Happy 2 Years!!

I'll start by apologizing for the lack of posts lately.  I am also going to apologize for the length of this post.  Ben & I celebrated 2 wonderful years of marriage yesterday.  It's amazing how much my love for Ben continues to grow after all these years..haha.  As I told you in an earlier post that we had originally planned to take a long weekend and go to DisneyWorld but thanks to a SURPRISE! car repair, we could no longer afford it.  God does work in mysterious ways.  Let me explain in a short, conscise manner.  2 weeks ago today, my mom was admitted to the hospital because there was fluid surrounding her heart and lungs.  After running multiple tests, they couldn't determine where the fluid was coming from but they did discover that my mom has a weak heart.  They did a cathader and to my mom's surprise they found no blockages. She was sure being a Southern-bred woman who doesn't enjoy healthy foods, they would find some blockages. However, her heart is just a weak pumper.  Praise the Lord this can be treated with meds.  After a week in the hospital and 62lbs lighter (all fluid baby) she finally got to go home.   So instead of go to see Mickey, we went home to see my already healthier mama and spend much needed time with family and friends.  

Saturday, we took Kinsley to Cedar Hill Farm to partake in fun fall activities.  When we first pulled up I thought this is going to be super lame, but I had a change of heart after I saw Kinsley having an absolute ball.  She got to ride a pony for the first time, ride on a tractor-train mobile, pet farm animals, enjoy a hayride & pick out a pumpkin!  Enjoy the pictures.

 Thanks to our day off from work, we got to spend our entire anniversary together.  It was such a relaxing day.  We slept in and enjoyed coffee in bed.  We went to Saw's BBQ for lunch which is definitely the best BBQ in Birmingham.  We strolled through shops and drove different parts of the city admiring all the beautiful neighborhoods.  We finished the day by cooking dinner together.  It was the most simple, delicious meal and it was perfect dish to celebrate our marriage.  We had leftover taco meat from a few nights before so we threw together Nacho Bread Pizzas, which is by far the best thing you could do with leftover taco meat and French bread.  The recipe follows below. 

End of the day, Don't Hate.

Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad

Nacho Bread Pizza
1 loaf French Bread, cut in half and then cut in half lengthwise
1/2 lb. taco meat
1 can black beans, drained
1 can Rotel tomatores or 1 fresh tomato diced
Jalepeno slices
1 c. shredded Mexican blend cheese
Shredded lettuce, sour cream, & black olives for topping

Preheat oven to 350.  In a medium saucepan, heat the black beans and meat together until thoroughly heated.  Hollow out the center of the bread  (feed to whatever 4-legged creature is hanging around) so the 2 halves look like miniature boats.  Sprinkle a thin layer of cheese and pop into oven for about 6 minutes.  Remove from oven and spread meat mixture over melted cheese.  Next, add the Rotel tomatoes and jalepeno slices.  Add any other "Mexican" toppings that you would like.  Top with the rest of the cheese.  Bake in the oven for an additional 7-8 minutes to melt the top layer of cheese.  Top with sour cream, lettuce, black olives, and fresh tomatoes.  Enjoy!

I'll end this post by sharing some of my favorite pictures from our wedding.  Looking at these never gets old and they are a great reminder of the day Ben & I started our lives together. 

731 days &counting!

We're Nomads....& A Recipe!

I have been a major slacker when it comes to blogging lately.  For the most part, our lives have been pretty routine.  We have just been doing the usual, working for the weekends and watching the weekends slip by way too quickly.  We have spent the last 5 weekends traveling to watch the Rebels play and its been a roller coaster so far.  This week has been the first one where I have felt exhausted throughout the entire week, I guess it's finally all catching up with me.  No worries though, I can rest when Spring rolls around.  Last weekend, we had an early game so my mom graciously drove to Oxford to pick Ben & I up (we carpool with our friends from Birmingham) so we could spend the evening with them and I could visit my little obsession, Kinsley.  It was a quick trip but hearing "Hey lulu" and "ubs you" (love you) from that sweet, enthusiastic little voice never gets old.  This weekend we are heading to Georgia to see Ben's parents and grandmother.  We are also going to the UGA/UT game on Saturday...GO DAWGS! SIC EM!  We haven't had a trip to Ben's parents in almost a year so we are really looking forward to it.  Patrick & Megan are going with us and we are very excited about getting to share the weekend with them and be a part of their first trip to Athens. 

We've got a few adventures coming up in the upcoming month.  My best friend Anna and her husband, Nathan are coming to visit us next weekend!  She is expecting and I haven't seen her since Lucy Kate was a little peanut and now Anna's halfway through prenancy!  I can't wait to rub that little baby bump and see them.  Anna & I are going to go to the Junior League of Birmingham's The Market while the boys spend the day watching football.  I am very excited to show them our new city, a place we truly love.  The following weekend Ben & I will celebrate our 2nd anniversary.  I  can't believe how fast its gone by, but it has been the best 2 years.  We had planned a trip to Disney World but God had other plans in store for us (we had to use our savings for Disney on an unexpected car repair) so we are going to keep the days we had taken off and just spend time together.  Disney will always be there and I'm sure Layla won't mind a weekend away from camp and home with us.  Also, in early November I have to take comps so I can get a license to practice Audiology when I graduate in May.  Totally not looking forward to this, I have been out of the study mode for quite some time.  Prayers are greatly appreciated :)

Here is one of the yummy goodies I took to the Grove last weekend.  They were a hit and were gone before the 11:21 kickoff.  The recipe says it makes 24+ pinwheels, but thats a lie.  I'd double the recipe if you want at least that many. 

Creamy Spinach Pinwheels

1 package of Crescent Rolls

1 8 oz. package of cream cheese (softened)
1 package of frozen spinach (defrosted and drained)
1 tbsp. minced garlic
¼ cup parmesan Cheese (Shaky Version)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375. In a bowl mix together the softened cream cheese, drained spinach, garlic, cheese, salt and pepper.  Pop open can of Crescent Rolls. It will be divided into 2 sections. Carefully unroll 1 section and pinch together the seams so it is one piece of dough.  Spread ½ of the spinach mixture over the dough leaving ¼ inch around the edge.  Roll the dough long ways, and slice into pieces 1 inch thick.  Place on parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Kinsley on the ride back to Oxford

Have a great weekend!!