I have learned to love my ears...

I guess! I think I have yet another ear infection in my left ear. I have had sinus pain and pressure since yesterday and it has gotten worse today. My left ear is hurting in the usual....you have an ear infection pain...so I get to call Dr. McGhee's office in the morning! I thought the tube was supposed to help with all of this. Maybe I'll go in to his office and it will be miraculously healed and just a figment of my imagination. One can wish right???

A Dinner Date with Friends

Friday night Luke and I had our friends James and Heather over for dinner. I made a WAY too big pot of homemade spaghetti with all the sides (bread & salad!). For dessert we had a new recipe....homemade Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes. They were really good! We also had the Yarnells Cupcake Celebration Ice Cream (thanks to Alicen I have added 10 lbs. to my hips!) that ice cream is wonderful! I didn't take anymore pics than these two. We talked for hours and had a blast. I was able to show Heather a video of a girl I want my hair cut like....and I picked one that my thick hair will actually do! Heather and James are due in August and we are really excited for them. I can't wait to meet their sweet little boy. They are such fun friends to have around! Thanks guys!

Ode to School Supplies...

Yes, school supplies have made their way into Walmart already. I'm like a kid in a candy store. I cannot resist buying a box of Crayola Crayons....and yes, I smell them every year. It reminds me of school, friends, and the nervous jitters of that first day of school. It also reminds me of my poor Mom writing my name on every crayon, marker, and pen. It somehow reminds me of the time a girl stole my ruler....and was trying to lick my name off of it....needless to say, I let her keep that one!

I can't resist the school supplies aisle. I smile when I walk down that precious aisle. And yes, every year about this time, I squelch the urge to by markers, more crayons, folders, and wide ruled notebook paper. Go ahead laugh, you probably already think I'm a nut. I guess that's the teacher side of me and my love for school supplies!

I'm going to be an Aunt Part 2

Many of you may be wondering how I am actually considering myself an Aunt since my brother has no kids and I don't have any other siblings....well let me tell you. My Mom's best friend Debbi was my Aunt. Not in a geneological sort of way.....but that's what I called her...Aunt Debbi. She was like my second Mom. She came to all my birthday parties and all my other life celebrations. She was always around. My Mom and her had been best friends for 42 years. People used to ask them, are you sisters? They would reply, "Yes, our Mom could only think of 1 name!" I can't imagine my life without my Aunt Debbi being a part of it. We truly do miss her, but we were both blessed by having her and Uncle Will in our lives.

My best friend Christylee is having her first baby. So when I found out she was pregnant....of course I knew I would be an Aunt! The coolest thing about Christylee and me is that our birthdays are one day apart...just like Mom and Aunt Debbi. Of course, I'm older, which means I'll get wrinkles first. I knew the moment I found out Christylee's birthday was a day after mine that we would become best friends...and we have been ever since 10th grade! I had been searching for a friend like my Mom had in my Aunt Debbi.

So now that I am going to be an Aunt...I have to do some of the things my Aunt Debbi did.

*Things like taking pictures of little Lily growing up.

* Giving her a TON of bath and body stuff for her 16th birthday

*Pinning her graduation cap on her head (thanks to Aunt Debbi mine was a perfect point at the top!!!)

*Sharing recipes with her

*Even beating her up when she finds out her Mom is adopted (Aunt Debbi had to rough me up on that one too....I don't remember that night at McDonalds the day after I found out my Mom was adopted!)

*Maybe I won't tell her I don't like her dining room table she bought b/c it was too high (I just simply smile whenever someone says they love my table!)

*Being able to be there when she gets married. I'm SO thankful my Aunt Debbi was there for that!

So, I'm sorry Mom if this made you cry. I know how much you miss her, I do too. I only hope I can be as great of an Aunt to Lily as Aunt Debbi was to me!

I'm going to be an Aunt!

My best friend Christylee is having her first baby in September. I have worked so hard on her gift and am super excited! I can't show pics on here b/c I think she checks the blog...so you'll have to wait til after her shower to see pictures of what I made! Thought I'd share a few ultrasound pics she had done yesterday. I guess I had being an Aunt on my mind and the baby shower I'm throwing her when I went to bed last night. I dreamed her Mother In Law and Mom both came and brought lingerie! They got the showers messed up. I remember Christylee opening something slinky and saying... "You can't bring lingerie to a baby shower!!!" Some dream huh! Enjoy pics of little Lily! I'm sure I'll have more to come soon!

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July!

My BBQ Man

The grilling spread!

Randy and Ann

The rest of the food!

Not Yo Mama's Banana Pudding...a Paula recipe for sure! It was wonderful!
To celebrate the 4th, we had our good friends Randy and Ann over for dinner. We fixed Hambugers, Hot Dogs, Corn Casserole, Baked Beans, Cheese Dip and Chips, Deviled Eggs, and Not Ya Mama's Banana Pudding for dessert. It was so good! We had the best time laughing and visiting with Randy and Ann. We also were able to watch the DVD of Ashley's Wedding. We even looked at the pics Luke and I took...there were too many of me on the CD! Thanks Randy and Ann for a fun evening! Happy 4th of July!

A Photo Dinner

Luke and Alyeska watching TV

Me and Mr. Camera Man

Slice your new Potatoes..works especially good with my KitchenAid Santoku

Pour Rand Dressing over Taters

Add your bacon

And cheese...bake for about 350 or 400 for 40 minutes

Faux Crab Cake Ingredients: bread crumbs, mayo, 1 egg, 2 cans Tuna

Drain 2 cans of Tuna. Add your Egg. Add 1/4c. Mayo. Add 1/4 c. bread crumbs. Put another 1/4c. bread crumbs in a small bowl.

Gently stir. You want the tuna in hunks.

Make into patties and roll in the remaining bread crumbs.

Fry til golden brown. I used very little oil.

The final pic!

The other night Luke really wanted to take pictures. I knew we probably didn't need to eat out again...so we cooked and took pictures all while watching John and Kate Plus 8. I love that show! Bless those people because they have 8 children. That's like having a whole preschool class all the time! Some people may think they are crazy....but they didn't plan on having 8 children...they had twins...wanted one more...had 6 all at once! It's not at all like the Duggards (at least I think that's what their names are) who have like 19 and one more on the way...please...that's just plain fuzzardy! Enjoy these pics. For dinner that night we had: Paula Deens Faux Crab Cakes, Green Beans, and Ranch Bacon Taters. What you don't see is that Luke not only had his camera in my face...but an umbrella light stand as well. We are nuts for sure!