquoise, but no black. Guess how much they cost?

$34.50

The only difference that I can see is that the ribbon around the neck that you hope no one sees was thicker! My advice ~ if this is a necklace you'd like to add to your collection try and hunt it down at Wal*Mart first and save yourself $24.50 ~ that way you can get a cute shirt to go with it!

~Harper~

noreply@blogger.com (lesli) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:00:00 +0000

When we first moved to Tupelo almost a year ago {gasp!} I found an instant friend through this blog, Shanda. It was so nice to be in a new place and already have a built in shopping buddy, going out to eat buddy & wine drinking buddy!

Not long after we met the Lord saw it fit to bless Shanda & Brett with a baby! Our shopping and wine drinking turned into shopping for nursery furniture!

Ladies ~ you have to see how good Shanda looked! Here she is 2 months almost to the day before Harper was born! Yes, I realize I might look more pregnant than her, but that's a compliment, because she looked amazing!

{Labor Day Party September 2009}

[holly, christina, brittany, ME & shanda (harper)]

If Justin and I are good for anything, we are good for food! So last night we loaded up the car with Chick-fil-A Sandwiches and sides and Chicken Spaghetti for a later meal so we could distract Mom & Dad and get some Harper time!

And without further adieu... Miss Harper Eden.

Little Miss Princess stayed asleep our entire visit, but woke up just in time for pictures! Right as her Daddy snapped this one she exploded into her diaper. Does that mean she likes me?

Now she's looking at me like she's not so sure about me. Or maybe she's thinking she needs one of my flowers to put on her headband. She'll have to ask nicely.

All this picture taking can wear a girl out! I would have taken more pictures, but that would have meant that I would have had to hand her off to someone else. I did let Justin hold her for a minute.

Shanda & Brett ~ we LOVE her already! She is simply beautiful and we can't wait to see her again very very soon!

Pumpkin Time

noreply@blogger.com (lesli) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0000

I ended up buying those pumpkins that I had been eyeing the other day. Justin didn't want to get the gourds, because they were bumpy and he thought they looked cancerous, so we went with a big pumpkin and some mini pumpkins!

The only thing left to do with a big pumpkin is to carve it! Justin drew out the design ~ Mississippi style! Our Jack-O-Lantern is missing some teeth in his grill!

My job was to pull the guts out! I love this part and can't wait to roast them seeds! Please please forgive how nasty I look! Only hours before I let Jillian kick my butt and boost my metabolism. Rough!

Can you see the best part? He made the ears detachable so they'd stick out! A master carver if I do say so myself!

Ready for the lights...

Happy Fall Y'all from the Flowers'

Rhinestone in the Rough!

noreply@blogger.com (lesli) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:11:00 +0000

A few weeks ago when we were in Texarkana I picked up a Texas shirt at TJ Maxx. They only have Mississippi shirts in my TJ Maxx here ~ the nerve! Justin bought some Mighty Mend-it the other day and it came with a bottle of Mighty Gem-it and an idea was born!

I love my other rhinestone longhorn, so why not rhinestone this longhorn?

{Other Rhinestone Longhorn ~ Last year @ Okla St. Game}

So, I made a last minute trip to Hobby Lobby last week before the game to pick up my supplies ~ various sizes of rhinestones.

Then I prearranged my rhinestones on my longhorn so there could be a uniform pattern and very very carefully glued them on. I think it took around 2 quarters!

24 hours later ~ my Mighty Gem-it had sealed completely and here's the final product!

I'm very proud of how it turned out. The Mighty Gem-it is so strong that it glued the shirt together, so I had to pry it apart! All is well that ends well! I can't wait to debut it tomorrow and I'll post pictures of me modeling it for you!

Hair DID!

noreply@blogger.com (lesli) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:00:00 +0000

If you do not follow me on Twitter then you might not know that I got my hair cut, and I felt I had to share this with y'all after the last hair debacle that I suffered.

My neighbor suggested a while back that I visit her hair girl and I stalled until I could stall no more. I love a good choppy, angled cut, so that's what I asked for and that's what I got! I didn't realize that choppy and angled meant GOOD BYE to 4-5 inches of my hair! WOW ~ it had gotten longer than I realized!

Please excuse my photographer, he couldn't be bothered with standing up, so you have to live with the most flattering angle possible of me!

From the front, from the front...

To the side, to the side...

To the back, to the back...

I love it! I think she did a great job and everytime I look in the mirror I'm like whoa, I look like a different person! I'm so excited about my new fall do!

For the record, I've seen the "bad" hair girl a few times outside of our restaurant. She walks by, gives it a look and then a major hair flip and looks away like she's dissing us with her body language. I'm so fine with her diss... WAY more her loss than mine!

PS~ If you've ever wanted to hear what my actual voice sounds like, go to WWW.FourFatChicks.blogspot.com! I posted my first ever videoBlog!

babysitting

noreply@blogger.com (lesli) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:07:00 +0000

I haven't babysat an actual child in a few years, unless you count going to work every day and then it's more like baby sitting really big children. I kid. It's not always like that.

Last week however, we did babysit two little furbabies that belong to our neighbors. It's not always easy for dogs to get along especially when 2 of them are older {Lady(lab) & June(dachshund)} and 1 of them is a spoiled rotten diva {Lola}, but these 3 are the best of friends making each of our homes 2nd homes to these babies. It goes without saying ~ we LOVE our neighbors!

I do realize that more than likely no one will find this as cute as me & their mama, but this was my best attempt at being a mommy-blogger! Trust me, I look at every one of your child's pictures and I think they are all really cute!

What's the Deal? ~Cardigan~

noreply@blogger.com (lesli) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 09:00:00 +0000

I spend a lot of time {read: at least once a week, maybe a couple} shopping all the bargain stores {ie: TJ Maxx, Ross, etc.}. Not to be a bragger, but due to the fact that I have the time to browse, work in the vicinity of these places & can go frequently, I find really good deals. I also have the WORST habit of accepting a compliment and immediately broadcasting how much I paid to the entire world! If you think I look like a million bucks, then why do I feel that it's necessary to tell you that I paid $5.00? What it boils down too, is that I want you to know that you could find these SAME bargains if you'll put in the work!

Also, remember that show The Look for Less, where they'd pick a designer outfit and then find the comparable outfit for significantly less? I would be so good at that, so why not share with y'all?

This week I'll share the deal I found on my cardigan! My friend, Tiffany shared a Fabulous Find Friday a couple of weeks ago about some DARLING cardigans that she had her eye on and I could NOT get them out of my head!

This one in particular ~

So cute in fact, that I thought I'll splurge and get it, I work hard, why not. It was $68 which granted is not terrible for a cardigan, BUT I'm terribly cheap and it would be way hard for me to spend that much on a cardigan. I know... it's the charm of me.

I began to do some online window shopping to see what I could find that was comparable and I came across this ~

Cute and half the price! No lie, which if the truth be told still might be a tad out of my price range and def a splurge, but I was willing to try it out. Found it at Kohl's... FAIL. The ruffles were limp, limp. ICK!

I figured I'd check Ross Dress for Less, because it's next door to Kohl's, they've had some really good deals lately & I thought I might be able to find something that would scratch my cardigan itch! I found an all grey short-sleeved cardigan that I loved on the hanger, but didn't love the sleeves. On second thought I think it might look cute with a long sleeved shirt underneath. Instead, I came away with this one ~

Please excuse the bathroom iPhone picture, but you get the point. Typically, I would go with a solid colored cardigan, but went out on a limb with this one and I like how it works! Here I'm wearing it with red pants & jewelry, but it also looked great jeans and a black top with more black/grey/neutral jewelry. Now, it's not ruffle~y, but I've been thinking that could be remedied with some of those cute flower pins that are so in right now. Who wants to bet that flower pins will be my next shopping mission?

What's the deal? How much did I pay? ~ $9.99.

Wall Decor

noreply@blogger.com (lesli) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Upholstered headboards are so hot right now at a time when I have the good fortune of having a great friend who happens to be a carpenter. I had this idea the other day that if we put our talents and skills {mostly his} to good use, we could make a beautiful upholstered headboard for much less than what you could buy it for in the store. Plus, it would be a fun project that could keep me busy and give me a creative outlet! So, we've been talking and planning the project for a few weeks now. Of course I'll keep you posted as to how it progresses.

...

Justin and I are walking to a grocery store the other day and there was a huge bin of beautiful gourds and pumpkins. I loved all the textures and the colors... such a beautiful picture of fall.

As we passed by them I remarked, "Aren't those beautiful? They'd make great decorations." Justin responds, "Knowing your decorating style, you would probably nail them to the wall!"

~Ok, I am a totally admitted junk shopper who has some wacky ideas, and I like to take on projects, but really in the 2 years Justin and I have been married we've never been in a space long enough for me to really express a decorating style. I look back at him a little hurt, but really more confused.

"You know, you'd probably hang them to the wall next the the HEADBOARD you want to hang on the wall!"

He said it in a playful tone, but it made me think ~ Wait why would I nail these to the wall? Oh my gosh, Justin thinks I'm going to hang the headboard on some random wall. So then I explained that the headboard would hang on a wall YES, but behind the bed!

We laughed our heads off about it, but really I would NOT put it past me to try and make it work on a random wall.

~Bumpits~

noreply@blogger.com (lesli) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Surely by now all of you have seen infomercials for Bumpits, right? Being the good friend that I am, I saw them in Wal*Mart & made it my mission to figure them out for all of us. The commercials make it look so easy, like a natural tease & being from Texas I've been teasing my hair since God was a boy. BUT, I've seen and heard of a few Bumpit offenders, and NONE of you want to be that girl!

Let's just say... not as easy as it looks! My first attempt to wear the Bumpit in public was bad! I looked like a Mad Men extra who arrived late for hair and make up! Proof below... I was still smiling though!

So, I had to get creative and really start practicing. My hair is medium thickness, but pretty fine. I had a hard time getting my hair thick enough to cover the Bumpit and not have some peeking through. What worked best for me was...

1. Wrap sections of my dry hair around my FAT round brush and spray the roots with volumizing hair spray.

2. Then use the heat of the hair dryer to lock in the hold.

3. Spray same section AGAIN and tease!

4. Once the appropriate sections are teased and sprayed flip them over so you can get your Bumpit in place.

5. Push it in tight so you don't have to pin it in.

6. Pull hair back and secure with Bobby Pins making sure that no Bumpit is exposed!

7. SPRAY & GO GIRL!

This is the middle sized Bumpit. I like the way it looks from the front, because it's not terribly noticeable, but I still have messy volume. I think when you get your hair too smooth and perfect it looks a little Mad Men~ ish. {Which totally gives me an idea for Halloween...}

This is how it looks from the back! I think it's cute and sassy! By far this is my favorite way to wear the Bumpit, but if your hair is thick enough I believe it could look really cute with a funky pony tail. My next project is to figure out how to make it work with my hair pulled all the way back.

In my opinion, the Bumpit doesn't have to be an offensive hair disaster, but you HAVE to work at it!

~ Remember, there is no such thing as natural beauty~

ps ~ I think I could make up an entire conversation speaking ONLY quotes from Steel Magnolias

my other half

noreply@blogger.com (lesli) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 13:57:00 +0000

When other bloggers write about their other's halves and they ask questions like "isn't he so hot?" or "don't you think he's so sexy?" I always feel mega oooooooogggged out, because that's a uncomfortable question to answer! I think your other half is perfect for you, but sexy? I'll stick with my man! I promise not to ask you any questions about how great Justin is, if you will allow me to brag for just a minute...

I woke up Wednesday morning and felt like the Lord really laid on my heart to do a random act of kindness for one of our customers. I pictured her face and fully planned on passing the word onto one of our employees so they could complete the task. As it turned out, I had the pleasure of completing the task and one random act of kindness turned into 3 for the day. By the end of the day, my heart felt so full. It made me think ~ why don't I do this everyday?

That day Justin and I had to go over to TJ Maxx to find him a new belt and we did our TJ Maxx divide and conquer routine. He goes to his side to look at his stuff and I go to mine. I started with the purses, and the racks were full to the brim. I think I looked at all 9,000 of them and a few caught my eye, but one in particular. Justin and I eventually met back up and he told me what he had found and I told him what I had found. He found 2 Express sweaters for a great deal and I had found a Kate Spade purse for a good deal, but not exactly in my purse price range.

Then I kept thinking about the purse. It would be a perfect splurge, because it was practical and classy. It was the perfect size ~ not too big, not too small, but still we've been on a savings kick and it felt nice to be socking away money to our savings account. I told Christina about it & she said ~ GO GET IT! We deserve nice handbags! Instead I went home and cleaned house.

Justin got home an hour or so after me & came in and played NCAA Football while I cleaned and chatted on the phone. Once my cleaning was complete my phone chat turned into a mini happy hour, so I had a couple of glasses of wine. Finally, around 6:30 I got off the phone and came in and gave Justin a big smooch, which prompted him to request that I change into something sexy. I argued that yoga pants and an old sorority t shirt were most certainly sexy, but gave in and headed up stairs.

Look what I found on my pillow...

It's the purse I saw at TJ Maxx! There are some people in this world that would write the note on the receipt, because they'd want you to know how much they spent, but I already knew what it cost, and knowing Justin, he just needed some paper.

The best part of this gift was not the actual purse or the sweet words Justin wrote to me {which were both beyond gracious}, but how he got it. Instead of using "our" money to buy the bag he used a GiftCard that he had received as a gift and was saving up for Beatles RockBand. And when I saw that, I burst into tears. Seems as though random acts of kindness work both ways. I am overwhelmingly grateful that my partner in life has such a deeply kind and thoughtful heart and not just where me and my purse lust are concerned.

Thanks for letting me brag & letting me show you my cute new purse!

Christina & Ken's Tupelo Visit

noreply@blogger.com (lesli) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:00:00 +0000

From the bottom of my heart & soul ~ thank you for your prayers...I felt every one of them. I am overwhelmed by the love that my friends & blog friends have so freely given me and my family during this time. Truly, this is what it means to be blessed, indeed. The funeral was Friday & it was a perfect tribute to Zach's life and so moving to all who were in attendance.

~~~~~~~~~~

It seems like with all that's gone on in the past week that Labor Day weekend & Christina & Ken's visit was over a month ago! The week has flown by almost as fast as their visit!

We love having them here or being there, because they are our twin couple! This means the guys enjoy hanging out together, because they can watch TV in silence for hours on end and the girls can talk until there are no words {never} and shop until we honestly drop.

I don't remember to take pictures of every minute of every activity that I do during my daily lives, but I had to take a picture of this. For all of you women who are counting every last calorie & spend time thinking about input/output, but are subsequently dating/married to the man who is basically a bottomless pit. Christina & Lesli ~ THOSE GIRLS, MARRIED TO THOSE MEN!

BOYS- GRANDS Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls

Reduced Fat Cinnamon Rolls - GIRLS

It's disheartening that both of these rolls had to share the same table. You don't realize exactly how wonk-wonk the RF rolls are until they are next to the king of all rolls. I digress...

I've been bad, in recent years, about taking pictures of big weekends or nights out, so I purposely tried to be better this weekend! I thought we got a lot of fun shots. I've already shown you the half marathon, so here's Saturday's pictures!

Every time I take pictures with Christina I reconsider my decision to quit tanning! Did y'all hear that Doctors are pushing to make tanning illegal to teens under the age of 18. I recently heard that tanning put you at much risk for cancer as smoking! Can you imagine turning your nose up to tanners like people do to smoking? Thank the Lord for spray tans!

We spent Saturday at the mall and shopping in the area, then went out for the typical PreMarathon carbo-load dinner at our favorite little Italian/Pizza Place in town. We had to take this picture immediately, before Christina's hair grew 2 inches outward and mine frizzed into a million strands!

It was, and still is, hard to believe that that same weekend 2 years ago we were celebrating their WEDDING! Like our weekend together, time has flown by, but Justin & I are already counting down the minutes until we can hang out again! We love you guys!

ZDJ

noreply@blogger.com (lesli) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 19:37:00 +0000

I got a call at 5:30 Saturday morning from my mother. Everyone has a mental time frame of when their family can call to chat and when they call and you know something has to be terribly wrong. This was one of those times and in the split second that it took to register that my phone was ringing I tried to mentally prepare myself for what I was going to hear. I assumed that my Gram had taken a turn for the worse...I never imagined it would be my 21 year old cousin. After, what we believe to be an accidental overdose while spending time with friends, Zach was clinging to life through machines at a Nashville hospital.

I was the closest family member in proximity and there was no question that I should be the one to go, so I hurried around in a state of shock to shower, eat breakfast, pack a small bag and get on the road. For 3 hours I rode in my car going over the details in my head. Holy crap, what the heck has just happened? I felt stunned and numb except for the pit in my stomach and prayed for a miracle that only our God could make happen.

When I arrived I was embraced by my aunt who reassured me that he was fighting. Of course he was fighting, fighting was his job. Zach was a solider and he had spent time in Iraq, jumped out of airplanes and studied at West Point. These thoughts flooded my brain and as I watched him in the hospital bed I kept secretly thinking wake up, wake up, please please wake up. It would have been just like Zach to wake up, look around and crack a joke about being late to the party.

Zach never did wake up & our hearts are all broken on so many levels. I was thinking on the way home, and it's hard to swallow, that our family will never be the same and there will always be a void. Zach and I had a special bond {Justin & I were married on his birthday} & I am grateful for our memories. I keep thinking fondly back to the time that Zach came and stayed 2 weeks with me while I was in Austin. We ate lots of Chick-fil-A and watched hours of Laguna Beach. I laugh thinking of his impersonation of Kristin Cavillari. "SteeePHEN"

As a family of Christ followers, the Lord has affirmed to us that Zach is with Jesus in heaven and that brings a calming peace that gets us through the moments of questioning and the stunned disbelief. It was Zach's wish to be an organ donor, so his organs will go first to help any solider in need and then Nashville, TN and beyond. It is my prayer that the 20-50 people that will benefit from this special gift will live their life with the vitality, fearlessness & gusto that Zach approached every situation he encountered in his life.

{Zach & Me ~ November 2006}

Natalie Grant's lyrics keep playing in my head & now I fully get their meaning ~ Held

This is what it means to be held

How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life

And you survive

This is what it is to be loved and to know

That the promise was when everything fell

We'd be held

No, really, you can!

noreply@blogger.com (lesli) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 09:00:00 +0000

There are a lot of people who are doing the couch to 5k program & I was thinking I should tell y'all that if you think you can't run, think again! The first run I ever did back in January was not a 14 mile run! Remember ~ the journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step! Start off slow & easy, and do not get discouraged! Your body will blow your mind! I can remember my 8 mile training run ~ it was the longest I had ever run & I was overwhelmed by my accomplishment at the end! I eventually got to a point in my training where 8 miles was a regular mid week run and it seemed like nothing!

If you're going to start running here are a few things that I SWEAR by & you should really look into!

#1 ~a good pair of Shoes!

I began my training in Nikes, and they tore my feet up! My toes were covered in blisters and my toe nails ached! I would have been wise to head to a running store right away and be properly measured. LEARN FROM MY MISTAKE! I finished my training and race in Saucony Echelon. They changed my life and I love them! They may not be the right shoe for you, but seriously ~ go to a running store and get the right shoe!

#2 ~ a good pair of Socks!

I spent $13 on 1 pair of Smartwool socks and if you know how frugal I am your mouth should be hanging open in amazement! $13 & they are WOOL, but I splurged and it was well worth it. they are delightfully comfy and totally kept my feet dry. I usually reserved these for my long runs on the weekend.

#3 ~ a great sports Bra!

I've always gotten sports bras from Wal*Mart or Target, but one day I was in Ross Dress for Less & saw a Lillyette InMotion sports bra & thought ~ hmm, underwire might be nice, I'll try that! Now, I check the stores every time I go to see if they might have more, because I'm wearing the one I've got to death, but it's wonderful. Especially, if you are a little top heavy and require more support!

#4 ~ a great Outfit!

I got a pair of running shorts at Hibbets here in town, but I found my favorite running clothes at Target. They have great running skirts & good quality running tops in a variety of styles & cute colors. I am happy to know that I can order their workout gear online as I live in the CONTRY and we ain't got no Target!

NOW ~ these are the basics to get you started and I don't want to overwhelm you with Sport Glide & Gels, so those will have to wait! Go ~ you can do it!

Tupelo Marathon 2009 ~ Trample the Weak, Hurdle the Dead!

noreply@blogger.com (lesli) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 09:00:00 +0000

I am very proud to say that I completed my first half marathon & after a day of recovery I know it won't be my last!

Race day started at 3am for me which seems asinine, but I'm a horrible judge of time, so I wanted to be able to get fueled, hydrated, focused and arrive on time. I had planned on walking to the marathon, because the starting line was only 1.5 miles from my front door, but it was early and DARK, so I drove. While warming up in the parking lot I ran into a skunk and was thankful that I drove & avoided the creepy crawlers of the country!

My support group met me at the starting line moments before the race started for last minute well wishes. It goes without saying that The Eberhardt's are good people. Anyone that will get up before the roosters {and I know it was before, because I heard them at mile 5} to watch their friend run are good people. Anyone that gets up that early to watch their friend do anything for that matter.

At the starting line Christina was quick to point out that our skirts were definitely shorter than every other skirt wearer at the race. Whatever, our outfits are running chic! I had planned on running in this outfit just about the minute I bought it in Atlanta months ago, and coincidentally my bib matched my top! I couldn't wear make up, so I had to over compensate with a cute outfit! See, exercising can be fashionable!

I had planned on creating a marathon playlist, but instead enjoyed my company & went with my "purchased" play list. The first song that played was Nicole C. Mullen "When You Call on Jesus." If you'll remember, this was the exact song that was playing when the "accident" occurred and my first thought was UH-OH! I blocked that thought out of my mind and instead focused on the words. I prayed for strength & specifically to remain injury free and comfortable.

Justin, Christina & Ken met me at mile 6.5 to take my flash light & give me a banana. There was something very refreshing about running in the dark and watching the sun come up. I've run this path several times, but I love the way being in a race makes the miles go by much easier.

Christina had to get a 3 mile run in for her own training, so she jumped in at mile 9 and it was perfect timing! Mile 11 was up and down hills and I was happy to have my own personal cheerleader cheering me on and getting me through! I've done all of my training alone, and after running with Christina I really need to get me a running partner! Anybody want to volunteer?

Christina rejoined the boys at Mile 12.5 and I was on my own. At mile 13 {This 1/2 was 14.2 instead of the normal 13.1} I felt the worst pain I have ever felt in my life in my left leg. This was the leg that had been giving me the problems, so I alternated walking and running. I knew I was only a mile from the finish, so I pushed through and focused on the finish.

As I entered the home stretch Nicole C. Mullen's "Redeemer" started playing & I thought how coincidental & empowering that I started and finished the race with Nicole. Then out of no where, someone came speeding past me & I thought, "Oh no you didn't! How are you going to speed past me RIGHT before the finish?"

Then I realized that OH ~ it was the MARATHON WINNER! He finished the entire MARATHON seconds before I finished the HALF! HA! Christina videoed the finish and on the video you can hear her say, "Oh look, she finished 2nd." Technically, I finished right after the marathon winner, but I didn't get 2nd. Oh well!

My sweet friend Candise made a sign & came out to support me & her husband who runs twice as fast as I do!

In the end, I finished 14.2 miles in 2:43:48. Initially I wasn't too happy with my time, but a few days out I can look back and be proud. I accomplished the goal and finished the race. As for my leg, I'm still in pain, but trying to be smart with my stretching & exercising. Already thinking about Memphis in December. Anyone?

Sunday Funday {maybe}

noreply@blogger.com (lesli) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 03:37:00 +0000

This SUNDAY is the marathon & I sent an email to the race organizer on Monday inquiring about registering, and he promptly informed me that the race was full. Holy crap. I've been training for 16 weeks {feels like 16 years} and now I've waited too long to register.

I twittered about my world crumbling beneath my feet & then thought on the bright side. Maybe this was the Lord's way of telling me I'm not ready. Maybe I could just run the route and not "race" the route.

After a couple of emails the organizer put it together that I had met a member of the running club & he called that my pre entry & now I'm in. Promise ~ I didn't even get pushy! Thank the Lord I got in!

I made a decision a few weeks ago to run the 14.1 Miler instead of the full, because I didn't feel physically prepared for the full. The Tupelo "half" marathon is 14.1 miles. My work schedule has been insane lately, as I'm sure you can tell from my lack of posting the past two months & my job is different than a desk job. When I travel I work anywhere from 50-60 hour weeks and I'm on my feet all but an 1 hour a day during that time. So, add that to my running schedule, and my legs & feet couldn't keep up.

I'm ready for Sunday! I've been having some discomfort with my hamstring in my left leg, and I've promised myself that I will not injure myself just to finish and run the risk of not being about to run & exercise for any amount of time.

So, now you're up to speed as to where I am mentally & physically for the marathon. Thank you to ALL of you who have wished me luck & sent me words of encouragement! I will be thinking of your words when the going gets tough!

these eyes.

noreply@blogger.com (lesli) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 09:00:00 +0000

oh and another thing to be excited for this weekend.

now's the time to start being extra sweet to my boss/husband so I can spend Saturday mornings with my football boyfriends instead of working.

this year I'm going with Texas & Colt.

who you rootin' for?

Hurry, Hurry WEEKEND! {and it's only Tuesday}

noreply@blogger.com (lesli) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:06:00 +0000

Happy September, y'all! It is so hard for me to believe that August is gone! Almost as hard as it was to believe that we had to wear long sleeves on the lake this past weekend! We've been trying to get over to Smith Lake ALL summer and this was the first weekend that we could go! Every time we go to the water, be it the beach or the lake we daydream about living there one day. Smith Lake is so appealing, because it was beautiful & so peaceful.

I think it's kind of funny that I look taller than Justin in this picture, because in reality he's a LOT taller {1 foot} than me! I wore a bumpits to church that day, so my hair was teased to the heavens, literally.

I'm totally working for the weekend this week for two reasons.

Reason #1:

Look who's coming for a visit? Our Best Couple Friends! We were their first out of town guests when they moved & now they are ours! I know we've lived in Tupelo for a while, but do NOT hear this as a finger wag for not visiting, we know we don't live in the most exciting place in America {unless you like armadillo roadkill & fancy restaurants like Chili's }, so we rarely beg people to come visit us!

Reason # 2:

The Marathon is this weekend! I want to devote an entire post to preparation, but let's just say I've done all this work & ALMOST didn't get registered.

30 Day Challenge w/ TheFourFatChicks

noreply@blogger.com (lesli) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 14:42:00 +0000

Summer is quickly coming to an end & *I've* enjoyed a few too many steaks on the grill.

If you're feeling like you've packed on some summer pounds with too much ice cream & lemonade.

Maybe your too cheap to go to boot camp & your motivated by bloggy friends.

Or all your shows will come back on in September & you feel a little guilty for spending ALL your time on the couch in front of the tv.

I cordially invite you to join The FourFatChicks in our~

30 Day Challenge!

Now, leave your excuses at the door & let's get fit!

Mad Men is Swell!

noreply@blogger.com (lesli) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Justin & I started our married life by picking a television series on DVD, starting from the beginning and watching it all the way through in our spare television time. We began with The Office, and got through it in no time, because it's hilariously good TV & the episodes are only 30 minutes long.

Next we started The West Wing. The West Wing is 7 seasons long and a full hour an episode, so this took us months and months to get through, but I can't tell you enough how good that series actually was on every level.

Third, we tackled Arrested Development. Very different, but very funny. Smart funny. If you're thinking of starting it, watch with someone so you can laugh together. You know how shows aren't as funny if you're watching alone.

Then Justin got greedy and started watching series alone, so I missed out on 24 & Lost, but he swears that if I want to watch he'll re-watch. So kind that man! By the way, yes, we have an extensive DVD collection.

A few weeks ago my friend Andy, whose taste I respect, tweeted about it or facebook statused about and they get nominated for all the awards, so Justin & I took advantage of the Best Buy sale and started season 1.

Here's a description I found online: At a time when most programs seek to dazzle viewers with big, bold concepts, the pleasures of "Mad Men" refreshingly arise almost wholly from small, impeccably detailed touches. Set in 1960, this breezy serial about Madison Avenue ad men (hence the title) circa 1960 revels in dated images of white-collar workers boozing in the boss' office, harassing female employees, smoking incessantly and openly pondering if there's a Jew anywhere in the building. Created by "The Sopranos" alum Matthew Weiner, it's a rare period drama that niftily injects shades of gray into the black-and-white TV era, warts and all.

I love that description ~ small, impeccably detailed touches. It is so smart & sexy, but very precise with the times which is a little bit eye opening to the reality of life that I never knew.

In short, I have a new addiction & I look forward to our nightly episode all day. So much so, I "Mad Men Myself" & Justin on Sunday. I think the above picture really kind of looks like Justin minus the pipe in real life.

She's Fun & Flirty ~ Look Who's THIRTY!

noreply@blogger.com (lesli) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 09:00:00 +0000

{Me & The BiRtHdAy GiRl @ Tryst in Wynn, Las Vegas}

I've been away from the blog for a couple of weeks, and it wasn't necessarily my choosing, but it was a very nice break. However, I figured no better day than today to come back, because it's SOMEONE's BIRTHDAY!

Yep, it's Allie's 30th Birthday! GIRL ~ I'm a little depressed that I won't get to be there to celebrate, but I keep playing out scenarios of how I can sneek away to be apart! You never know... I might just show up at your door with my party panties on Friday! Regardless of being here or there, I hope you have the best 30th birthday {week} you can dream up, but save a little bit of celebrating for our Birthday Celebration Trip! HaPpY hApPy BiRtHdAy, SISTER! Love your GUTS!

Please, Please, Please take a moment out of your blog~reading & click on over to www.SCHMAL.blogspot.com so you can wish Allie the happiest of Birthdays! She deserves ALL the best & trust me, if you knew her ~ she'd be your best friend too!

not starting

noreply@blogger.com (lesli) — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 18:13:00 +0000

I think my computer must know when I am in the blogging mood and am ready to get some good posts up for y'all. I was so ready this week & then my silly computer wouldn't start. It worked just fine for a couple of days and then nothing. Such a tease.

~ The good news ~ If it's the motherboard again, we get credit for a new computer!

~ The bad news ~ blog hiatus, back on!