and on the 8th Day...

In case you were curious, on the 8th day God created Paula Deen and all her homemade goodness and I have taken it upon myself to spread the good news. The good news being her Ooey Gooey Butter Cake. If you do only one thing in this life for yourself it must be to make this cake. I have made two in the past two weekends and the pan has been licked clean before Monday even rolls around. If the name isn't enough to make you want to try it I don't know what else to say...other than it's so easy even I can make it...and it contains two whole sticks of butter. Your friends and family will thank you and sing your praises...your hips, thighs and rear not so much...as evidenced by my pants that were a little too tight this morning. I like to cut mine up into bar sized pieces so I can spread the guilt out over several pieces instead of one big hunk of Ooey goodness...I'm telling you this cake will change your life...and your pants size. You can all thank me later.

Just When You Least Expect it Part 2

Our sweet Sophie dog has been a little sick. I had been cleaning vomit off the rug for about three days when I decided it may be a good idea to take her to the vet...That was Saturday...she's still there...you can go ahead and start nominating me for mother of the year. I told my sister that I would never be having kids after that experience. Sophie has been sick before...she eats something in the backyard...throws up and we move on...I kept waiting for the moving on part but it never came...so I felt especially good about myself when the vet looked at me practically gaping and asked for the 100th time "this has been going on since when?" and I had to answer Wednesday...yes the day that was three days ago...yes I realize that was a long time ago...but I made sure she was drinking water.Isn't that what you are supposed to do?? Make sure they don't get dehydrated...well about the time I was patting myself on the back for at least doing one thing right the vet goes and grabs an IV and hooks her on up...and told me she'd call me later...so I had to hang my head in shame and walk out of the vet sans Sophie...I felt like by the time I got home DHR was going to be waiting on my doorstep to take the other two away...or whatever the pet equivalent is. I guess the walk it off approach my dad used isn't always the best way to handle things...so I apologize now to Brandon for all the times in the future when I take our children to the doctor for a runny nose...if I have children...



The good news is she seems to be on the mend and can hopefully come home today...and I have already been mentally preparing myself for that bill...and trying to decide what flavor cobwebs we will be eating this week to compensate...and finally... to top it all off we are without air conditioning...don't you just love surprises...I don't, I never have. I'm likely to gain 5lbs just over this one little set back...although I will more than likely sweat it all off in our sauna house and I hear cobwebs don't have that many calories...

Some good things did happen this weekend...we went to the fair...and don't worry I will be back with some pictures to recount the glory of it all...until then. Happy Monday!

Just When You Least Expect it

Just when you least expect it....when you've lost all hope....and maybe even forgotten about the Italian Extravaganza, I will show up with more pictures...its been slow around the office...painfully slow...and quiet...minus my hacking and sneezing...so I had to find something to do to keep myself busy...so here you go...its the semi-official slide show for Lucca/Pisa.

You have seen most of the pictures in a previous post and I haven't Photoshopped the heck out of some...but here they are none the less. I am working on the Amalfi Coast pictures today and the Photoshop computer is free so we'll see what I can come up with. Until then...hope these leftovers hold you over until you forget about the trip again...and I can surprise you again...it will be like our own little game...Happy Friday...{Please don't judge me for the stupid tower pictures}




{the arrow button in the bottom right hand corner will make it full screen}

Still Kicking...

I'm still here....barely. We have been a little under the weather around our house...no it's not swine '09....but my upper respiratory system is severely compromised so its close I guess. I guess it also didn't help that Saturday night at the Auburn game we got stuck in this...I should have listened to the little tickle in my throat on Friday and stayed at home...




Keep in mind this really video does not even come close to conveying the downpour not to mention we were stuck for 30 minutes outside because people didn't feel it necessary to share space under the stadium with others. Just a word to the wise...a poncho will NOT protect you from this kind of downpour. I was soaked in a matter of seconds and denim is not a good idea if you plan on being in the rain...my skirt did not dry out the entire time I sat there freezing for the rest of the game...its a good thing we won because my sister-in-law {who had on full fledged jeans} and I were 2 seconds away from leaving, at any moment, in search of a hot shower and dry clothes. And to think,I didn't even pick up my camera off the kitchen counter to bring with me...it would have been destroyed had I tried to use it but then again...that would probably mean I would have to get a new one...HMMM....

In other news, I had hoped to update you on the status of my most recent project...yes that one it still exists...its coming along slowly...slower than I ever could have imagined...probably because I was a business major in college and not an art major so I have NO idea what I am doing...I had high hopes to have them done in the next week...but I don't foresee that happening barring a major miracle and/ or sudden healing of my respiratory system so until then you will have to remain in suspense...

Rain Rain Go Away

It has been raining all week and I say enough already...as if my opinion matters. It made for great sleep last night but a rude awakening this morning at 6:30. Our room was nice and dark...I was in the perfect spot in bed and I could still hear the rain outside...maybe my throat is a little sore after all....

I suspect that this one cup of coffee in front of me will not be enough to get me started today...just like it wasn't enough yesterday...I needed a little extra to counteract the Benadryl...that about put me to sleep on my way into the office...yes I am aware there is a warning for that but I thought I would live on the edge and take my chances...I was feeling miserable

So as you can tell not much has been going on. It has been raining and I don't think there is a night this week that I have been home before 7:30. I did go last night to see Julie & Julia/ Julia & Julie...whatever I always get it confused... it was fabulous and well worth being out past my bedtime...it left me feeling inspired...for about 5 minutes until I realized what planet I lived on. I still might go by the cookbook because I think it would look pretty collecting dust with all my other cookbooks...and one day I might pick it up and use it. Just don't go getting your hopes up that I am going to repeat history by blogging/ cooking though a cookbook...it would be a comedic tragedy...if there is such a thing.

We are off to Auburn again this weekend for more fun filled tailgating and football and maybe just maybe Sunday I can get something productive done...I have a partially painted canvas and a blank one that need some serious attention...not to mention the laundry, cleaning and yard work that needs to be done...but for now TGIF!

Dirty Dogs

Everyday when I get home from work I am greeted by 3 angelic faces that act as though they haven't seen me in years....yesterday two of those faces looked like this....



Let's take a closer look shall we....just ignore the semi-blurry pictures...things were moving pretty quickly...




Sophie was as clean as the pure driven snow...if pure driven snow were black. Miss Priss won't dare set foot in the rain...however these two apparently had a pretty good time and it looked as though little Max got the brunt of it...and he was REAL concerned about it.




I swear these two may be the reason we never have children. My hand are full enough...I imagine this would be what having children is like...minus the leaving children out in the backyard while I go to work...and with Brandon out of town it was all the more fun trying to corral two dogs in a bathtub...with one trying to lick the shampoo off the other...yes I think that would be very much like having children...my pants were soaked from trying to hold them down {not under the water} and I had a huge mud smear down my shirt from grabbing Curby each time before she jumped out of the tub...and oh my tub...my poor tub...it may never forgive me




I'm sorry for treating you this way tub...after all the wonderful baths you have given me....It was a typical Monday around our house, but Tuesday is a new day and their butts are in a crate.

Real Estate Stalking: Shelbyville Edition

It's Friday and I am doing everything in my power to avoid work...it's cloudy outside...I have only had one cup of coffee and I want to crawl back in bed....so what better distraction than to daydream about packing up all my earthly belongings and moving into one of the many houses in Shelbyville. It is no secret dream of mine to move into a historic house on a little bit of land and live happily ever after...however places like that don't exist in Birmingham {at least where you make it out alive} and so I am left to pine over these historic homes and the for sale signs on acres and acres of land for sale as far as the eye can see...

Please keep in mind while viewing these that my sister was freaking out over being late to the birthday party...therefore these should be looked at as action shots...because she was driving around the block like a madwoman while I was taking pictures of strangers house...really its a wonder the authorities weren't called.










and look the mailman still walks down the street to deliver mail...


not to mention front yards like this....


This must be heaven...oh look there is one for sale...it must be a sign....

I Have the Golden Ticket!!!

Are You Ready for Some Football....

We had a great Labor Day weekend. Anything that doesn't constitute going into work on a Monday is great in my book. We started off the weekend with some good ole Auburn football...but even before that came the good ole football tailgate...this might be my favorite part of every game...because lets be honest what better reason is there to eat some of the best food that exists...man I love football season. My jeans don't love football season but I sure do. I didn't take any pictures because I didn't want anyone to be jealous and my hands were too full of goodness to bother with a camera.

We headed into the game 100lbs heavier and took our seats. The Eagle flew.




The band played


and the team ran out and we were off to a new season of football and I fell into a shrimp boil induced coma

Auburn won....War Eagle...which was a good thing because I didn't need a loss messing up the rest of MY weekend.

We headed over to the lake after the game to really get the weekend going...and by going I mean passing out in bed. Brandon's Aunt, Uncle, Cousins, and grandmother all came down on Sunday and we had a great time sitting, eating, and boat riding...it's what we do best. I also have no pictures of this because I was busy sitting on the dock watching life pass me by....I also don't need photographic evidence of how much food I can eat and consequently what that does to my body in a bathing suit...we'll just leave it at...I am pretty sure I ate my body weight in Gan's potato salad alone...that stuff is from the heavens....there is no other explanation other than that...well I guess you could explain it as being from the devil because after that the cover up didn't come off....

We are getting back in the swing of things at home this week but I can pretty much mark off every weekend from now through December as being totally useless...I am pretty sure there is an off weekend somewhere in there where I can at least get Brandon to take out the trash...until then if you are ever at my house please accept my apologies and understand that it is football season....

Another Day Another Fabric Store...

What would a trip to Louisville be without a little shopping? Normally, I spend my time stocking up on Skyline Chili packets for the winter. However, I bought over 20 packets last year much to the checkout lady's astonishment so we should be covered for this winter. You should never be caught without Skyline during football season/winter, but I digress.

Since I had some free shopping time on my hands, my sister and I headed to the small town of Shelbyville to visit a fabric store a friend had told her about, Making Ends Meet. The front porch sold me...we went in the backdoor but still....this was no cloth barn....we weren't in Kansas rural Alabama anymore






This place was a 3 story fabric heaven....with actual organization...upholstery separated from the silks which were separated from the cotton, and the two rooms of trim had their own portion of house....unfortunately being organized means you can find stuff...and finding stuff leads to buying stuff {my justification will be at the end}







Thankfully, the injuries were only minor to both my wallet and my sister


I'm sorry sissy...here this should make up for me posting the above photograph

This is a more accurate representation of what my sister looks like when several bolts of fabric have not landed on top of her. I'll leave you with a final bit of inspiration....it has the wheels turning in my own house...hence the justification for my purchases...or something like that.