What I'm Loving Wednesday 10.19.11

This is going to be quick and dirty. But what would anyone's week be without knowing what I am loving on Wednesdays... Don't answer that. 

1. Parenthood. Best show on TV. I laugh. I cry. I laugh and cry at the same time. Ugh. It's so good. Also, I love Lauren Graham and Peter Krause so much. I only love them more because they're together in real life. I also love Monica Potter. Okay, I'll just start listing the whole cast if I keep going. I love it. 

2. SLEEP. Man, sleep is underrated. I have started going to bed earlier (closer to 9 than 11) and I feel like a whole new person! Those two (usually really just 1.5) more hours make the biggest difference. 

 3. Kathleen. Shout out to Kathleen this week. I love her so much and cannot begin to say how much I LOVE that we live in the same town. It is so great to have one of those friends that has known you for so long, knows all of your stories and drama and just loves you with so much history behind that love. She's just the best. 

4. Mom's coming! My mom is coming to town for the weekend! Cannot wait for some quality time. AND I am hoping that we might maybe, possibly paint my front door! But I really just can't wait to hang out, eat yummy Nashville food and keep her dog out of the dirt in my backyard. 

Happy Wednesday!

What I'm Loving Wednesday 10.12.11

I haven't done a Wednesday post in a while. So, I guess these loves better be good today! 

1. New shutters on our house! This past weekend Will and Robbie put new shutters on our house. The old ones were in fine shape but they were dark green and drove me a little crazy. Here is the progress from the weekend. This weekend's project is the front step - mums, pumpkins, etc. Then next weekend my mom is coming and we'll pick a color and possibly paint the front door!

Before - Green Shutters. I wish I'd taken this without all the shadows...

During - No Shutters. Naked house!

After - Brown Shutters!

2. Open Window Nights. I have made it clear that I hate cold weather. But I do love this in between time when the weather is really mild and we can sleep with the windows open. Fresh air is the best. Makes me realize why people live in California. I could deal with this weather year-round for sure. 

3. Planning for the Arkansas vs. Vandy game weekend. So... we are having a lot of people to our house the weekend that the Hogs play the Commodores at the end of the month. And I cannot wait. It's going to be so fun to have a big group of Arkansans in our city! I've already emailed the group twice in the last week. Yeah... I'm excited. 

4. Cutting out some TV. So, I have been weeding out shows that I'm recording. I need to quit sitting in front of the TV so much so I am cutting out the shows that I record but don't really care to watch the night they're on. So far I've deleted Revenge, Dancing with the Stars (yes,  I am aware that I never should have recorded this in the first place), Mike and Molly, Gossip Girl (which I wasn't watching anymore but for some reason was still recording?) and Grey's Anatomy. I'm giving Up All Night one last chance tonight. The sad part is that I still record at least two shows per night. Ugh!

5. Famous Dave's Pickles. On one of his many trips to Costco Will discovered Famous Dave's Pickles. They are sweet, spicy and super delicious. We keep a huge jar of them in our fridge and usually have to replace it every month or so. I usually eat a couple when I get home from work. Totally random but I love them so I thought I'd share in case anyone else loves pickles as much as we do! (Robbie looked in our fridge the other day and said, "Y'all have a lot of pickles.")

 That's all for today. Happy Wednesday!

Memory Monday - Happy Birthday, Gigi!

Yesterday was my Gigi's birthday! Here are some photos and fun Gigi memories...

At one of my wedding parties. This is one of my favorite Gigi pics!

Silly

With all their grandkids!

My Gigi rock - she gave me this when I didn't want to leave her house one time when I was little. I still have it.

The first time mom and Gigi came to visit me in Nashville! Can't believe this was three years ago!

Video chatting with mom, Gigi and Mimi a couple of years ago. We miss you so much, Mimi.

Girls trip to the beach - one of the best times I have ever had!

• One of the first sentences I ever said was, "I God's gift to Gigi."
• I called Gigi in the middle of the night one night and freaked her out... because I was three. And already knew her phone number.
• Gigi has a rather large big toe, which mom and I inherited. But it gets smaller with each generation. Really random fact but I think it's a funny thing to pass down. 
• Something else she may or may not have passed down my way: bladder control. Or lack thereof. Anyway...
• Every time I went to visit when I was little I slept in the bed with she and Papa.
• She gave me a warm chocolate milk bottle at her house until I was WAY too old for it. I typed my age and then deleted it. Some things should just remain between family. ;-)
• If you are friends with her on Facebook she WILL comment on most of your pictures. Especially if your name is Rebekah Boone. Haha.
• She loves her sister, my Auntie Al, more than anyone else in the world and has been a great, great sister to her. 
• She has had every shade of red hair that there is in the world. Including purple and orange.
• I love her so much and don't know what I'd do without her!

 Happy, happy birthday Geeg!!!

And we're back!

The title of the blog should be read in Jimmy Fallon's voice from his Z105 SNL sketch. Just wanted to make that clear. Okay, I have been missing in action... but Will and I have had a lot going on the last two weeks! 

Two weeks ago our friend Robbie moved in with us for the month of October. We were excited to have him and almost half-way through the house guestness (not a word) things are going great. Robbie is loving Will's cooking (as he should), he dog sat Dexter for us while we were in Baltimore (penance for free rent) and we have another Arkansan to watch the Hog game with this weekend! WPS!

Last weekend we went to Baltimore to visit Mary Helen and Ben. I built the trip up a lot because I've been so excited to see MH and to visit a new place. Well, the trip totally lived up to all my expectations. We ate really great food, spent some awesome quality time with Mary and Ben, visited a really cool city and got our first bit of cold weather for the season (not really a positive but at least the initial shock is over).  Here are some pictures from the trip:

The bay about five blocks from Mary and Ben's. Gorgeous at sunset!

At dinner on Friday. So excited to be there!

Love this guy. He made me laugh the whole weekend.

On a WWII Navy ship in the harbor - really interesting tour. Can you tell I'm cold, though?

At a sports bar watching the end of the Hogs game!! WPS!!!

I swear Will and I have a picture like this from every trip we take.

Crabs at Jimmy Cantler's - DELICIOUS!

Will working on his crabs...

Mary getting after it with her mallet.

Table when we were finished with it. Full stomachs. Happy stomachs.

Walking around the Naval Academy in Annapolis. Again... cold.

The Bay Bridge. My worst nightmare. So Mary drove us over it. And back over it.

On our early flight Monday morning Will read the Southwest magazine and created this lovely dollar origami ring for me. And then he wanted his dollar back. The nerve.

All-in-all we had a super fabulous trip and I already can't wait to go back! Thanks MH and Ben for being such great hosts!

Also in the last two weeks I went on my shopping day! It was really fun. I ended up finding a fabulous pair of boots that look nothing like the ones that I showed on my preshopping post but I don't care. Because, if a pair of boots can be beautiful... these are:

Yes, those are angels singing.

So, the fabulous boots cut down my clothes budget a bit. BUT, I was also able to get a pair of pants, a long skirt, four tops and a necklace. Not bad for my budget! Thank you TJ Maxx, Target, Blush and my fairy godmother who made the whole thing possible. That sounded like an Oscar acceptance speech. Anyway, photos of all outfits will follow in a post next week.

Happy Friday everyone! If you're in NWA for the Razorback game this weekend then have a beer and yell at some War Eagles for me! Go Hogs!!!