Start Brewing The News

17 Weeks

2010-06-24T13:19:00.005-05:00

To the tune of "the Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music".... "Lindsey is Alive, in her 2nd Trimester! La la la la!!"

Ok, so maybe not that dramatic, but i need to express how much better life is outside of the 1st Trimester. So Much! I feel back to myself again. The thought of food doesnt scare me, it actually thrills me. The horrible feeling in the morning right after you get out of bed is no longer there. I wake up and no longer need a saltine. I'm walking and working out a little bit better, just trying to stay active. And my energy is up and relatively high all things considering. All in All... i'm enjoying this phase of pregnancy.

So the part that has been conspicuacsly absent from all this pregnancy bliss talk is the whole expanding waistline. I'm trying to get used to the idea that things will not look the same on me. I put away the short shorts, spagetti strap tanks and jean skirts (thats was actually a funny story, i thought it might fit a few weeks ago and couldnt even get it over my butt). I've traded in my old attire for some maternity shorts, loose dresses and the longest tank tops and ts i can find. I've even brought rebirth to a few old things i wore in high school... i had these roxy and hard tail elastic waist skirts to go to the beach in... now, they work for maternity wear. Who would've thought i was so forward thinking?!

Cravings. Nothing really crazy. Anything with Salt is usually in the cards for me. Edamame with Soy sauce, Actually anything with Soy Sauce. Queso and Salsa. Mushrooms. Hummus and carrots. I keep thinking about an In N Out burger... need to get one when i'm back in SD this summer. Spicy Red marinara sauce. Any veggie dipped in Ranch... do you get the picture? Salt. Not cake or ice cream or donuts. Salt. Need to watch out i dont get Kankles and puffy hands from all the salt. However, i think they're probably inevitable.

Dreams. So, i kept reading in my books about these Pregnancy dreams and hadnt had one until a few weeks ago. Now its like the AMC theater everytime i go to bed. I usually have a series of 3 or 4 very vivid dreams. Its like i wake up and have to ask Ben if that really happened. I dont really remember too many and the ones i do are scary, so i'll post any funny dream stories once i can start remembering. As TO says, Bring your Popcorn!

My books say Jellybean is the size of the palm of my hand! How cute.

Finally - Gender appt is tomorrow. We cant wait to find out. Ben's thinking Boy. I think its wishful thinking. I go back and forth. Who wants to put in a guess... In true Brewer Fashion, we should have a pool or something. We bet on everything else, why wouldn't we bet on our baby's sex? ha.

Almost 18 weeks and counting... Almost Halfway through!!

Happy Walker Day

2010-06-21T18:15:00.003-05:00

Sunday, we were invited to celebrate sweet Walker's Baby Dedication at church this week with the Zolfos family and friends. He's looked like an absolute doll and he did so well up in front of church with mom and dad. Matt and Lindsey were so sweet and hosted a luncheon after church to honor her little guy! After lunch, Walker was even kind enough to show off and show us his new crawling and pulling up tricks... he's got a little ham in him! Thanks Matt and Linds for including us! Its so fun to watch your lil one grow.

As you can see, Walker is used to being around pretty ladies! He looked SO Darling in his handsome outfit.

Walker also found a new girlfriend in Baylie, he kept giving her kisses and hugs... SO cute!!
BTW... please excuse the side shot... preggo girl needs to learn she's not allowed to stand on the end anymore!

Weekend with the Brewers/Elkins in Dallas

2010-06-21T17:53:00.003-05:00

Last Weekend the Brewers/ Elkins came to Dallas for a visit. Thank goodness they brought the humidity with them... it was a hot weekend in Dallas! ha. jk, its been very unusually humid up here. But we didnt let it stop us, we played all day with the twins, visited Ben's office downtown, played on a playgroud, and shopped too! We had a wonderful time catching up with family and adoring those precious boys. Here's a few pix of the weekend

Uncle Ben played with the boys in the yard. They played baseball, set up the pool, and ran throught he sprinklers too. They're 3 and a half and they're all boy!

Daddy Dave got chased by the hose!

Look at that fun sprinkler!

Those smiles could just melt anyones heart!

Big Boy Conner

Big Boy Nathan
Visiting Uncle Ben's office.

Ben's latest Milestone

2010-06-03T20:51:00.003-05:00

In the spirit of documenting milestones, I thought I wouldn't leave out Ben with his recent accomplishments. His development team has just opened a brand new, high end gated community in Las Colinas. They've worked so hard on this project and now its so fun to see the fruits of their labor. Here are a few pix from their Grand Opening ceremony earlier this week.
Lakes of Las Colinas Lake with Fountain.

The amenity center in the common area of the community. So pretty.

One of the model homes.

Its so fun to finally see what he's been working so hard on. One day we'll drive little Jellybean by this development and say, "Your daddy built this place!"

So proud of you B. Love you.

Green Thumb

2010-06-02T10:23:00.003-05:00

Ben and I spent the entire weekend relaxing at the house. We decided that we will start a little tradition.... to plant a tree at our house in honor of each baby we have. So, this weekend, we planted Jellybean a tree at the house. Not like a creepy "love fern" from the movie How to Loose a Guy, but we thought it would be sweet to plant a tree in their honor wherever we live at the time. So, here's our Jellybean's Japanese Maple tree. Its so pretty and right by our front door.

View from the walk way.

Close up of the leaves. We just love these types of trees and think it will really enhance our house, just like our new little darling will.

My Tomatos are coming in! Cant wait for summer salsa and bruschetta from the garden!

My herb garden, Just love having these at my fingertips. the newest plant is the on the far right... its a Meyer lemon plant. Hoping to have some this summer! If not, at least its pretty!

13 Weeks

2010-05-26T10:02:00.004-05:00

I thought i'd document a few pregnancy milestones as we approach them. For me, 13 weeks is a big milestone. The sickness has gone away, getting energy back, and kind of officially feeling pregnant. Its the last official week of my first trimester, so i thought i'd document a few moments that either were signs of me getting pregnant or major OMG i'm pregnant moments:

- Well, i think we all figured out my "Out-Yoga-ed" post might have been foreshadowing. That was the day before i found out i was pregnant. I didn't think anything of it, just that i was seriously out of shape. Nope, let's thank Jellybean for embarrasing me in Yoga Class

- First day of morning sickness was in Palm Springs with my family. I told my parents that i felt seasick and dizzy and starving all at the same time. My mom and dad smiled and said, thats morning sickness and made me a bagel. ha.

- Over Easter, the "Easter Bunny" brought me two baskets, one for me and one for Jellybean. Tear!

- One morning, i woke up at 4:30am to do the usual potty break... I'm usually up 2-3 times a night for this. Anyway, i couldnt go back to sleep and realized why... I was absolutely STARVING at 4:30am. How could this be possible? So my sweet husband got up and made me a large bowl of cereal. He's just the best!

- Ben and I were on the way to a nice work event. I was excited bc it was a buffet. How sad is that. Anyway, we got in traffic on the way there and was so hungry I got a case of the "Dry Heaves". Yes, the Dumb and Dumber moment in real life. Poor Ben just turned down the music and drove faster. Disgusting!

- Ben and I spent about an hour in "Buy Buy Baby"... a Bed Bath and Beyond for all Baby stuff. After the woman showed him the Bugaboo stroller that has adjustable shocks, he looked at me and said, It's time to go. Ha!

- No real weird cravings yet, but Chinese food, Pickles, and Beans and Rice from Mexican restaurants have all been top of the list these days. I have even asked for a second serving of beans and rice at Mi Cocina. I have not been able to look at asparagus, the thought and smell of them creeps me out.

- Last week, i started getting on the workout schedule in the mornings with Ben again. I ate a little cereal before i went bc i knew i'd get hungry. After the eliptical machine and some arm weights, i got back to my car and started the heaves again bc i was so hungry. I quickly drove myself to the bagel shop and devoured it in literally 3 minutes flat. There goes the point of that workout.

- My Favorite "Mocktail". Equal Parts Cranberry Juice, Pineapple Juice, Orange Juice, and a splash of Sprite. Its absolutely fabulous!

- The Bump. I think in the past 3 weeks i've finally seen a substantial bump. It no longer looks like i've eaten a cheese burger, it now looks like the beginnigs of the bump. Jeans dont fit, shorts can fit with a rubber band around the button, shirts arent long enough anymore. So you can imagine how fun it is getting dressed these days!!

13 weeks and Counting. More milestones to come.

We're ready for our Close Up

2010-05-24T12:07:00.002-05:00

Here's our most recent Sonogram Picture of my darling Jellybean. By the way, Jellybean derives from my dad saying my first sonogram looked like a little Jellybean and somehow the its become our loving reference for our baby. So, as you hear me speak and write about Jellybean as if its a normal thing, just go with it. We promise it wont end up in the given name somewhere, like Benjamin Jellybean etc.

This is 12 Weeks. No Gender sightings yet. We're very anxious to find out if Jellybean is Blue Rasberry or Cotton Candy flavored! ha. Terrible mom joke.

I know it looks just like a blob, but work with me people, i'm already a biased mommy. Tell me its cute!

So, really... where have we been

2010-05-21T21:57:00.009-05:00

I've been here for the past 3 months. No literally. between here and the ladies room.

Ben's been here, while i've been there. He decided to rip up the yard and replant everything while i was stuck inside for the majority of our spring. He's done a fabulous job and am thankkful for my beautiful plants this spring.

Spreading mulch and takin names.

So its official, the reason for our strange destinations for the past 3 months is bc The Brewers are Having a Baby! Its True... Our little Jellybean Brewer is Due November 29th. Yes, the Monday after Thanksgiving. We sure know how to pick an inconvenient date. But nonetheless, we're absolutely thrilled. Here's our first Mommy/ Baby Picture together. This was after our first Dr. Appt that we got the thumbs up and i think you can see i cant control the smile.

So enjoy this blog as it takes on a new life as we adjust to the thrills and drills of becoming parents. I apologize for the 3 month hiatus, but truly, i was lucky enough to get a meal on the table no less blog. But, i promise to keep this up to date as our family grows.

Where did we go?

2010-04-14T17:27:00.000-05:00

We're still here. Have been pretty busy the past few weeks with trips to see Baylor play in the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight, a visit to Palm Springs to meet my precious neice Reagan Elizabeth and fam too, and the spring overhaul of the Brewers gardens. Ben and I always seem to find a project in the yard to keep us busy for several weekends.

Its all good busy. Will post lots of pics when i have more time. Stay tuned.

I also have no idea what happend to my blog title, hmmm... i still dont understand how to work this thing.

More to come from the crazy Brewers.

Out Yoga-ed...

2010-03-24T09:55:00.003-05:00

Yes, its true. I got out Yoga-ed by a 60+ year old man. I went to yoga for the first time in a while yesterday. I used to really like it, then kind of got out of it bc i liked going to the gym with Ben in the mornings. Well, lets just say, i was really rusty.

So, i show up at our gym early to make sure i get a spot. I'm there, warming up, getting really excited about starting a new hobby again. I'm getting my "Ohmm" on and before i know it, i'm the only person in the class other than a 60+ year old man. I mean, i was hoping to kind of hide in the back of the class so i wouldnt stand out at how rusty i am. Oh no, that wasnt the plan. I had a yoga duel between me and this man.

So we get started and the teacher and the yoga man are really to rock. The teacher puts her mat right in between us and acted as if she was a personal trainer. But I was the only one needing the personal training. Half way into it, i'm panting, loosing my breath, shaking in downward dog and sweating so much that my feet are slipping. While Yoga man and teacher are in the zone and just going to town Namaste-style.

By the end of class after i'm 100% mortified at my shameful loss in the yoga battle, I start talking to the teacher and she says, "When was the last time you did yoga?". I wanted to say,
"was i that obvious?!".

Regardless, i enjoyed it and will go back. Its a wonderful way for me to strengthen my back. I just need to find some more people to go with me that i can hide behind.

Look at what else has bloomed!

2010-03-11T12:34:00.004-06:00

Reagan Elizabeth Jones has arrived, our newest little St. Philip Girl Blossom. Lauren, Kenny and Nolan welcomed Reagan last week into the world. She's an absolute doll and I cant wait to meet this little angel.

Reagan, your Auntie Lindsey loves you already!

First Bloomers

2010-03-10T18:16:00.007-06:00

Spring is beginning to Spring.... My lorepetalums have bloomed and that is always the sign that Spring is around the corner. These are some of my favorite plants we have. Its the best color pink to bring in Spring. Hope you enjoy.

Arent they just the happiest plants?!

They look like little pink pom-poms! Just love them!

A Shout Out to the Man in Overalls

2010-03-05T14:01:00.003-06:00

And No, i'm not referring to Ben.

Dan, Liz and his Chainsaw came over to help Ben take off a few more bad tree limbs. Liz and I had a martini while the boys got some work done. When Dan comes over to work, he means business... and he's got the work overalls to prove it.

Thank you to Dan for helping us!!

Just another day in Paradise

Ben asking Dan to cut down a neighbors tree, just bc he didnt like it. Dan obliged and got it down the old fashioned way- just kick the darn thing.

The caption for this picture should be something along the lines of the old "Shakin' Bake" commercials.... you know, when the little girl says "Its Shakin' Bake, and I HELPED". Thats what i see Ben saying... and I HELPED! (Ok, probably one of those family inside jokes, but you get the gist)

Oh yea, and we broke out the smoker for a Winner Winner Chicken Dinner. I love this thing.

Ready for Spring... cant wait to take pictures of my plants coming in.

Broken Arms and Tree Heaven

2010-03-02T19:22:00.010-06:00

I almost titled this blog post "What the Brewers have been spending their money on lately" as it is very applicable. The Largest Snowstorm in Dallas history made historical marks on the Brewer house as well. We lost a large limb off our gorgeous Live Oak in our front yard. Luckily, our Tree Man was able to save the tree and salvage the poor thing. I felt like i was watching a child have a broken arm or something... i was very upset watching this happen. Here's a few pix of our Live Oak's repair and after the "broken arm".

While our Tree Guy was fixing our lost limbs, he warned us of our "not so pretty" tree in the backyard that needed to be taken down. It was beginning to die from the inside out, and he said anyday we'd loose it along with our garage and fence! So, We said get rid of it! Here's a few pics, its amazing to me how these guys cut these trees down.

He got the Limbs Down. (I didnt get a good "Before" shot, so he're it is Halfway through)

Then went the Trunk

The Pile Up

Look how sick this tree was.... really sad. I guess it really was its time.

Off into Tree Heaven.... where all Hackberry Trees belong anyway!!

ATX with the Feiglesons and Zolfos

2010-02-24T20:33:00.006-06:00

This past weekend we were invited to the Beautiful Brown family home in Austin, TX. We stayed at their gorgeous home right on Lake Travis. We had the best time having a slumber party with two couples who have under 5 month olds... and the best news, is that we all slept all night! ha. The little boys, Walker Zolfo and Dean Feigleson were angels. We shopped, boys golfed, ate, enjoyed their beautiful outdoor room/ spa, and had a great time catchin up with our good friends. Here are a few pictures from our fabulous weekend.

The Group, there was lots of baby gear!

Here are the kings of the weekend, Dean and Walker.... most precious lil guys!

The view from the beautiful home of the Browns.... overlooking Lake Travis

Steiner Ranch's Outdoor fitpit at their bar... i'd like to be there right now!

The Girls! Sarah and the Lindseys

Ben and Darling Dean Feigleson

Ben and Linds

Baby its Cold Outside

2010-02-13T17:19:00.007-06:00

Snow in Dallas... Yes, I said it. Snow. 12 inches in fact. Here's a few pics from our Snow day in Dallas.

My Beautiful Tree lost a large limb due to the snow/ ice on Friday. This is the view from my door, it just split from all the weight of the snow and ice overnight. Hopefully we'll be able to get this fixed by our tree guy.

This is the view of my house from my front door friday morning. It looks like Narnia...

This is the view from my house at 4am when we woke up from the huge crack sound of our tree breaking in front of our eyes. At least i got a good pic.

What i love about the whole thing is that the weatherman predicted maybe 1 inch of snow. Gotta love those trusty Weathermen.

This is the most snow that Dallas has ever seen...The closest day to compare to was in 1917 with 7.8 inches. So, this city absolutely shut down on Friday. Mostly bc everyone lost power. We lost power on and off on Friday but regained power in time to have our friends the Watkins retreat to our house to escape their cold house Friday night.

What a crazy past two days, it was so fun to enjoy the snow at our house. Other than our large live oak loosing a limb, we had a ball.

Still have probably 2 inches of snow on the ground... will enjoy the snow and make a snow angel or two while we can. After that, ready for Spring planting, warm weather, flip flops, and a tan.

What we've been up to the past 6 weeks... Celebrating our Saints!

2010-02-09T20:36:00.012-06:00

So anyone who knows my family know that we are crazy Saints fans... i mean, its practically our namesake. The St. Philips have been Saints fans through the good (though, there wasnt much of this), the bad and the ugly (there was a lot of this).

Superbowl Sunday 2010 is a day that will live in infamy for the "Saint"Philips. We were absolutely over the moon that our beloved team won the Superbowl. We've been through so much heartache for this team, that it was hard to believe we'd ever be a winning team, much less Superbowl Champs.

We were so Jaded that we even contemplated not letting my husband on the Saints bandwagon during the playoffs bc of his sports team's bad luck. Lets face it, his teams (The Texans and Baylor) dont have a good track record. My grandpa asked him to take a walk for 3 hours during the first playoff game bc he was worried about his karma. True story... Sounds like a true Saints fan doesnt it?!

But Ben proved his "New Dat" status and made great company in the St. Philip branch of the Who Dat Nation. The past month was filled with email wars, nola.com daily visits, lots of gumbo, and of course screaming our heads off at our TVs. Here's a few pics of our Who Dat Parties this past month.

Disclaimer: Saints Fans Fashion Rules are that there are No Rules. BeDazzels are Stylish, Cheatah and Saints Snuggies are acceptable, and Tacky Shirts are Good Luck!

GEAUX SAINTS!

Hayley and Mom show off the Saints Snuggies and Blankets!

The Three (soon to be four) girls Saints Fans... dont have a pic, but you should see Hayley's Gold Toms Shoes... amazing!

At Baylor, we called it Double-Greeking... when one wears more than one Sorority logo... Double Greek Equals Fashion Faux-paux. Double-Saints Gearing is absolutely acceptable in our Fam!

Lil Deuce and Nana and Paw. Nolan learned the Who Dat Song and Pants on the Ground in one day! He's so lucky to have Aunties that teach him so much!

BeDazzeling is coveted when it comes to Saints Gear

Singing the "Get Crunk" song with your entire family led by your Dad is totally normal. Dancing with Portable speaker is recommended to help get in the game.... or get crunk.

Notice the Shirt with Fleur D Lis and my Maiden Name written across my husbands chest. Yes, my family reunion made shirts with the Saints Logo. And Yes, Ben wore it with pride!

Can you believe they had these in Dallas! Definately a New Dat city!

The infamous, now good-luck wings. It will become a tradition to make wings for big games, it just worked.

Even Walker wanted in on the Game. This is right before he asked his dad to pass him his bottle. ha!

My partner in crime... Dillow is very helpful when it comes to the deep fryer.

Our Superbowl Mascot! Walker was such a good Saints Fan! He only cried once when I started screaming during the onside kick! Sorry Walker, couldn't Help it!

Can you Believe this Picture?!

2010-01-03T00:16:00.005-06:00

Ben and I pulled out the trusty smoker today and filled it up with all sorts of yummy things today... one including a pork shoulder. We tried it out again... on a quest to perfect the recipe. I think we're getting close, but thats not the point of this post.

Check out this picture Ben took tonight. I was pulling the pork and getting ready to make sandwiches when Ben decided to snap a few pics. He somehow caught the most perfect pour in action. I am so impressed with the pic! Thinking about submitting it to the Pioneer Woman for one of her photo contests... maybe I'm so enamored with it bc Ben took it, but nonetheless, its pretty darn cool.

Here's to a 20X of many pork butts and photo ops!

My Sorry attempt at a Birthday Cake

2009-12-21T11:50:00.004-06:00

So, I had this grand idea to bake the Cover Cake of the December Southern Living for Ben's Birthday. I thought, i can follow a recipe well enough that i can do this with a little bit of extra effort.

I have never been more wrong in my life. I'm working on a Letter to the Editor that includes a requested phrase "Beware of Flying Icing" or "Do not attempt at Home without Professional Supervision" or "Prepare to fail you sorry thing!"

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves, but I'll replay one scene for you. I have two horrible looking chocolate cake layers, a not so fluffy chocolate ganace layer in between, two batches of horrible white icing that half of it is in my hair, the other half on the floor, i'm trying to cover the ugly crumbly sides of the cake with the icing but it has hardened and wont move.... and then my husband, the birthday boy walk in during the chaos! He had to help me clean the kitchen and get the goop out of my hair before our guests came over. How do you spell Disaster? C-A-K-E!

THis is what its supposed to look like...

Here's some happier moments from his Bday.

Turkey, Fishing, Rockband, Golf, Playdates, Christmas China?! We've been busy!

2009-12-09T15:11:00.008-06:00

We've been having lots of fun the past few weeks. We went to Palm Springs for our Family Fest Thanksgiving with the Grimsleys. Beatles Rockband, Gingerfizzes, Golf, Shopping, Cooking, and a Jackpot on the nickel slot machine... we covered it all!

Family Fest Beatles Rockband

Dad's Smoker... im very proud. Turkey, Brisket, and Pork Butt all in one week. THe neighbors all stopped by bc they could smell the meat all the way form the street!

Saints are 10-0!!!

We were singing Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, and Nolan said out loud "Marshmellow Pie?!" It was precious!

Family Fest

Sunrise on Black Friday... Hayley dragged us to Best Buy to look at TVs... yes, she didnt pull the trigger and buy anything, but at least i got this pic!

Kenny and Nolan riding bikes on the Norman Cartpath

He was peddling so hard up the hill daddy had to help! SO CUTE

Nolan catching the ball...almost! I caught the miss in mid air... and he's wearing his Reggie Bush Jersey too!

The Trot that never was... we made Tshirts with cute sayings for the Turkey Trot, but we showed up and the event wasnt until the next day! But at least We looked good!

My Darling "Cousin-Nephew" Hunter... his shirt says "Chick Magnet"!

Nolan and Daddy Fishing! I love the pond's reflection.

Boys going to Golf

My Mom's amazing backyard in the desert

Nolan and Kenny Catch a fish on Hole #7 of the Norman Course

Walker Zolfo came over for a "Playdate" at my house! Too bad there's nothing for him to play with... we'll work on that!

Nolan on the Driving Range... loved the clouse and the green... this is not photoshopped... pretty proud!

My holiday table... im so upset that my Christmas china pattern is discontinued from Williams SOnoma... oh well, i'll just have to get another one!

Some of the presents under the tree.. still shopping!

So what....

2009-11-19T09:06:00.004-06:00

So what that my Christmas tree is up by November 17th... with new bows and new garland decor... so what?! To me, once Halloween and my birthday are over, its Christmas. Even Starbucks uses their red cups in the beginning of November.

I'm planning on outside lights this weekend, decorating by spiral trees in front, and finishing all the little cutesy stuff by Saturday. Including... my Christmas China! Ben never understood Christmas China... he would say, so then what do you use the regular china for? It was one of those "you're over-ruled" moments. Regardless, i'm thrilled to get into the Christmas Spirit!

I'll post pics once everything is in place. I still have all the mess that the Christmas boxes bring.

The Challenge update

2009-11-09T21:08:00.002-06:00

So when I contemplated my recipe challenge, i didnt account for my travel. I've traveled during the week for the past 5 weeks, so i have to give myself a little bit of slack. I dont want to be the girl from the movie, exhausted at midnight making a chocolate cake or coq au van.... not going to happen.

I have managed to squeeze in a few- including this fabulous "The Ultimate Rigatoni" recipe. Its a baked pasta dish that could feed an army. It was delicious and looked so Italian and rustic.

Here's the link on food network- Tyler hits a homer on this one.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/baked-rigatoni-with-eggplant-and-sausage-recipe/index.html

Papa- Papa- Razzi!

2009-11-09T20:41:00.005-06:00

I never thought I'd be able to relate to a Lady Gaga song... but people are singing the Papa Papa Razzi song to me... well thats because Ben surprised me for my golden birthday with a fabulous Nikon DSLR camera. Its safe to say Im obsessed. I took 1200 pictures in 7 days. Yes, obsessed.

Since I work from home and dont see anyone living until Ben gets home, most of my pictures are of my gardens and plants. But when i get around people, the paparazzi in me cant be controlled.

Here are a few of my fave pics I've taken so far. Unfortunately, halfway through our halloween party, i figured out my focus was on manual... so i got some good ones, but not a lot.
Enjoy... plenty more to come.

Walker Zolfo, the sleeping angel

Beautiful Melissa, the Bride to Be

Proud Papa, i caught Matt in the middle of a belly laugh

My Caladiums nestled in my pittosporums

My fav rosemary... trying out that zoom effect thing

Sweet Potato Vine... going to die when it gets below freezing, but i'll enjoy while i can

My Roses.

Jello Shots in Action...

Darling Walker

Baxter, the firstborn

Im a Bad Blogger

2009-11-09T20:21:00.003-06:00

So, according to my lack of posts, you'd think things have been boring for us lately. Quite the contrary, we've been all over the place this past October. We had my parents in town, went on a trip to Galveston with the ODonnells, Had Hayley girl visit Dallas for a weekend, went to Baylor for Homecoming, and had CHuck and Melissa come visit and a Golden Birthday halloween party... yes, we've been all over the place.
I've also been traveling quite a bit during the week. Lately, i've been to Fredericksburg, VA, Sioux Falls, SD, Nashville, Cincinnati, and then I'll be in Milwaukee in a few days. Its really crazy going to all these random places, but its really been fun seeing all different parts of the country. I've seen the most gorgeous trees changing color in the VA/ Nashville area- a girl from San Diego is not used to this stuff.
Here are a few pics from the latest happenings:

Tony Soprano, Oompa Loompa, and Plaxico "I shot myself" Burress

Chuck meets Walker

The Future Rowlans! We're so happy for yall

Blake came to visit Hayley girl in Dallas

Hayley, the Karaoke Diva!

Lindsey the Dogsitter

2009-10-06T16:25:00.003-05:00

Im dogsitting for Lindsey and Matt Zolfo's dog while they are at the hospital giving birth to their baby boy Walker Matthew. We're just on pins and needles waiting to hear the good news

about the new baby. So Baxter and I sent Mama Linds a little note....

I've been enjoying the little guy. He's just been a great little house guest. He will sit around and watch me work and just lay in his bed. He greated the electrician at my house and didnt have an accident, and we went on a little walk around the house before it started to rain. Its pretty fun having a little buddy around here.

I think Baxter and I are going to catch Oprah on tivo and start making dinner....

Tyler's Ultimate

2009-10-06T16:14:00.003-05:00

So far i've made 4 recipes from my cookbook... keeping to my 2 a week. I've made the Ultimate Coleslaw, Ultimate Ratatouille, Ultimate Salmon and smashed potatoes with peas, and the Ultimate Chicken Wings. I'll say so far its 3 for 4 homeruns, 1 out. The Coleslaw, Salmon, and Ratatouille were fabulous. I've posted the Ratatuille recipe bc i had to share it. The wings, were dull and boring... not good at all. Here's a few pics of my successess this past week!

Salt and Pepper Salmon with Smashed Potatoes and Peas- fab

The Ultimate Coleslaw

The Ultimate Ratatouille- i only knew the name bc of the disney movie... had no idea what it was until i read the recipe. Its just a veggie dish that you make in stages- eggplant, zuchinni, onion, tomato and some anchovies for kick!

Here's the recipe scanned.

Mom and Dad in Dallas

2009-10-06T15:04:00.003-05:00

I love when mom and dad come visit. We have so much fun! They took another one of their famous Roadtrips... San Diego to Dallas to Austin to Houston in a three week span. I cant believe they drive that long, but am so glad they did it.

We had a ball... i taught mom and dad the art of eating like a texan...we broke out the smoker and made chicken and brisket. It was quite an event, starting with a trip to Bass Pro Shop. They've never been before, as a matter of fact, i've never been except one time prior to taking them. They couldn't believe it... its seriously an event. So we got our chips at Bass pro, fired up the smoker and cooked all day for 9 hours... it was SO good and a hit. I think they've already put one on the wishlist for a christmas present from the girls...

Here are a few pics- Mom and Ben

Me Celebrating a great homeade BBQ dinner and Mat and Lindsey got the wishbone

... we wished for a baby delivery that night, but didnt get it. ha!

Fall is here.

2009-09-22T13:46:00.002-05:00

So instead of the Day after Labor Day putting away all my white and linen, I get down (Ben gets down) all my fall stuff from the attic. I LOVE fall. My house looks so cute this time of year. It means football season, chili on Sundays, fall leaves, my birthday!!, crisp, not cold air, and all sorts of apples are in season. I just Love it.
Here’s my table décor

Here’s my new entry room buffet/ table. We found it at Weirs on Labor day and got a great deal. Also, we hung our new red/ orange pottery barn curtains in the opening room window. I don’t know why its taken me 2 years to even think about putting up drapes, but they look so pretty and really open the room up

Julie and Julia… I have not lost my inspiration.

2009-09-22T13:45:00.000-05:00

So, I posted about a month ago about doing a Cook through a Cookbook. I gave myself until Labor Day to start/ choose my book. Well, I’ve chosen to cook through, “Tyler’s Ultimate” by Tyler Florence. Tyler Florence is a foodnetwork chef who is from South Carolina but lives in NY and San Fran. He’s a southern guy with very high level of training. His show is called Tyler’s Ultimate, and the concept is that he makes a traditional staple dish, such as meatloaf or spaghetti carbonara, and makes the “ultimate” version of it. He doesn’t cut corners, uses butter, and makes every thing looks seriously good. I couldn’t think of a better book to start out it.
I cant wait to start.
If you read my previous blog post, you’ll know that I’m very busy with work/ travel/ weekends have been packed. So, the past two weeks were a bad time for me to start. But, I’ve committed to myself that my first dish will be made by this weekend, when my parents come in town. I’ll try out the first dish on them. I’m deciding between the Ultimate Ratatioulle or the Ultimate Salmon. I’ll blog all about it… whether you like it or not!

Dallas, Nashville, San Antonio, Dallas, Altanta, Sioux Falls, Minneapolis, Dallas. Tired.

2009-09-22T13:44:00.000-05:00

This has been my travel schedule inclusive of cities that I’ve been delayed in more than 2 hours… excuse me I mean 5 hours.
Work has been pretty busy the past month of so. Its fun traveling to cities I’ve never/ would never have gone to. I get to see the Airport, the nasty taxi cabs, the Hilton Garden Inns, and the Hospital Administration office. Talk about sight seeing.
I’ve been to Nashville probably 15 times in the past 2 years. I’ve never been downtown, I’ve never been to a honky tonk, and I’ve Never seen ANYONE famous. I am seriously ready to change this… I’d love to run into Brad Paisley or Carrie Underwood at the grocery store!!
Anyway, I post b/c I just spent 5 hours in Atlanta tonight on Delta. In a 5 hour span that was supposed to be 1.5 hrs, they changed gates on me 4 times… even terminals. It was so stressful / annoying to be toting around a suitcase and laptop bag on that tram. Very annoying.
The only upside to the delay is that I got to see the first half of the Cowboy game and the National Anthem.. my fave part.
Downside is I’ll get probably 4 hours of sleep then present a financial model at 9am and have different meetings until 2… and then do the travel thing all over again.
Im tired just thinking about it.

We’re Ready for Walker.

2009-09-22T13:30:00.002-05:00

Saturday, I had the pleasure of co-hosting Lindsey Zolfo’s baby shower with my dallas girlfriends for her 3 week away baby boy, Walker Matthew. We cant wait to meet him.
The girls and I had so much fun planning the shower, and it really turned out to be so darling. We made a great team and put together a very classy, but comfortable party. We used our china plates and glasses and real forks… it was fun to use my china for the … first time!!
Here are a few Pics

Lindsey and Mrs Walker

W cake for Walker

Lindsey and Lindsey

The Hostesses

The Spread

NFL Season Kickoff Week 1… and Oh what a week it was.

2009-09-22T13:22:00.003-05:00

I LOVE Football. I grew up watching the triumph and mostly tragedy of Saints games, went to Baylor during the darkest days of Football, watched the Chargers get oh so close but no cigar to the Superbowl, became a Texan fan while cheering and hoping David Carr would only get sacked 4 times during one game… rather than the usual 8.
I seriously deserve to be a fan of a good team. I’ve earned it.
So we hoped. And were let down once again. We were absolutely deflated by the Texans Home Opener week 1 loss to the “in my opinion over-rated rookie USC QB and the Jets”. We thought we had it in the bag. Plus, the Texans have had quite a bit of hype … all things considering. But, my bad karma strikes again. The Texans not only played terribly, the play calling was less than sub-par, and as my dad would say, they looked like chumps.
But Mrs Linda, Mr Darrell, Ben and I had the worlds best tailgate prior to the slaughter-fest. We grilled Hot and Spicy Brats and cooked Vidalia onions in Shiner Bock. Slapped it on a bun and mustard, seriously the best football tailgate food ever. We had tailgate neighbors that got wind of this and were begging for the last half. They offered us homemade deer sausage in return… only in Texas.
Here’s a few pics.

The Tailgate with Mr Darrell Mrs Linda and B

I was in charge of the grill... as i always prefer!

We're ready for a good game!

On our way into the stadium!

We didnt take pics after or during the game... not exactly a kodak moment!

Now, I will say, things might look up for us this year, The Texans beat the Titans at home in week 2… maybe I just need to stay home and they might win.

Bridesmaid, Broken Window, Bears, and Belts?!

2009-09-08T18:10:00.006-05:00

My blogging hiatus was due to traveling and really busy with work and just didnt want to look at a computer. But to update you, I've highlighted 4 words that help sum up our strange and interesting 2 weeks.

BRIDESMAID: Ben and I went to San Diego to celebrate Joelle and Jasons beautiful wedding in San Diego. It was a gorgeous weekend filled with lots of fun celebrations for the couple. The bride was stunning and the groom was a very happy man that weekend!I dont have pics from my camera but will post some either from the photog or when i get a cd back from kodak.

Also, got to see the Jones family for dinner and played with Nolie Canoli! He's helping Nana water her plants... he's such a great learner now. Too precious for words!

BROKEN WINDOW: After their amazing wedding, Ben and I went to Palm Springs with the O'Donnells for a getaway weekend. It was awesome and much needed Rand R. The weekend was suppossed to be Rand R... rest and relaxation. But ended up being more "Rite" a check and Reimburse.

Ended up that we had a window casualty, a chaise lounge and possible broken toe casualty, and a Margaritaville pitcher casualty. I wont name names, but i can tell you I didnt break the window and the check came out of our bank account.

Other than the break stuff weekend events, we had a ball!

Had fun playing golf

Liz kicked my butt playing golf!

Dinner at Arnies!

Signed Arnold Palmer's 80th Birthday card!

BEARS: We were thrilled to see our Baylor Bears won this weekend against Wake Forest. Such a great game... Yes, Hank Williams Jr... We're ready for some football. NFL starts this weekend and I have my fantasy team all set up.

BELTS?! Forget it... i'll save this story for another post. Its really so "Jeff Lewis" . There. That will give you a reason to check my blog later.

Green Chile Cookoff and Draft Central

2009-08-25T01:16:00.004-05:00

Saturday Wink and Erin Challenged me to a Green Hatch Chile Cookoff... come up with your best recipe using the chiles. Of course, i was up to the challenge. So the ODonnells came over to help be unbiased taste-testers and we were set for a party.

The Hungry Crew

Me and Mrs Liz

Bring it On Wink!

The Dual: The Watkins Green Chile Polenta with Shrimp and red sauce Vs. My Roasted Chile and Tomatillo Chicken Enchiladas

The Spread... Dan was a happy man

Seriously, they were both Fabulous... but the clear winner was Wink and Erin's Polenta and Shrimp... I think he cheated b/c he used Bacon!! So, i humbly gave Wink the win for this round, but we're already scheming up the next round.... maybe Chili? maybe BBQ?

We also had the St. Philip Fantasy Football Draft this weekend... its a big deal this year b/c i won last year and had a trophy made. I really like the trophy and i want to keep it in the house... only way to do that is to win!

My team highlights: Carson Palmer (I'm banking on this being his year), Felix Jones- my Cowboy homer pic, and Steven Jackson. I wanted Romo so bad... but mom beat me to the punch.

Draft Central- Ben's team highlights: Tom Brady... he said "He cant get hurt again", Steve Slaton- Texans homer pic, and Chad Ochocinco... we're hoping for some more Riverdancing this year!

Starting off the year right...

Restaurant Week in Dallas

2009-08-20T11:26:00.003-05:00

Ok, So i just have to document my meal last night.

In Dallas, lots of restaurants participate in "Restaurant Week" where they come up with fixed menus for "affordable prices" to gain exposure, hype, etc. Its a great chance for "normal" people to try out really nice restuarants without having to take out a loan. ha!

So, we went to Bijioux, a French 5 Star restuarant on our side of town. http://www.bijouxrestaurant.com/

Wink and Erin, our foodie friends picked out this place... and oh what a great choice they made! Here's what Ben and I had between both our 4 course meals

Crispy Pork Belly- ridiculously good... i wonder why?!
Vichyssoise- French soup that was smooth as velvet
Braised Short Ribs with truffled mashed potatoes
Scallops that were so yummy
Pork Tenderloin with a corn succotash and some kind of delicious sauce
And... Blue Cheese wrapped in puff pastry for dessert... Oh my fave!!

What a treat! Now i need to get to the gym before i look like a Pork Belly!!

Riverwalk, Rudy's and Are you Ready for some football?!

2009-08-17T16:40:00.005-05:00

Ben and I celebrated our 3rd year anniversary in San Antonio. Ben's company owns the Westin Riverwalk in SA and so we were able to score the corner suite for 2 nights! We went to the pool, walked the Riverwalk and ate some really delicious food-Two Highlights: Rosario's for Mexican food (the best fish taco i've had... i know i sound crazy, Tex Mex Fish Taco?! Seriously, it could beat any SoCal fish taco anyday) and Boudro's on the Riverwalk. Bourdro's is Louisiana Tex Mex fusion... So good. I had "Big tail, Small tail" it was Lobster, crawfish, and shrimp on top of risotto with the amazing sauce that tasted like creamy gumbo. Sounds ridiculous, it was ridiculously good.

On the way home, we figured out the 35 N is not the place you want to be on a Sunday. So we made the best of it. We had Starbucks in New Braunfels, Shopped in San Marcos, and ate Lunch at Rudy's in Round Rock... (we got so hungry we couldn't make it to Waco. )

But we finally made it to Waco and had a lot of fun sneaking into building that we weren't supposed to be in. Ben says "We'll just go in until we get kicked out". Great influence, right mom?!

First stop, the BU Athletic Center- This is the office facility and meeting rooms for all the sports. It looks great- also of note, lots of tutoring rooms and academic advisors. Ben was pleased to see that Baylor is finally trying to compete in the football recruiting game... you gotta please those mamas and the numerous "academic advisors" are the way to start!

Then we went into the indoor practice facility-- this is really cool. The turf is like the coolest grass astro-turf hybrid stuff i think anyone has seen. All I can say, is these Bears better be good with this "better than pro-team" grade facilities. I'm ready for a Bowl Game!!

Check him out, he's ready for the season!

Yall- Rothers and Pics n Gifts are GONE! They have totally demolished both buildings and just put in grass... sad about the Pics n Gifts guy! Here's the proof...

No stop is Waco is complete without a Mochachino from Common Grounds... it seriously tastes exactly the same. Good way to finish off the trip up I-35.

Julie and Julia. Inspired.

2009-08-12T22:20:00.006-05:00

So i haven't blogged in a few days... I know you missed me! ha.

Well, this weekend was low key, and much needed low key. We had a great evening at our friends the Watkins house for gourmet burgers and homeade cobbler... yum! Then Saturday, Ben took me to see "Julie and Julia" and I was in heaven... watching a movie ALL about food and the love of food. Needless to say, I was starving afterwards.

About the movie- I absolutely loved it. Meryll Streep makes a loving, charming, and endearing Julia Child. Amy Adams is loveable and even though her character has really bad hair, i still thought she was darling. The story makes you want to be the both of them and live their separate lives. Ben even "enjoyed it for a chick flick". He's the best.

About the Inspiration- So the feeling I had leaving the movie was, "I can do that too"! Now, for those who have heard about the movie, Julie Powell cooks all 524 recipes of Julia Child's in 1 year. Now, if i did this, i'd gain 50 pounds and have absolutely no social life. Not my idea of inspiration. So, i am planning on cooking my way through a cookbook (hold that thought) and cook 2 recipes per week. However long it takes me, i think its a realistic parameter and a great set up for an adventure in cooking. I dont have time/ real reason to go to culinary school, but i think of this as new way to cook / learn things i'd never learn otherwise.

Back the the cookbook thought- I'm working on it. I'm tetering between Ina Garten's "Back to Basics" and Tyler Florence's "Tyler's Ultimate". These are the first two that came to my mind b/c i adore these chefs cuisine and style on Food Network. I'm still deciding and entertaining new ideas. I want to find a cookbook that i am excited about the food and also feel that i'll want to replicate for years to come. I also dont want to pigeon hole myself into one cuisine that i end up tired of by the end of the year. And and all recommendations are welcomed! I am giving myself until Labor day to decide. So, stay tuned.

I will post notable moments about my "Adventures in Cooking" on this blog. So pay attention as you please. And for those of you who live in Dallas, expect an invitation to dinner at the Brewer's to help us eat all this food i'm going to conquer.

So, here's to an exciting start. Look forward to telling myself to Bon Appetit!

Wii had a ball!

2009-08-03T15:29:00.007-05:00

Here are some pics from the Brewer's and Elkins visit to Dallas. We had a great time.

The little boys love their Uncle Ben

The Cutest thing was to see the little guys play with Uncle Ben's Wii. They played Bowling all night and just thought it was the coolest thing. Check out Nathan and Conner in action.

Kath and Dave brought a kiddie pool we put in the backyard for them. They loved the pool and Dave didnt mind cooling off a bit from the August heat!

So the verdict is in... I made a tender, delicious brisket this weekend! The 11 pounder "with the fat" was a success. What did Emeril used to say, "Pork fat rules".... well in my case, "With the Fat Works"! The fam loved it and I'm thinking considering a few nicknames for my smoker skills... Mrs. Pitboss, Lindsey's Smokehouse, or the Queen of Mesquite... has not been determined yet, any suggestions are welcome.

Me and my new best friend

My Chickens- they were so good

Part of the 11 pounder

We took a family trip to the Dallas Arboretum. Ben and i had never been and for as much yardwork as we've done in our lifetimes so far, its a shame we've never gone here. We loved it and i cant wait to go during the fall.

The Elkins family... the boys loved running around the Arboretum. Just what the doctor ordered to wear them out before their naps.

11 Pounder

2009-07-30T17:01:00.004-05:00

To most people, it sounds very strange that I have a smoker- the California girl who grew up eating boca burgers and sushi every weekend-- but i'll tell you what, there is nothing better than brisket and chicken from a smoker! So, my sweet husband indulged my crazy idea and bought me a great electric smoker. Its amazing.

I took the smoker on a test drive with a small, trimmed brisket 2 weekends ago. Unfortunately it was really chewy and ended up in the food processor to become "Chopped Beef". After talking to my Smoke-Master friends, my hypothesis is that the meat needs to have the fat on it (i bought a trimmed brisket- thats like getting a Starbucks Non fat Latte with Whip) and it needs to be wrapped up in foil halfway through the cooking time.

Ben's family is coming in town this weekend and so i thought i'd give the smoker another try... I'll be darned if i let it beat me. So last night, Ben and I went to Sams and looked for "Briskets with the Fat" and naturally, i want the largest, most plump and fatty one there is. I dont want to take any chances this time! So, I chose an 11 pounder... it looks awesome!

Today, I've been looking at recipes to prepare for my big smoker debut. However, one strange thing that i notice is that most recipes call for "4-6 pound briskets". Wow... i'm in trouble. I'm either going to smoke the darn thing for days or serve it Tartare.

Here's the new Smoker ... this is definitely the Before picture. I didnt take an After picture b/c all you would see is Ben's tired jaws from my chewy brisket!

Home Makeover- Its DONE!!

2009-07-21T22:54:00.005-05:00

We've finally finished the bathroom remodel. Here's a before and after!

Previous Guestroom Bath

New Guest Bath

Old Tub/ Shower

New Shower

Old Powder (Jack) Bathroom

New Powder Bath

Cant wait to have lots of visitors to come and enjoy the new bath!

Cabinets and Countertops

2009-07-17T14:26:00.002-05:00

This week, our countertops were put in and they cabinets were stained. The marble turned out perfectly with our floors and all the other stuff- i'm so relieved!! I'm not a designer/ nor did i get my mother's decorating genes... so i feel like it turned out well all things considering.

Here are a few pix... hopefully, the project will be done next week.

Guestroom bath side. We extended the countertop to go over the toilet for more space.

The powder room side (Jack). The cabinet fronts and drawers will hopefully be in Monday.

Up close of the "Crema Marfil" color.

Home Stretch, here we come!

Texas Toast!

2009-07-17T13:33:00.000-05:00

I bet most of you think Texas Toast is the thick, buttery bread you get at a BBQ restuarant; but Thursday, Ben and I experienced a new kind of Texas Toast... its called, your AC going out in July. After 24 hours of no AC in 100+ degree weather, Ben and I became Texas Toast.

Here's the proof... it was 90 degrees in my house while i waited for the AC guy to come.

Rough Day.

Weekend at Meggie's

2009-07-13T21:48:00.000-05:00

This weekend, Meggie hosted the girls at her darling place in Shreveport. Jess, Taylor and I made a weekend of it with Meg. Meggie and her hubby of almost 1 year have a beautiful home and were so nice to host us girls for the weekend. Of course we had Shrimp Po’ Boys, Fried Green Tomatoes, drive through daiquiris, lots of girl talk, and a trip to the boats! I had to try my luck at craps for a little while… and low and behold, I was lucky! I won! Not a lot, but enough to go buy something that I don’t need!

We had a ball catching up. For brunch we went a “Southern Living Best Of Restaurant”, Strawns. It’s a diner like atmosphere with open kitchens throughout the restaurant. You can watch the lady on the stove cook your eggs and put that large dollop of butter on top.

Moment of Clarity for Me: You know you’ve become a Southern girl with Southern girlfriends when all four of us are debating whether or not to get a plate of Chicken Fried Steak to split amongst us along with our respective meals!! It was one of those moments where I thought, I truly have arrived as a Southern gal!

Strawns, The most DELICOUS Strawberry Pie! Debated about bringing one home, but thought a pie with 4 inches of whip cream + three hour car drive in black car + 100 degrees outside = a BAD idea! Will just have to visit during winter!

Meggie in her darling Kitchen. Look how cute she has fixed this up.

Drive Through Cajun Daquiris! Pretty Darn Good!

Daquiris at Meggie's house

Late night dinner at Joe's diner after our trip to the boats! Check out that greasy food!

Had a ball hanging with the College girls- just like old times!

Restoration to the Rescue

2009-07-09T17:13:00.000-05:00

Today, they put in the cabinet frames and starting to paint the ceiling and walls. We finally chose our "mineral blue" color for the walls. I've looked at a million different paint samples and just couldn't find the right blue/ green. A friend of mine recommeded Restoration Hardware paint colors for the cool, steely, "mineral" blue. She says they just have the colors down- and I couldn't agree more! This is Silver Sage- it was the color inside the store, so it was so easy to decide if i liked it or not. So Restoration Hardware to the Rescue! Here are a few pics... hard to tell with the flash, but its worth a shot.

This is standing in the bathtub room facing the "Jack" side ( the one that opens to the hall)

This is the Jill Bath (guest room side) and new cabinet.

Jack Bathroom cabinet frame

Jack Bathroom- where the "commode" will go

You can kind of see the color better on this wall compared to the white wall.

Bathroom Floor Tile

2009-07-06T17:13:00.000-05:00

Check out our Floor tile they just put in today! I love it! Things are really coming along. Tomorrow is grout and starting on the cabinets!

July 4th Weekend!

2009-07-06T16:47:00.001-05:00

We are so lucky to have two of our best couple friends moving into homes within 2 miles of our house! Its been such a fun weekend celebrating our friends big move in weekends and relaxing for the long weekend!

Saturday we helped Dan and Elizabeth ODonnell paint their beautiful new home in our neighborhood. Dan helped Ben with the infamous flagstone project for our house, so we were glad to return the favor and help the ODonnells paint! We painted 3 rooms- one room took two coats! Thankfully, Liz had some Firefly Sweet Tea to help us keep going! Here's a few pics from our paint job... dont mind the hat or outfit!

Saturday Night we went to the Zolfo's beautiful new home in a neighborhood right down the road from us. We had a great Fourth of July celebration with friends. Ben couldn't resist giving Matt one of his favorite house tools for a housewarming present... the Headlamp! Ben uses it all the time... believe it or not, you never know when you need an LED headlamp!

What Brewer three day weekend would be complete without a little yard work?! Our Favorite nursery in Dallas, Jackson's, has an annual 4th of July sale that you buy one plant, get the next one for 4 cents!! This nursery is known for really beautiful, but expensive plants. So, its a great sale b/c you get 2 for the price of one. We planted 2 hydrangeas that will probably bloom next spring and 2 more "Yewtopias"- one of our favorite plants in our shady bed. Anyway, here's update of my Red caladiums and my hard workin man!

Our New Bathtub Tile!

2009-07-01T20:20:00.000-05:00

Here is an update on where we are on the Bathroom Remodel. They have completely finished the bathtub room tile/ window. We put in a glass block window to fix up that big old window space. The other two rooms have the plumbing done and are sheet rocked. Tomorrow they will install the new windows and begin to build the cabinets for both vanities.

Here's some progess as of today

They use pennies to hold the tiles in place before they grout. They said its the smallest grout lines possible- 1/8th of an inch!

Its been really fun to watch this unfold! Our contractors are great and we've been very pleased with their progress.

Will keep updating!

Lindsey's entered the Blogging World...

2009-06-30T23:04:00.001-05:00

I hear there's no going back. Once you're a blogger, you're always a blogger. Well, here's to "Here Goes Nothin"!

I think this is the best way to keep in touch and send pictures. I'm getting tired of waiting 45 mins to upload pics to Kodak, not everyone's on Facebook, and so the next best thing is to blog!

As I create this blog, I'm sitting in my hotel room on a business trip to College Station. I usually cant sleep well in hotels, so i thought i should create a blog so i could start to get tired and fall asleep. Not a great idea... now i'm hooked on figuring out this blog thing.

So- this is my official first blog. Gotta go- Hannity is on talking about Sarah Palin... dont want to miss that!