WHERE THE BUFFALO MEETS THE WHITE

This weekend Kenny and I loaded up the kayak, the dog and ourselves and headed for the Ozarks with some of Kenny's friends from high school/college for a little float trip. We stayed at the White Buffalo resort and rented a large cabin. This resort was where Kenny and his friends went for his bachelor party. I had never been. But after this weekend it might be one of my favorite spots. And we couldn't have asked for better weather. High of 85 and not a chance of rain. It was one of those weekends where everything seemed to be in technicolor.


Although the drive is a little long, (4 hours) most of it is two lane driving through quaint little towns in the foothills of Arkansas. So it is a really pretty drive. After stopping in the great town of Mountain Home to stock up on food and alcohol we made our way to the resort. Now resort sounds fancy. This place has any type of accommodations you might like such as,tent camping, one room cabins, and larger cabins that will fit any group. It has a small store where we were lucky to find the makings for smores which we had forgotten and other small items. It also had a pool. Not to mention the cabins were 50 yards from the river. Providing lots of enjoyment for us and the dogs.



Once we were all settled in. It was so nice just to relax and get the grill going. Of course the boys main focus was getting the fire in the fire pit started. It was all about the core right boys! First they started with foliage.

Then the boys decided they needed more wood. SO naturally they found a tree.

And finally we got the fire going.

So of course we talked Dan into jumping over the fire. Good times. Ha!

On Saturday we woke up to prepare for our day long canoe/kayak trip. Kenny and I had decided we wanted to take Lena. But we weren't sure if she would fit so we had to do a test run.
Kenny was not into making the fun poses with me. Spoil sport. We ended up deciding that while Lena did in fact fit in the kayak with us that it might be a tight squeeze. So Kenny and I ended up renting a canoe and letting Danny B take our kayak down the river.

And unfortunately I do not have any pictures from the actual trip because I was not trusting my camera in the dry bag. But let me tell you. Buffalo river is one of the prettiest places I have ever canoed. You literally can see down to the bottom of the river the entire time. It is so gorgeous! The water was freezing but that did not stop the boys from fly fishing. We really did have the best time. The 6 mile trip took us 7 hours because we kept stopping at all the sand bars and just relaxing. It really was so nice. And Lena could of died a happy dog that day. She had the best time!

When we got back to the cabin that night we grilled out and I had a couple of Firefly Vodkas with some Simply Lemonade and then I layed down to rest my eyes and that was the end of that. I was asleep by 8:30. Plum tuckered out. I even missed roasting marshmallows.

We headed back pretty early on Sunday. So sad to leave. Can't wait to go back!

BIRTHDAY GIFT

Kenny is on his way to pick up my birthday present right now! I am so excited. Isn't it so pretty!
I am getting it in eggplant! So cute!

WEEKEND RECAP-PARIS!!!

So this weekend I flew to Paris!!! It was amazing!!!





Just kidding!! Ha! Did I fool you?? Can you believe that there is a miniature replica of the Eiffel Tower in the very small town of Paris, Tennessee???

I was so excited to be able to tag along with my friends Joe and Tracy to their family's lake house. We joined Joe's parents and they adopted me into the family for the weekend so that I could celebrate my birthday relaxing by the lake. Kenny was out of town for a market he had to attend. So I was on my own. Joe's parents were even nice enough to let me bring Lena. So we had as many dogs as we did people.


So this was my view for the weekend!!!




And this is literally what Lena did all weekend!

She swam and swam and played. She was so happy and so tired by the end of the weekend.

We took the boat out for a long spin around Kentucky lake and ate lunch at a bar/restaurant that you pull your boat up to and they served us wine coolers in slush form. I am not kidding. And they were so delicious!!! It really was such a fun day.

However, I have forgotten that I am no longer a bronzed beauty that tans easily and am now a fair-skinned girl. I do not know what I was thinking not wearing any sunscreen and being out in the sun all day. I am paying the price. Aloe Vera is not soothing this burn. Won't make that mistake again. It is only Tuesday and I am already peeling!

When I arrived home Sunday evening Kenny was home and I was so happy to see him. He had picked up Chinese takeout and flowers and we crashed after our Sunday night television.

MATHEMATICAL EQUATION

THIS:



+



+



+(to mix with the sweet tea vodka)



= what is shaping up to be a nice relaxing birthday weekend. Can't wait!

I KNOW.....I KNOW.....

I am doing terrible at blogging right now. It is a combination of a few things.

I have been extremely busy at work. Totally swamped.
I haven't really been doing to much that is interesting enough to blog about.
And basically I just haven't felt like it.

I will try to do better. Kenny and I have some fun trips planned soon so I will be sure to report back on those.
Can you believe the summer is almost over. Almost time for football?

What is up with Ole Miss being ranked #10. Give me a break!!!!!!

SNIFFLE

Do you ever have one of those days where everything makes you cry or feel like you are going to cry.

I AM HAVING ONE OF THOSE DAYS.

I have cried at least five times today. It is not even noon. What is wrong with me. Please make it stop!


No good very bad day.

FUNNY PEOPLE WAS FUNNY.

Kenny and I had a relaxed leisurely weekend. Friday night I went over to Christin's and hung out with her. We grabbed some dinner at this place called Skimo's and I have to tell you...they had the best quesadilla I have ever eaten. I have been craving one ever since. The restaurant is kind of far away from our house but I am temped to start driving out there just to have that quesadilla again.

After we finished our delicious dinner we went back over to Christin's house with plans to watch a movie but we ended up just flipping channels and looking at wedding dresses because she is getting married.

On Saturday, I did some grocery shopping because we had 0 food in the house. And then it started to rain and I enjoyed a glorious afternoon on the couch watching various movies. It was wonderful.

Saturday night we went to sushi and then went to see Funny People. Like I had mentioned before I was so excited to see this movie. And it was really good. Adam Sandler was really good and played a much different role than his other movies. I would definitely recommend it.

As of yesterday I started doing The Shred twice a day. This morning was my third time this week and I am now hobbling. I am so sore. But I am hoping all the strength training and abs will help get my behind into gear.

FUNNY PEOPLE

So snaps! It is Friday and I could not be more excited. The sun is finally out after it raining every day this week and that includes full out thunderstorms and tornadoes. Kenny and I do not have any major plans for the weekend except to have a date night where we grab some dinner and go see Funny People.

Have yall seen the previews for this movie? I love love love Judd Apatow movies and this is one of his movies. I have heard this movie is so funny but also kind of sad. I will be sure to let you know what I think! Have a great weekend!

BATHROOM BEFORE AND AFTER

So I have always had a thing for old houses. I love how quaint they are and how they can have so much charm. So when Kenny and I found our house we fell in love with our little starter home. What we DID NOT fall in love with was the bathrooms. Extremely outdated! Our bathrooms were victims of the colored tile. I am not even going to show you our master because we will have to completely and 100% gut that one. But the hall bath was a little easier of a fix.

The green is not totally offensive and we were so lucky in that the tile really was in great condition. So we lived with it for a while.


I called up a company here in the Memphis area that refinishes old bathtubs and tile. What they do is the treat the tile and then re glaze it to a more appropriate color and it is much more cost efficient than knocking out all the tile. It takes three days and makes your house smelly. But they did such a great job.

Here are some pictures from after they finished but I had not painted the walls yet.



Next I found an adorable Pottery Barn shower curtain and had Lowe's match a paint color to it. I picked brown to make the colors from the curtain and the white tile pop. Then I also spray painted the mirror frame a metallic silver to match all the other fixtures in the bathroom. Please pardon my toilet lid being up. I really should of put a little more thought into it. Ha!

As always pictures do not totally do it justice.

So what do you think??? Better than that green right!

EXHAUSTED WOULD BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT

Kenny and I took off from work Thursday and Friday to head to Atlanta (where my family lives) for my cousin Pamela's wedding. She is marrying an amazing boy named Cullen and we were so excited to be able to attend all of the amazing festivities. While I did not get pictures from the entire weekend. I am TERRIBLE AT taking pictures I did get some fun ones at the wedding.

Thursday night after driving most of the day. My Aunt Pam and Uncle Mike hosted a small get together for family, a few out of town guests, and my cousin's bridesmaids. It was a lot of fun getting to meet all of Pamela's closest friends.

On Friday, we attended the bridal luncheon at Piedmont Driving Club. It was so gorgeous! The rehearsal dinner was held at Chastain Horse Park. The weather was perfect for a cocktail out on the porch. My aunt had even arranged to have some riders come and trot their beautiful horse around. That is the picture of the back of the club. So fun. After the rehearsal dinner there was an after party at this little building called the American Legion post that was so so fun and cute. American quilts as table clothes, with little old ladies passing out home made peach ice cream and a band. We probably stayed out a little too late that night but it was so worth it.

The day of the wedding we spent just lounging around and eating lunch. ( I needed something greasy.) Then that night the wedding was at this beautiful old Presbyterian Church where my aunt and uncle were married and the reception was at the Atlanta History Center and it was GORGEOUS!!!! And I actually have pictures of this night so enjoy. Please look at how pretty my cousin's dress was!

Different arrangements on every table but so pretty.  Please ignore all the empty banana pudding glasses.  That stuff was good.

The entrance when you came in.

Loved her dress so much!

Mom, sister, and me.

My other cousin, Lindsay in green.  She is getting married in March so we will get to do this all over again!

My aunt and MOB dancing with the band on the dance floor.

The band had called all the girls on stage.

After the wedding we went and had some drinks but Kenny and I were fading fast. So needless to say exhausted was an understatement on Sunday. We were so tired but we had to get on the road early because we had tickets to see the American Idol concert.

So we got home late Sunday afternoon and headed to the concert about two hours later. I think I might of been a walking zombie but the concert was AWESOME. It was so good. This season was really so incredibly talented. Most of them played instruments and their singing was phenomenal. The forum was packed and people were going crazy for Adam Lambert. The whole thing was a little nuts but so much fun.

I am definitely not feeling like myself today. I am so totally out of it. But it is all because of such a fun weekend.

GIVEAWAY!!!!!

So my good friend Susan with J PRESS DESIGNS does INCREDIBLE design work and she just started a blog recently. Oh snap!

So she thought to celebrate she would offer all everyone an order of her personalized stationery. You will receive 50 cards and 50 envelopes. So these should last you a little while! She has three designs to choose from and they are all so cute. So please head on over to her blog and give her a shout out to be entered to win! All you have to do is leave a comment!

Her blog is great for ideas to because she has lots of samples of her work if you have an event or wedding coming up, or even a baby announcement.

Here is the link!  Go now!

http://jpressdesigns.blogspot.com/

QUICK WEEKEND UPDATE

Kenny and I had another wonderful weekend of not having any official plans but managed to accomplish a lot and relax. Friday night I came home and fixed myself a mojito and finished reading Jodi Piccoult's book The Pact.
This book was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. I loved it. It is by far my favorite book that she has written. I cried a few times while reading it. So once I read the last few pages because I could not put it down. Kenny and I cooked a pizza for supper and watched the movie, Knowing with Nicholas Cage. It was okay. Kind of different. But okay.

Saturday morning I ran a ton of errands while Kenny watched the British Open and worked a little. I went and got my first ever spray tan which I found to be so stressful. There were so many instructions and that big machine was kind of frightening. Not to mention I was freezing. But overall I am pleased with the results and I am going again on Wednesday for my cousin's wedding this weekend. I am so excited because I FINALLY found a dress for the rehearsal dinner that I am going to this weekend. I had been searching and searching so I am so happy I do not have to worry about it anymore.

Saturday night Kenny and I went to Mexican that was delicious and then met up with Christin to celebrate her fiance J.R.'s birthday at a bar. We had a great time hanging out with everyone and went home at a decent time. I was sleepy.

Sunday, Kenny and I watched the last day of the British open (so sad Watson did not win) and then went kayaking around Mud Island. This time we pulled over and went and walked around Mud Island River Park and the amphitheatre. It was a lot of fun. Sunday night has turned into our favorite night for television because of Big Brother, True Blood, Hung and Entourage. So we like to relax and watch our shows.

So happy this will be a short week for me work wise. Yea!

SPRAY TANNING HELP NEEDED!!!!!

I stopped tanning last July. I have not been in a tanning bed for a YEAR. That is huge for me. HUGE. I have not avoided the sun when I am outdoors or anything but no artificial UV Rays.

So....as I have mentioned previously my cousins wedding is next weekend and it is IMPERATIVE that I have a tan. I will be in cute dresses all weekend. I have decided to get a spray tan. I have never had one before and I am so nervous I am going to come out looking like an Ooompa Loompa.

My friend Megan gave me a coupon for a buy one get one free spray tan so I am going to do a test run this weekend and then do the official tan for the wedding next week.


Please for the love of all things tan give me your spray tanning tips. What makes it last the longest? What keeps it from getting all splotchy. And how do I keep from being Orange? Or do I even need to worry about that?

HAVEN'T FELT LIKE IT

Sorry for my lack of posts. I just have had zero motivation to blog lately. A lot of it because I have not really had anything interesting going on. Kenny and I had a GLORIOUS weekend of having no plans so we ran errands, watched movies, ate Mexican food and went to see The Proposal which we both thought was really good.


I have been running around like crazy looking for the perfect dress to wear to my cousin's rehearsal dinner NEXT FRIDAY!!!!! Any help from the Memphis peeps would be greatly appreciated if ya ll have seen any cute dresses. I have been to all the malls several times and plan to look at the smaller boutiques this weekend. I have combed J.Crew and all the sites online and nothing. I have found a few things I like online but being able to try things on is pretty imperative for me. The dinner is somewhat layed back so I need a really fun sundress. But I want something really cute.

Why is it when you stop by the mall with no money you find a plethora of things you want to buy but when looking for something specific and money in hand NADA! So frustrating.

We are also still trying to get things done on the house. Our toilet is still not back in but as soon as I get it back in I will be sure to post some before and after pictures of our once emerald green bathroom. It looks really good.

Anyway, my life is really boring right now (In a good, nice and relaxing kind of way) so sorry I do not have much to talk about. I feel like this is what summer is all about. A little time to breath.

NEW BREAKFAST

So about a week ago Kenny went grocery shopping with me. It is something he rarely does. I am a get in, get out kind of girl and Kenny meanders. It is okay. We are just different. But when we were at the store these caught his eye and we are always on the lookout for food you can eat on the go since he spends so much of his time in the car.

I have to tell you. These things are good. At 240 calories a piece they are very filling and take a little while to eat so you feel like you are having a big snack. We have been eating them for breakfast and really liking them. They will probably stay in my breakfast rotation along with my vita tops.

Did anyone watch the first episode of Big Brother last night? I really wanted Jessica to get back into the house. So far no one seems overly obnoxious but we will see.

I COULD NOT BE HAPPIER IT IS FRIDAY! HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

NOT SO FUNNY

Last night Kenny and I made a trip to TCBY(man I love me some White Chocolate Mousse) before settling in to watch Paul Blart: Mall Cop. We had seen the previews and they looked really funny. Well.........not so much. At times that movie was downright hokey. Next on our queue is Transporter 3. Kenny will probably watch that one on his own and then I have already said we get to order Confessions of a Shopaholic next.

I thought I would go ahead and post the easy peasy recipe I am making tonight. It looks good and I am going to add some marinated chicken to it

Easy Tortellini and Bacon Pasta
Ingredients
1 (9 ounce) package refrigerated three-cheese tortellini
2/3 cup frozen peas
3/4 cup refrigerated alfredo sauce
1/4 cup bacon bit
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions
ADD pasta and peas to 2-1/2 quart boiling water in large saucepan. Cook 6 to 8 minute or until pasta is tender, stirring frequently. Drain well. RETURN pasta and peas to pan. Stir in Alfredo sauce and bacon. Reduce heat to low; cook 2 to 3 minute or until heated through, stirring occasionally. SPRINKLE with the pepper.

Did anyone watch the Michael Jackson Memorial yesterday? I thought that it was well done. And his daughter was so sad and such a cute little thing.

EXTREMELY PRODUCTIVE LONG WEEKEND.....STILL TIRED

We were so busy this weekend. But I cannot even begin to tell you how big of a relief it is to have accomplished so much as far as things we wanted to do on the house.

Thursday night we went to Wicked. It was amazing. I had made sure that no one would tell me what happened at the end. Because despite how many times I have listened to the soundtrack I did not know how it all wrapped up. Needless to say I was surprised. I loved it all and I am so sad it is over. Wicked was the last of our Orpheum season tickets and we decided not to renew this year and just go to the plays we wanted to see. So sad. Here is the view from our seat before it started.
Friday was our work day. My mom and I (mom mostly) worked our tails off getting stuff done to my house. We painted the bathroom (before and afters to come soon), caulked and painted trim, organized four closets, hung curtains, painted the bathroom mirror a new color. We were sooo busy but everything looks soooo good. I am so pleased. Plus for an OCD girl like me having things organized is almost an euphoric feeling.

EDITED TO ADD: MY SISTER HUNG MY CURTAINS. THANK YOU SISTER.

Friday night we went to eat at Humdingers for you Memphis girls. This place was really good. Very casual you order at the counter and they bring it to you but it was so yum. Kenny and I got the shrimp tacos with a side of zucchini. It is now one of our favorites. Here is the menu.After dinner we went to see Transformers. It was long and loud. (I sound so old) But it was entertaining.

Saturday my sister and Kenny went kayaking while my mom and I did more stuff around the house. I told you we were busy. Then that afternoon we headed downtown early to have drinks and burgers at Huey's before going to the Redbirds game. Luckily we were in no hurry because they were slammed and service was so slow. This is how you can find my sister a lot lately. Staring at her iPhone.

Then we met our friends Susan and Andrew at the game. Andrew had been gracious enough to score us some tickets and we all sat together. The game was a lot of fun but it got so muggy by the end of the night. It was H-O-T! At one point Susan bought some cracker jacks which in my opinion have gotten much better in quality.This is where we found the prize. And decided it was extremely lame and not fun at all. After the game that went into extra innings they had a great firework show. I love fireworks. So American don't ya think!
Sunday was more chores. My mom and sister left early so I went grocery shopping, Kenny and I organized and cleaned out the shed. We threw away so much stuff and would you believe it was all gone by nightfall. People just kept coming by and taking it. I took some clothes to get some alterations and Kenny mowed the yard. It was another busy day and I have to say I am a little worn out today.

As for Menu Monday I did meal plan this week but it was a lot of repeat recipes. I do have one new recipe that I am trying and if it is good I will be sure to post it. Sorry for the long post. Hope everyone had a great Fourth of July.

CAN'T WAIT

Not only is today the start of a three day weekend but.....I am going to see Wicked tonight and I am soooo excited about it. I have loved this musical for so long and we always talked of getting up to New York to see it but just never made it up there.

So tonight as the last show of our season tickets I will finally get to see it. I have been hearing great things about the cast from friends who have already been.

I am so excited!