Sweet Sweet Emma!

Can't believe it's been almost an entire month since blogging!!  So much has happened...so let's focus today's blog on Emma....after all....this blog is named after her right?


Sweet Sweet Emma!  This past week Emma has had Derek and I wrapped around her bandaged little paw.  We have done nothing put spoil our injured puppy!  I guess I should let you know what happened.... 


Emma loves water of any kind,  I'm pretty sure she has webbed feet and maybe some gills.  Any time we are near water it is all she can do to stay away.  So, as usual we were playing fetch in the pond by our house.  I was throwing her favorite stick and she was bringing it back to me.  All of a sudden I noticed she was bleeding.  Immediately, I was sick to my stomach...Emma on the other hand was just as happy as she could be.  She did a great job slicing her foot open while playing.  I flagged down Derek and he checked her out and here we go off to the Doggy ER.  They stitched her up and gave her a pretty sweet bandage and sent us on our merry way with a hefty price tag.  But of course it was all worth it.  All week Emma has had her every need catered to.  She has eaten way too much people food, slept on the bed, and even got a new toy.  I'd say Derek and I are whipped!

On the way to the ER

Sweet Bandage you got there!

Hope I get some free time this week...because I AM SUPER excited about my next weekly rundown!!  

Enjoy!

It's March Already....

I can't believe it's March already.  Seems like just yesterday I started this blog.  Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.  Fun stuff in this week's rundown!  


1.  LOVE LOVE LOVE Clean Sheet Day!  I was lucky enough to have the day off and was able to do some things around the house, washing our sheets was one of the things I accomplished.  I don't know about you, but there is something about fresh washed sheets that just does a body good.  I can't wait to get in bed tonight and feel their deliciousness ;)  I wish I had time to make every day clean sheet day!  It's the little things that make life wonderful!


2.  Mellow Mushroom...ahhhh-mazing!  Many of you know, I went to college at the WONDERFUL ASU and it was there I discovered my love of Mellow Mushroom.  If you've never heard of it you are MISSING out.  It's a pizza place like you wouldn't believe.  Derek and I have just discovered a new one not too far from us.  NOT GOOD....we have already been twice.  If you are near one in the next few days, drop what you are doing and try some of their wonderful parmesan and garlic fresh pretzels and pizza!  Your mouth will thank you I promise.

3.  You need to try MyPublisher.com!  I had a friend tell me about this website and now I'm sharing!  If you love pictures like I do, you will love this website.  For Valentine's Day, I knew I wanted to do something special for Derek so I used this website to design him a photobook of our honeymoon.  It is great!  I was able to customize it just like I wanted and the quality was wonderful.  I was also shocked on how fast it got here.  It's easy to use and very reasonable.  Sign up for their emails and you will get some awesome deals! 

4.  LOVE TI!  Topsail Island, or as I like to refer to as TI, has to be my most favorite place in the world.  It's a small island just north of Wilmington, NC that isn't as commercialized as the other NC beaches.  I have been going there since before I can remember.  It's my small piece of heaven.  I love taking the boat out with the family and parking at a sandbar to enjoy the day with my hat, shades, beach chair, and my kindle.  Warm weather is almost here and I can already smell the Topsail air!!  Hopefully, we can get down there in the next few weeks.

Emma loves the TI too!

5.  I'm going to be an AUNT soon and I love him already!!  Towards the end of June, Derek and I will become Aunt and Uncle again.  My sister-in-law has been sending me weekly belly pictures!  We are super excited.   I've started helping plan the baby shower only to find TONS of cute baby stuff.  I'm in charge of invites and some decorations for a barnyard theme.  This is going to be fun!  

29 years.....WHOA!

This blog is for my Mommy & Daddy!  


Today is my Mom & Dad's 29th Anniversary...HOLY COW!  I have no idea how they have put up with each other all those years.  AND I have no idea how they managed to raise 3 daughters during that time that turned out OK ;)  All joking aside, they have shown me a wonderful example of marriage.  They have stuck together through thick and thin and loved us girls and each other every step of the way.  Thank you mom and dad for all you have done for me and all you continue to do.  I'm not sure where I would be without you.  It is my hope and prayer that my family and marriage turns out like yours.  I can't wait for the next 29 years!  I love you both....Ash

Aren't they cute?

Enjoy!

Did you miss me?

Excuses...excuses!  That's all I ever give to make me feel better about not blogging.  I've let my loyal followers down again.  This time we had a pretty big excuse....computer problems.  With that said...I'll begin my weekly rundown!


1.  LOVE our new MacBook Pro.  Derek and I have known for quite a while that we needed a new computer and we have just put it off.  Luckily, Santa brought us a few Best Buy gift cards because he also knew we needed to make a purchase.  After lots of research, we decided on the MacBook.  So far we just adore it.  Maybe we adore it because it actually works...it was funny to watch us turn on the old computer with our fingers crossed praying it would work!  


2.  Lunch with one of my oldest and dearest friends makes my happy!  This past weekend, I had the pleasure of having lunch with my Janice.  We have been friends since I can remember.  Growing up we lived about a mile from each other and our parents bought us two-way radios so we wouldn't keep the phone line busy....those were the days.  As we have grown older, we don't see each other as much, but when we do it's just like old times.  I feel like we could talk for hours about anything and everything.  I wish we could still have slumber parties like we used to and stay up all night gossiping and laughing.  For now, lunch will do.  Thanks for being my best buddy JET....you are a wonderful mom, wife, and friend!


3.  I love NASCAR...just kidding!  As I'm sitting here blogging, my dear husband is watching Nascar.  Which only reminds me that for the next couple months, my Sundays will involve some sort of Nascar.  I'm not going to lie, the sport is sort of growing on me.  Before Derek, I never watched racing, and since we have been together it has grown on me.  We went to a race a few years ago and believe or not it was very fun.  So for the next few Sunday's I will be looking forward to the very beginning of the race to hear Darryl Waltrip say "BOOGITY BOOGITY....Let's go Racin' Boys!"  HAHAHA!


4.  LOVE Broadway shows!  A few years ago, I went to New York with some friends and saw my first Broadway Musical, "The Lion King."  It was AMAZING.  I'm not the type of person that enjoys musicals, but this was great.  Everyone needs to go experience it at least one time.  While in New York we wanted to see "Wicked," and of course it was sold out.  I got super excited when I found out it was coming to Durham this summer, and even more excited when Derek got me tickets for Valentine's Day (isn't he sweet).

5.  LOVE GIRL SCOUT COOKIES!  It's that time of the year again!  Time for those cute little girls to sell those wonderful little cookies.  Derek came home with a box, and my eyes lit up like it was Christmas.  Truth be told, I teared up a little I was so excited!  My favorite is the Caramel Delights. That yummy cookie surrounded by caramel and little bits of coconut, dunked and drizzled in chocolate....absolute heaven.  

Enjoy!

Will you be my Valentine?

So...I've been MIA for the past few weeks and I apologize!  I was lucky enough to be able to spend some time in Sunny California.  It was a work trip, but I did get to enjoy some California sun.  I can't wait to share some about the trip!  BUT FIRST...I Love Valentine's Day!  I can't let another day go by without sharing my love of this LOVEly holiday!  Today's weekly rundown is brought to you by none other than cupid himself!

Ahhh-mazing

1.  I love Krispy Kreme's Valentine Doughnuts!  I love Krispy Kreme period, but when you pair the goodness of fried dough with chocolate and valentine sprinkles...DING DING DING...We have a winner!  This past Saturday, Derek and I were drawn to the KK by the red neon "Fresh Hot Now!"  My face absolutely lit up when I saw the Valentine doughnuts and Derek knew we couldn't leave without one.  So my friends....here is my Valentine doughnut!  Now, do yourself a favor and go grab you a couple!

2.  I love Chocolate and Flowers!  When I think of Valentine's Day, I think about chocolate and flowers of all sorts.  Maybe it's the commercials or all the hearts in the stores.  My favorite is dark chocolate of any kind.  There is just something about it that makes my heart smile.  So fella's go grab you sweetie some sweet chocolate, she will love you forever.  One of my most favorite Valentine's memories was when I was in college and involved flowers.  I was having a rough few weeks and on Valentine's I got the sweetest surprise from my parents all the way in Boone.  My mom had the most beautiful flowers sent to me which made me feel like the most special girl in the world.  Flowers can brighten anyone's day, not just on Valentine's Day!

3.  I love decorating with Conversation Hearts!  Every year my mom does this fancy little decorating with conversation hearts.  She fills a clear vase with the candy and places a candle inside.  It's so simple, but super cute.

4.  I love Sophie Kinsella!  I'm a girl, and I love girly, sappy, easy to read books.  One of my favorite authors when I'm looking for a light read is Sophie Kinsella.  She wrote the "Shopaholic" series.  So far my favorite book by her would have to be "The Undomestic Goddess."   This Valentine's Day, her NEW book comes out and I am super excited!  The title of her new book is "I've Got Your Number."  I will be downloading this to my kindle!

5.  I love my sweetheart!  I know....another sappy post, but it's Valentine's day so it's ok right?  I'm blessed to have such a wonderful man in my life (who does my laundry on Saturday while I'm at work).  I am super excited about my gift for Derek this year!  I absolutely can't wait to give it to him....I just hope it loves it as much as me.  I'll share with you what it is in a few days!

Hope you all have a wonderful Valentine's Day!

Happy New Year!

Hello!  It's my first blog of 2012....and I'm pretty excited about it.  Sorry I haven't done it sooner, but Derek and I have been traveling a little, spending a little extra time with friends, and of course work.  I'm excited about today's blog because I've decided for the first time in A LONG TIME to make some New Year's Resolutions.  Maybe by blogging about them I will stay on track and keep you updated along the way.  So far, 2012 for us has been pretty good, and we have lots to look forward to.  One thing in particular that we are looking forward to is becoming an Aunt and Uncle to a bouncing baby boy (Congrats to my brother-in-law and sister-in-law).  

So...here we go, My 2012 Resolutions!

1.  Keep Blogging!

2.  Read at least 5 books.  Hopefully more, but for now....lets not over do it ;)

3.  Experiment with new recipes.  I made homemade chocolate chip cookies last week for the first time ever.

4.  Start Daily Devotionals!  I downloaded "Jesus Calling" on the Kindle and so far it is ok, any suggestions are welcome.

5.  Run in a 5k!  (Briskly jog at least) 

6.  Try not to gain any weight.  I would LOVE to loose weight but lets be honest here, easier said than done.

7.  Do better about letting people know how much I care about them.  Life is short, I don't want any regrets.

8.  Send more cards just because!  I know it makes me smile, so why not make others smile!

9.  Spend more time with my grandmas!  They are amazing, and I want to learn everything I can from them.

10.  Learn more about football.  Derek loves football and if he is watching a game, I have to ask about everything.  So I'll try to learn more and give him a break.

11.  Try not to loose as many socks!  I'm serious, I have about 20 socks right now with NO matches...how does that happen?

12.  Go to the beach more!  Last year we were wedding planning and didn't have a lot of extra time, this year we WILL make up for it!  After all, the TI is my favorite place in the world.

13.  Find a new hobby.  Maybe crocheting, photography, sewing, crafting...we shall see!

14.  Make our first year of marriage amazing!

MaryMePhotography

What are your resolutions?

Hope you had a Merry Little Christmas!

Derek and I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!  Our first Christmas together was amazing as expected.  We were surrounded by family and friends which is the best Christmas gift anyone could ask for.  SO....for today's weekly rundown I will share with you my 5 favorite things about this Christmas!

1.  I know I've mentioned this before....but I'll make sure you know!  I LOVE Sprinkles!  My mom knows this especially!  Just the other day, I broke in to their house and stole their stash of sprinkles (not joking at all).  So for Christmas my mom got me a whole canister of these "bits of sunshine!"  If you need some sprinkles....stop by!  I'll be glad to lend you some.


2.  I have some great friends...but for today's blog I will focus on 2 very special ones.  Diana and Emily.  I met these girls my sophomore year at App.  We pledged the same sorority, and instantly became great friends.  Emily and Diana both live in the western part of the state, which means we only get to see each other about once a year, twice if we are lucky.  Our friendship is amazing and I cherish it dearly.  We can go for weeks without talking and all of a sudden pick up right where we left off.  Emily will be having a little bundle of joy in May and I am SUPER excited!  I can't wait to deck him out in some Appalachian gear!  This year for Christmas, Diana and her husband Travis, sent Derek and I the sweetest package in the world.  (Diana thinks of everything)  This package of love contained, SPRINKLES, and some sweet ECU and App Gear!  When I opened this, I just couldn't stop thinking of what a lucky girl I am to have these girls in my life!

Thanks Guys!

Baby Pitts 

3.  I love our First Christmas Ornament!  During our honeymoon, Derek and I decided to pick up an ornament at some of the cool places we visited.  We got one in the Bahamas, at Kennedy Space Center, in Charleston, and a few more.  But...my favorite we purchased in Blowing Rock to remember our First Christmas!

4.  I love my "B Tree."  We have not one but 2 big Christmas trees.  One tree has all the ornaments from my Granny B's tree, hence "The B Tree."  When she was still alive, I would go over almost every Christmas and help decorate her tree.  Even if I was away at college she would wait until I got home to help.  She would tell me the story of each ornament as I hung them.  I was lucky enough to get her box of Christmas goodies when she passed away.  Now, every year I will have a part of Granny B near me at Christmas!


5.  I love the Ernest Movies!  Derek really listens to me...not long ago we were watching TV and I mentioned I hadn't seen the Ernest Movies in a while....I'm sure you all remember (Ernest Saves Christmas, Ernest Goes to Jail, Ernest goes to Camp....etc.)  So for Christmas, Mr. Husband of year got me not one people....BUT 3 Ernest Movies.  This jewel of a collection was probably my favorite gift this Christmas....besides the sprinkles of course.




One more thing....I have a special prayer request from you readers!  Derek's best buddy, Gardner who was in our wedding, has a sister who suffered a massive stroke on Christmas Eve and is fighting hard for her life.  I don't have a personal relationship with Hillarie but I met her a few times years ago and remember that she was such a sweet person.  Gardner and his wife Misty have been great friends to Derek and I.  Their parents are wonderful people as well, I've only met them a few times but they act like they've known me forever.  So if you will, please pray for a miracle recovery for Hillarie and strength for her family.  There is a facebook page "Praying for Hillarie Denning" started by one of her friends full of people praying for her.  Since the page was created, there were more than 3900 followers in less than 3 days, including Scotty McCreery.  Talk about amazing!  If you read the page, you will see what a wonderful person she is and how many lives she has touched over the years.  

A few Sweet Recipes for your Holiday Happiness!

First of all....I'd like to say how lucky my husband is.  He gets to be my official taste tester to all these yummy recipes I've been trying lately.  Well...now that I think about it, he could be a little unlucky too, some of them have been "different" I guess I should say ;)


I do have a couple of yummy Christmas recipes to share.


This first recipe is straight from my Nanny's kitchen.  Last week, we had a cookie exchange at work and I gave her a call to ask her what I should bake, and this was her suggestion, Chocolate Crinkles.  These cookies are so yummy.  My favorite thing about these is that they are so light and airy.  Which also makes them dangerous, because you can't eat just one.  So....without further anticipation...


Nanny's Chocolate Crinkles!

I know you want some!

2 Cups Sugar                                                                                   
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
4 oz. Melted Unsweetened Chocolate Squares
2 tsp. Vanilla
4 eggs
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Cups Confectioners Sugar


In a mixing bowl; combine sugar, oil, chocolate, and vanilla.  Then add eggs one at a time.  Continue to incorporate flour, baking powder, and salt to the mixture.  Cover this with plastic wrap and allow to chill for around 2 hours in the refrigerator.  (I actually let mine chill in the freezer for 1 hour.)  
Roll into small balls and roll in confectioners sugar.  Place on a non-stick baking sheet for 10 to 12 minutes at 350.  Makes about 3 dozen cookies.




Last night, husband and I went grocery shopping...yes he goes grocery shopping with me and I am very thankful for that.  That is one thing that I hate to do, but he makes it interesting to say the least.  While shopping, we got the bright idea to make sausage balls.  I don't know about you, but for me these are a Christmas staple in my family.  So for dinner tonight we had sausage balls and tomato-n-rice and it was glorious.  Here is my recipe.


Sausage Balls (I found this on a recipe card from Neese's sausage, so you know it HAS to be good)

You HAVE to try these!

1 lb. Sausage (uncooked)
1 10 oz. pack of sharp cheddar cheese grated  ( I grated my own, there is something about fresh cheese that is just better,  and no preservatives)
2 1/2 cups of Biscuit Mix (Bisquick)
1 tsp. Paprika


Allow sausage and cheese to come to room temperature and combine.  Add paprika and biscuit mix. (This can be very hard to combine because it is so dry, but with advice from the Nanny, I used my KitchenAid Mixer with the dough hook and it was SO much easier)  Roll into small balls and bake at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes.  Makes about 75 balls.




Enjoy, and as my mom says...Merry Cripmus ;)

Ho Ho Ho Edition of the Rundown

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!"  Of course you don't think I would let it get this close to Christmas without a Christmas version of the Weekly Rundown.....Here we go!


1.  I have a new found love...Trivia Night (at McKinley's).  Before Derek and I started dating, he and a few of his friends would go to this local bar and play Trivia.  I had no clue what that meant, nor did I understand how entertaining it was.  After I joined the land of the living, and got on a shift at work other than 2nd...Derek introduced me to Trivia Night.  It's a lot of fun, and you actually learn a lot.  I do however apologize to the team (who apparently are avid blog readers) for being a weak link.  Even with the help of the daily Trivia app on my phone, I still struggle.  The bar where it is hosted actually has great food...last night at they had an AMAZING warm Cinnamon cake served with yummy vanilla ice cream.  Now that I think about it, maybe I like the food more than Trivia....hmm


2. I love Christmas movies....and my Christmas isn't complete with out National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.  If you want a good laugh and to get in the Christmas Spirit....watch this movie.  It is absolutely hilarious   You will probably walk around the house (like my husband) randomly shouting "Joy to the World!" This probably is my favorite quote of the movie :


Clark: Hey, Kids, I heard on the news that an airline pilot spotted Santa's sleigh on its way in from New York City. 
Eddie:You serious, Clark? 
 HAHAHAHAHA!  


3.  Love my Daddy and Christmas parades! First of all...I'll start by mentioning I have the best daddy in the world.  For that past couple of years my dad has been in charge of the annual Newton Grove Christmas parade.  This year by far was one of the best yet.  And I'm also the luckiest girl in the world because my Dad knows SANTA.  It's like I have a direct line to the ole Mr. Claus himself.  I even have a picture to prove it.

Dad giving Santa a lift!

4.  Love this Decorating Idea...I'm really not sure what happened, I'm actually having a hard time coming to terms with it, but ever since I got married I have turned into a little Martha Stewart.  I'm always looking for new crafts and decorating tips.  Just last weekend I made two wreaths, and the looked pretty darn good.  I saw this idea on tv the other night and hopefully I can try it out before Christmas.  It's so simple, just a glass vase and some ornaments, and it's just too cute and classy. 

Candy...Oh My

5.  My heart belongs to the Meadow Lights :)  This year marks my 27th Christmas, and every year for the past 27 years I have gone to witness the glorious Meadow Lights, and each year it gets better and better.  Derek and I are fortunate enough to live only about 5 miles away...which means we have been 5 times already this year and it's not even Christmas!  If you've never been, it's a huge attraction of lights, with a country store full of old fashioned candy, train rides, and a carousel.  I actually made Derek take me tonight so I could get some "blog" material.  I didn't have to twist his arm....he was out of Chocolate Covered Peanuts ;)
  

How Pretty!

Enjoy!


.

Drum Roll Please.....

I know you are all itching to find out our Big Announcement I hinted to last week....I've even had  few phone calls begging to know ;)  Well, thanks for being patient with us and here it is.....Derek and I have a new bundle of joy!  Our family of three (Derek, Emma, & I) is now a family of FOUR!  

About two weeks ago we adopted a special little kitty from the JoCo Animal Protection League.  If I would have blogged about her two weeks ago you would have heard about my frustration with this little girl...the first night we had her home it was a complete disaster, so much so I was ready to take her back.  Derek nor I got barely a wink of sleep.  They must have slipped her Mountain Dew before we left, she literally climbed the walls all night long!  I finally dozed off to sleep and when I woke up I found that she had DEMOLISHED dried flowers I had saved from the wedding.  I had them all nice and pretty on a dresser, and by the end of the night she had them on every inch of the bedroom floor.  At that point, her name was going to be Lucy, short for Lucifer...haha.  As time has passed, she is finally settling in and has made herself queen of the castle, without even considering Emma.

Without further anticipation, we would like to introduce to you our Sophie!  She has the sweetest little face and the sweetest personality to match.  I'm sure she will provide this blog with lots of material....silly girl.

I will leave you with one word of advice...DO NOT get a new kitten around Christmas time!  They LOVE Christmas trees!

The New and Improved Friday Five...now known as the Weekly Rundown

I've been a bad blogger...I apologize.  Things have been a little busy in the Stevens' household...and I'm an old woman who goes to bed by 9.  I have decided to change the blog up just a little!  Friday's turn out to be pretty busy most weeks, so instead of having the Friday Five,  I'm going to make it the "Weekly Rundown,"  same concept (five things I can't live without) just not only on Fridays.  SO for this weeks rundown....here you go...(drum roll please)

1.  I LOVE the fact that I actually have people that read our blog...AND WANT MORE.  You don't know how much that makes me smile.  At least once a day, I have someone come up and ask me "Hey Ash, when are you blogging again" or "You have got to blog about that!"  So a big thank you to all my readers.  I hope I don't disappoint you!

olivecharleston.com

2.  I've been blogging for a little over a month now, so I think it's time I share with you something that I absolutely can't live without.  Many of you who read this know I'm a big kid at heart.  So I feel very sorry for Derek when we ever decide to have a child because I'm sure I'll be a bigger kid than them.  BUT without further ado...I LOVE SPRINKLES.  Don't ask me why, but I can't live without them.  I tell everyone they are just little bits of sunshine.  I don't even want ice cream without them. So promise me, next time you order ice cream,  you'll get sprinkles, better yet do like me and go for extra sprinkles!  (FYI one layer of our wedding cake had sprinkles baked in and the cream cheese icing also had sprinkles, hah!)


3.  Thanksgiving with my sweet family is love! YAY...Thursday is Thanksgiving and I couldn't be more excited!  I have an amazing family and lucky for me they cook some of the best food in the world.  I wish I could say it was because I'm partial to their cooking....but the simple fact of the matter is, it really is some of the best food ever.  So please be jealous!  This year is our first thanksgiving as a married couple which means more excitement and more stops throughout the day.  I am thrilled!

4.  Derek and I have an unhealthy Love for Swamp People on TLC.  If you've never tuned it, you must.  This TLC show chronicles the life of alligator hunters in Louisiana.  It is amazing and hillarious.  The hunters are true characters.  As I blog, we are watching the "Swampsgiving" Special!  "Choot him Clint...Choot him!

MaryMe Photography

5.  You're going to love this one just like me!  I Love Mary Me Photography.  This past week we got the proofs back from our Wedding and I just can't stop looking at them.  That is one of the main reasons I haven't posted, I've been too amazed by all the beautiful pictures.  Mary Me Photography is a must consider if you are getting married.  Mary (the owner) is amazing and her attention to every single detail is amazing.  She also is just a fun and sweet person to be around and so is her assistant Sarah.  I couldn't imagine our special day without her.  Check out her website you will love her as much as I do.  I don't have any digital copies yet of the wedding, but here are a few wonderful bridal portraits to get you through.  P.S.  Hair and Make-up by the amazing Jamie O'Branovich and Flowers by the awesome Jeffrey Surles :)

MaryMe Photography

MaryMe Photography

MaryMe Photography

MaryMe Photography

MaryMe Photography

STAY TUNED!! Derek and I have a big announcement coming up on the blog! It's not what your thinking ;)  AND a few new recipes you have been asking about!

YAY....Friday Five 11-11-11 Edition

First off, I'd like to apologize for missing last week's Friday Five.  Sometimes life just gets in the way, don't you hate that.  SO here is my 11-11-11 edition of the Friday Five!  You know I wouldn't miss posting on 11-11-11!

1.  Love holidays, but especially this Holiday!  Today is Veteran's day, a very special holiday to a lot of people.  To be completely honest, for me it carries as much meaning as Christmas and Easter.  As we all know, this is a day to show our appreciation to the men and women who are serving or have served in our military.  I can't thank each of you enough, because of you I have the freedom to live a wonderful life.  I was very lucky to have a grandfather who served and I have cousin who is overseas serving our country this very moment.  (Special thank you to you Stephanie if you're reading this)

2.  Christmas music is love!  November 1st marks the day I start playing Christmas music ;)  Almost everyday since then I enjoy a few carols on the way home from work.  My MOST favorite holiday CD is NSYNC's Christmas.  Go ahead and laugh...it's ok but I'm still going to rock this CD.  Listen to it, you will Smile.  Many of you may not know that my husband is a singer and he is pretty darn good.  It always makes me smile when he does his on rendition on Elvis' "Blue Christmas" and Dolly Parton's "Hard Candy Christmas."  (Just imagine, haha)

3.  I absolutely love ETSY.com.  As I was planning our wedding, I discovered Etsy.  If you've never heard of it...STOP what you are doing and go there now.  Etsy is a website that allows people to post and sell things.  However, most of the things are handmade by everyday people like you and me.  I was just browsing etsy to see what cool things I could find.  So I'll share this with you, I bought this really cool garter to wear on my wedding day and the seller was great!  Here is her shop's website www.etsy.com/shop/plainNfancy

4.  Love scarves!  Cooler weather is finally here to stay I do believe.  So in order to stay warm and look stylish too, I like to dress everything I wear up with a fun and funky scarf.  I have way too many in probably every color.

5.  Love fall leaves!  A few weeks ago, Derek and I took a trip to Boone, NC to visit old friend for AppState's homecoming.  Just so happens it was during the "peak" of the leaves changing colors.  It was breathtaking.  We took a little drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway and took some amazing photos and we also were surrounded by beautiful leaves at he football game.  The leaves where we live are beginning to be very pretty too, so go stand outside and stare at some leaves, I guarantee you'll smile.

Ashley Cooked...CRAZY

Many of you who read this know me very well.  Which means you know that cooking is not one of my strong points!  I have promised Derek that I would try a new recipe at least once a week, and so far I have kept the promise.  One of the first recipes I tried was a success, (unlike the roasted pumpkin seeds, but that is another post).  So.....I'll share!  I found this recipe in Paula Deen's October issue while we were relaxing on our honeymoon.  I hope you enjoy!


Paula Deen's Quick & Easy Chicken Cacciatore  (Makes 4 to 6 servings)


2     pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
1     green bell pepper, chopped
1/2  onion chopped
1     tablespoon of bottled minced garlic
1     (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1     (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes seasoned with basil, garlic, and oregano
1     teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/7  teaspoon crushed red pepper 
1     (16 ounce) package linguine (cooked & kept warm)


1.  Spray a large skilled with nonstick cooking spray; heat over medium high heat.  Add chicken, and cook for 4 minutes per side or until browned.  Remove from skillet, and keep warm.


2.  Add bell pepper, onion, and garlic to skillet, cook for 6 minutes, stirring frequently, or until tender.  Add tomato sauce, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper, stirring to combine.  Return chicken to skillet, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Serve over hot cooked linguine.

For me....this was a BIG (huge actually) accomplishment all on the first try!

This week's new recipe will be Pumpkin Bread...yum!  Derek and I tried the BEST pumpkin bread last fall at The Ham Shoppe in Valle Crucis, NC which is where my inspiration came from.  So...if you have any good recipes for pumpkin bread let me know!