It's Not Goodbye, Just See Ya Later!

Back in February, Faulkner (then known as 'Sippi) joined our little family. Fast forward 6 months to August and things have changed. A lot.  As most of you know, we moved from a house to a small apartment and lets just say some adjust better than others, hah.  We adopted/rescued Faulkner from a couple in Hattiesburg who didn't have the yard nor give him the attention that he needs. He was a little timid at first, especially when it came to being around Layla.  But in just a few short weeks, Faulkner and Layla acted as if they had been together since birth.  Faulkner fit right in.  In Hattiesburg, the dogs always had access to the backyard through the doggie door and they utilized it all the time.  While we were fast asleep, they would be outside expelling all that extra energy.  Once we got to Birmingham, things changed....drastically.  Gone was the fenced in yard.  Gone was the doggie door. Gone was the nights of uninterrupted sleep.  The dogs had to teach us how to let us know they needed to go out.  Surprisingly, this was easy.  They ran to the door, sat, and barked until we thought, "Hmm maybe they need to go poop."  The major adjustment for the dogs was not being able to play outside during the night.  Faulkner would wake us (ok, mostly Ben since I am a very heavy sleeper) up wanting to go outside (or so we thought).  As this continued, Ben figured out that he didn't need to use the potty, he just wanted to either get in the bed with us, get some attention or have play time.  In the beginning, this was not a big deal.  Ben was only serving and had odd hours and was able to sleep in to catch up.  But now with both of us working 8-5, getting up several times a night was not an option.  It was like we were taking care of a little baby.  HAHA, we didn't sign up for that, we signed up for dogs.  We tried so many things to get him worn out.  The longer walks and field trips to the doggie park were not doing the trick.  We knew what we had to do. It was the last thing we wanted to do but we knew it was the best option for him and for us.  We decided to find Faulkner a new home. 

Ben knew he was going to have to be the one to find the new home, the thought of it devastated me.  He put an ad on Craiglist at lunch on a Tuesday afternoon and by dinner time we had 5 or 6 replies.  We weren't asking for any money, we just wanted to find Faulkner the best home and humans to take care of him.  One of the replies was from a young couple who lived about 40 miles from Birmingham and they wanted to drive up and meet us at the dog park.  After learning that one had grown up with weims and knew their tendencies, I felt like it could be a possible match.  We met them at the park 2 nights later and they were in love.  We found out they were in a house with a fenced in yard and hardwood floors (no carpets to tear up like he did here at our apartment).  We also learned they were looking for a dog that would be able to spend the weekends on the water with them.  AND, the guy works in a family business so Faulkner could go to work with him!  No more kennels during the day.  We got a really good feeling from this couple and they were ready to take him home that night.  We decided to let him go for the weekend and let them have a trial weekend with them.  I was firm in telling them that I did not want him ending up at a pound and we would take him back if things were not working out.  Well, things couldn't have gone more perfectly.  He warmed right up to them and was playful the moment he arrived at their house.  He spent most of the weekend with them at the lake and soaking up the sun on the boat. Frankly, I"m a little jealous him.  Of course, I am keeping in contact with Mary, Faulkner's new mama.  She sends  me text updates and pictures several times a week.  We are now enjoying at least 7 hours a night since Layla has been around since she was a wee little thing and knows how we works.  She was a little sad at first (we really think she was just scared she was next to go).   I now know we made the best decision for both Faulkner and us and we couldn't be happier. 

May Faulkner have many many happy days!!!

50 State Bucket List

Ben's aunt and uncle, Arenda and Bob are passing through Birmingham this weekend on their way out West.  They are headed to South/North Dakota (can't remember which) and Nebraska to complete Bob's 50 state bucket list.  These are the only 2 states Bob hasn't visited in his lifetime.  I'm not exactly sure of Bob's age, but I find it very impressive that in a week or so he will have visited every state in the U.S.  This litlte bucket list inspired my dear husband to send around an e-mail to the family with his 50 state bucket list.  I thought I would share.  I'm working on mine and will post it later.

States I haven't been to (ranking of where I'd like to visit):


Maine- 4

Vermont- 5

New Hampshire- 9

Connecticut- 8

Rhode Island- 10

West Virginia- 11

Nebraska- 6

New Mexico- 2

Oregon- 7

Hawaii- 1

Alaska- 3


Most beautiful state visited:
Florida- easy choice. Beaches, hot weather, theme parks. FUN.

Ugliest state visited:
Louisiana- swamps, coon asses, LSU.

State I'd most like to visit again:
New York- really want to get upstate more and a trip to NYC is always great.

State I'd least like to visit again:
North Dakota- just drove through it but seemed like a good place to find meth...and that's about it.

Southernmost point visited:
Miami, Fla.

Northernmost point visited:
Niagara Falls

Coldest place visited:
Probably Kalispell, MT, though I'm fairly certain the winter Harrison was born in Cleveland was the coldest I have ever been

Hottest place visited:
Phoenix, AZ, some putt-putt golf place we were at had temps at 108 when we were out there...Miami's heat indices were really high but there always seemed to be a breeze

State with the best cuisine:
New York or California, both seemed like you could get the very best of anything in the world.

State with the worst cuisine:
Arkansas, though this may be unfair as I have only eaten at a Krystal's and a greyhound racing establishment in this state.

Stay tuned!

Sweat

So since my last post, the month has changed. We were very busy the last week so that is my excuse for the lack of posting.  Honestly, I can't really recall what exactly made us so busy but it was just one of those weeks.  We did celebrate Ben's birthday last week.  He's not a big birthday fan like his dear sweet wife, but I wasn't going to let the day pass without something neat.  Per his request, I made chicken spaghetti and peach cobbler.  Ben's sweet family visited a couple of weeks ago from Georgia and brought us sliced peaches and they were delicious but I knew we wouldn't be able to finish them off before they went bad so I made my first ever cobbler.  It wasn't a perfect success, but it was edible.  The crust didn't rise like it was supposed to, I'm guessing I used all-purpose flour instead of self-rising. WHOOPS. The peach part was still so so yummy, especially topped with vanilla ice cream. 

Last week, we discovered the local dog park. Can I get a HALLELUJAH?? When we lived in Hattiesburg, we had a big fenced in backyard that was accessible by the pups through a doggie door.  They LOVED it.  We LOVED it.  Since the move, we have struggled to get the dogs adequate exercise.  If you've ever had the pleasure of meeting our dogs, you would understand :)  They were getting 3 to 4 fifteen minute walks each a day but it just wasn't cutting it.  After a night of minimal sleep due to restless dogs, I started googling local dog parks.  I found one that had just recently opened a few miles from our apartment.  It is huge and completely shaded.  There is also a creek that runs beside it that the dogs can go wade when it gets too hot.  We spent 3 nights out there last week and they dogs were in doggie heaven, hah.  We were in doggie heaven too those nights thanks to the uninterrupted sleep we experienced. On another sort of braggy note, we have always thought our dogs, especially Layla were not well-behaved and not trained well enough.  But after being at the dog park and seeing so many more dogs and their actions, we have come to the conclusion that Layla is very well-behaved and trained.  She runs and plays with other dogs but never acts inappropriately and she is always the dog fetching the ball.  With that being said, the  next time you come for a visit, just remember that Layla is well-behaved, shes just super excited you're there to see her :)

This past weekend, we traveled to probably our favorite place:  Oxford.  We were there for a wedding of some friends of friends that we have become close with after sharing season tickets.  The wedding took place at Castle Hill Resort (formerly Colonel's Quarters).  It was a gorgeous setting on the front lawn of the mansion.  At 6:30 on a Mississippi evening, it was miserably HOT.  There aren't enough adjectives to describe the heat we all felt.  However, the heat didn't stop anyone from having a good ole time.  The reception was a blast.  The band was great and didn't stop playing until after midnight and those of us on the dance floor never missed a beat.  The food was delicious, especially the lobster macaroni and cheese.  Thanks for sharing your special day with us Stephen & Denise. We had a wonderful time.

Finally, I wanted to share the only recipe of the only meal I cooked last week during our crazy/busy week.  It's super easy & delicious for those busy nights.

Sante Fe Chicken & Rice
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 garlic gloves minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 cup white rice
1 1/2 cup salsa
1 can chicken stock
4-6 chicken tenders
1 cup shredded cheese ( I like colby jack)
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. cumin
salt & pepper
1 tomato, chopped

Preheat oven to 350. In a 13x9 baking dish, add melted butter, olive oil, onion, garlic and rice. Stir together and spread to cover bottom of dish.  Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes or until rice is lightly browned.  Next, stir in salsa with rice mixture and spread evenly in baking dish.  Lay chicken tenders over rice.  Sprinkle chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper over chicken.  Pour chicken stock over entire dish.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45-50 minutes until chicken is cooked and rice has absorbed all of the chicken stock.  Remove foil and top with shredded cheese.  Return to oven just long enough to melt cheese.  Top with chopped tomatoes.  It is yummy with a little dollop of daisy, hah.

A sad and happy post soon to come!

Happy Birthday to my Sweet Husband!!

Happy Birthday Darlin'! Thank you Leon & Hedy for bringing sweet Ben into the world 26 years ago.  I feel so very blessed to have such an amazing person with whom to spend my life.  I am so glad he decided that Belmont wasn't right for him 6 years ago and decided to venture a little further down South to Oxford and meet the girl of his dreams :)  I will not make this a corny post, Ben knows all the reasons why I love him.  Ben, I hope you are having a wonderful birthday!  I hope your ready for chicken spaghetti and peach cobbler. LOVE YOU!

My Birthday Boy

Good Monday Y'all!

Tomato Bacon Pasta

This is our absolute favorite meal in the summer.  I should thank my friend Emily for introducing us to delicious dish, Thanks Emily!  Summer is the season for tomatoes and this recipe is one sure way to get your Lycopene!

3 tbsp. olive oil                        

2 medium to large onions, chopped   

3 cloves garlic, crushed      

5 lg tomatoes (about 3 lbs) peeled, seeded, & chopped

1/2 lb linguine, cooked & drained

2 tsp. salt

1tbsp. Italian seasoning

1/2 lb bacon

¼ tsp. red pepper flakes

4 tbsp. finely chopped parsley

Fry the bacon until crisp: drain on paper towels ans set aside. Pour out all of the fat,except for 1 tablespoon. Add the olive oil to this and when hot, add the onions. Saute for 5 min. Add the garlic and tomatoes. Simmer for a few minutes. Then add the salt,italian seasoning and pepper. Simmer for 1/2 hour stirring occasionally. Add the parsley. Simmer for 5 minutes. Crumble the bacon and stir it in.  To serve, top paste with sauce and grated parmesean cheese.

To peel tomatoes dip briefly in boiling water and cool in ice water. Peels will slip off.

I tried to be all fancy with this one. Ha.

Are You Ready?

I am!  I am so excited about football season. It's now less than 2 months away and I'm giddy.  Football season is by far my favorite time of the year.  Here's a little video of the Saturday's to come..

The Grove

HOTTY TODDY Y'ALL!!

We Never Miss a Meal

July 4th weekend was a blast. Why did it have to go so fast? We got to spend time with my best friend and her husband Friday night. We ate dinner and played a really fun game called Funglish. I had never heard of it but it we really enjoyed it and will be one to purchase soon. I am usually super tired on Friday nights from the long week, but whenever we hang out with them we always end up staying well past our welcome and this time was no different. After the game, Anna & I settled on the couch while the guys eagerly played Xbox. Before we knew it, it was past 1 a.m. Theres always so much to say when we're together. Love spending time with those two. Saturday, we had a lunch date with Ben's sister and her family who just recently moved to Memphis. Huey's never disappoints and Nate, their 3 year old, sang us "Jesus Loves the Little Children." Precious. That afternoon we headed to a family friends house for a BBQ, washers tournament, swimming, and fireworks. The food was delicious, the fireworks were incredible, and my parents won the washers tournament. Pretty impressive. We spent the early afternoon on the 4th in my parent's pool out of the heat. They whipped up some yummy BBQ with all the sides. Late that afternoon, we headed down to Oxford to eat once again at another BBQ some college friends were hosting. We capped off the night with a fireworks show that the city and Ole Miss put on at OU Stadium. It was set to music being played by the symphony. It was one of the best shows I have seen in awhile. Monday, we headed back to Birmingham. Of course, that couldn't happen without some excitement, right? I woke up Monday with terrible stomach cramps along with a horrible headache and dizziness. I drank almost an entire bottle of Pepto on the ride home. It was one LONG trip. I only felt worse as the night went on...fever and a cold sweat included. I took the next day off to recuperate and I am super happy to be eating again.

It seems as though July will be one exciting month for us. Ben started his new job this week and is really enjoying being back in the working world. He celebrates a birthday this month. I am a BIG birthday person so I am probably a little more excited about this than him and how can he get very excited when this birthday will push him closer to 30 than to 20? YIKES. 4 of my very best friends are coming for a very fun weekend next weekend. I am excited to share a city that I am really loving with them. I am now a member of a seriously fun Bunco group. We had our first "date" last night and it was a blast. Looking forward to the next...I'm hosting! Ben's parents will also be paying us a visit sometime this month. My sister celebrates a birthday and we get to cap it off with a wedding weekend in Oxford!

Stay cool y'all!

Happy Birthday America!

Fourth of July weekend is here, finally! I have always loved the 4th but this year with the long weekend makes me love it even more.

We are heading up to Mississippi for the weekend to visit my family and friends AND Ben's sister and her family just recently moved to Memphis so we will get to see them as well. We have a lot planned to do! I am looking forward to having a good time and relaxing. I hope all of you do the same. I'll have a recap of our weekend sometime next week. Everyone have a safe, but fun weekend!

Hooray Fireworks and cold beer!

A Dog's Life

Eating, sleeping, chewing on rawhide bones, and the 4 or 5 walks a day...what more could a dog want? A whole lot more if your a four-legged furry canine living under our roof. Apparently, our two pups decided they needed a little more excitement in their lives. About a week and a half ago, the toilet in the bathroom that we use most often stopped up and started overflowing, not the best way to start the day! Not surprisingly, it took the apartment people over a week to get over here to fix the problem. And that was after the threat that we had visitors coming for the weekend and one toilet would not cut it. It's amazing how a little white lie can whip those maintenance men into business. These men were convinced it was a Q-tip lodged in the toilet, however being the "ear" person that I am I knew this was not the case. Finally, after augering it inside they decided it might be a good idea to take the toilet outside to finish the job. Surprise, surprise, it wasn't a Q-tip. Better yet, it was a piece of their plastic red tug toy all wrapped in Charmin. We have the suspicions that while sneaking a drink out of the bowl, one of them dropped their beloved toy. I also have a feeling it was miss Layla, that girl always has a toy in her mouth. Pretty wise move on her part, she got to harrass the plumbers for two whole days.

And if that wasn't enough excitement to last the week, Layla had to cause more mischief. They have a large cow femur that my mom brought with her on a weekend trip to Hattiesburg to keep them entertained. They are generally very good at taking turns chewing on it. This was not the case on Thursday afternoon. We were sitting on the couch researching kennels to board them for the July 4th weekend when we hear a loud painful shreik come from Faulkner who then runs by and brushes my leg. We continue on with your research and when I get up and Ben informs me that I'm bleeding. I look down and see blood all over my legs. We walk towards the kitchen and it looks as though a small animal has been murdered. There is blood EVERYWHERE. Then we start walking around and see blood all over the carpet and even on the walls. I go into panic mode and see Faulkner standing in the kitchen looking so confused but his tail is still wagging. We look at his ear and notice that a small little sliver is gone and blood oozing out. I then go into super panic mode because I have no idea how to get blood out of carpet and all I can think about is the $$$ that we will have to pay the apartment to replace the carpet when we move. I send Ben down to Patrick and Megan's to retrieve carpet cleaner while I am frantically Googling "how to get blood out of the carpet." I read that hydrogen peroxide in a squirt bottle will do the trick. Of all the random things, we actually have hydrogen peroxide. So I start squirting away and blotting with a towel as the website told me to do. Ben gets back home and I have cleaned half of the blood up. We're hoping that their long weekend at "camp" will be enough excitement to last a little while.

Next month's Playgirl centerfold

I'm holding the femur above my head in this one
Cool tile after a long walk

Layla with the infamous tug toy

Summer is Here!

Officially. It's hard to keep up with the first day of summer here in the South because it's felt like summer for months now. I am experiencing my first summer ever without freedom. Sure, I had summers in college and grad. school where I had a class here and there but this summer I am WORKING...eeek! Summer and work do not belong in the same sentence. Period. Since I've been a slacker lately, I thought I'd fill everyone in on whats been going on with us.

As much as I complained above, I really am enjoying my job. I get to see some very interesting cases and work with professionals in other disciplines so I am learning a lot about different medical fields. I am also very lucky that my friend Emily, who was in my AuD program at USM is an intern here as well. It is nice having somone you are close with experiencing the same thing. We have designated friday as our eating out day for lunch. We don't see patients on fridays so we don't feel rushed to get back to patients. We are in walking distance of a lot of yummy places. I have to say I think my favorite place we've tried is Camp Taco. Chicken taco with fresh corn & white bbq sauce..my mouth is watering just thinking about it!

Ben has been working for the past 3 weeks or so as a server at Chili's. I must brag and say that he has done really well especially considering he has never worked as a server. He is the charmer..sinking so low as to put "Roll Tide" on some of his checks. YUCK. He starts his job at the Birmingham Business Journal in a little over two weeks and we are both very excited about it. He will be reporting on healthcare and banking. I am so excited that he found a job so soon. I really think he is going to like it! Also, he has normal people hours from 8-5 and no weekends or holidays! Being the worryier (sp?) that I am (thanks Mom & Nana), I must admit the thought of surviving on my little intern pay and tips from Chili's was so overwhelming. I knew God would provide and we would make it. But, oh the power of prayer. It never ceases to amaze me how things seem to work out when you just give it to God. Hallelujah, right?

Our puppies are doing just fine. They have adjusted to apartment living pretty well and love waking Ben up at 6 am for potty time. The other tenants in our building have learned their names and knows that Layla is the one who will rudely bark at them and Faulkner will run up hoping for some loving.

We've been keeping it pretty lazy around here, it is the summer right? Won't be long until football season now :)

Until something exciting happens...