A night that may never be topped

Tonight was just such a fun memory. I think that it's very important to note that I am writing a summation of this epic night at 8:50 pm. Meemaw status secured.

My most favorite blogger ever, BooMama, just released her first book "A little Salty to cut the Sweet." When I tell you it's fantastic that is no lie. And I would know as I have read 10 whole books in my lifetime. But let me tell you it's truly great. If you have family, you can relate. But if you have a Southern family, you not only can relate but you will think to yourself oh thank goodness my family is normal. She has a delightful way of finding the Holy in the everyday. The blessings in the people around you.

Well, being from Mississippi, she did a book signing in Jackson and we went! Y'all. It was just delightful. Between my nervous talking and Whitney's high adrenaline, hot flashes, I am quite positive we were one crazy sentence away from security being called and a short trip for an evaluation at the mental institute. I totally kid. BooMama or Sophie Hudson her real name was absolutely delightful and I hope everyone I know reads her stories because I promise you your heart will be blessed. In fact, you can order it here. And you should.

After we thoroughly met and got books signed, it was time for the early bird special at Bravo because we are high rollers like that. We sat and talked and chatted and greatly enjoyed the company. Lifelong friends just can't be beat. They are the cheapest form of therapy there is. We had a ball and laughed till it hurt.

I think it's appropriate to end this post with my favorite quote from the book because it says so beautiful how I feel about a good fellowship with friends, family, friends who are family, and food.

"For the first half of my life, probably, I thought that the whole point of the table was the food....But now that I am older, I know better. And it's comforting, somehow, to recognize that while the food may be what brings us to the table, it's not the main course by a long shot. More than anything, I think, the food is an invitation to see what the Lord is doing, 'to taste and see that the Lord is good' (Psalm 34:8). Because when people gather round the table to break bread, the Lord gets to work. He knits together our hearts, strengthens our bonds, and connects our narratives. The table is where He links the generations, where he prompts us to join hands and now heads and remember and laugh and pass our stories back and forth to each other." A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet by Sophie Hudson.

I sure did appreciate the table tonight. And while the food was great, the company was better. The Lord used a couple hours with best friends to strengthen the heart and soul. And that my friends can't be beat. So thank you Sophie for reminding us of just that little nugget of truth!

Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime

We have been doing a lot of celebrating the season over the past few days. I absolutely love it. Being festive is a hobby of mine, I think.  As we all know, patience is simply not my virtue. I think that I only matured to the equivalent of a 5 year old in the "wait on the surprise" area. With that being said, Bubba and I have already had our Christmas exchange. Partially due to travel plans, but mostly due to my 10 day nagging and begging fest. I am not proud, however I am certainly happy it paid off! 

We did small, fun Christmas this year. Mainly because we did exciting things like buy a deep freeze and car insurance. Oh adulthood how you be so awesome. Anyway. Bubba's big gift was a game that he wanted and some soft pants and some books. He got me a cute shirt and sweater as my small gifts. My big gift was this....

Yes. An Umbrella and a Spoon and Sugar.

It was more of a clue than a present.  Turns out it was an umbrella and a "spoonful of sugar." We are going to see Mary Poppins in Memphis in a few months! I am SO excited!! Mary Poppins is my absolute most favorite movie of all time. I love love love it. I cannot wait!

The Pups also got presents because I am crazy like that. Gunnar and Gertie got a candy cane bone, tennis balls, and new stuffed toys to destroy and leave white fuzz ALL over the place. This hasn't happened yet. I am just coming to terms with my future.

Loves her bone more than life itself.

We have also done a good bit of Christmas movie watching, going to look at all the pretty Christmas lights, and baking. I made Christmas Bark for some neighbors, co-workers, and friends. It was a huge success! So easy and so yummy! I used this recipe.  Seriously the easiest thing I have ever made. This is a terrible picture, but it tasted lovely.

Lastly, we have just been hanging out with good friends, who are kinda the same as family. And that is truly our greatest blessing. Last night we went to dinner to celebrate life and Will's new JOB!!!!!!! and ate and laughed and cried (well, just Whit) and laughed because Whitney was crying :).  I can't wait to celebrate this week with our families. This week has been a pretty great pre-game warm-up! 

Will finally got his facial hair he always wanted!

This month has been a great one! I cannot wait for it to finish out strong. The best is yet to come.

The best being this baby girl! Caroline, I am coming for you!!!

Oh. And it is worth mentioning... I have been married to this guy for 7 months. Best 7 months to date!

Such a softy

Have a Merry Christmas!!

For a child is born to us,

    a son is given to us.

The government will rest on his shoulders.

    And he will be called:

Wonderful Counselor,Mighty God,

    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

Pancake Pajama Palooza

Nothing says Christmas like friends coming over for pancakes in their pajamas.  We had our 2nd Annual Pancake Pajama Palooza on Wednesday, and it was so much fun! We love all our friends and this was such a fun time to get together and celebrate the most wonderful time of the year!

This tradition will definitely be one that sticks around for years to come. Or as I said to Bubba, "I want to eat pancakes in my pajamas until I die." And while that does sound appealing, I think I was dramatically trying to say that this tradition should stick around for a long time. But who knows, I may eat pancakes from here on out. Only time will truly tell.

Please note that A needed high heels to accessorize

Pancakes clearly are lonely without a big ole ham

Until next year, Happy Pancake Pajama Palooza!!

A Very Merry Friendsgiving!

Last night, we celebrated Friendsgiving. A joyous celebration with dear friends and pot luck dinner. Can I get an Amen? We had pork roast and all the yummy sides you could think of: corn casserole, mac and cheese, sweet potatoes, potato salad, and desserts! There is something quite magical about sharing a meal with those you love. Be them friends or family. Or in this case a little of both :).  Everyone had a blast, and we ate and fellowshipped. Two of my greatest skills. 

Someone had a lot of chocolate :)

Friends and Family

We may not have a big, perfectly set table to sit at, but we keep it classy with turkey paper plates and sitting criss-cross applesauce style on the floor. 

Our friends are some of the best in the world. And these were just a portion of them. I am so thankful that the Lord has blessed me with great friends that are truly family. This was a great pre-game training meal for next week. May the Holidays begin!!

The Best Days of Our Life

If you know me, I am sorta a life enthusiast. As in I love getting excited. I absolutely HATE surprises, because my most favorite activity is living in a state of excitement. I love the build up. I also don't have to be excited about anything particularly huge. I may suffer from some sort of disorder because I have been known to be equally excited about a trip to Chick-Fil-A and a trip to the beach. I only think that this makes me well-rounded not weird. I may be wrong.

Well, this past weekend and this upcoming week is sure to be one continuous state of excitement. Friday we had a fun date that was filled with much needed fellowship. I simply love all my friends, but this one is a sure winner. Saturday, we had such a fun and relaxing day at home. Actually, I had that day and Bubba took a test for his class for 4 hours. At one point, I felt guilty for laying in bed and watching football, so I deep cleaned the bathroom and bedroom. Then, I resumed my horizontal position with the dogs snoozing too. Rough life.

Gunnar wanted to turn off the Ole Miss game. He is a Tiger fan.

The best part of Saturday came that afternoon/night. We went to an incredibly sweet wedding of some family friends. I can honestly say that they looked so happy and so in love. It was one of the sweetest weddings I have been too in a while. The groom's sisters (our friend) made me tear up a little. They are definitely a kind and good family. We are always blessed by them. After the wedding, some friends of ours (Corey and Marie) came over to our house for an on the spot football party. We watched the State/Bama game. Ryan came over and joined us too. In about 15 minutes, we had a spread. Complete with pork roast mini sandwiches. I promise you that football and food are in my DNA. At any moment, I feel a girl must be ready for some team spirit and that involves food. Look it up. I bet Southern Living agrees. 

Yum. State may have lost, but we had a blast.

Sunday, we had a blessed day with family. We went to church with Bubba's sister's family. It was a great service and then we had good family fellowship after. We even ate dinner together too. I can't complain about that kind of day! The girls were as cute and sweet as ever. We had fun getting to see their clubhouse at the lot. It was super cool. My favorite moments always come from talking to these girls. A had some great things to say, and we are so proud of the little smarty she is becoming. She wrote all our names and even spelled out Bubba mostly by her self. Smart cookie. Here is a conversation between L and me:

L: You can come to our clubhouse and be in our club. But, you need to ask your mama and daddy first.

Me: Well, I will be sure to ask them.

L: Good, you gotta ask your daddy.

Haha. I guess I should be sure to ask Jim. We are excited about this week and especially Halloween! Let's just hope my excitement stays at a healthy minimum. Although, with this weather, that may be too much to ask. Fall has arrived.

Boots. Crunchy Leaves. YES!

Merry Football. Happy Halloween. Fall Lovin' Friends!

In My Head...

At times, people in my life may have referred to me as stubborn as a mule strong-willed. Well, today I upped the ante, and I went head to head with Mississippi Fall. Let's safely say that even though I want to wear a scarf and boots and tights just because it is October does not mean that I can ignore a high of 87. Boo. Hiss. So, I am hot and sweating like a sinner in church. Fail.

Now on to more pleasant things in my head and some weekend recap.This weekend, we celebrated our best friend's one year old. He and Andy are buds. Happy Birthday Bud!!

Even though today is hot as blazes, we have had some reprieve from the heat which subsequently inspired holiday decor and cooking.  Erin came over and we made some SINFUL treats. I don't even know how to describe them except to say that anyone prone to diabetes should not be in a 5 mile vicinity. One portion of the recipe actually called for brown sugar, regular sugar, and "light" corn syrup. The "light" part totally made a difference...

I mean. Lord. Yum. Heaven help us.

Four pumpkins size appropriate for Bubba, Me, Gert, and Gun.

Saturday night, we celebrated a big friend's birthday, as in over the age of 6. It was a lot of fun to chill and hangout with all of my friends. Those times are always fun. Always too short. And always too infrequent. It's almost like we all have jobs now... oh wait. While we were there, Sara's baby (now not so little) loved Bubba's shoes. This picture is just too sweet.

This post has been sufficiently random. The main take away is that I want Fall to HURRY UP!!! I mean really is it so hard to dip to a cool 70?!?!? I don't have high expectations. Below 80 is scarf weather here. At least I know the cutest pumpkin in the pumpkin patch. See if you can find her...

Happy Fall...or Summer in October. Whatever. Megan Out.

Weekend Wrap Up--Bubba's Edition

Over the weekend, Bubba went on a Guy's Trip to see Chipper Jones's last home stand. (For those of you unfamiliar with the exciting world of Braves Baseball, Chipper played 19 seasons with the Braves).  The boys mourned the end of their childhood era, and I mourned the end of Season 2 of Friday Night Lights. It rained here ALL weekend so Gert and I had a lot of indoor alone time.

Here are some pictures the boys sent from the game. I may have required photographs... But this is a memory worth documenting!

While Bubba was gone, I did get out and have fun catching up with my law school bestie Erin. It was a fun night of eating and chatting. Then on Sunday I went to church and ate with Rebecca, Will and the girls. Good times by all. Gert and I also did a lot of chilling while I washed about a million loads of laundry.

The above is how I feel on this rainy and cold Monday. Happy week!

Friends, Family, and Fun Times!

Wow! What a weekend! I am sad that it is Monday, which of course starts the weekly countdown to Friday.  This past Friday I had a much needed Girls' Night with Sara, Susan, A Fri, Whit, Lesley, and Emily, who was in town visiting. I failed to take a picture and that was my bad.  We went to Babalu and had a great time yelling at each other. I love the food, but it is always so loud so in order to get in good conversation you have to use your outdoor voice. It was so much fun though to hangout and visit. I am really glad that Emily came up for a visit and cannot wait to go down to BR to visit her.

Saturday morning involved some chores and some serious needed cleaning. I swear that the amount of laundry that we produce in a week is absurd. I also began watching Friday Night Lights on Netflix. It is amazing. I know that I am about 3-4 years behind the trend of loving this show but it is fantastic. I am already addicted and need to know what ever will happen to the Dillon Panthers.  Saturday afternoon, we picked up the girls and headed to the MS Museum of Natural Science. We met Sara and Baby Walker, and we all had a blast.

LOVE this pose!

The girls spent the night, and we ate pizza and had a movie night in a blanket fort made by the two uncles. I think it was more enjoyment for them than the girls! This next picture about melts my heart. Bubba and his girl have a special bond you know being middle children and all. So sweet...

We took the girls home on Sunday and went to church. It was a great Sunday. After running some errands, we chilled at home. Ate Mexican stack ups and took Gert for a walk. And had a good impromptu visit from our friend Ryan.

Life is good. :)

Weekend Wrap Up

Somehow, this weekend turned out to be somewhat busy and we were on the go, but it was filled with great visits with friends and family so all in all it was better than we could have asked. I am going to cheat and include Thursday night because my parents came over to eat dinner and hang out with us. It was so much fun and we ate way too much at the Strawberry Cafe. We watched some of the Olympics and just had a grand time.

Friday night brought a Girls' Night for me and I am confident it brought video game playing for Bubba. It was so much fun to sit and catch up with all the girls. I met Susan, Whit, Sara, Lester, and A Fri at Chili's (which is a random place for us to eat but I was so excited to eat my meal of potato skins. Healthy much?). We just sat and talked for a ridiculously long time, and then we had to move the party to its second location Corner Bakery for some sweet treats. We shut that place down.  After an almost 4 hour dinner, we figured we had accomplished what we needed to.

Saturday was filled with fun! We started off with a baby shower for our friends LeeAnn and Garett.  We cannot wait until sweet Gracen makes her debut in a few weeks. Then we met up with some of Bubba's friends that were in from out of town and had a good catch-up. That night we went over to Joshua's apartment to help him get settled in a bit before he starts law school this week. (Thinking back about that time in my life made me SO glad I am on the finished side of law school and the bar.) We went out and ate and just had a really great time.

We celebrated Sunday in typical fashion. Church. Followed by lunch with family. We ate with Rebecca, Will and the Girls at the Fish House and it was fab. It really is so much fun to live in the same town as family. This is new for me and I really really love it. I only wish that John and Emily and baby C could ever move this way. We went on Sunday night to church for Small Group Kick-Off. It was so much fun and we are really looking forward to being in a small group.  We ended the night with about a 2 mile walk. I am sore still which is humiliating. Poor Gertie was exhausted after. Here is the proof:

This weekend was busy and fun and still had the feel of summer about it. I know that fall is creeping around the corner, and I honestly cannot wait.

Here's to a great week!

GO Team USA!

Our friend Brandon came in town and that meant a night of fun fellowshippin' at his parents' house. We celebrated friends, the Olympics, and all things American. Like Hot Dogs and Homemade Ice Cream. We truly love this family.

Y'all. The Olympics tonight were awesome! Spoiler... America is better :)!! The girls gymnastics was amazing. It was almost as inspiring as '96. These girls stomped everyone and I am so happy! Swimming also didn't disappoint.

I think we were all pretty proud to be an American!! These pictures sum up our evening pretty perfectly.

Side note... I might have made t-shirts for me and bubba.