Happy 101

So I received another blog award. It came from one of my favorite bloggera, Hillary over at a gal and her dog. Read it here. Now. Thanks Hillary! I'm loving this award because I get to share what it is making me happy.

Rules:

1.) Thank the award giver

2.) List 10 things that make you happy

3.) Pass the award on to 5 others.

10 things at are making me smile right now.

1.) Yogurt Mountain.

I know I mentioned YM in my previous post, but seriously, I cannot get enough of it. It's like a salad bar but 10000000 times better because it's frozen yogurt. My favorite concoction: Half cake batter yogurt and half triple chocolate yogurt topped with (brace yourself) cinnamon toast crunch, gummy bears, reese's peanut butter cups, and chocolate chip cookie dough bites. I'm seeing another visit in my near future.

2.) View from our balcony.

Our living room couch faces the french doors and we keep the blinds pulled up so we always have this to see:

3.) Chocolate covered gummy bears.

I have already established my love of gummy bears...but chocolate covered gummy bears. It's a dream. The best part is that Ben doesn't eat them so the entire bag belongs to me.

4.) Our new bedding.

I inherited a terrible(?) trait from my mother, the love of bedding. She changed her and my father's bedding at least once a year and well it seems as though I have followed her lead. We have been married a little over a year and a half and we are on our 3rd set of linens. Hey, your bedroom is your oasis right? Anyways, I'm in love with our new colorful collection so it'll be a keeper

5.) Piper frame.

A friend from our Sunday school class back in Hattiesburg gave us this beautiful picture before we moved to Birmingham. The fact that she took the pictures and put the piece together makes it even more beautiful and special. It has found the perfect spot above our bed. See picture above.

6.) Spicy chicken sandwich from Chicfila
It arrives tomorrow! And I have a date with Ben, Megan, and Patrick to savor this culinary perfection. I just know it will be perfect. Chicfila is my favorite fast food joint and I couldn't imagine them adding an item to the menu that didn't meet my high expectations.

7.) Sonic's new strawberry lemonade.

The perfect treat on these humid "almost" summer days. Especially during happy hour.

8.) Espradrilles.

I bought these shoes on sale the weekend before I started work and they have become my favorite. They are super comfy and are so versatile. However, I think they are lonely and would like another pair to join them in the closet.

9.) Beatriz Ball Organic Pearl.

I am so sad these weren't around when I got married. I LOVE them. They are funky and classic all rolled into one beautiful piece of silver. Of course, I have nowhere to store more serving pieces but these beauties are on my wish list.

10.) Summer.

Everything about it. The pool, the longer days, fruity drinks, the sun, the lighter clothes, and the laid back personality of summer. I welcome it with open arms.

I would like to present this award to the following:

1.) Jene at bever fever

2.) Jessica B. at beginnings as Mrs. B

3.) Anna & Corrie at My First Friend and Me

4.) Jessica R. at Jessica Lee

5.) Alison at Ross Ramblings

Until next time!

Hi I'm new here..

So it has been quite awhile since my last post and I regret this deeply. As you all read, we moved a little over 2 weeks ago and we've getting settled in ever since. I am gonna give y'all a quick follow-up on all the happenings since our last chat.



Moving is a PAIN.
My parents only moved once when I was a kid and I was 2 years old. My cousin dressed up as clown so I wouldn't think they were shipping me off to the orphanage and to keep me entertained (funny because I'm terrified of clowns now). I have only moved minimal stuff when I left for college and graduate school. I had no idea what moving had in store for me. Oh the work that is involved and the money. We moved from a small 2 bedroom house to an even smaller 2 bedroom apartment with minimal storage. Thank goodness for the storage room on the balcony or there would have been a yard sale in the parking lot. Lucky for me, I have fabulous in-laws who drove all the way over to Mississippi to pack our house up while we were working, yes I know you are very jealous. They then spent 2 days with us in Birmingham helping us unpack. Patrick and Megan, our new neighbors and fabulous friends from Ole Miss also joined in on the unpacking fun and even let us stay at their place the first night. Fast foward two weeks later and every knick knack has found a place and we are all settled in.

Bye bye first home!

Loving Birmingham
I had 2 weeks off free before I started my externship to explore the city and just relax. I spent days browsing in little shops, laying by the pool, eating Yogurt Mountain, shopping at a real grocery story, learning my way around and even finding some short cuts, stayed up late watching movies, slept in late, finding new restaurants for us to try, taking the dogs on many walks, figuring out which parts of town to stay away from and reading. Aggh, what a nice little summer vacation.



Sparks
I started my year-long externship yesterday at Civitan Sparks' Clinic. I'm still learning all the little quirks of being in a multi-discipline site. The supervisors are great and it is wonderful having such a good friend there experiencing it with me. I am finally seeing what it's like to work 40 hours a week and get paid for it. I feel so fortunate to spend my 4th year at such an outstanding place.



Well thats all for now. It was hard to summarize 2 weeks and I have no plans of doing it again...soon.

Adios Hattiesburg!

We move in less than 48 hours! It's unbelievable how fast the past 3 years have flown by, but it's time to move on. We can't really express how excited and ready we are for the next big step, however, there are things that we will deeply miss here in the 'burg.


Oh, by the way, these are in no particular order.



Parkway Heights United Methodist Church.

Ok, so maybe the statement above is a little, tiny, itsy-bitsy lie because the church is by far what we will miss the most. This is the first church I have felt "at home" at since moving away and leaving the church I grew up in. It is such a welcoming place and is dedicated to serving and helping Hattiesburg. Ben and I joined this church together one week before we said "I do" and it has been one of the most important decisions we have made as a married couple. Our young couples sunday school class taught us so much about being a couple who puts God first. We made so many dear friends in class and in church that we will also dearly miss. And I can't forget Eddie Rester, our beloved Ole Miss graduated preacher. Someone in Birmingham has some big shoes to fill. Eddie always keeps my attention and that is saying A LOT with my five year old attention span and the messages are filled with so much meaning that stays with me when I leave on Sundays. No worries PHUMC, we'll be back for a visit



School of Nursing.

When I haven't been in classes or in clinic, I have spent the past 3 years at the nursing school working as a graduate assisstant. Through the glass door of room 214 is where you would find me. I have loved working here and I couldn't have asked for better coworkers. They are the sweetest bunch on this campus. They are so hard-working and they love their students. I am going to miss their sweet faces and quirky ways. I have had 3 other mamas watching over me here in Hattiesburg and I will definitely miss them. I have learned a lot here and I will always cherish my time here. I am so grateful that they gave this Ole Miss girl a chance :)



The Little Yellow House.

This would be our house. It's small and old and full of character and I adore it. If only we could pack it up in the Uhaul and take it with us. It has been the perfect little place for us, even with its cold drafty floors and skinny little bathroom. I'll probably miss the back porch the most. We spent many spring and summer nights out there getting devoured by mosquitos but we loved every minute of it. I hope the new owner enjoys it as much as we have. She has gotten herself a little gem.



Of course, I am going to miss the girls in my program and the faculty too. I'll miss hanging out at the pool on summer afternoons and trivia at LaFiesta. Now, I'm a big girl and must move on to a big girl world.



See y'all in Birmingham!

Just a quickie..

Just wanted to share my yummy contribution to dinner tonight, artichoke bread. My friend, Carrie mentioned this to me and then I found it on a a wonderful recipe blog. I haven't tried it yet but how can you go wrong with bread, cheese, and artichoke hearts?

Artichoke Bread

1/4 c. butter
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
4 oz. Monterey Jack cheese (shredded)
1 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 c. sour cream
2 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
1 loaf French bread
salt & pepper to taste or Tony's

Preheat oven to 350.

Melt the butter and add garlic. Cook the garlic until it is fragrant. Add the artichoke, Monterey jack cheese, parmesan cheese, and sour cream. Stir to blend. Remove from heat and cool.

Slice bread lengthwise and scoop out some of the center. Crumble the pieces of bread and add to the mixture. Spoon the mixture onto the bread and sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Place each half of the bread on a baking sheet and cover lightly with foil. Bake for 25 minutes and then remove the foil and then bake for another 5-8 minutes until the cheese is melted. Cut into slices and serve warm.

Y'all enjoy!!

4 days and counting...

Happy belated Mother's Day to all the moms out there! I fully intended to write a post about my sweet mother but instead I spent the weekend with her, doing what I consider chores but these chores (home improvement projects) are what makes Jan, well Jan. It was an adventure getting home, I had a tire blow out in the middle of MS that left me stranded on I-55 for two hours. After checking Facebook 8 zillion times, praying that an 18-wheeler didn't take out my little Lincoln or that the tattoo-covered repairman didn't bash my head in with his giant mallet tool, and $324 dollars later, I was back jamming to the Ipod with the cruise set. Lessons learned: An AAA membership is a wise investment and I shouldn't judge someone by their appearance. Bob, as his nametag said, pretty much rescued me and made my trip home possible...not to mention his courage for squatting beside the car with other vehicles zooming past. Anyways, what's a journey home without some excitment right?

With 3 amazing mothers

Only 4 more days left in the 'burg and I don't think the reality has quite set in. It probably won't until Saturday when the Uhaul is all loaded up and we're saying goodbye. So, in honor of our last week here, we are spending it with all of our friends and eating (our favorite thing to do) at our favorite local places. Last night, we ate at Crescent City Grill with a few of my fellow classmates. It was a fun, fun time and mudbugs are in season so hello Louisiana party in my mouth!

Tonight, one of our favorite couples are having us over for dinner. We met Robert and Amanda when our young couples bible study group formed last summer. They are absolutely adorable and super hospitable. I looking forward to tonight, Robert is the grill master and the conversation is endless. I wish Amanda would start a blog...she is a hoot and would be oh so entertaining to read (theres my subtle hint, Amanda). We will surely miss these two, but I'm not too sad, they are always up for a roadtrip and good times.

Tomorrow, we are having a date night. We are planning to dine at Walnut Circle Grill. This is the sorta place you go for a celebration and tomorrow we are gonna celebrate the next chapter in our life. Also, late tomorrow night Ben's parents will be arriving to help us pack and tie any loose ends before we move. I've said it before and I'll say it again, we are both blessed with best families in the world. Having them around will be super helpful!

Happy Monday Y'all!

White Coat

The past week and a half has been crazy busy and fun, needless to say no time for blogging. A lot has happened since my last post.

White Coat Ceremony. I had a fabulous weekend spent with people I love. Friday night we had a bbq at our house featuring hamburgers, hot dogs, chocolate pound cake and tater salad. The ceremony was held Saturday on the campus of USM. It was fun to meet everyone's families and the presentation was serious but down to earth. Our faculty did a great job putting the event together. We went to a Louisiana-style joint downtown, Brownstone's for dinner and my Mom surprised me with a yummy ice cream cake. My sweet family gave me several happies, and my parents gave me a Pandora charm bracelet. It was a total surprise and my Mom picked out really sweet charms to adorn it. I feel so blessed to have such a loving and supportive family that helped me get this far in school.

Ashley, Me, and Carrie waiting for start of the ceremony

Heather, Kinsley, and me!


Mr. & Mrs.

Birmingham Bound!

White-Coated



Taking the Audiology Oath

Class of 2011




With my "White Coat Barbie" ice cream cake..YUM YUM!!

House. Almost. Sold. 9 days after putting our house on the market, we had 2 offers! After several counters, one was accepted. We are just waiting on the termite inspection to finalize the deal. Cross your fingers and toes and say a prayer that everything goes as planned.

Home Sweet Birmingham. We traveled next door to Alabama this weekend to spend the weekend with some of our good friends, Patrick and Megan, and to find a place to move too in 2 weeks. After checking out a couple of places out and becoming extremely frustrated, we decided to check out where Patrick & Megan live. Umm why didn't we think of this before? It was perfect. It's in a great location, has a fabulous floorplan, and doesn't discriminate against our two 4-legged children. We spent the rest of the weekend with Pat & Meg browsing the shops in Homewood, savoring a mint julep for the Derby and watching Ole Miss sweep State. Can't wait to be neighbors with those two!

Beach trip in 2007 with Patrick & Megan

We only have 11 days left in Hattiesburg. It is exciting and bittersweet all at the same time. I am looking forward to living in Birmingham with everything it has to offer and the beauty of the hills. I'm also looking forward to starting my externship in a wonderful clinic where I will see many interesting cases. However, I am a little sad to leave the little house that I have lived the longest since I moved out of my parents for college. It is where Ben and I have spent the first year and a half of our marriage. This has been my first "adult" home and I am sad to leave it. I never thought the time would fly by this fast. Enough of the saddness, I am grateful and happy for the time spent here and the memories made.

Happy Monday Y'all!!!

Looking forward to....This Week

Before I dive into what I am looking forward too, a little recap of the previous week is needed. We went up north for a weekend in the Memphis 'burbs. Ben had manly time on Saturday with his friends in Oxford eating unhealthy, yummy foods and watching Ole Miss football. I spent the day with my mom shopping. That night, we spent it at the annual Mudbugs Festival benefiting the Palmer Home for Children. We had all you can eat crawfish, drinks and other goodies. There was great live music and an auction. We had a blast spending time with my folks and some of their friends. Sunday we BBQ'd it up to celebrate my cousin's visit. It was some really yummy food and good times.

Kinsley & Faulkner bird watching

Mudbugs Festival

Giving Pam sugars

Lounging

With her favorite

Cousin Patti came all the way from CA to feed the child cake!

She loved the swing

Sugar rush is gone.

Now on to fun things:

1.) Lunch at Old Athens Grill. This happens in T-57 minutes. Who would not look forward to eating Americanized gyros? The girls in my class are taking our favorite professor out to lunch. It is one of our last hoorahs and eating is what we do best.

2.) Double Decker. I know, I know, I will not be in attendence this year due to some silly ceremony but I WILL be there in spirits. For those of you in the Memphis areas, drive down to Oxford and experience Double Decker. Great art, music, and food. Do I even need to mention that the corndogs will be in town. Yes, I am jealous of those who are going, therefore, pictures on Facebook people!

3.) White Coat Ceremony. After three hard-working and fun years, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. This weekend, the Class of 2011 Doctor of Audiology will receive our white coats. Pretty. Scary. We still have a 12-month externship to complete before we get the AuD beside our name, but still are they really sure they are ready to turn us lose in the real world? Because this is such a "big" deal, family is rolling into town! I am much more excited about this. Ben's parents and grandmother are coming, along with my folks, grandmother, sister, brother in lawish, and niece. Family visiting = lots of yummy eating!

Yep, we have a pretty exciting week ahead. Hope y'all all have a fabulous week!

The dust is gone.

So I know that all of y'all remember me mentioning renovations we were doing in the bathroom and back room in earlier posts. You can read that here. Well they are finally finished and the house went on the market this week. We've had a few bites but we haven't reeled anyone in, just yet.

Here are pictures from the work that has been done. Brace yourself to be amazed.

We'll start with the bathroom

Nasty Nasty old tile!

SEE YA!!!

Bathtub full of debris

All the tile gone. Who knew 80+ year old wood would look so good?

Cement backerboard in place.

HOORAY!! A little dark in the picture.

On to the backroom.

Ugly Ugly.

All the flooring gone.

It was also a graveyard for dead varments.

TAA DAA!!!

Have a great friday everyone!!

Looking forward to....This Week

So maybe little post will become a weekly occurrence because it is just so darn fun! Last week was so much fun and busy. Our little trivia team placed 3rd last week and we're hoping to do even better this week. The yard sale was a HUGE success. I had no idea how much work was involved, however, it was totally worth it because the day was so fun hanging out with the girls in my class. The fajitas were delicious, the wine bottles are all cut and packed away, and the house is clean and clutter-free (we were starting to look like hoarders with all the yard sale stuff).

This week I am looking forward to:

1.) Going home for the weekend. I haven't been home in over a month and well that is just too long. My cousin who lives in CA is coming home for the week to visit and I am excited to see her and the rest of the family. The weekends at home are always so busy squeezing everything in but thats part of the fun!

2.) Seeing Kinsley. Butterball has turned into a chatterbox and I can't wait to take advantage of this. Aunt Lulu is going to teach her all sorts of new words and sayings. I taught her how to spin around and make herself "drunk" while I was home during SB and she is still up to it.

3.) No class next week. It's my last "official" week of classes EVER and well all the classes are cancelled! One professor will be in Baltimore presenting a paper (I'm jealous, he gets to see the cherry blossoms in bloom and eat clam chowder!) and the other professor will be busy getting everything ready for our white coat ceremony that is next weekend (Can you guess what will be one of my looking fowards too next week) I'll probably spend the extra time at work but maybe one day I'll play hookie and go lay in the sun.

Well theres my exciting week ahead. I am very pumped about the trip home and I can't wait to see everyone. Share your plans!

Looking forward to....This Week

Hello all! Hope everyone had a great Easter! It was a beautiful day here in South MS and we enjoyed a very relaxing day after church and finished the day off with a delicious Easter supper consisting of: Baked ham with some yummy glaze, Mama Jean's (Bens awesome grandmother) crockpot mac & cheese, asparagus, and cheddar biscuits. Oh, we can't forget dessert! We had a oh so yummy and rich peanut butter brownie trifile made by yours truely.



I thought I would share some things that I am looking forward too over the next 7 days.



1. Trivia Night. It's happens at a Mexican restaurant not far from our house on Thursday nights. Mr. Goober and I loved trivia nights at Two Stick in Oxford every Tuesday so now we get to feel like we're back in college again one night a week. Play is free and there is a monetary prize for the teams that place 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. Also, 2 for 1 beer and margaritas make me say OLE!



2. Yard Sale. We're having a yard sale on Saturday and yes I'm looking forward to it! There are 8 of us in my doctoral program at USM and most of us are moving in the next month to start our externship so we are having a massive yard sale at our house to (hopefully) make the moving load much lighter. I'm looking forward to saying goodbye to items that left home with me 7 years ago when I started college and hopefully fattening up my wallet just a little bit. I know its going to be a great time because the 8 of us never have a dull moment together.

The AuD girls at my wedding

3. Fajita Night. We LOVE fajitas and we love them the most when we make them ourselves. Friday or Saturday night will be fajita night at our house. Ben will fire up the grill and well I'll just relax on the back porch and enjoy the awesome spring night that we love here in South MS. Also, we like to serve our fajitas in lettuce leaves. It makes us feel a little healthier and the crunch of the lettuce is a great contrast to the tender chicken & veggies.


4. Season Ticket renewal. Well I'm not so excited about writing out that check, but I am just a little giddy knowing that since its time to renew season tickets, football season is just a few short months away. Football season is our favorite time of the year; we had our first date at an Ole Miss football game and planned our wedding around an away weekend for Ole Miss. There is nothing like a Saturday in the Grove and the sheer excitement of SEC football.


5. Lazy Sunday. A little time worshiping time with God and a yummy lunch are all I really want on Sundays. The rest of the time will be spent laying around on the couch or sitting on the backporch listening to the Rebels play baseball.


Hope everyone has a fabulous week and please share what you are looking forward to this week!