How much is that kitty in the window?

Rudy loves the window! He's sitting in it every chance he gets...especially when it is sunny outside!

Another one of Rudy's habits....eating flowers and drinking the water! The cat loves running water. We need to get him one of those filtrated flowing water systems. I brought these flowers back from Christie's wedding shower and it didn't take him long to find them! I found this when I turned around. He had taken the flowers out himself and was drinking away. 

Dustin had flowers waiting on me the Sunday I came back from Jessica's bachelorette weekend (surprised? So was I! Pleasantly!), but they were on top of the fridge so it took me awhile to find them. That's where these flowers are headed unfortunately...it is the only place they will be safe!

Poor Rudy's life is about to be turned upside down though. We are getting a dog over Spring Break! Finally!!!!! I've been wanting a dog for-e-ver! We are leaning towards a red haired Golden Retriever. I know it will be hard for Rudy at first, but I hope that they become best friends. I've always wanted a dog and kitty that could cuddle up together like my kitties and Holly Belle could when I lived with mom and Johnny! We shall see!!!

Christie's Wedding Shower

This weekend, Amy Harris and I hosted a wedding shower for my lifelong friend, Christie. Her mom's friend, Jeannie Ray was nice enough to let use her home. We had a great turnout and Christie got a lot of great things! She and Jeremy already have a really nice home with a lot of really nice things, so they decided to set up a "honeyfund" registry in addition to their registry at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Christie and Jeremy are going on a two week honeymoon to Italy. I'm so jealous!!

Here is some of the decor and a few snapshots. Christie, Amy and I had a blast doing this for you and can't wait to celebrate with you in April!

Recipe card drop-off

We put together a photo guestbook. I got this idea from another shower I went to. Everyone's picture was taken as they walked in, and they wrote a sweet note to Christie and Jeremy inside. We'll put their photo next to their note and it will be a keepsake for Christie.

Food spread

coffee bar, cupcake tower, and punch

The bride with her two hostesses

Christie, her mom Jody, and her soon-to-be step daughter Natalie, who is the most well mannered little girl I've ever met!

Round 2: Jessica B's Bachelorette Weekend!

My bestie Jessica is getting married in 3 weeks! We left for Hot Springs right after school on Friday. We got to stay a a really nice pad on Lake Hamilton for the whole weekend, FREE! Yes, nice! We went to eat at Back Porch Grill on Friday, then out on the town. 

The Bachelorette and Myself

The whole clan

Our view!

Saturday we headed to Oaklawn and then just stayed in for the night and had a slumber party. We ordered pizza, Jessica opened her gifts, and we recovered from the night before. 

Take 1

Take 2

Third Time is a Charm

The girls at the races

On Sunday, Jessica had a bridal shower at the house, so we had to get up fairly early and clean house as if 9 girls hadn't just had a bachelorette party at the house. 

It's hard to be serious with this girl.

It was a packed weekend, but I had an absolute blast! I'm the "new friend" in Jessica's group since I've known her the shortest amount of time, but I felt like I fit right in. She has the best friends who are so easy to mesh right in with. I'm normally a shy person until I get to know you and feel comfortable, but it didn't take any time this weekend. I laughed my butt off so much my cheeks hurt, and I think my sarcasm hit an all time high. I thought that I was sarcastic. Woo! These girls are some smarty-pants!

Three weeks til the wedding and can't wait!

Let the Wedding Frenzy Begin...Christie's Dallas Bachelorette Party

It's only 8:00...but I'm pooped. I'm going to let the pictures do the talking. Ask questions if you dare!

Getting ready to hit the road!

Amy, Mary, Christie, Megan, Me

We played a drinking game, but the goal was really just to get Christie drinking. We hung all of the lingerie up and Christie had to guess who got her what. Can you guess what I got her?

Christie wasn't doing too hot.

My classy and fabulous piece! If I do say so myself...

Christie got all of us girls some undies. We're missing Rachel and Jane Anne by the way. Rachel's flight didn't get in until the next morning, and Jane Anne had the stomach bug.

I seriously debated showing this to the world, but why not put a smile on your face? Or maybe it's not a smile...maybe it's a look of disgust. Ah well!

We had reservations uptown at Arcodoro Pomodoro. I had a FAB dish of shrimp and scallop stuffed ravioli in some original sauce I couldn't pronounce if I tried on top of a baked something or other.

Me, Raynor, and Meg-O

The Bachelorette and Myself

About to dance the night away!

We opted for the ring-pops. They were fun, but not very sanitary!

Someone needs to get married in this crew every year so we can have an over-the-top shin dig. I had a blast!

Up next...round 2! Jessica's bachelorette is Friday and Saturday in Hot Springs at the horse races this weekend. We're staying at a big lake house and her bridal shower is on Sunday. 

Next weekend I'm helping throw Christie's bridal shower in Fort Smith...2 weeks after that is Jessica's wedding weekend!

Did I mention I was pooped already? Helloooooo Spring Break!

Valentine Flashback

My last post of the trailer in the snow at Lake Ouachita reminded me of our first Valentine's Day together 7 years ago. Valentine's Day was on a Saturday and Dustin took me to the horse races for the weekend. We only got to see 2 races before the snow started coming down. We were worried about getting back to the trailer safely, so we headed out early. Instead of going out to eat that night as planned, we stopped to get some steaks at Don's Meat Market and were content with the idea of being snowed in by ourselves in our own little winter wonderland. 

A few hours later, however, we were sharing our winter wonderland with the Van Buren cheerleading squad, their super pregnant sponsor, and a couple of moms. How did this happen? Welllll....Dustin's brother-in-law Jerry's sister, Kelly, cheered for VB and they had state competition that day in Hot Springs. The roads were so bad on their way home that they decided to find the nearest hotel and ride out the snowstorm. Everyone else on the roads had the same idea though, so they were out of luck. Jerry's mom, Rhonda, started calling Jerry, knowing Corky had a trailer at Ouachita, wondering if there was anyway they could get into it to stay the night. 

Luckily, we were there. If we hadn't been, they couldn't have gotten into the trailer. They no doubt felt bad to crash our romantic weekend getaway, but truly had no other choice. It takes a couple of steep hills to get to the Collyge's trailer, and there was no way they were going to be able to drive those hills in the near foot of snowfall that had fallen. So Dustin and I put on our boots and heaviest coats to start the 1/2 mile hilly trek to go get them. We knew they had a really pregnant lady with them, and  would need help walking in the hilly snow. Dustin ended up walking behind her, hands basically on her back the whole way, making sure she didn't fall.

We spent the rest of the night talking cheerleading stories. Being a cheer vet myself, I was in heaven. It was like I was 17 again and I was so in my element. I loved every minute of it. Dustin on the other hand, didn't act bummed, but it probably wasn't what he had in mind!

A couple of weeks later we got a Valentine card and restaurant gift-card in the mail from the squad. It was so cute! Even though it wasn't the "weekend to remember" we had in mind, it definitely was a weekend to remember!

So sad to say that I wasn't a picture taker back then. I don't even think I had a camera. We have no photos to document the experience, but will remember it forever!

Baby Shower, Babysitting, and Blizzards, Oh My!

Mary Kate and her mama threw Amber a great diaper shower this weekend! Amber got enough diapers to last her quite awhile! Here's he all-belly mother-to-be with all of the women in the family.

Mimi, Amber, Debbie, Morgan, Emilee, Nicole, and me

My present for Miss Braelyn

Momo and Emilee

After the shower, Amber wanted to take some preggo photos. Here are some of my favs.

After the shower we headed over to Tenkiller to see Mom and Johnny. Tiffany's grandfather was not doing well, so mom picked up Addi from the sitter to keep her for the weekend. Unfortunately, Tiffany's grandfather passed away. Please keep her and her family in your thoughts and prayers.

What a beautiful little girl...she was showered with Valentine candy, chocolates, cupcakes, and cookies all weekend. But only after she ate her dinner, Mom! Promise!

See? Dinner. Promise. She wasn't feeding it to Holly. 

Licking the icing off of a cupcake. AFTER dinner. The PJs prove it.

Riding with Uncle Dust and Aunt Carly back to Mama and Daddy's. Yes, those are M&Ms, but she ate pancakes that morning. 

On our way home from Fort Smith, we drove through Mt. Ida to stop and check on the trailer for Corky. He had an unusually high electric bill. Coupled with a newsletter that warned of winter break-ins, Corky was slightly paranoid that we might have a hobo camping out at the trailer. Like any loving father would, he sent us into harm's way to check it out.

But....we ran into an unexpected blizzard on the way there! Doesn't this look safe?!

Pictures don't do it justice. It was so white!

Magical Snow Fairy

I use to watch The Weather Channel every morning. It was the first thing I did every morning...turn the channel to 32...but somewhere along the line I quit cold turkey. Ever since, I have no idea what the weather will bring each day. My philosophy is to go off the weather from the day before, but that's not a very reliable strategy now, is it?

So imagine my surprise when I got a text message from the district this morning that school was cancelled due to snow! I had NO clue. It was the perfect Monday morning surprise. Usually you hear people talking and talking days before bad weather hits, but I didn't have a clue. I told Dustin it was like a magical snow fairy came and dusted the town while we were asleep. I say things as if I'm 7 year old like that quite often.

We're starting to accumulate a few inches. It's turned to rain for the time being.

Our street

Our backyard view

I met another famous young adult author this weekend, Kimberly Willis Holt. She's written a National Book Award winner, When Zachary Beaver Came to Town. That one is my least favorite of hers though, actually. She has also written Keeper of the Night, which I had her autograph for me.  She is just an ordinary person, an ordinary mom, living in Texas, who happens to write award winning books! She was so gracious and down-to-earth...and so cute!