Tuesday Ten

It's that time again...time for Tuesday Ten!  I think this just may be my blog favorite.  A nice way to summarize our week!

{ONE}

Eight years ago today, I married my very best friend.  And he's still my best friend today.  As Brad Paisley sings, "I thought I loved you then..."  Here's to many, many more years!

 

Our Wedding Day - July 12, 2003

{TWO}

A group of my girlfriends took a day trip up to St. Mary's, Georgia to visit the St. Mary's Aquatic Center with our kiddos.  We got to the park right at opening time.  The kids were able to play for an hour or so and then we took a break for a picnic lunch and we right back to the water.  I really wish Brig could have held out a little longer, because Harrison wanted so badly to stay and play more.  I was surprised that Brig took right to the play area.  He wanted to climb and do the slides just like Brother.  With so many of the other kids much bigger than him, I ended up climbing up there with him and every time I ended up soaked.  Finally, I got the bright idea to do a little bribery in which Harrison was promised a milkshake if he'd do the slides with and keep an eye on his brother.  Smartest idea ever!  I could sit back and watch them have a ball from a distance.

Silly boy

Havin' a blast!

Both of them completely zonked out post-milkshake

{THREE} 

Yes, a pedicure is a blog-worthy event -- for me at least.  These only happen about twice a year and boy was I in dire need of it!  Justin had Friday off (because of our date night...see below), so while the boys were napping, I slipped out of the house for an hour by myself.  Lucky for me, the nail salon just so happens to be right next to Starbucks.  Coincidence?  I think not. 

Yes, I'm aware these are Flintstone feet...but they're pretty good to me, so I can't complain.

{FOUR} 

In honor of our anniversary, we got a sitter (Meme & Papa = The best kind) and headed out for some alone time to celebrate.  Justin planned the evening and --  just his style -- it was low-key and casual....but so much fun.  We had supper at Texas Roadhouse, by far J's favorite restaurant.  I didn't complain because we hadn't been there in a while and those roasted peanuts are the best!  After supper, we played a round of putt-putt golf...and managed to keep it a secret from Harrison.  He wouldn't be too happy if he knew we were putt-puttin' without him!  And, in true date night form, we grabbed ice cream before heading home.  I think by the time we picked the boys up and got them in bed, it was just shy of 11:00 p.m. and we were both exhausted.  Guess that's a sure sign we're aging.  A "night on the town" is more of a "late afternoon on the town...I gotta get to bed!"

Not a smiler, but I love this fella

{FIVE}  

A month or so ago, Justin helped Harrison roll the change in his piggy bank.  It's the first time we've emptied it and the only reason was because it was so full that you couldn't even fit in one more coin.  So last week, Justin carried him to the bank so he could cash his rolled change into bills.  Justin said the teller asked Harrison, "How'd you like your bills?  Twenties?"  To which Harrison replied quickly, "Yes, ma'am."  didn't even want a bank envelope; that money went straight into his pocket.  So he gets home and busts in the door.  He runs over to me and pulls out his little wad of cash.  He is so stinkin' excited and says in his matter-of-fact, this-is-the-way-it-is tone, "Mama!  I'm, like, almost rich!"  That kid never ceases to crack me up.  That same day was allowance payday, so he got money for that too.  And for Mama's proudest moment...after counting out his cold hard cash, he took out money "for Jesus" (tithes) and put the rest back in his piggy bank. 

{SIX} 

I couldn't have a Tuesday Ten without something food related.  I try to cook something special every Sunday for my bunch...like a Sunday Supper.  And this has to include dessert.  Chocolate pie is an old standby and with the heat lately, a cool creamy dessert fit the bill.  Usually, my chocolate pie consists of a store-bought graham cracker crust, instant chocolate pudding, and topped with a tub of Cool Whip.  While it's pretty darn good like that, I decided to church it up a little.  I made my own graham cracker crust with crushed graham crackers and melted butter.  Since I don't own a pie plate, I pressed the crumbs in the bottom of a springform pan.  Then came the pudding and the Cool Whip...nothing special here, but then I topped it with mini chocolate chips.  So, so yummy!  And in the process, the thought never entered my mind to grab a picture.  And since I used the springform pan, when the sides of the pan was removed, it was a pretty pie too. 

{SEVEN} 

Guess this is along the same lines as food...  Am I sensing a pattern here?  I got on this bread-baking kick maybe a year or so and for a while was making homemade bread every week -- sometimes twice a week.  This was like yeast-rising, dough-kneading kind of bread.  And though it tasted great and made the house smell pretty great, it was a lot of work.  So, I got to thinking about maybe investing in a bread machine.  Months went by and I fell in and out of the bread-baking kick until one day Dear Ole Mom asked me if I'd be interested in her bread machine.  She was getting rid of it, so I gladly took it off her hands.  Man oh man, this thing is awesome!  I have used it nearly every week...and not just for bread.  At this very moment, pizza dough is rising in there for homemade pizza tonight.  It's unbelievably easy...dump the ingredients in the pan and push a button.  The machine mixes, kneads, rises and bakes.  We still get the yummy, fresh-baked-bread smell in the house, but I barely did a lick of work. 

Oh sweet niblets!

{EIGHT} 

The bathroom redo saga continues...   I finished repainting the cabinets and LOVE how they turned out.  Before they were plain-Jane honey oak finish.  Ick.  Now, they're a nice satin black.  I love the contrast between the dark cabinets and the new pale green walls.  Now if we could just get around to that new countertop...

Before

After

{NINE} 

Super exciting news!  Our very best friends found out weeks back that they were expecting twins.  Today, they got the news that the twins are both baby girls.  I am quite excited to get to stitchin' on some prissy, girly things, which is completely foreign in our neck of the woods.  Can't wait to love on Payton Brooke and Ashlyn Avery Thomas!

{TEN} 

Wednesday morning, Harrison and I cleaned out his closet, organized the toys and rearranged his bedroom furniture.  While weeding through old toys, he decided to let Brig have his play workbench.  Really and truly, Brig is the only one who plays with it anyhow.  So we gathered all the pieces and set it up in Brig's room.  That boy was so tickled to have the workbench in his room.  It's now the first thing he plays with.

Have a great week!