2 Dogs and a Blog

30 week 3D pics!

2012-02-02T07:03:00.005-06:00

On Tuesday Dr. D was able to get home from
work early so we booked an appointment for
a 3D/4D ultrasound! Our babe did not want
to cooperate and was flipped facing my back
with her feet (yes, feet) up by her face! Luckily
we had a very patient and great sonographer
who was able to get some wonderful pictures!
In love :)

Survey, Weeks 29-30

2012-01-30T23:04:00.007-06:00

Weeks 29-30

Total weight gained/lost: I have my doctor's appointment in the morning but I'm guessing about 12 pounds. I've been gaining about 1 pound per week these last couple of check-ups. I don't get on the scale at home and focus more on eating a variety of fruits and veggies and all that good stuff rather than on my weight. I'm feeling awesome and am just loving being pregnant. Thank the Lord, because the first 17 weeks were so ridden with morning sickness that I questioned how I could possibly have more babes after this one. Knowing that it does eventually come to an end and that eventually I can feel like myself again is wonderful. I definitely want more little ones in the future.

Yours truly in my jammies tonight getting for bed, just shy of 30 weeks:

Maternity clothes: Loose and/or stretchy things are my go to's.

Best moment of the week(s): I feel like hitting the 30 week mark makes meeting our baby girl so close! I've started going to the doctor every 2 weeks. Also this week, I signed up for a class with a lactation consultant and we are scheduled for the birth class/hospital tour. We went down to Houston this weekend and got to hang out with Dr. D's family and also got my rocking chair! D's cousin's wife gave us some awesome baby gear including lots of breast pump-friendly bottles, baby clothes, a bunch of adorable socks, and some toys that their girls have outgrown.

Movement: Watching my belly dance is amazing. I just love every little movement!! We have a very active little gal that is for sure and this week she started getting the hiccups, very entertaining for mom and dad. At work I'll be eating breakfast and immediately she'll start moving around. Girl likes to eat cereal just like her momma.

Sleep: Ugh, I wake up most nights between 3-5am wide awake for a couple hours. It's making me mucho tired during the day because I haven't been able to take naps either.

Food cravings: I love yogurt with granola in the morning and cereal at night. Lunch is probably my biggest meal of the day but anything too heavy gives me heartburn. Plus, this little bun in the oven is pushing on my diaphragm making me feel really full fast.

Food aversions: Meat and also pasta with red sauce. Although we did try In and Out Burger the other day. We've had one a couple of miles down the street for about 6 months and this was the first time. I was surprised how inexpensive and limited the menu was! And the burger was delish, as were the fries. Minimal heartburn afterwards, a bonus.

Morning sickness: No but sometimes I when I wake up in the middle of the night I feel a little nauseous. The smell of fabric softener and laundry detergent makes me want to gag. I can't tolerate strong smells right now. Ahem, Stella I'm talking to you dirty doggie. Which reminds me, I need to make an appointment with the groomer, pronto.

Gender: Sugar and spice and everything nice!!

What I miss: Sleeping on my back! I am a total side/stomach sleeper by nature but every once in a while I like to stretch out and sleep on my back for a little while. Also, I get winded so fast these days. I hear it gets better once the baby "drops" before labor.

What I'm looking forward to: The next sonogram! I think it's a couple of weeks away but every little glimpse of our babe is something to look forward to. We've been talking about doing the 3D/4D but with D's schedule right now it's been hard to find a time when he can go.

Weekly wisdom: Hmm, I don't feel very wise because I can't remember anything! I guess it would be to just enjoy the moment. Speaking of, here we are at dinner with friends at the super yummy restaurant Celebrations on Sunday night:

The diaper bag!

2012-01-27T07:15:00.002-06:00

I am so into Kate Spade.
Colorful, classy, clean lines.

So when she was having
a sample sale and I spotted
my dream diaper bag,
(ie: messenger-style, simple
and non-diaper bag looking)
my eyes nearly popped out
of my head. Had. to. have.

I approached Dr. D with my best
"Please oh please",
"I love it so much",
"It's on sale!"

And being the dear he is,
he gave the ok. He knows
and accepts me for the crazy
lady I am. Hey, at least I'm
a bargain shopper!

Here she is.
14k gold detailing.
Diaper pad and cute little
zippered pacifier holder.
Love.
And I got it for such a steal.

Royal babe

2012-01-25T06:35:00.001-06:00

Fascinators have really gotten popular
thanks to those royals across the pond.
As a girl with a love of hats thanks to
the Kentucky Derby and a general lover
of getting dressed up, I'm pretty excited
that fascinators are in.

Sort of like the wee pony, the baby
fascinator is an all new level of cute.

I received a wonderful surprise
in the mail today. Now I don't know
if it has something to do with nesting,
but receiving packages in the mail
make happier than ever. I'm like a
little kid. Maybe it's also due to the
fact that I've been online shopping a
tad more than usual. Shh, don't tell
Dr. D. So I received a package from
my wonderful Momma and do you
what it was? You guessed it:

Stop. It. Oh my gosh, I cannot wait to take
newborn pictures! And to pick out the mini
Derby outfit to match in May :)

Check out Shake-Up Snow Designs on
Etsy for her amazing headbands!!!

Thank you Grannie Annie!
Haha, don't worry we won't
really call you that ;)

Weekend, a preggo, and nursery pics

2012-01-23T04:53:00.002-06:00

I hope yall had a great weekend!
It was absolutely gorgeous here
and we were able to open the
windows, lounge around, take
the dogs for a long walk or two
and yesterday I got to catch up
at brunch with my friend Jessica
who is due exactly 1 week after me!

We unfortunately did not get to go
Houston to get my rocking chair
because D had to round on some
very sick patients. We're hoping
for next weekend though.

Yours truly at 28.5 weeks.
I have to tell yall that these
are my regular cuffed jeans...
from freshman year of college!
Ha, they're from Abercrombie.
I don't think that they will fit
for too much longer but it made
me happy that I was able to wear
them on a warm sunny day.
Look at that round belly! The babe
is supposedly the size of a pumpkin.

And my new shoes from Ann Taylor loft.

Other than the rocking chair, the nursery

is coming along well. A few pics....

The Wee Pony

2012-01-19T07:31:00.006-06:00

Not that kind of wee pony.
Although, that kind is pretty cute.

I'm talking about Ralph Lauren.
Now add footies and ruffles.
I mean, come on. Precious.

I went to the outlet store but
honestly the best deals I could
find were on the RL website.

30% off sale items,
plus with an offer code I got
an addition 10% off +free shipping.
I just hate paying for shipping,
don't you? It's such an incentive
to get something when that's free.

For Christmas next year:

Halloween and/or Thanksgiving:

And to cheer on the Kentucky Wildcats:

Well hello 3rd trimester!

2012-01-17T18:45:00.006-06:00

Weeks 27-28

Total weight gained/lost: 11 pounds as of today (28 weeks). Half of it is in my boobs I'm pretty sure. They are out of control.

Maternity clothes: Not really. I love me some tunics and other loose tops.

Best moment of the week(s): Getting the nursery near complete. I'll do a post soon, don't you worry. NOT he best moment was taking the glucose screening test. But honestly, the stuff wasn't that bad. My doctor's office keeps it ice cold, which helps. It tasted like a flat Fanta. I'm still waiting on the results. Come on pancreas, don't fail me now! Update 1/18: no gestational diabetes for me! I mean that woulda been kind of embarrassing as a dietitian.

Movement: Yay for movement! Makes me happy.

Sleep: With the exception of Dr. D's annoying pager going off on nights he's on call, my sleep is great.

Food cravings: In the morning I love plain yogurt with granola. And when I'm off work, I like to have fluffy scrambled eggs with cheese and a glass of milk and fresh fruit in the morning. Texas grapefruits are in season and they are so juicy and yummy. Cereal is my friend at night for dinner.

Food aversions: I don't like pasta with red sauce and continue to like minimal meat with the exception of a burger now and then.

Morning sickness: That is a time in my life I'd rather not talk about -- so glad morning sickness is over!

Gender: It's a GIRL!!!

What I miss: My waist! Where is it? Is it hiding in there somewhere? Will I ever get it back?

What I'm looking forward to: Going to Houston to pick up the rocker I found on Etsy and to also visit with D's family! Thanks Dr. D for being an awesome husband who will drive 4 hours each way for me to get the perfect rocking chair!

Weekly wisdom: Enjoy hubby time and sleep in as often as possible.

28 weeks, hello 3rd trimester!!!

The adventures of Blue Beard

2012-01-16T07:56:00.001-06:00

I hope you had a great weekend!
Ours was good and low key.
Well, for me anyway, Dr. D's
pager went off about 38,512 times.

However I do have a note to self:
do not leave the garbage bag filled
with paper towels used to clean paint
brushes from artwork in nursery
unattended with curious pups around.

You will end up with a blue dog.
Meet Blue Beard:

Hopefully the paint went just on her face
and not in her mouth.
Poor Stel needs all
of her brain cells.

Nursery art, done in oil paint:

I think it looks happy. Our nursery colors
are pinks and coral with pops of green.
This painting will be behind the rocking chair
that we plan to go pick up in Houston this
weekend. Road trip!!

Do you guys still have dogs?

2012-01-12T07:12:00.001-06:00

With all of this baby talk ya'll
might be wondering if we got
rid of our little furballs.

Nope, they are alive and well
and will (hopefully) be excellent
sheep dogs who keep watch
over our sweet little lamb.

Here is Stella, trying on one
of baby girl's ebay bows:

And Sophie hanging out during a
backyard movie night (do you like
the sheet/movie screen on the garage?
Yeah, we're fancy like that.)

Nursery Inspiration

2012-01-10T07:56:00.002-06:00

We're working on the nursery!
More pics to come.

Here's the crib. Don't worry,
Dr. D did the hard stuff, I was
just tightening the bolts.

Decor hint: there will be a black and

white chevron stripe painted

dresser/changing table involved.

These are colors I love from

one of my fav eye candy sites,

I Suwannee:

Speaking of eye candy, have you seen
Missoni's collaboration with Bugaboo?
In the words of Ms. Zoe, I die.

Survey

2012-01-06T07:28:00.003-06:00

Weeks 24-26

Total weight gained/lost: Between 7-9 pounds total. I give a range because I initially lost 2 pounds when I was so sick.

Maternity clothes: I'm sticking to tights and leggings on bottom. I've kind of decided I don't like the fit/length of my maternity jeans so I've gone back to wearing my favorite regular skinnies with the top button undone (they're button fly). As far as tops, I wear loose tunics and tops I already own.

Best moment of the week(s): Having a mom that talks about silly things with me. But we don't think it's silly. You see, a couple of years ago when wedding planning, we would have deep convos about ribbon, for example. You might have overheard, "Did you see that Tiffany blue double faced satin? Or do you like the more matte robin's egg one?" You know, stuff like that. I love stuff like that. And it keeps getting even better. This week on Facebook we talked about deciding between the Kick & Play Piano Activity Gym vs the Super Deluxe Lights and Music Play Mat. Thanks Mom :)

Movement: Movement continues to be my favorite thing. It's an endorphin rush every time it happens and I am in love. She especially wiggles around right after I eat.

Sleep: I'm sleeping well, no complaints.

Food cravings: Dr. D is a trooper with my veggie-loving self. I made french onion soup the other night and it was SO good, as was the Hawaiian style pizza we made for New Year's. Oh and the veggie quesadilla I had at work the other day was yum. And baked potatoes rock my world. I love fruit too, especially fresh pineapple. Ok I'm getting hungry!

Food aversions: Not a big fan of chicken and really the only meat I like is the occasional burger.

Morning sickness: No. Thank the Lord.

Gender: It's a GIRL!!!

What I miss: I don't get it often, but I definitely miss not getting the occasional heartburn!

What I'm looking forward to: Dr. D's baby sis Steph and her boyfriend Sean are visiting us this week!

Weekly wisdom: Enjoy every minute. Now that I feel good enough to actually enjoy pregnancy :)

Bump pic from New Year's, 25.5 weeks

Welcome, 2012!

2012-01-03T11:02:00.004-06:00

We had a fun NYE, making homemade pizza
followed by building a fire and watching
movies in the backyard on our new
projector, a gift from D's parents.

Isn't my hubby handsome?
On New Year's Day we headed
over to Brett and Anna's for some
good luck New Year's food
(black eyed peas & cabbage).
It was fun and yummy as always,
Anna is quite the cook!
I snapped a pic of yours truly
before we left:

BTW, if you are looking for
an awesome homemade pizza
recipe, you can't beat Pioneer
Woman's. Her crust is so good
and simple. The one we made.

Yummy Eats

2012-01-02T17:23:00.005-06:00

Happy 2012!

Stay tuned for a post about
our fun low key weekend.

I'm obsessed with Pinterest
and every recipe I've tried
lately has been awesome.

Did I mention I'm nesting
and love to cook right now?

This is a Tasty Kitchen recipe
and if you like mushrooms like me
(which was like totally my least
favorite thing until about a year ago)
then you'll love this one.

Perfect for a cold winter's night.

The Mushroom Soup

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 whole Small Carrrot, Finely Minced
1 whole Celery Stalk, Finely Minced
1 Tablespoon Garlic, Crushed And Minced
1 pound White Mushrooms, Sliced Thin
4 ounces, fluid Chablis White Wine (I used 1 tbsp white wine vinegar + 1/4 c water)
4 ounces, fluid Tomato Juice
4 ounces, fluid Chicken Broth
1 pint half and half
1 cup Parmesan Cheese, Freshly Grated
1 teaspoon Cornstarch
¼ cups Water
1 pinch Salt And Pepper, to taste

Heat oil, over medium heat, in a large deep pot.
Mince the carrot and celery nice and fine. Too big and the soup will end up chunky. Toss into the pot and allow them to soften while you slice the mushrooms. Next, add your garlic, right as the carrots and celery start to cook down. Add the mushrooms to the pot and allow them to reduce and soften. Pour in the Chablis, and let it cook with the mushrooms for a few minutes. Add the tomato juice, and the chicken broth. Allow it to boil for about 5 minutes before adding the heavy whipping cream, and bring to a soft boil. Grate Parmesan and add it to the pot. Let this cook for a few minutes, until the cheese is melted and blended with the soup. Add the cornstarch to 1/4 cup of water, then pour into the soup. Lower the heat and let the soup simmer for about 10 minutes or so, until thickened. Salt and pepper the soup to your own tastes.

I made some homemade croutons too and it was delish!

Can I get a "Woah"

2011-12-30T21:21:00.013-06:00

I hope you and yours are enjoying your
final hurrah's with 2011! It was a good one
and I'm looking forward to the big year
ahead of our little expanding family.

I keep telling family and friends that I don't
get to see very often that I'm starting to feel
pretty large. In person, people have been
really nice (thank goodness, I'll take it while
I can) and are all, "oh you don't even look
pregnant" or the classic "you just look like
I do after I eat a big meal." I appreciate
the sugar coating, I really do. But guys, it's
winter and big blowsy tops/sweaters are in.
You just can't see what I see.

I actually like the bump...for now.
You know, until I get to the point
when my fingers are the size of sausages
and I can't see my feet anymore.
Then, we'll re-evaluate.

Sure, I miss having a waist
and I wonder if I'll ever be
able to wear that navy lace
size 2 Lilly Pulitzer dress I
spent way too much money on
and wore once over the summer.
But that's ok, one step at a time.

What I want to share with ya'll though
is the large-ness we're talking about.
Houston, we have BELLY.

I was in the bathroom earlier tonight
and pulled up my shirt. My eyes got
big and all I could think was, "Woah."
Joey Lawrence style.

I then decided I needed to document
my belly in all its almost 25+ week
prepartum glory. I grabbed D's phone
and went to the living room where he
happens to be vegged out
playing some silly video game.

I was posed to take my picture when
Dr. D saw me and said only, "Woah!"

Lol. Literally. All I could say is,
"I know, that's what I said!!"

He then proceeded to say,
"When did that happen?"

Well, dear, honey, sugarplum,
I am nearly 6 & 1/2 months preggo.
According to a book I have,
the wee babe grew a half of a
pound this week. Um, I can tell!

So here we are, me and the
little gal currently taking up
residence in my tummy:

Thrifty Momma....ebaying!

2011-12-29T07:55:00.000-06:00

Do you ever use Ebay?
I go in phases.

Sure, Etsy has super
adorable stuff, but sometimes
you just can't beat the bargains
that can be found on Ebay.

Right now I'm completely
into buying "lots" or "bulk"
baby accessories.

This is after I gave up (for now)
on making my own hair bows.

Here are a couple of my purchases:
1. 10 handmade bows in different colors.
I even got to choose my colors,
this is just a sample of those available.
They come on alligator clips.
And they're big :) so cute

Won: $.99 Shipping: $6.95,
so they were 79 cents each!

2. Crochet headbands.

These were an awesome deal,

$2.30 plus free shipping! So

they are only 23 cents each!

Plus, I get to pick the colors!

Where do you hunt for bargains?

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-23T15:22:00.004-06:00

We're ready for Christmas! Dr. D is off this weekend and this will be his first day off since our Thanksgiving vacation so I'm looking forward to spending time with him....even though I wish we could be with our family and friends back home. And what have I been up to? Just cooking a little one. She was super active today during Perry Como's "The Little Drummer Boy".

Merry Christmas to you and yours!!!

Sh** Girls Say

2011-12-21T16:44:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow I promise to post a bump pic!
But until then, I have to share these
HiLaRiOuS YouTube videos,

Shiz Girls Say. Sooo true.

PS- icecream totally makes me cough

Weekend Festivities

2011-12-19T10:16:00.002-06:00

Dr. D and I had a great weekend
despite his being on call. Our weekend
included a stroll through Highland Park to look
at Christmas lights (Highland Park=giant houses),
followed by a Christmas party hosted by one of his
co-residents. Yesterday we went to an Indian food
buffet courtesy of Groupon and it was delish...but
let me just say, EVERYTHING gives me heartburn
these days. So annoying. But all for a good cause
thanks to the little bun in the oven. Speaking of,
tomorrow is my 24 week appointment! I can't
believe I'm already 6 months, she'll be here
before we know it!

Some pics from our Christmas light stroll.
I was experimenting with Hipstamatic camera
settings so sorry if they look weird. It's supposed
to be kind of retro/polaroid but really just
turned out dark and blurry.

Survey, Weeks 21-23

2011-12-14T08:58:00.002-06:00

Weeks 21-23

Total weight gained/lost: I haven't been weighed since my 18 week appointment but get to step on the scale next week at 24 week visit.

Maternity clothes: Really the only thing maternity I own are my Gap jeans. Luckily I can wear scrubs to work and since it's winter I wear leggings a lot. PS- Spanx leggings are non-see through and go over my entire belly - awesome! Would be good preggers or not.

Best moment of the week(s): I just love feeling our baby girl move around. She's quite the active little gal. While we were home, my mom got to be the first person to feel the babe kick! It was awesome that I got to be home for that moment.

Movement: Like I said, lots of movement. I love every little bubble and hiccup.

Sleep: I am still ready to go to bed pretty much as soon as it gets dark out.

Food cravings: Still quite the vegetarian with occasional chicken and I love seafood but don't eat it often. This is my typical preggo lunch: grilled sharp cheddar cheese with avocado and tomato. YUM! And a glass of Horizon milk and maybe a handful of berries.

I'm really craving healthy lately....with the exception of a root beer float that I "had to have". Dr D has banned artificial sweeteners (I still use Splenda in the little bit of tea/coffee I drink) and I agree...so we got some of this root beer. It is so delish.

Food aversions: Meat. Bleh. I've never been a big carnivore.

Morning sickness: I still get nauseous occasionally but started feeling muuuuch better around week 17-18.

Gender: It's a GIRL!!!

What I miss: My family! And unpasteurized soft cheese ;)

What I'm looking forward to: Christmas!

Weekly wisdom: Don't get discouraged by mommy brain, or as I like to call it, pregnancy Alzheimer's. I can't remember ANYTHING. Oh, and don't eat chili. Preggo heartburn is real and shouldn't be messed with.

Some pictures from our friends Rachel and Brandon's Christmas party we attended Friday. We made lots of goodies and the guys obviously worked really hard to help...

Gender Reveal in Pictures

2011-12-12T08:49:00.001-06:00

A recipe loophole

2011-12-08T12:21:00.005-06:00

I might have made this today...

No, not cookies, just dough.

Don't worry, there are no raw eggs.

I can still hear my Mom saying,
"you'll get worms!"
when I'd lick the batter
off a spoon as a kid.

Do you know all the things

preggos give up for 9 months?

Lots of stuff. Like cookie dough.

But luckily there are people in the

world who come up with ways to

get around these little things.

I have joined the Pinterest bandwagon

and am obsessed. I've made some healthy

stuff too! Like falafels & vegetarian tortilla soup.

But I caved and made the non-raw
cookie dough today and it is delish.

Now I just gotta stay out of it.

Eggless Cookie Dough

from Willow Bird Baking
Yields: about 1 1/2-2 cups cookie dough

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
4 to 6 tablespoons water

Directions:
In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Stir in the flour, salt, vanilla and chocolate chips. Add the water one tablespoon at a time stirring between each, until the dough reaches cookie dough consistency.

Gender Ultrasound 11/10/11

2011-11-25T09:37:00.002-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving! The gender reveal with our family was so fun and I'll post pictures soon! For now, here is the story of the day we found out and the reveal to you, my awesome readers :)

Dallas hospital district consists of several large hospitals all smashed together and Dr. D spends time at each of them typically in 3 month increments. So bright and early Thursday morning, I picked Dr. D up from the hospital he's rotating at and drove a couple of buildings down to my doctor's office. Excitement and anticipation filled us, knowing that it would be a life changing day.

Before I left the house I had a bowl of cereal (I finally got my Coco Puffs!) and sat in bed watching the Today Show to pass time before I left to get D. I felt more baby movement that day than any other, so I pressed my hand against my stomach, waited, and jumped in the air when my hand got thumped! I knew then that we had an active baby on our hands.

When we got all checked in and my name was called, we walked down the hall with that feeling you get as a kid on Christmas morning before you see all of the presents under the tree for the first time. I got situated on the table and Dr. D took his spot...and we waited for the show to begin! Immediately the lady told us that we had a "little wiggle worm". I was not shocked at all by this after the events this morning and also knowing that D is one of the most antsy-can't-sit-still people on the planet.

We were then shown detailed anatomy, starting with the head (we could see the brain - amazing!), spinal cord and fluid, ribs, abdomen, heart, arms and legs.

Then it was time for the big event...boy or girl?

The lady performing the sonogram opened her mouth big and turned to Dr D and said,
"Uh oh Dad, you're going to have your hands full -- it's a GIRL!"

A baby girl.
Tears of joy, wonder, elation.
Bows, frills, pink, sparkle.
Tutus, dollhouses, playing dress up.

We. Can't. Wait.

Measurements taken during the 18wk ultrasound:
Head circumference = 73%tile (big brain!)
Abdomen circumference = 56%tile
Femur length = 68%tile
Humerus length = 63%tile
Weight: 8 ounces = 68%tile
And fetal size was "appropriate"

Weekly Survey

2011-11-22T14:19:00.003-06:00

Weeks 18-20

Total weight gained/lost: Gain of 5 pounds total.

Maternity clothes: Maternity jeans for sure, elastic is my friend.

Best moment of the week(s): Finding out the gender at 18 weeks! We're going home to Kentucky tomorrow (can't wait) and are going to reveal the gender to our family! I also had an appointment today and got to hear the sweet little heartbeat.

Movement: Lots of movement -- I attribute that to my ants-in-his-pants husband, he/she takes after their poppa :)

Sleep: I am ready to go to bed pretty much as soon as it gets dark out.

Food cravings: I like to drink hot tea at night. And my latest love is a plain bagel with strawberry cream cheese for breakfast (and sometimes dinner too).

Food aversions: I continue to be a pseudo-vegetarian.

Morning sickness: Definitely nausea around meal time. The peanut is saying "feed me!"

Gender: Stay tuned for my next post!!

What I miss: It's funny hugging D and having my belly bulge reach him before the rest of me gets there.

What I'm looking forward to: We are going to be home for a week+two days and I can't wait!!!!

Weekly wisdom: Take time to rest when you're tired.

Oh, did I mention I'm a brunette now?

Halfway Cooked

2011-11-18T07:03:00.003-06:00

We are going home to Kentucky for a week
and a half and I couldn't be more excited!
We don't leave until Wednesday but I'm
already packed!

We will be traveling with 2 dogs and
2.5 people -- that's right, our little
Bun in the Oven will be 20 weeks
on Tuesday! I can't believe he or she
will be here in 20 more weeks,
Dr. D and I are mucho excited.

Speaking of things that excite me,
the other day as I was going through
the mail I was hoping for a Bed, Bath
and Beyond coupon. I got one (not
really a shocker since they send them
every day it seems like) but I
got something even better as well:

A holiday greeting card from Tory Burch.
with a $50 giftcard inside!!! No strings
attached, no absurd "with $3000 purchase",
just $50 free and clear. What to get?!
I can't wait to visit the store and check
out my options. Have a great weekend!

An exciting day

2011-11-10T13:51:00.006-06:00

We found out what we're having!
But I can't tell you...yet.
I'm really sorry but I have a good reason.
D and I are going home for Thanksgiving
and want to tell our family in person.

We are so excited though!!!
Full story to come.
The lady performing the sonogram
had a tough time getting our little
babe to hold still (obv. D's offspring)
and it was so funny/amazing/wonderful
watching the baby wiggle on the screen.

Since I'm being mean and not
telling you the gender, I did
something that kind of makes
me cringe...I took a belly pic.

18 weeks/4.5 months

Please excuse the absolute disaster

that is my house. I promise to clean

it after I take a nap. Upon coming

from getting my first pair of maternity

jeans and yoga pants (I'm wearing them

in the pic, they are awwwesome) from

Gap, I was nearly side-swiped by a man

in a giant Mercedes. Hello dude, B.O.B.!

So I need some time to rest after

that incident combined with the shopping.

I am not the power shopper I used to be.

Speaking of the Baby On Board,

a picture of our little peanut

looking at us and waving:

Dr. Domestic...well, sort of

2011-11-08T05:20:00.035-06:00

If you really know Dr. D you
probably wouldn't describe him
as domestic. Cooking and cleaning
are definitely not his forte.
Messes just don't bother him
and his idea of making a meal
involves throwing a big
slab of meat on the grill.
No vegetables or any other sides.

Nowadays thanks to mucho sickness and
zero energy the domestic work is more
like 95% D and 5% me.

Being near the kitchen makes me gag so
my cooking skills are very limited right now.

Dr D has taken on his new role like a champ.
But there's one thing we gotta talk about:
Grocery shopping.

These days when something sounds good
I gotta carpe diem that stuff. So I created
a simple list of things that sounded good
to me at the time.

Kari's List:

Apple juice
Grape jam or preserves
Coco Puffs

What I got:

Gross-from-concentrate-sugar-water-with-a-twist-of-apple because, "Simply Apple wasn't on sale."
Grape jelly. Not to be picky here, but there is a big difference between jam and jelly and I had been dreaming of a peanut butter sandwich with jam all day.
Coco Pebbles because they were on sale and Coco Puffs weren't. Again, they are not the same.

In short, my love, I appreciate that you are trying to stick to the Budget but
read the list.
Yours truly,
K

PS- We're in laundry up to our eyeballs
and I fear the mess in the kitchen is going
to come alive and eat one of the dogs.

PSS- Can't wait to FIND OUT THE GENDER THURSDAY!!!

Friends again

2011-11-04T15:25:00.002-05:00

Sheepie and I have had a strained relationship ever since I started dealing with morning sickness. I never could smell her before, but thanks to a hormone-induced heightened sense of smell, being around Stella triggers my gag reflex like nothing else despite her multiple baths. I've been avoiding her at all cost the past couple of ~~weeks~~ months. Which is kinda hard to do given we share a tiny house. Very sad, we used to be besties. Yesterday she got a new 'do: shaved down + a bath at the groomer. And I am happy to report that we are friends again. Here she is resting on my leg while craddling a bone last night.

Weekly Survey: I spy a preggo!

2011-11-02T07:36:00.016-05:00

Weeks 15-17

Total weight gained/lost: Up 0.6 pounds all in all.

Maternity clothes: I am definitely looking more rounded but most things still fit. Here is a pic from a Halloween on Saturday as Little Red Riding Hood.

Can you spot Dr. D?

Hint: he's not the scary bunny.

Best moment of the week(s): Finding out that our gender sonogram is next week!

Movement: I've started to feel some bubbly movement feelings, amazing!

Sleep: Getting better. I still wake up but not so often, maybe once a night.

Food cravings: Still no real cravings. I'm still nauseous but not as bad but eating meals feels like a chore sometimes so when I'm hungry, I eat what sounds good. Strawberry Poptarts (which I used to hate, btw) are a sick girl's friend on the commute to work.

Food aversions: I'm still not big on meat but able to eat a little.

Morning sickness: Yes but not as bad. It's mainly morning at night that I get sick.

Gender: Can't wait to find out! We have to see when Dr. D can get away from the hospital to come for the sonogram but we're hoping for November 10th (next Thursday!!)

What I miss: I'm still waiting for all of that 2nd trimester energy to kick in so I can feel like cleaning/nesting.

What I'm looking forward to: Going home to be with family over Thanksgiving -- can't wait! It'll be the first time they'll see me with the bump in person.

Weekly wisdom: Sleep when you're tired & don't overdo it.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T10:12:00.001-05:00

Boo!

We carved pumpkins last night.

Actually, I carved while Dr. D & the pups watched.

See, my hubby's not the only surgeon in the family.

I used a "marking pen" aka the kind of pen D

uses to actually draw on patients where their

incision will be before surgery.

Kinda like tracing before you cut.

FYI, it works well on pumpkins too.

One of my cheerleaders.

Hope you have a Happy Halloween!

TX State Fair 2011

2011-10-26T19:03:00.008-05:00

We had fun at the fair this weekend.

As anticipated, lots of fried things:

Dr. D decided to try the fried PB&J with bananas,

aka "The Elvis". Bun (as in, Bun in the Oven) and
I did not find it appetizing, so I was a spectator.

Up close:

The leftovers. Look how greasy the paper is!
I'm a bad, bad dietitian wife.

And because I know ya'll want to see me in my

16 week preggo glory, a pic of yours truly. It was

about 82 degrees that day and I decided

to rock a big comfy maxi.

Btw, that's a real pumpkin!

Oh, and Go Rangers!

Weekend Plans

2011-10-21T14:25:00.000-05:00

I hope you are having a wonderful Friday!

This weekend, Dr D and I are going to

venture to the wonderful world of all

things fried, also known as the

State Fair of Texas.

This is the last weekend for the fair

and it just wouldn't feel like fall in

Texas if we didn't eat at least one

deep-fried thing. Of the things to

choose from this year are fried

bubblegum (seriously that doesn't

even sound good) and fried beer which

I think I'll skip for obvious reasons.

We'll see what the wee one

let me get away with eating.

Have a great weekend!

The fair's mascot: Big Tex

Weekly Survey

2011-10-14T11:56:00.003-05:00

Hey friends!
I've been having some internet issues, no fun.

But I wanted to give an updated weekly survey.
Since nothing too huge happened these
past 2 weeks I thought

I'd combine weeks 13 and 14.

Also, I appologize if it sounds like the blog has

completely transformed into a pregnancy blog.

But the truth of the matter is, I've been pretty

boring lately. Sickness is still prevailing over

me and my social life has suffered immensely.

Anna is having some gals over tonight for

dinner and a movie though, so I should have

some fun stuff to report after that.
I'm really excited to be getting my
sorry self off of the couch!

Ok, here goes:

Weeks 13 & 14

Total weight gained/lost: Not sure but I do feel like I'm getting a belly. Ugh, yes, I will post pics soon. But what girl wants to take a pic of their tummy? Not me.

Maternity clothes: Not yet. But I have been wearing scrubs to work and at home I hang out in shorts and t-shirts. So we'll see what happens when I try to go to put on big girl clothes tonight for the girls night. OR, I might go in yoga pants.

Best moment of the week: Going to the grocery with out gagging (too much).

Movement: Nope not yet.

Sleep: I still sleep A LOT but it's not consistent. I'm waking up several times during the night.

Food cravings: Bleh. Pass.

Food aversions: Continues to be any sort of meat. Two people at work the other day asked if I was anemic because I looked so pale. So I've been trying to incorporate more iron-rich food into my diet (iron-fortified cereal, oatmeal, beans, spinach etc).

Morning sickness: Yes unfortunately it continues. Early morning, evening and late night are the worst times for me.

Gender: Can't wait to find out! I go to the doctor on the 25th for my 16 week appointment and realllly want to push to see if/when we can find out.

Belly button: I think I'm going to omit this question from now on. Ick, belly buttons.

What I miss: Having a clean house and fresh laundry. Dr D is working awful hours these days and cleaning/laundry/smells make me so sick so I think we're going to have to resort to hiring someone to come in and clean which I hate to do but it's at the point where my house may be condemned otherwise. Also, let me just point out that the dogs have been very bad lately. Getting into garbage, having accidents on the floor, trekking mud all over the place. Seriously, why are they torturing me. Anyone want a couple of sheep dogs?

What I'm looking forward to: Feeling better! I'm truly excited about this whole experience but I'm hating being sick. Oh and ~~Lizzie~~ Hilary Duff, we know you're 4 months pregnant and already know the gender and feel awesome and go to pilates everyday --- but please quit rubbing it in my face. Thanks.

Weekly wisdom: Keep calm and carry on.

Adventures in pregnancy: JJ edition

2011-10-05T19:59:00.003-05:00

I wish I could say that pregnancy was all
rainbows and ponies. But I'm gonna be real
...sometimes it ain't pretty.

I used to think JJ was an acronym for Just Joking.

No longer.

Forevermore, JJ will go down in the books as

Jamba Juice.

Let me explain.

As I've mentioned, I have been so incredibly sick.

It's of course worth it, but still, being sick stinks.

The other day I decided it was high time to peel

my green/gray complected self off the couch

and see what was going on in the rest of the world.

I had been wanting to check out the new H&M store

and thought walking around the mall would be a

good and low-key activity.

First off, I'm super excited to have an H&M less

than 2 miles from my house but I have to say I

don't fare well (preggers or not) in the H&M/

Forever21 type of environment, ie fluorescent

lights, jam packed with clothes and people.

But I guess that's the price you pay for getting

so much stuff on the cheap.

I wondered around the mall for about an hour

and then decided I was ravenously starving.

But here's the thing about my preggo appetite:

Nothing sounds good. Especially when presented

in a food court. Chinese next to tacos? No thanks!

So I high-tailed it outta the mall feeling faint,

sweaty, and very green.
I got in my car silently saying a prayer not to
throw up in the parking lot.
I mean who wants to do that anyway,
but especially at this fancy mall,

home to stores like
Oscar de la Renta and Versace.

While giving myself pep talks along the drive home

not to get sick, I remembered that I was still starving.

It is a phenomenon that one can be both nauseous and

hungry at the same time. Pregnancy is super weird.

I was almost home when I spotted the Jamba Juice.

A smoothie!

What a great idea! I tell myself.

It's like a meal...that you can drink.

What a novel concept.

I park and walk in behind a mom and stroller.

And promptly realize that I am going to be sick.

Crap. What am I going to do?

So hungry...so about to be sick.

So I did the logical thing and

threw up in the Jamba Juice bathroom.

The smoothie blenders did a nice job

of concealing my gagging.

The pinnacle of low, I was feeling

pretty sorry for myself, especially after

checking myself out in the mirror.

Red nose, watery bloodshot eyes and

the definition of a sallow pallor.

I did the best I could to make myself

presentable, hoped no one would notice

how long I was holding up the rest room

and then walked to the order line with my

tail between my legs.

It was the best strawberry-banana-pineapple

smoothie I ever had.

Weekly Survey

2011-09-29T10:08:00.006-05:00

Because I can't just leave you with one tiny post today, I'm going to do another! My adorb blog friend AP did this cute survey through out her pregnancy and I'm copying!

12 Week Survey

Total weight gained/lost: 0. At my 8 week appointment I had actually lost 2 pounds and when I went this Tuesday I was still at that same weight.

Maternity clothes: Not yet. But I'm already hinting to Dr. D that there are some cute jeans I want. PS tall girls, Gap 1969 Forever Skinny jeans are my fav skinnies --- and they make them maternity I found out. Also, Forever 21 just started a maternity line, yay!

Best moment of the week: hands down, getting to hear the heartbeat. I was in a whirl of emotions but I'm pretty sure the doc said the heart rate was 158. Oh, and she said it was "very good and strong" :)

Movement: none that I can feel yet!

Sleep: I've always been a champ sleeper but since around week 7 I wake up a couple times a night. Usually around 2am and then again around 5. This could be due to the fact that I go to bed and umm, say 9! Sometimes earlier, sadly. And Sunday I slept til noon! Please note that I was sick in the bathroom from 4-6am but I still slept probably 15 hours. Craaaazy.

Food cravings: Ugh. Nothing really sounds good but I live on apples, juice, cooked sushi, salads, the occational Ensure shake (gag, I know), and cereal. Oh, and I could probably be on my death bed and still be able to eat a cookie or brownie.

Food aversions: Meat. Any kind. Also soup, marina sauce/Italian food including pizza, Chinese or any ethnic food. Ok, I'm sweating, gotta stop talking about it. You name it, I probably have an aversion to it.

Morning sickness: The title alone kind of makes me laugh. Did a man come up with the term? Because we women know it is not just morning that it can attack. I'm pretty much nauseated 24/7 but actually get physically sick mostly only early morning and at night. But let's not forget the Jamba Juice incident, which I will save for another post.

Gender: Can't wait to find out!

Belly button: I don't think I'll ever be at risk for becoming an outtie. But we shall see.

What I miss: Sushi. Oh glorious spicy tuna and yellowfin, I miss you.

What I'm looking forward to: Feeling better! And really just everything that the 2nd trimester has to bring!

Weekly wisdom: Keeping a drink or snack at bedside is key. There is nothing worse than waking up in the middle of the night with that terribly achey-empty-starving feeling in your stomach.

Milestones: Again, the heartbeat was so amazing. Can't wait for the next ultrasound!

Thanks!!

2011-09-29T09:25:00.001-05:00

Thanks for your sweet words,

I was overwhelmed by your

responses and enjoyed reading each one!

I will keep you posted during this journey

and it will be a fun way to document pregnancy.

I might even bite the bullet and

throw in some tummy pics here and there.

No bump yet but I'll report as soon as I see it.

Oh and notice the name addition to the blog? :)

A letter...and some news!!!

2011-09-27T12:03:00.003-05:00

Dearest Readers,

Ok, ok, I've been a really bad blogger.

Like the worst.

But I think you will forgive me when I tell

you the reason behind my absence....

We're expecting!!!

I'm 12 weeks today and got to hear

the heartbeat for the first time, so amazing :)

Dr. D and I are so excited!

The bad news is I've been nearly

incapacitated with sickness.

I'm hoping that will pass

with the end of my

first trimester.

Forgive me?

xo,

Kari

I'm alive!!!

2011-09-06T13:00:00.002-05:00

After taking about a month long blogging hiatus

I am happy to say I'm back!!!

The month was filled with a couple birthdays

(mine on 8/14 and D 9/1)

and really, really hot weather.

Yesterday we finally got a break

and it was a glorious 80 degrees out

with a low of 64 last night. Amazing.

I feel like I have a new lease on life.

Something about those 110 degree days

does not sit well with this Kentucky girl.

I thought I'd share our weekend activities.

We ventured down to Temple, Texas to spend

the weekend with two of our very dear friends.

They're always great about making us feel

right at home we experienced some Texan

things, including dove hunting followed by a

breakfast of homemade buscuits and gravy

with fried dove. We also did a little tailgating and

made a trip to College Station to watch Texas A&M

play football. I'm very excited, by the way,

that the Aggies will be joining my team

(the Kentucky Wildcats) in the SEC!

While sitting on my perch keeping an eye

out for dove, I snapped a few pictures:

You can tell by the pictures

how desperately we need rain!

Please pray for those who are

suffering from the devastation caused wildfires.

I can spell the smoke from the fires

all the way at the little hospital I work at!

They took the plunge!!

2011-08-03T07:23:00.000-05:00

We had an awesome time celebrating the wedding

of Dr D's brother Jonny and new sis-in-law Kris.

It was laid-back, beautiful, and so fun.

So happy my family made the trip!

And below, the bride and groom leaping into the lake!!

And they lived Happily Ever After

Lake Stoney

2011-07-28T09:37:00.000-05:00

I am so that excited Dr D and I will be

travelling to West Virginia for a long

weekend to celebrate the wedding of

his brother Jonny and wonderful fiance!

WV is near and dear to Dr D's family

as it is home to their family lake,

Lake Stoney. It's a gorgeous lake

surrounded by lush greenery and it

is also where is spunky, fun and

sweet Grandma resides.

The wedding will be outdoors and we will

actually be camping all weekend.

Don't worry, we'll have electricity and

running water and all that good stuff.

They're expecting about 170 people

at the wedding and it is sure to be a good time.

Lots of swimming, story telling, bonfires,

laughing, and of course, a beautiful wedding.

Some pictures of the lake:

Reunited

2011-07-26T12:36:00.002-05:00

I really appreciate your concern

over my lack of a/c!

It was a pretty hot 24

hours but thankfully it is fixed.

Praise be.

I was recently home for my 10

year high school reunion. I can't believe

I'm that old. It was so much fun, everyone so nice.

I loved being able to stay in my old room

in my old bed and more than anything,

being able to spend time with my family.

I do wish Dr D was there though,

he was on call back in Dallas.

Some pics:

One of my dear besties, Meg

The Dog Days of Summer

2011-07-11T12:56:00.001-05:00

I also considered titling this post

"Hot as Hades".

Our a/c is out.

Yep.

In July.

In Texas.

It's supposed to be 101 degrees today.

And up until about 10 minutes ago,

our internet was out too. I pray

Time Warner fixed it for good this time.

So annoying planning your day around

repair people. Even worse, did I mention

I have to wait around with no central air?

We are a sad looking bunch:

Airconditioning repair man please save us soon!

Until then, I find solace floating around

our wee pool while reading

The Hunger Games Trilogy.

Have you read it?

You should.

Happy July!

2011-07-01T07:21:00.002-05:00

I am not happy with Time Warner Cable.

We've been having internet issues for a

month and it's preventing me from

my regularly scheduled blogging.

First, I want to say thanks for

the super sweet comments about

my last post. Second, Happy 4th

of July weekend!! Third, congrats

to Dr. D, who is officially a 3rd

year resident today! 2 years down,

3 to go. Our time in Dallas is flying by.

2011-06-22T19:32:00.001-05:00

Today's post is dedicated to my grandmother,

who was affectionately known as Mammaw.

Today would have been her 79th birthday.

Mammaw was way more that a grandmother.

She was the kindest, loving, and most generous person.

We had so much fun together, jumping waves in the ocean

on family vacations growing up, spending time

in the kitchen together, swimming in their pool and playing

along the river bank of the Ohio River, going on

countless boat rides, and helping her in the

garden. I kill everything I plant but Mammaw

had such a gentle touch and would tenderly

care for her herb garden and flowers with love.

One of the things we most enjoyed doing together

was playing Scrabble. We probably played

a million times, starting when I was probably

in 3rd grade. My Mom shared this picture

with me this morning in an email. It

was taken shortly before she passed

and it means so much to me to have this

picture and also to know that Mammaw

lives on through all of the people she touched.

I know that I am the person I am because of her.

What I like Wednesday: Confessions of impulsive shoppers

2011-06-15T11:06:00.003-05:00

What happens when two impulse buyers get married?

You come home with things like an inflatable pool,

an impromptu icecream maker purchase,

and slippers that double as a mop.

Anna and I were going to make icecream last week

but I failed to read the directions and didn't know

that I was supposed to freeze the mixing bowl

prior to use. It'll be good and frozen for the next

time we try to use it. It also makes margaritas

and slushees, which I'm pretty excited about.

Check out her blog to see what
we decided to do instead of making icream.

The slippers. Oh the neon green slippers.

Before you deem me crazy, let me just tell

you about my vendetta agains Sheltie hair.

Sophie is a nonstop shedding machine

and I sweep daily. Angrily.

So I thought this might be a way to

get the job done minus sweeping all of the time.
(Above is a picture from their website-not my feet!)

I'm prepared for you to make fun of me now.

Just warn me before you stop by the house

so that I have time to take them off before you arrive.

Royal Wedding Watching Party Recap

2011-06-13T12:04:00.000-05:00

I'll admit it: I'm kind of a bad photographer.

I get caught up in the moment and forget to take pictures.

Maybe I should higher a photographer to keep on hand

to document my every move a la Paris Hilton.

Seriously, did you hear she has one on staff?

Silly Paris. (Who is a 4th cousin of mine, fun fact).

Instead, I'll just steal pictures from my good friend Anna's blog.

Way cheaper and a smidge less vain.

Thanks Anna!

We had a great time at the party.

Royals were watched and discussed.

Food was served:

Food was eaten:

Champagne bottles were popped:

Goodies were sold:

And the company of friends was enjoyed!

What I Like Wednedays

2011-06-08T07:49:00.000-05:00

1. Visits from family! We had a great time with our fam over Memorial Day weekend.

We lounged around the pool, went to the Farmer's Market, cooked yummy meals,

and even checked out a Ranger game.

(Mom, D, Sis-in-law, and Mother-in-law)

2. The TLC show,
"My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding".
Words cannot explain.
Check out the preview:

3. Being a ".com"! Yes I finally dropped the "blogspot"

and became 2dogsandablog.com

Easiest recipe ever: Homemade Granola

2011-06-06T12:10:00.003-05:00

Let’s face it, cereal has gotten out-of-hand expensive.

And in addition, they add weird and unnecessary ingredients

to it which makes eating healthy harder to do.

One thing I really love in the summer especially is

fresh fruit with granola over milk or yogurt.

So the other day I embarked on something I had

never done before: making my own granola.

Did you know it’s seriously the easiest thing in the world to make?

It can be made with as little as 3 ingredients.

So without further ado, I give you the recipe:

Homemade granola
(adapted from TheTastyKitchen.com's "granola for picky kids")

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, mix 6 cups plain uncooked oats

with ½ cup of olive or canola oil and ½ cup honey.

Spread mixture onto a large baking sheet and cook 30 minutes to an hour.

The longer it stays in the oven, the crunchier it will be.
It yields about 30 servings and I store it in an airtight container.

You can add anything you want: nuts, dried fruit, cinnamon,

milled flax (I’m obsessed with flax – yay Omega 3’s!),
chocolate chips if you're feeling crazy, or just keep it simple.

The result is wonderful, crunchy, healthy granola.

Add some berries for your daily dose of antioxidants

and yogurt for some probiotics to make it even healthier.

What I Like Wednedays

2011-06-01T07:19:00.000-05:00

I'm bananas about the website

Shopstyle.com

Have you used it?

It's amazing.

A one-stop website for anything you're looking for.
You can type in whatever you're looking for, like:

"gold sandals"

"aqua dress"

They even have home goods

and also put together outfits ideas for you.

It pulls up items from great and stylish

websites from very affordable (Urban Outfitters)

all the way to dreamland (Alexander McQueen).

Some picks:

1. Topshop dress

2. Max & Cleo rings

3. Kim Seybert placemat

Blinded by the rock

2011-05-26T08:24:00.000-05:00

A quick and random post...I'm so excited because my Mom, Mother in law,

Gma in law, and sis in law are coming down today for a visit!

They were originally planning on coming yesterday but the

bad weather held them up. I can't wait!

In other news, have you seen Kim Kardashian's ginormous engagement ring?

(and ps is ginormous really a word because spell check is not saying it's not -- thanks, Elf!)

Here's the 20.5 carat monstrosity:

What I Like Wednedays

2011-05-25T07:09:00.001-05:00

Summer whites. Love.

1. High on my wish list is a Michael Kors watch.

I love an oversized watch and really love this one in bone.

White lace top from Piperlime

Friday Musings

2011-05-20T07:46:00.005-05:00

I gotta say it...

Doesn't Arnold's mistress look just like Marysol's mom

from The Real Houswives of Miami?

Happy Friday!

What I Like Wednesdays

2011-05-18T09:11:00.001-05:00

I thought I'd try a new thing

on Wednesday and share

things I like.

Thoughts?

1. I love hi-lighters. I love gel pens.

Put em together and you have a Sharpie Gel Hi-lighter.

It's more crayon than gel pen but doesn't smudge on my hand

(something us lefties of the world have to deal with).

2. Catching up with old friends!

My friend (and sorority sis) Ansley lives in the Big D

and we spent the day along with our beaus watching the

Kentucky Derby at Lonestar Park just outside of Dallas.

3. This DVF dress from Nordstrom.

Can't afford it, just like it.

4. Hot off the press tortillas.

We're going to San Antonio this weekend

for a friend's graduation party and also a

family member's birthday party and I can't

wait to eat at least 1 or 2 fresh tortillas along the way.

Time flies when you're having fun

2011-05-16T16:07:00.001-05:00

My internet is back and running!

Today's post is dedicated to my love, Dr D.

He and I tied the know two years ago today!

2011-05-10T11:49:00.001-05:00

Hey guys! I've been (and still am) with out internet til probably Thursday!
Posts to come on the Royal Wedding Viewing Party and last weekend
which involved going to watch the Kentucky Derby at the track in Dallas.
Hope you are having a wonderful week, I'm in blog-withdrawals!

Prep time

2011-04-28T10:23:00.001-05:00

Today I'm working on getting my house ready for the

Royal Wedding brunch I'm hosting on Saturday and I wanted

to share with you guys the floral arrangement I made today.
I am definitely not a florist but think it turned out well.

Have you ever used fruit in an arrangement? I had never.

But it is super quick and pretty and covers up stems.

Will you be watching the wedding?

We're also having a little shopping party during

the brunch with the help of Re-finery.

Can't wait!

Easter and a Royal Affair

2011-04-26T20:00:00.008-05:00

I hope you all had a great weekend!

Here it is Tuesday night and I'm just

now talking about it. It's been that kinda week!
We had a wonderful Easter & enjoyed a lovely basket from Mom :)

I unfortunately spent yesterday in jury duty

but am looking forward to getting ready

for a girls "royal brunch" I'm hosting

this Saturday! More to come!

We plan to sip mimosas

and have apps while watching

the Royal Wedding.

I totally had a crush on Prince William

growing up. Which is funny because he
sorta looks like Dr D, no?

Of course my prince is way cuter :)

The Warrior Dash

2011-04-21T09:23:00.000-05:00

This weekend, Dr D and a couple of co-resident

friends participated in The Warrior Dash.

Which is basically a 5k on crack.

There's lots of mud, barbed wire, even fire.

The wives were there for moral support.

Don't get me wrong, there were lots of girls participating

in the race, and I salute them, I just didn't want to be one of them.

It was hilarious and entertaining and some people

dressed up, check out our friend Mario below.

A buffalo hat, medal, beer, and even a turkey leg were all

waiting for the racers at the finished line.

A tired Dr D on the school bus back to the parking lot

where were parked. Yep, there were even school buses.

Fedoras

2011-04-18T07:51:00.000-05:00

I love them.

But would I actually wear one?

I would like to think yes, but when?

Do I just have spring fever?

I'm not sure. But I've always wanted one

Here are some that I like.

JCrew:

Anthro:

Target:

And my fav, by Tory Burch:

Have you heard about this?

2011-04-14T07:37:00.001-05:00

I was flipping through the latest issue of Glamour magazine
when I saw an article about the online shop Rent the Runway.

Have you heard about it?

If so, why were you keeping this from me -- did Dr D put you up to it?

Basically, it's a website where you can rent designer
dresses for a fraction of the cost. You can sign up here:
Join me on Rent the Runway to access over 120 of the hottest designer brands!

Some dresses that tickled my fancy from

brands like Milly and Halston Herritage:

I may have to utilize this shop for my

10 year (gasp!) HS reunion this summer.

The other one

2011-04-13T07:19:00.001-05:00

After writing about the peculiar Stelladog

last week, I must now be fair and talk

about dog #1 in the pack, Sophie.

Mostly known as Soph around these parts,

this dog would rather be around people than dogs

and thinks she is human.

Point in case...

Just Because...

2011-04-12T11:37:00.004-05:00

Just because your day may need a little

pick-me-up, meet Clive the miniature pig...

and his wee red rain boots.

Have you ever in your life?

I feel so many emotions!
I want to cry at the cuteness, laugh, squeeze him,
and am also mildly freaked out and want to avert my eyes.

On that note, but prior to seeing Clive,
Dr D and I have decided that at some point we would
like to have a regular sized pot-bellied pig.

Did you know I had one growing up?
His name was Wilbur.

They're hilarious, clean, and litter box trained!

Just not right

2011-04-11T07:05:00.000-05:00

I know I tend to pick on or post more about

Stella the Sheep Dog. But she's just so weird.
We love her so much and she is so sweet and

let's me hug and lay on her all anytime I want

but there's just something not right about this dog.

We got her 4 years ago from a really sweet man who

raises Old English's on a farm. When we met her

at 4 months old, she was an outside dog who ran

with a pack of fluffy sheepy relatives with names

like Muffin Man and Pearl (her dad and mom).

We fell in love with her when she came up

to me and laid her furry chin on my knee

and took her home that very day.

But even in the car ride home we noticed

something about her...

She's afraid of everything and everyone unless

she knows you really well.The rustle of a

plastic bag or the slam of a door makes her

literally jump off of the ground.

When you scratch her back she can't help

but to continuously stick her tongue out and

arch her back into your hand like a cat.

Speaking of cats, she's a lot like a house cat

in that, unless someone comes to the door,

which elicits a big bark, she is in one of her "spots."

Let me show you where this 85 pound creature

likes to hang out on a daily basis:

Don't see anyone besides Soph? Come a little closer...

Notice a black nose sticking out from behind the chair.

You've found spot #1.

Now, let's go to her all time favorite spot.

This is where she sleeps:

That's right, under the bed.

It is a hilarious sight to see her flatten out

her back legs and scooch her way under our

queen size bed. It's her fav.

She also likes to lay by the window

or sit on the couch while eating a bone.

So there you have it,

I've given away Stella's secret places.

Coupons!

2011-04-08T12:43:00.004-05:00

Kate Spade has some majorly cute

stuff available this spring. I don't know

if they've re-vamped or if the brand

has just flown under my radar for a while

but long gone are the vinyl bags with grosgrain

logo found at purse parties everywhere.

Hello, preppy and pretty!

Today and tomorrow, in stores and

online, everything is 25% off with free shipping!

I just hate to pay for shipping, don't you?

The Promo Code is FFSPR11

Allow me to do some shopping for you...

This "Mrs" necklace is my fav! How cute as a shower gift?!

Final Four Experience

2011-04-07T20:03:00.000-05:00

I can't believe I haven't blogged all week!
It's been a pretty busy one but I wanted
to share some pics from the Final Four!

Dr D and I had a wonderful time in Houston

cheering on the Kentucky Wildcats.
It was very sad that they lost by 1 point
but the experience was so great and
it really made me miss my home state.

UK definitely represented (as always!),
the fans were awesome and everywhere we looked!

Kinda like Christmas

2011-04-01T07:42:00.007-05:00

The mail yesterday was kinda like Christmas

morning! First came these guys...

And then came my new Tory Burch aviators:

We're heading down to Houston early

tomorrow morning and I'm

soooo excited!

Go CATS!

In Bloom

2011-03-31T07:36:00.005-05:00

We've had a cool week but

it's officially springtime in Texas!

Dr D and I kicked

off the season with

a stroll through the

Dallas Arboretum.

The tulips were amazing!

I hope it's warming up

where you live,

Happy Spring!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

2011-03-29T08:21:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday to my amazing Mom!!!

The best mom the girl could ask for:

Kind and caring,

a loving friend,

hard working student,

reader of my blog,

always smiling,

strong and courageous.

I love you Mom more than

you could ever know!

Have a wonderful day and wish

I was there to celebrate and
eat cake with you!

Go Cats!!

2011-03-28T08:00:00.001-05:00

Kentucky Basketball is truly an inexplicable

part of people's lives where I'm from. It's more

than just a team or game, it's an emotion and a

sense of pride and tradition.

Growing up, I can remember sitting with

my nose to the television, heartbroken, as the Cats

lost the national title in 1992 in the final seconds.

I also remember in 1996 when UK won the

championshipand being so envious of my uncle Eric,

a UK student at the time, who got to partake

in the festivities going on campus.

Then, when it was finally my turn to be a UK

student we had some decent years, but never

got close enough to the national championship.

We still had a grand ole time cheering on the

Cats in a sea of blue at Rupp Arena.

Dr D, a Tennessee alum, laughs when I watch

the Cats play basketball because I yell, pace,

and pull my hair out. It evokes sweet memories

of my wonderful Mammaw, who never ever

raised her voice or got mad at anyone in her life...

But would let out the occasional irritated

"Oh come on Cats!" directed at the tv.

And now, my Cats, Kentucky's Cats,

have made it to the final four! I'm beyond

excited and what makes it even greater is

that they're playing in Houston, four hours

from where I live. As soon as we won the

game I said to Dr D, "We gotta go!"

And, being the amazing guy he is, he said,

"Go find them online and we'll go."

And we are!!!

And I'm already packed!!

Here's hoping for a V on Saturday in Houston!

Time for an accessories post

2011-03-25T07:41:00.004-05:00

I don't know about you, but neon is

pretty much rocking my world right now.

I came across this photo somewhere

and it kind of sums up my obsession:

I have one thing to say to spring/summer: bring it on.

And I'm excited that some retailers have

decided to offer some fab candy colored accessories
for a gal on a budget. I mean $300 for a bangle? No.

All of these are less than $50.
Anthropologie:

Kate Spade:

Happy Friday!

Cheers!

2011-03-24T08:04:00.001-05:00

Last week was Dr D's 2 year anniversary of Match Day.

Match day is when all of the 4th year med students around

the country find out where they will be doing their residency.

It's a fun, dramatic and sometimes traumatic day (for those who

don't match) and it's filled with food, cocktails, and a big party

complete with an officially opening of envelopes ceremony to

find out where everyone is headed beyond medical school.

I can't believe it's been that long since we found out we

were going to be living in Dallas for 5 years. When Dr D

opened the envelope my eyes zeroed in on the letter

but in all of the excitement, I couldn't focus on what it said.

When D said something along the lines of "sweet, Dallas!"

I immediately thought:

Oh my gosh that's so far away!

Followed by, How fabulous, Dallas!

Then, I need some cowboy boots!

And, I think I drank too many mimosas!

Dr D and I were a mere 2 month from our wedding

day and that was the exact moment when it all became

real and solidified our new journey together as a couple.

Match Day 2009

Although I miss my family and friends so much,

I feel so blessed and lucky to have met so many

awesome people here and have had some amazing

experiences as a new Texan.

So, cheers!

We celebrated with, what else? Mimosas!

In the same glasses we drank out of on Match Day 2009.

Going to the bar

2011-03-22T12:16:00.006-05:00

No, not that kind of bar.

Today kicked off my first session at The Bar Method.

Have ya'll heard of this?

It's a combo of yoga, pilates and weights

all centered around using a ballet bar.

And it's with in walking distance of my house.

And

It. Kicked. My. Butt.

Let's talk about why:

1. I'm out of shape. I'll admit it. Which is why I joined.
2. I am not a dancer. Some of the instructors are actually
former pro dancers and cheerleaders.As in the Dallas Cowboy variety.
Talk about feeling out of place.

3. Once we got to the yoga stuff I was like, "ok, I can do this"....

then we moved on to some intense stuff at the bar..

...reminding myself how NOT flexible I am.

Nevertheless, I LOVED it and already feel like I have more energy.
I can't wait to go back Thursday and am motivated to get better
and not be the one that the instructor is constantly

gently reminding to keep my "toes turned out" or my "hips square".

(a pic from the website)

Splish Splash!

2011-03-18T13:41:00.003-05:00

In lieu of a tropical vaca...

We decided to get this guy:

It's hilarious and I sorta feel like the Beverly Hillbillies...

but I'm super excited that I'll have a cool spot this Texas summer!

Staycation '11

2011-03-14T18:00:00.002-05:00

This week Dr D and I are enjoying a staycation in Dallas.

So far we've been to the Farmer's Market

Wondered around downtown Grapevine

Stopped to eat at an oyster bar

And I got a gel manicure. We'll see if it really lasts 14 days!

Does anyone have experience with gel nails?

It's supposed to be 72 tomorrow so we're planning

on going to the zoo. Also on the agenda is the arboretum

and the Dallas Museum of Art. Pics to come!

TGIF

2011-03-11T07:52:00.004-06:00

I hope you are having a great Friday!

I mean, what's not to love about a Friday?

In Dallas this weekend is the big

Greenville Avenue St. Patrick's Day Parade.

Our house is even in the St. Patty's spirit,

I picked up pretty potted shamrocks
at the grocery this week:

Happy RD Day!

2011-03-09T15:48:00.002-06:00

Did you know that March is National Nutrition Month?
And that today is National Registered Dietitian Day?

I forgot all about the Dietitian Day thing until my

company sent a box of chocolate covered strawberries

from Shari's Berries as a thank you for the job I do.

After a long day at work, it made my day!

So to all of my dietitian friends out there, Happy RD Day!
And to everyone else, have an extra helping of something
green and leafy tonight in my honor :)

Pretty

2011-03-05T10:56:00.001-06:00

Oscar favs

2011-03-02T07:05:00.004-06:00

Surprisingly, my favorite looks from the Oscars

were of the red and nude-colored dress persuasion.

Typically, I'm not a big fan of red,

but I think these looks are so sleek and elegant

Loving the column dresses and and

happy to see that the more conservative looks

of Old Hollywood are back in a big way.

Who were your favs?

Weekend fun

2011-03-01T08:31:00.002-06:00

We had a great and very busy weekend. On Friday, some friends came in

to town and we grilled out and hung out in our new back yard. Anna brought

her awesome corn and I made P-dub's Pig Cake. Good times, good food.

Saturday, I joined some girls for a bachelorette party.

We had such a great time playing games and participating

in girl talk followed by a super fun concert, The Spazmatics.

Here are a couple of pics I snapped through out the night:

The loot

The bachelorette leaving the stage at the concert

Anna & I

DIY Sunburst

2011-02-24T07:39:00.004-06:00

They've popped up everywhere in home decor

and I have to say I love them because they

work in any room and add some glam.

What are they?

Sunbursts. They usually come in mirror

or clock form and were very popular in the 50's and 60's.

I wanted my own but didn't want to pay a lot.

And trust me, these puppies can be expensive.

So with a little research on various blogs,

I discovered a DIY project from the design blog

Isabella and Max Rooms.

Anna helped me tackle the project one weekend

and we completed it for only 6 bucks.

All you need are some straight bamboo sticks,

spray paint, a glue gun, and

a round-ish mirror or really anything

that's pretty flat and can hang on the wall

I used an old wall hanging found at a antique store.

And the finished product as yall may have seen in my living room:

Happy National Margarita Day!

2011-02-22T09:49:00.002-06:00

Did you know that the frozen margarita was invented in Dallas?

At Mariano's Mexican Cuisine in 1971.

So now we know who to thank

for it's deliciousness.

(and also all of those extra calories)

A fun surprise

2011-02-21T07:13:00.000-06:00

I hope ya'll had a great weekend!
While perusing Piperlime.com

and whining to myself about all of the

amazing shoes I want but can't have,

I heard a loud thud in the other room.

Around here, you never know what that
could mean with two mischievous pups.

But you can imagine my surprise when I

discovered a pink flip flop lying on the
floor in front of the door under the mail slot!

I picked it up and discovered that

my super cute sister-in-law-to-be

sent a flip flop with a note attached

asking me to be a bridesmaid in their

upcoming July wedding!

I am so honored and touched

and it was such a cute way to

ask me to be in the wedding that

I just had to share it with ya'll!

She wrote my address on the

back of the flip flop just like a post card:

So creative! Can you tell she's a teacher?
I can't wait for the big day!
Oh and Dr. D is the Best Man :)

Happy Wednesday!

2011-02-16T07:04:00.002-06:00

I hope your Valentine's Day was filled with lots of love!

My awesome Mom sent us a wonderful box of
goodies from my uncle's candy store in Kentucky.

Mom is so thoughtful and always sends the best stuff,

I just love her care packages!

The treats included chocolates and
this caramel popcorn as well as coconut brittle:

Dr D surprised me with flowers!

Thanks and Happy V-day!

2011-02-14T08:18:00.006-06:00

I am sincerely touched by all of the sweet comments about our new house. Thanks so much! I've definitely loved decorating the house and it's actually been fun to do it on a budget because it's allowed me to get the creative juices flowing to come up with some inexpensive projects.

One of the comments I received was from the adorable Mae, she mentioned that she liked the tray on our coffee table. First, thanks! I really wanted a tray to wrangle up remotes, books, candle and vase. On one of the days I was snowed in, I decided to scour the house for a tray. I have two great side tables that belonged to my grandmother and could only use one in the space. So I examined under the table I wasn't using and discovered that the tray top was simply screwed on to the base. A couple of "lefty loosey's" later and I had the top part off and instant tray (you were right, Mom!). So I encourage you to go "shopping" in your own house before buying. Of course it's fun to go shopping, and trust me, I love that instant gratification feeling of carrying a new item out of the store, but sometimes you can find great pieces in your own home.

Another comment, by fab momma Ashley Paige, was about the painting above the fireplace. That was a labor of love and done by none other than yours truly over the course of a couple weeks. For Christmas, Dr D got me an awesome painting set from Restoration Hardware and I have been a painting machine ever since. If you think you can't paint or aren't artistic, I disagree! Anyone can do it and it's so fun. It's a great outlet and it's gratifying to have your original artwork displayed for all to see. I've been on an abstract kick lately, which even if you can't draw a stick figure I can guarantee you can do some abstract painting. If you don't like it, take a step back, go work on something else and when you come back you'll have a fresh outlook and can decide to keep going or leave it as is! Another perk is you get to pick the colors to match the room. I went a little crazy with the paintings, they are scattered everywhere from the bedrooms to the kitchen to the dining room.

Thanks again, you guys truly made me smile.

I love reading questions and comments so keep 'em coming!

Our Home

2011-02-10T08:11:00.007-06:00

It's finished! (For the most part)

2011-02-08T10:52:00.001-06:00

Hey there! We are all moved in and settled after a week of vacation followed by a week of being snowed in. The weather in Dallas has been crazy this past week but, as you may have noticed on tv, it warmed up a little just in time to melt the snow for the Superbowl!

We have unfortunately been with out internet for the past couple of weeks (sorry for the delay in blogging) from moving and then the weather, but I wanted to take a second and thanks Simply Shea Designs, Levi Mac, and Nama Halacy's Comfy Cottage all for nominating me for the Stylish/Versatile Blog Award!

There are 4 duties to perform to receive this award:

1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this award.

2. Share 7 things about yourself

3. Award 5 recently discovered great bloggers.

4. Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award!

Here's the dirt on me:

1. Living in Dallas pre-Superbowl was pretty exciting and I was even able to go a Bud Light sponsored party with some girlfriends where we saw Lifehouse and The Fray perform.

2. I've climbed the Great Wall of China.

3. I was selected to be in the top 25 girls to be in the running to become Modern Bride Magazine's "Modern Bride of the Year" for 2009. I wasn't a finalist and of course didn't win the grand prize (being on the magazine cover and having the wedding featured in the mag) but it was a fun experience!

4. Speaking of bridal, after college I did bridal shows for a local modeling agency in Louisville. Dr D and I had just started dating and he even came to one of the shows -- good thing seeing me a in a wedding dress so early in the relationship didn't scare him off!

5. I'm obsessed with interior design blogs (LEB designs, I Suwanee, Little Green Notebook to name a few).

6. I have a sweet tooth...which is problematic when you're a dietitian because people tend to say something along the lines of, "oh no, the dietitian's eating a cupcake!"...Hey, everything in moderation!

7. I really don't like to work out. I mean, is that a secret? No. But I have a goal of increasing my activity from nil to at least 3x/week. I have no excuse now that I live across the street from a gym.

I nominate....

We The Gingers

Randi and Ryan

Gangl*icious

The Survival Guide for the Young, Fabulous & Newlywed

The Cherry Chronicle

2011-01-24T09:29:00.002-06:00

Just wanted to show ya'll the finished dining room!

I stole the lamps from the entry table.

More to come! Have a great week!

This is what the chairs looked like before (yuck):

House progress

2011-01-20T13:17:00.009-06:00

My recent physical appearance is proof that I have been moving stuff to

the new house non-stop for the past couple of weeks.

However, today I'll spare ya'll and will not post
any pictures of my ragged self.

(Note to self: get out of the yoga pants and Uggs)

Instead, I snapped some pics this morning and wanted to share.

We're no where near finished and the big move day with U-Haul

is scheduled for bright and early Saturday morning.

The good news is we're both off work all next week.

Yippee!!

Alright, here's the low-down. Living room:

Guest bedroom (I'm going to hang creamy-gold curtains)

Entryway. I bought a cute gold tray today at the
Salvation army for 99 cents and it's home will be on this

table in front of the vase and picture.

Below the table is a stool I found on clearance

at TJ Maxx and spray-painted.

I kind of think of the entry table as a collection

of my bargain basement finds. The mirror

was $10 at a yardsale and the table is

the one that Anna and I rescued from a dumpster!

We're Alive!

2011-01-17T18:39:00.002-06:00

We successfully made it home with our
Craigslist chairs - thanks for the moral support!

It was raining cats and dogs the whole day

when we picked them up and I spent about

an hour last night taking yucky fabric off of them.

They aren't painted yet but I have the paint and the color

is Kilz "Shea Butter". Oh, and I ordered some great fabric!

My mom knows me too well and knew I created an

inspiration board before I even told her :)

So here it is - and that's the fabric!

I can't wait to tackle this project and will

likely be painting tomorrow.
Pictures to come!

A First

2011-01-14T07:55:00.003-06:00

I admit it.

I've spent waaay too much time lately

scouring blogs for decorating ideas.

But I just can't wait to get into the new house!

One change from our current dwellings

is that the dining room will be much smaller.

We have a round table but I've been dying

for some new chairs...on a strict budget.

So with these in mind:

I 've been checking and rechecking Craigslist.

I've never purchased anything from the site,

and frankly, it freaks me out a little.

But the need for a bargain prevails.

So after weeks of periodically scanning

for new listings, I found them...

$50 for 5 chairs.
That means there's even an extra one

to use at the computer!

The.
Perfect.

Dining.

Room.

Chairs.

We pick them up tomorrow.

Shockingly, Dr D agreed to this plan with out hesitation.

Maybe it's his sleep deprivation but nevertheless, he said yes.

If we go missing this weekend,

please notify the authorities.

Otherwise,

the next time you see these bad boys,

they will be painted white and in my new house!

Changes

2011-01-12T13:41:00.001-06:00

Somebody got a new haircut...

Isn't it funny how animals make themselves as comfy as possible?

I mean, two pillows?

Give me a break.
What is this, The Princess and The Pea??

Speaking of new, check out our new coffee table

purchased with part Groupon/part Christmas money.

Notice anything else in the pic (besides the spoiled mutts)?

Boxes!
Moving boxes, specifically.

That's right, we're moving!
Currently, we rent a duplex...
which can be annoying with upstairs neighbors.
So we found a charming little house to rent
and are moving this month!

Excitement
and
Stress.

Obviously only for the humans.
(Refer to above picture)

Well Hello!

2011-01-09T10:06:00.002-06:00

Wow, I have neglected the blog!

I've missed you guys!!!

Christmas and the New Year has been quite

busy so far and I just got over a horrrrrible stomach virus.

But now I'm back and ready for action!

A look back on our family Christmas.

We were so lucky to get to go home

to spend the holiday with our families

and even more fortunate that we had

a Dr D/Kari family combo Christmas since

we were only in town for a couple of days.

Dr D's brother's fiance was kind enough

to allow us hooligans to take over her house:

Here we are in a rousing game of Dirty Santa with gag gifts

Group shots, above and below

Do you guys still have dogs?

2011-01-05T09:53:00.000-06:00

With all of this baby talk,
what about the name sakes
of the blog: what about the 2 dogs?

They are feeling really sorry for
themselves and get absolutely no love.

Yeah. Right.

They're just as spoiled as ever.
Stella has taken up with my

formally-white-is-now-beige
chair...her belly gets a tad cold
on the wood floors. Oh, and
being the 5 year old really well
behaved Sheepie that she is,
she pees on rugs and dog beds.

So...there ya have it. Ruined furniture.
Anything for the princess. Sheesh.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care...

2010-12-24T08:45:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas!

The children were nestled all snug in their beds...

2010-12-21T07:47:00.000-06:00

With visions of gingerbread men dancing in their heads!

To all a Merry Christmas

and to all a Good Night!

Dressing up

2010-12-20T07:29:00.000-06:00

Party season is in full swing

and all I have to say is,

I'm glad tights are here to stay.

They are a girl's best friend when

it's cold outside and are so slimming.

And a brocade dress with tights, yes please!

(Above image from Sea of Shoes)

You just can't go wrong with red during the holidays

Not that I can afford a Marchesa dress,

but I just love the bright color and fun neckline!

Holiday party food

2010-12-15T10:46:00.000-06:00

Some themed appetizers and drinks

to get ya in the holiday spirit!

Ritz crackers with ricotta cheese, celery,

capers, and a pepperoni hat!

The hat is an M&M, the eyes sprinkles,

and the nose cut from a gummy fish

Put your hot glue gun to work,

attaching a felt reindeer to a candycane!

The antlers are made from floral wire

DIY: Dress up some plates

2010-12-13T07:48:00.000-06:00

I think plates are so cute on the wall,

especially when dressed up for the

holidays with some ribbon.

It was so easy.

First, I took the plates off of the wall.

Then, I cut the ribbon to size and poked the nail

from the wall through the ribbon so it would hold.

Replace the plates and hot glue a little

bow to the top plate and you're finished!

Blushing snowman

2010-12-09T07:40:00.000-06:00

If you're lucky enough to build a snowman this season,

consider this cute idea:

Take a spray bottle filled with a little water mixed

with red food coloring and spritz Frosty's cheeks for a sweet glow.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

2010-12-08T07:41:00.000-06:00

We've been decking the halls around here...

Well mostly I've been doing all of the decking,

Everyone else is just there for moral support...

Natural decor

2010-12-07T07:39:00.002-06:00

I love this simple garland from PB with burlap ribbon,
the pine cones, sparkly ornaments, and snowflakes

At home in Kentucky, pine cones are very abundant this time of year,

but I think it's going to be a more challenging
to find large ones like this around Dallas.

I really like these gilded gold ones too!