My Little Bird Nest

Vacation

2011-11-07T13:46:00.000-06:00

I am pretty much horrible about posting these days. I am actually pretty much horrible about doing anything on the computer. Of all the items on my "to do list" this is the one that seems to always work it's way to the bottom.
Ryan and I took McNally to the condo in Destin for a long vacation (McNally's first vacation). It was a much needed get away, very relaxing, and very different than our past vacations. Not much to say about the trip but I did want to post a few pictures.

Happy Halloween

Why does fall smell so good?

2011-09-08T10:31:00.000-05:00

It finally feels like fall in Paducah! Yes, I realize that it is just September and we are actually having cooler temps than normal but I have been so done with summer this year. Partly because I got pregnant in October so, in my body, summer began in March!!

Ryan and I actually bid farewell to summer on Saturday with pina coladas and put put (in the house of course) and rang in fall on Sunday by making s'mores and roasting marshmallow's in the fireplace. These are things we do now that we have a baby and hardly leave the premises.

Speaking of fall, I know everyone is so excited about football season! I am even paying attention to the NFL this year because R talked me into playing in his fantasy football league. If I don't win, I will be really disappointed. I am super competitive and absolutely hate losing. Chances are I am going to be disappointed.

In other news, I am learning to sew clothes for the little bean and the cooler weather has really gotten me in the mood to pump out some outfits. Hopefully I will have some pictures to post soon. I think I will have my fifth cup of coffee now and bake something pumpkin!

Happy Fall Ya'll

Way too much information in one post!

2011-08-24T10:34:00.000-05:00

   Our first two months as parents have flown by. Balance is something that has become much harder to achieve. For me, the most important thing is recognizing when I need a break, even if it is just a thirty minute workout or diaper run. It's funny because needing a break is not something I anticipated.
   McNally is on a pretty strict schedule www.momsoncall.com. I heard about momsoncall here. The whole idea for "moms on call" is getting children on a schedule during the day so they can have a restful night. Even though Mc only woke up once or twice a night for feeding, our daytime routine was just not cutting it. In the beginning, she slept so much that I would just put her in her seat and she could sleep wherever I was. Well, this does NOT work. I could not get anything done, without looking over my shoulder with every little grunt. Since momsoncall we both have a pretty solid routine going and McNally sleeps in her bed for ALL naps.
   I have always heard that being a SAHM is a thankless job, but I don't really feel that way. I definitely understand where that statement comes from. McNally cannot thank me and I don't bring in a paycheck, but every smile and every milestone she reaches make it all worthwhile.
   McNally had her two month shots on Monday. I don't know everyone's thoughts on vaccinations; I am obviously a supporter, but I can't say I was worry free about it all (of course, I read some things on the internet which my pediatrician assured me were not accurate). Monday night Mc slept for 12 1/2 hours, she was not really interested in feeding, and when she was awake she fussed. After being pretty lethargic yesterday as well, I stayed awake for the second night staring at the monitor to make sure she was breathing!  Needless to say McNally is back to her old self today and continuing on her MOC schedule without fail.

I'm 2 months old Today!

Happy Wednesday,

June 21, 2011

2011-08-08T09:09:00.000-05:00

   I woke up on Monday, June 20th, like it was any other day. My MIL and I had plans for a morning walk before it got so hot that my fingers and toes looked like sausages. We walked for about forty-five minutes and if you have ever been pregnant then you know that is a feat at NINE months! By the time I got home I was exhausted.
   I sat down on the couch to rest and eat some lunch when the contractions started. I noticed that they were much more intense than BH contractions and coming about every seven minutes. After this went on for half an hour I text R and told him to be ready "just in case" and called my Doc. While waiting for the office to call me back I started getting ready: shower, make-up, car seat by the door, "bags packed ready". I hopped in the car and drove myself to the OB office (which is in the hospital) and needless to say I wasn't dreaming my contractions were now a minute and a half apart. My doctor looked at me and said, "You better call Ryan, it's time!".
   Everything happened so fast. Before I knew it they had wheeled me over to labor and delivery, put me in a gown, and started my IV. Things progressed really well, dilated to 4 1/2 cm and 80% effaced in about 2 hours, then it was like I hit a wall. I had to be 5 cm naturally before they would induce because I was only 37 1/2 weeks. We spent the night in the hospital and by 6 o'clock Tuesday morning I was ready to be induced.
   McNally Mathis Wagner was born on June 21, 2011 at 7:23 p.m.. Seeing her for the first time was just as sweet as everyone had described. There are no words to describe what a special moment it was for R and I or how we have felt since bringing her home. It is strange (I'm sure every mom can attest to this) how your instincts take over and you just "know" what is best for this tiny person.
   McNally has definitely changed us already, she has made us better. In the first few days after bringing her home from the hospital she had to be "under the light" because she had jaundice. We took shifts monitoring her and my MIL and mom came over to help. I felt so helpless because I could not hold her or do anything for her and she looked so tiny and alone lying there. My MIL described the love we all feel for McNally best by comparing it to God's love. We all love her so much without her doing anything to receive that love. She can't do anything for us and she can't love us back, yet we feel this overwhelming emotion for her, it is an amazingly sweet concept.
   McNally is seven weeks old now and the past few weeks have been full of emotion. Being a parent is the best thing in the world and the hardest thing in the world. The constant worry has already set in and being so frustrated and so in love with her all at the same time is a very familiar occurrence. R and I are just trying to enjoy every second of this ride because I know it goes by way too fast!

3 Days Old

4 Days Old

1 Month

Happy Monday,

ALMOST... A finished project

2011-06-20T09:29:00.000-05:00

It has been quite a while since I have written a post. I am hoping I will be more motivated to blog once McNally arrives. I have just been so wrapped up in my own little world with my family and not in the mood to share any of it. Partly because it is such a special and personal time for R and I, but also because my creative juices seem to muffled due to "pregnancy brain".

Here are some promised pictures of the nursery. I love how everything has turned out so far, but feel like I am at a standstill with the project. It definitely needs a few finishing touches but I am at loss. Also, I feel like it is much cuter in person.

Ok, it took like two hours to load these pictures so this is all I can do for now. At some point I will take some close-ups of details in the room. Let me know what you think!

Nesting

2011-03-22T09:21:00.000-05:00

I was always under the impression that "nesting" took place in the middle to the end of the third trimester; however, I am only 26 weeks pregnant and my nesting instincts are in full swing. I have been waiting and waiting for that burst of energy everyone kept telling me I would get in my second trimester and it is finally here. Although I am apparently a late bloomer I am so thankful to have my energy back.
Needless to say, I have been as busy as a little bee around the house. I have decided on fabric for McNally's bedding and curtains, it has been purchased so there is no turning back.

Those are the three fabrics I chose. The plan is for the curtains to be primarily the middle fabric with piping and bows done in the other two prints and the bedding will be just the opposite. My banana leaf armchair is here, which is what the fabric is laying on, and you can see a little bit of the wall color above. The fabric is, of course, much brighter in person. None of what I have chosen is very "girly" but the curtains and bedding will have big bows, buttons, and some ruffles to make it all more feminine. The crib will arrive this week and bedding and curtains should be finished a week from Friday, yay! It's all coming together.

This week I also received this book from a friend:

It is all about blessing your baby while he or she is still in the womb. It has blessings and scripture you can read to your baby daily or sporadically and is designed to help you bond with your little one emotionally and spiritually. I am really enjoying this book so far, I find that it is somewhat intimidating to know what to speak over your baby while still in the womb. It is much easier for me to read these blessings to McNally (and believe along with them).

Hope everyone is having a great Tuesday!

Nursery Update

2011-03-17T15:01:00.000-05:00

So the room is painted, fabric is picked out, and the crib is ordered. I am now adding some decorative pieces to McNally's nursery.
The nursery color turned out to be what I would call "tangerine" it has a little more red in it than the picture I posted. Here is the link to the crib http://www.walmart.com/ip/Baby-Mod-Olivia-3-in-1-Crib-Amber-and-White/8810319
Because all of the furniture is white except for the small piece around the bottom of the crib, I wanted to tie it all together somehow. I bought a mirror, almost exactly like this:

Gretna Uttermost Mirror

Mine is a little more square than this, but it is finished with the same woven banana leaf finish, and will hang over the changing table. I also bought this chair:

Pier 1 Banana Armchair

It is finally spring in Kentucky, hope it is beautiful out for everyone today!

Back to life.

2011-03-01T08:57:00.000-06:00

Woke up this morning to sunshine, the sound of the ocean in my ears, and a sleepy husband beside me... Oh wait, that was my life last week. Today, I woke up freezing and alone. Haze and frost filled my window and the last thing I wanted to do was get out from under my warm covers. It's always bittersweet coming home from vacation.

R and I have been on a hiatus for the past 9 days. We went to our condo in Destin for some alone time and a "before the baby arrives and our life changes" trip. We expected to have cool weather and be indoors for most of the trip, BUT we got lucky. Our weather was perfect, we were able to hit the beach several times, and actually spent more time outside than inside.

I always love going on vacation, but I also always love coming home. For whatever reason that is not the case with this trip. While it is nice to be back at our house, I can't say I don't miss all of the warm weather and alone time with hubs. We exercised, shopped, spent time on the beach, and ATE! It was all so relaxing. Also, I felt McNally kick for the first time while we were gone.

But, It is back to reality today and I have things that need to be done. Welcome to March!

-m

mWm

2011-01-23T07:59:00.000-06:00

Well, it took about two seconds in the ultrasound room on Wednesday for the tech to announce, "it's a girl"! My head started spinning and planning immediately began.

We are naming our sweet little one, McNally Mathis Wagner. McNally is my MIL's maiden name and Mathis is my mom's maiden name as well as my middle name. McNally and I will have the same initials (side note: my initials didn't change when I got married) so all of my monogram things will still be put to good use.

Needless to say we are beside ourselves with excitement and so ready for July to come so we can meet our daughter. Also, I completely changed my fabric options, what do you all think?

Waverly Ellis Hemp

P Kaufman Mosaic Paisley

Sherwin-Williams

I am still painting the walls orange but decided to go with a more subdued fabric for the bedding and curtains. The bumper and bedskirt will be Waverly hemp and the light blue paisley will be a ruffle around the top of the bumper and the bottom of the bedskirt. The fitted sheet is going to be made out of an orange and white pin dot fabric (I couldn't find a picture of) and the bumper will be monogrammed in orange.

The curtain panels and valence are going to be waverly hemp with two large paisley buttons on the valence or vice versa.

What do you think?

2011

2011-01-12T10:44:00.000-06:00

I hope everyone had a Happy New Year and that 2011 is going well for you all so far!
With the baby news, Ryan and I have an exciting year ahead. We find out the sex of the baby next week and I have begun throwing room ideas around.
One of my biggest problems is that I have two totally different ideas for the room, and I really like them both. Maybe this won't be so hard once we know if we are having a boy or a girl, either way here are some of my options.

Option 1:

sherwin-williams invigorate

blocks J, K, L, N

OR

some variety of these fabrics with the orange walls

Option 2:

sherwin-williams grizzly gray

blocks A, B, E, F, M

These are all a little girly, huh? I just love floral patterns, but option two can be modified to fit a boy I think? I will be back next week to announce the sex of baby Wagner and a name, in the mean time let me know what you think of my nursery ideas.

Exciting News, Exciting Times.

2010-12-26T17:05:00.000-06:00

Well. Let me first of all apologize for my absence. Life has just taken off for me and Ryan. First there was football season. My sister in law goes to school down South and so our weekends this fall were filled with visits to her for football games or with watching Alabama and Kentucky games at home. Then Thanksgiving happened and now we are at the tail end of the Christmas season! Almost a new year even!
Then to top off our busy schedule, Ryan and I had a little surprise thrown our way. The best of surprises really...

We're going to have a BABY!

(an ornament we got from some friends)

We are SO excited. In one of my last posts I wrote about not wanting to worry so much and just enjoy the 'right now' and when I stopped worrying about when to have a baby or if I could have a baby; what do you know?... I got pregnant. It was sort of a surprise and sort of not. Ryan and I knew we wanted to have a family young and were excited to get started. There were some complications early on in our efforts. Complications that I thought were going to be a bigger deal than they actually were. I was so worried about these 'supposed' complications that I actually talked myself out of the possibility of getting pregnant easily. So you can imagine my surprise, even though we were trying, to find out how easily I had gotten pregnant! It was just perfect. And I am so blessed and thankful. It also showed me for sure, that worrying doesn't work just trusting God does.

We are 13 weeks along. Everyone says this is the right time to start telling people about the 'bun in the oven' or the 'nug' as Caroline is calling it. So right now it is just a bun, (a sweet little bun!). We wont know the sex for awhile and until then not a lot of planning has gone down in the way of names or a nursery. Although, I did get a lot of UK baby paraphernalia from family members this Christmas.

I hope to be better at keeping this blog updated as I get further along and even after the little bun is born. So stick with me if you don't mind!

I'm full already!

2010-11-23T08:30:00.003-06:00

This year R and I have a jam-packed Thanksgiving week and by jam-packed I mean, THREE meals! We usually have one, so this is going to be a big adjustment for us. Tuesday and Wednesday will be with R's side of the family and Thursday will be spent with my family. I am especially excited to have Thanksgiving day with my family because we were not able to get together last year. Also, this will be my first year to contribute to the meal, this is what I am making...

On the menu: Stuffed Jalepeno's, Sweet potato and Caramelized Onion Casserole, and the ever so ordinary Green Bean Casserole

Stuffed Jalapeno's (serves 8 or 9)
10 Jalapeno's halved lengthwise and seeded (leave the stems on if you can)
Small Goat Cheese Log
Half of an 8oz package of cream cheese
1 Package Ground Sausage (I use hot)
1/2 Jar Robert Rothschild Roasted Garlic & Fig Spread (optional)

*If you don't want to use cream cheese you can use one large goat cheese log
*Robert Rothschild spreads are carried at any store that carries specialty food

Brown the sausage in a skillet, drain and combine with cheese and Garlic and Fig spread. Once the ingredients are well mixed stuff the Jalapeno's, place on a baking sheet and bake on 350 for 10 or 15 minutes or until cheese is golden.

Sweet Potato and Caramelized Onion Casserole
3 Cups sweet potato's baked and mashed
1/2 Cup Stonewall Kitchen Roasted Garlic and Onion Jam
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla extract
1/2 Cup butter, melted
1 Cup sugar or 1/2 Cup Splenda
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 Cup toasted, buttered bread crumbs
1 Cup Caramelized Onions

In a large bowl, beat all ingredients except bread crumbs and onions
Pour mixture into a greased 9x9 baking dish
Cover potato's with caramelized onions
Sprinkle the top with bread crumbs
Bake uncovered on 350 for 35 minutes

Green Bean Casserole
1 lb of French green beans (remove stems and half)
3 Cups chicken broth
1 Can cream of mushroom soup
1 Can of French Fried Onions or 1 Cup homemade
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
White cheddar cheese

Boil the green beans in chicken broth for 10 minutes then drain
saute beans in soy sauce, and brown sugar until well coated
Combine beans, cream of mushroom soup, and french fried onions
Pour into a baking dish and top with french fried onions and grated white cheddar
Bake on 350 for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted

What are your holiday plans??

m.

All over the place post!

2010-09-30T10:11:00.000-05:00

I am at a loss lately about what to say. I feel like the past couple of months have been a whirlwind for our family. Things both good and bad have filled our weeks and now it is time for another "mini break".
Me, R, and the in-laws are on the road again first thing tomorrow morning. We are headed back to Roll Tide country to see the Crimson Tide beat Florida (fingers crossed)!

On another note, I have been doing Jillian Michaels 30 day shred and I love it. It is hard work, she is no joke. I have been doing the video for 9 days and am already seeing results. I will recommend it to anyone who likes to workout at home.

Lastly, we had Black Bean Enchiladas for dinner last night. They were pretty good, but would be better with a few adjustments.

Tortilla shells (Any Flavor)
Rotisserie Chicken -Shredded
1 1/2 Cans Black Beans - Rinsed
2 Teaspoons Chili Powder
1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 Fresh Jalepeno seeded or Pickled Jalepenos
I add:
1/4 Cup fresh cilantro
1 Tomato
1/4 Cup chicken broth
2 Tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
Puree all ingredients except for the chicken. Dip the tortilla shells in chicken broth or brush them with chicken broth. Fill tortilla with chicken, black bean puree, and grated mexican cheese (if you wish). Roll the enchiladas and pour the remaining puree over the top. Sprinkle with grated cheese, pickled jalepenos, and diced tomato cover and bake on 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 minutes.

Be Still

2010-09-08T08:15:00.000-05:00

Sometimes things happen in our lives that we can't explain, sometimes we don't even understand them ourselves. As I go through my daily routine, busying myself with cooking, cleaning, running errands, projects etc... I often forget why I am actually doing all of these things. Even though throughout the majority of my day I am doing things to benefit Ryan; I forget how much I love him. I take him for granted thinking that we have the rest of our lives together and he isn't going anywhere. I think the same things about my family and closest friends. While that may be true, we never really know what is going to happen.

Every second is a gift. We make plans to keep ourselves busy and set our sights on things in the future and say, "Well, I have that to look forward to". I don't want to plan my life away, I want to enjoy all of the small moments happy or sad, because we only get one life. We can always move forward, but we can't go back. I spend an enormous amount of time with Ryan and my family. I don't stay on the computer or my phone when Ryan is home; and we have dinner every night together and enjoy a nice conversation without the TV. We are silly together, we play, laugh, and act like kids. The strange thing is, even with all of the good, one misspoken word changes everything. I am so quick to get my feelings hurt and clam up. We can waste an hour fighting about nothing. I know that until the end of time couples will have these silly arguments, but I am on a mission to have mine fewer and farther between.

As great as our relationship is there are times when I pull away from a hug or kiss because I am in a "hurry" or "too busy". As much as I love my nephews and niece I don't visit enough. The same with my parents, my brother, my in-laws, my grandparents, and most of all the Lord. Sometimes we just have to slow down, to make the most of everyday, and remember why we are here in the first place.

I am going to enjoy every hug, every kiss, every kind word. I am going to remember that I am so so blessed. I am going to laugh way more than I cry. I am not going to sweat the small stuff. I am going to stop waiting for the future. Most of all, I am going to ask the Lord for help and stop trying to do everything on my own.

Hebrews 13: 5-6

m.

Fall into Fall.

2010-09-03T09:57:00.000-05:00

Most people are so nostalgic about the end of summer and beginning of fall. For some it is the ending of a few blissful, care-free months of bathing suits, dresses, and cocktails. For others all they can think about is cold weather, work, and class. But for me...

I really love Fall. I love the smells, the clothes, my cowboy boots, the brisk morning air, sitting outside in front of a fire, the smell of whiskey, opening the windows and lighting candles at 5 o'clock (I really love that) and most of all not feeling like I need a shower after running an errand.

This will be my first Fall in our house and I am so excited. I have already started changing out my summer decor and adding new fall touches. And, although it is not cool enough in Kentucky just yet, I have started dreaming about tights and leggings.

For the holiday weekend and the first taste of Fall Ryan and I will be enjoying good friends, great family, and a little bit of this...

I can't lie, we care more about UK basketball but for

the love of the State

Roll Tide

And next weekend we will be here... Right in the thick of it!

T Town

And if you want to know what look I really love for fall go here number 6.

What do you love about Fall?

Fall is fast approaching...

2010-08-25T08:54:00.000-05:00

I am a lover of all things Cardigan. People look forward to fall for a number of reasons, but mine is sweaters. These are a few of my favorites:

click here for details

here

Warm, happy thoughts everyone!

Lately.

2010-08-25T08:29:00.000-05:00

It has been a little while since my last decent post, so I thought I would fill you guys in on the end of our summer. Ryan and I have actually been at home for a couple of weeks. The end of summer means bidding adieu to some of our loved ones.

BIL: Ross and SIL: Rachel

It was back to school early for Fall Rush, for Rachel and off to Europe for Ross. I found myself jealous of both. So we decided to take a little trip of our own.

R and I went to STL this weekend with these two:

R's cousin Jackie and husband Eric

We went to two Cardinal games, Anheuser Busch Brewery, and spent the rest of our time at our hotel bar! We had a great time and it was good to get away with one of our favorite couples.

While we were there we got some GREAT news from my little friend:

Erica is Engaged!

Hopefully there will be more to tell very soon!

Girls Night

2010-08-10T09:32:00.001-05:00

As much as I love my husband and spending time with him and our family, occasionally it is nice to have a girls night. Over the weekend my besties (minus a few) from college came in for a visit. We had a day full of fun nothing: lunch, sitting around, and a little shopping. We went to lower town for a nice dinner and night out and had a blast. Just wanted to give a little shout out to my friends and tell them all how nice it was to spend time with them!

Me, Erica, Lynsie, Kara, Whitney

Love you all,

At the Moment

2010-07-28T16:44:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to share with you guys some things that I am loving these days...

Falsies mascara by Maybelline

I LOVE mascara and below is a picture of my staple brand. I like to mix things up so my mascara doesn't get dried out too quickly. Also, I will put this on first, then add some of the cheaper stuff on top!

Diorshow Iconic Mascara

My next favorite thing of the moment is actually from Essie's Spring collection and I have just recently caught on.

Tart Deco

I also change my shampoo and conditioner frequently. I always keep Biolage color care shampoo/conditioner in my shower along with Shimmering Lights shampoo. But, in addition to those items I like to keep a shampoo/conditioner that I can pick up at Wal-Mart. This is what I am using right now...

John Frieda- Sheer Blonde Highlight Activating Shampoo/Conditioner

The last of my favorite items is my Faux Tan:

Bare Escentuals Faux Tan

What are your favorite items this summer?

If you needed me

2010-07-15T19:48:00.001-05:00

Just thought this was a funny pic!

So most of you, if not all, know about my crazy best friend, Caroline. But... After all of our recent
conversations I feel that it is only appropriate to write a post highlighting little Carol. First, let me give you some back ground on my bestie and I.

Caroline and I met at church camp, I was in third grade and she was in fourth. I was a HUGE tomboy. Much to my mother's dismay, I actually thought I was Dennis Rodman. And Caroline, as you well know, was just the opposite. The girl sleeping in the bunk below me at camp peed the bed. THIS, was such a hilarity to Caroline and I that we formed a bond. The two of us, disgusted with this bunk-mate, ended up sleeping in the same tiny camp bed together for the rest of the week. As I look back I realize that while this may have been a bit extreme it was the beginning of our friendship. The next morning she wore my Dennis Rodman basketball shoes and I wore her purple plaid shorts.

The two of us became fast friends and it was as if we were instantly sisters. Our parents allowed us to stay together all the time. There was no separating us! It wasn't until a couple of years later that we added Melissa to the mix (shout out mel). There are countless stories about me and my partner in crime, that statement is probably more accurate when flipped. I was usually taking the back seat while Caroline shined, and that was fine by me because I loved her and we were different.

Together, we were never bored. Our parents would let us run wild outside of our homes, using our imaginations to invent whatever world we felt like living in on any particular day. "Our" favorite game, or rather most popular game, was what I affectionately refer to NOW as "slave girl"! We lived in several different foreign countries and Caroline was my owner and I her slave. My chore was to clean her driveway (her parents actual black top driveway) on my hands and knees. She would stand over me and spray the water hose and yell at me to eat the mulch. Sounds like a blast, huh? I loved it.

Once we were tired of things like that we would go door to door and tell neighbors we were doing surveys for school and needed to ask them questions. Who knows what people thought of us, who cared? Needless to say, we had a blast together. Oh, how wish I had a scanner so I could show you all some pictures!

As adolescence turned to teenagers, turned to adulthood, not much has changed. We are older and wiser but we have the same fun and we love each other just as much if not more. Caroline is the most vivacious, loving person. She is dramatic, funny, intelligent, and lovable. There is nothing I can't confide in her and I am so thankful and blessed to say that she is my lifetime friend. I know that I will still be calling her when I am a "memaw" giving her the mundane details of my week. There is not much I wouldn't do for my best friend and not much she wouldn't do for me. I love knowing that. So as Townes Van Zandt said it,
"If you needed me
I would come to you
I'd swim the seas for to ease your pain"

Tiny little post..

2010-07-06T22:54:00.000-05:00

A little bit of Vacay... So, we are in destin for the week and having a blast. So far we have eaten some GREAT food, layed on the beach, and watched the fireworks.. Also, this trip has involved some eating in! We had some crab legs and shrimp on the fourth and Thursday we will enjoy some of "My very own" homemade pizza!

Ross (BIL) arrived on Monday which added tremendously to our fun. We met a couple of Alabama football players, can't complain about that, especially because my SIL is a student at Alabama.

This is a terrible after WINE post. Love me anyway :)

m.

On the Menu: BBQ Chicken Pizza

2010-06-30T10:01:00.000-05:00

Ryan and I tore this up last night...

My dad and I perfected this BBQ sauce while I was growing up, it is the base of my pizza. I do everything by the eye, but this is the best I could measure by memory. You may need a little more vinegar or a little more worcestershire.

BBQ Sauce:
1/4 Cup Sweet Baby Ray's
A little less than a 1/4 Cup of ketchup
2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Splenda Brown Sugar
Crushed Red Pepper (depends on how spicy you like your sauce) I use a 1/2 tablespoon
1/4 fresh lemon
1/2 Tablespoon Worcestershire
1 Tablespoon Butter
A couple shakes of garlic powder
A couple shakes of onion powder
Bring all of these ingredients to a boil in a sauce pan.

Other toppings:
Rotisserie Chicken Shredded
Two Roma Tomatoes sliced in circles
Fresh Cilantro
Red Onion Sliced or Chopped
Mozzarella Shredded

Thin Crust Recipe:
1 Packet of Active Dry Yeast
3/4 Cup lukewarm water
1/4 Tablespoon Sugar
Mix these ingredients in a bowl and let sit for 6 minutes

1 3/4 Cup of All Purpose Flour
Teaspoon of Salt
Put in Blender or food processor, add the above mix and blend for about 30 seconds.
Sprinkle some flour on the counter for a working surface to kneed the dough, kneed for a few minutes and add some yellow cornmeal and olive oil. Once the mixture is easy to work with, without sticking to your hands begin to roll it out. I just roll mine out a little, into a flat circle, then I begin to spread it on a lightly oiled pizza pan. Don't use a stone! Put in the oven on 500 degrees for five minutes or until the top of the crust has began to brown. When you remove from the oven push the air out of the center with your oven mitt.

Add your sauce, chicken, red onion, tomatoes, cilantro, and cover with cheese. Put in the oven on 450 until cheese has melted.
The finished product should look like this:

Enjoy!
m.

POOF

2010-06-30T08:03:00.000-05:00

Okay party people, here is how I achieve the "POOF"

Get after it Girls!

m.

Anniversary Re-cap

2010-06-21T08:32:00.000-05:00

The anniversary celebration was an absolute success! Ryan told me I should trust him and be up for anything all weekend (let's face it, I can be difficult at times) and it was well worth it.

We didn't go on vacation as planned but staying here turned out to be even better. The weekend started off with a surprise trip, provided by my FIL. The six of us piled into the car full of margaritas and appetizers and began the trek to the unknown. An hour and a half later we arrived here:

Dalhousie Country Club

Saturday night Ryan took me to Cynthia's for another great dinner and we exchanged gifts. I got him Cardinal/Cub tickets when they play at Wrigley in Chicago in September. Ryan has a couple of really good friends in Chicago so we are going to spend several days with them in the city, can't wait!

Ryan got me the Montorgueil PM Louis Vuitton in monogrammed canvas hand bag. I was surprised and excited!

Sunday, our actual anniversary, Ryan took me to Southern IL to play golf and visit a few wineries. We came home to a house full of family and friends ready to celebrate our big day with us. I knew nothing that was going to happen all weekend which made everything so exciting, we had a blast! It was a wonderful anniversary. I am so lucky to have such an amazing, thoughtful husband and I can't believe I get to spend the rest of my life with him.

A whole year... Already?

2010-06-10T20:40:00.000-05:00

June 13, 2010, this Sunday, marks the first year of mine and Ryan's life together. In honor of our big day, I thought I would share some memories of our first year with you all.
The first major event was obviously our honeymoon. We went the the French side of St. Maarten in the West Indies.

This is us at our resort

After the honeymoon we came home and settled for a couple of months before heading to the Condo in Destin, Fl for a sort-of family vacay! It was Ryan and I, FIL and MIL, BIL and girlfriend. We missed Rachel :(

Ryan and I at Baytown Warf in the Village

We went to a few St. Louis Cardinal games:

Don't mind the low-cut dress, GEEZ!

Top deck bar after the game

In October we celebrated my birthday, it's the 13th. We had a fiesta and this is my cookie cake.

Now on to Napa Valley California at the end of October. Bob and Jill took me, Ryan, Ryan's cousin Jackie, and her husband Eric as our wedding gifts. Jackie and Eric got married in April of 09.

This is the first winery we went to, Clos Du Val

R and I at Rubicon those are rows of grapes behind us for miles

Heading underground at Rubicon for a private barrel tasting

After eight winery's in two days with private tours and tastings at each you can all imagine that we were ready for a change of pace! FIL surprised us all and took us to the Culinary Institute of America. The six of us were put into teams of two and we competed for the best dish (it wasn't really a competition but it made it fun for us). We had two professional chef's and a private teaching kitchen.

Culinary Institute of America St. Helena, CA

Plating the food we had made. I took a break for Pictures

R and I with the FEAST

Look how exhausted we are! I wore the WORST OUTFIT IN HISTORY because it was about 1000 degrees in that kitchen. Tiiiiight J brand skinnys (You all know they don't stretch out) and over the knee boots. What the H was I thinking?

I couldn't find a good picture to display from the website, so here is a link to where we stayed www.innatsouthbridge.com

The Inn was so beautiful. We had a wonderful french breakfast every morning, spa, gym, heated pool and hot tub (Awesome in the mornings because the are in Napa is so crisp on October mornings).

We left wine country pretty exhausted. We all needed a vacation and a beer, ha! What better place to go next, than San Francisco?

Ironically enough we drove up here and had a bottle of WINE

Walking up to the Golden Gate Bridge for a run

At the Pier in San Francisco

That pretty much wraps up our trip on the west coast. For the rest of 2009 we stayed pretty close to home. We began some of the finishing stages of our house, and celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas with our families.

Thanksgiving

Our niece Addyson Elizabeth was born on Dec. 15, 2009

Annual Christmas dinner at the Club

New Years 2010 in Columbus, OH with the Gordon's

We built a house! We moved in on January 22, 2010. I don't have any pictures of move-in day but it was very exciting. I had almost everything unpacked in 8 hours! We had a hard time leaving our house for a couple of months.

When we finally left the house for a weekend we went to Lexington, KY for a UK game.

We had a wedding weekend in Owensboro in March and headed back to the condo in April for the Wine Festival!

My eyebrows disappeared in the sun and I forgot a brow pencil!

Mother's Day 2010

And last but not least, Scott and Kate's wedding in Columbus, OH.

Rehearsal Dinner: Me, Ryan, Kate, Scott

The sums up the year, for now anyway. I love my husband with all of my heart and we have had such an amazing first year together. I will give you all an update on the events of the anniversary weekend sometime next week!

On the Menu: Shredded Chicken & Tomatillo Burritos

2010-06-02T07:26:00.000-05:00

This recipe idea originated from a Food Network Recipe, I also added a homemade salsa and rice.
Feeds 4
- 6 tomatillos (if you can't find tomatillos 3 large red tomatoes will work)
- 1/2 pablano pepper
- 1 Chopped and seeded jalapeno (ONLY if you like spicy food)
- Olive oil
- 1/2 red onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves chopped
- 1 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 shredded rotisserie chicken breast (I use only the white meat)
- Large spinach tortilla wraps (any burrito wrap will work)
- Feta or Goat cheese

Salsa:
- 3/4 can low sodium whole kernel sweet corn
- 3.4 can low sodium black beans
- 1/2 chopped red onion
- 1/2 chopped green bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
You may add more oil and vinegar if you choose, mix in a bowl and refrigerate until you are ready to serve

1 box of cheesy mexican rice or spanish rice, whatever you prefer (takes about 20 minutes to cook, time accordingly).

Step one is to blacken the tomatillos. If you want to use the grill or a stove top grill pan you may, I just broil them in the oven because it is easier for me. First you need to husk and wash the tomatillos. Put them in a 1/2 - 2 inch baking pan and broil them until blackened (about 2 or 3 minutes on each side). It is important that you put them in a pan because the juice will leak out.

Put the tomatillos, pablano, jalapeno, red onion, cliantro, lime juice, garlic, and honey in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a large saute pan with olive oil and let simmer for five minutes. Add the chicken and half a tablespoon of feta or goat cheese; cook on low to medium heat for about 10 minutes or until some of the water is absorbed from the mixture.

Place the rice in the burrito and top with chicken tomatillo mixture, fresh salsa, and a little feta or goat cheese then wrap.
I usually put some extra rice on the side and a little salsa and serve with tortilla chips.

This is our Wednesday night meal, hope you all have a great night!

m.

Stars and Stripes

2010-06-01T08:04:00.000-05:00

My Memorial Day weekend surpassed all of my expectations. Aside from Thanksgiving and Christmas, holidays are always a big let down for me. There is all of this hype and anticipation about what we are going to do and it is always a big flop! This weekend on the other hand, was packed full of fun for the Wagners, ha!

We started things with a big bang on Friday night by going out to dinner and on the town with our friends Logan and Kate. We went to Max's Brick Oven, then to a local bar (The Star) for drinks and a live band! We ran into tons of friends and had a blast hanging out on the patio. I am horrible because I took ZERO pictures and it would have been a great night to capture some memories.

Saturday morning Kate and I hit the gym first thing for body step, then snatched up little Rex and drove 45 minutes to the nearest Target (still can't believe we don't have a Target in Paducah).

For those of you who don't know Ryan does a wine tasting every Saturday afternoon at our wine and liquor store, Wagner Wine & Spirits (more easily referred to as WWS). I always go and taste the wine and help Ryan or my MIL with whatever food we are sampling. This Saturday everything was going along famously when the power went out. Usually this would be a blip on the screen, but it stayed out for TWO hours! The employees locked the doors and Ryan and I headed to lower town for dinner with my in-laws! I actually remembered to snap a few pictures this time:

R and I

Ryan and younger brother Ross

FIL: Bob MIL: Jill

After drinks we walked over to Cynthia's www.cynthiasristorante.com for an amazing dinner!

Sunday afternoon we went to the lake with Ryan's cousin Jackie, her husband Eric, and our friend Sara. We took a boat ride, grilled out, played corn hole, and went to KARAOKE (where we were rejected from singing Jesse's Girl)! Monday morning we played in the Memorial Day golf tournament at Benton Country Club. We won this tournament last year by shooting 16 under, so we had high hopes of being the reigning champs. This year we shot 10 under, not good enough to win but we still had a blast!

How was your Holiday weekend?

Sex and the City 2

2010-05-26T16:47:00.001-05:00

Sex and the City 2 premiers tomorrow and I can NOT wait!

Sex and the City: The Movie Part 2 Trailer

I am going to hit the Paducah theatre with these lovely ladies:

This is the only picture I have of just the five of us!

After the movie we are headed for dinner and drinks! Happy Thursday for us!

On the Menu

2010-05-18T09:44:00.001-05:00

I didn't intend to post about last nights dinner, but we really enjoyed it so I thought I should share!

For starters we had a summer salad with poppyseed dressing.
Salad
Romaine lettuce ( from the bag is fine)
3/4 can of Mandarin Oranges
1 Avacado chopped or sliced (however you prefer)
Pecan pieces (as many as you want)
Poppyseed Dressing
1/4 C sugar
1/3 C oil (part canola part walnut)
1 teaspoon mustard
1 tablespoon poppyseeds
1/4 C Red Wine Vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan and simmer until the sugar has dissolved, remove from heat and pour into a mason jar or any container with a lid (so you can shake it up). Put the dressing in the fridge for half an hour or until it has thickened. Dressing can be refrigerated for several days.

Usually I am not a big fan of whole grain/wheat pasta unless it is homemade because the texture of the noodle is too chewy. But, I finally found one that is just as delicious and tender as a normal noodle.
Barilla Whole Grain Thin Spaghetti- 51% whole grain
It says to cook for 6-7 minutes, I cooked for 9 minutes.
Pour 1 Cup of frozen sweet peas in a bowl and fill with hot water, set aside.
Sauce- This is for a light sauce, I like thick sauce but we didn't want a really heavy dish
Saute sliced white onion in olive oil for 3 minutes, caramelize with 1/2 Tablespoon of Splenda brown sugar and set aside
In a small sauce pan Combine:
1 Can of fire roasted diced tomatoes
1/4 cup of heavy cream
1 clove of garlic minced
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1 teaspoon Basil
1 teaspoon Oregano
1 Teaspoon of honey
Crushed Red Pepper to taste (depends on how spicy you like your sauce)
1/2 - 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil
Dash of Salt and Pepper
Add the caramelized onion and simmer on low for up to 10 minutes, I do this while the pasta cooks.
Strain the water out of the peas and lay them on a paper towel to dry
Put the cooked pasta in a pasta bowl and top with sweet peas, and as much sauce as you like. I grate my own mozzarella over the top and serve.

Weekend Re-Cap

2010-05-17T09:13:00.000-05:00

The weekend was a success. As promised our sod yard was laid Saturday! Now I can finally clean our windows because we don't have dirt swirling around us. Yes, that has been my excuse until now.

Couldn't get a picture of the front without getting dressed and I wasn't up for that!

It is still a little brown but with some more rain, that all of you are dreading, it should be looking fantastic. Now we just have to find someone to mow!

The fiesta at the lake was fabulous. Paige's sister Leah did a great job planning and we all had a blast. It was so good to see everyone from college.

The hats were for a game, not a requirement to attend the party!

Left: Jayme Right: Me

It is always good to have a girls night, but I was happy to come home. Needless to say, Ryan and I relaxed on Sunday and started our Acai Berry Cleanse. I will keep everyone updated on 3 days of: No Coffee, No Processed Foods, No Alcohol, and No Unnecessary Sugar.

Angels and Demons

2010-05-14T08:22:00.000-05:00

This weekend is going to be an angel/demon weekend. Friday night I am going to spend a low-key, cozy night with this guy:

We are going to order out, drink some wine, and watch TV because... Tomorrow it is up and at em' early.

Right now, the plan is to head to gym before going to work at the store all day. While I am at work the sod is supposed to be laid in our yard... OH, I really hope nothing goes wrong and I come home to GREEN grass!

After I put my toes in the grass, I will be freshening up and packing a small overnight bag

Cinda B Resorter: $134

and heading to the lake for a wild, mexican fiesta for this one:

Paige and Brian May 22, 2010

Paige is getting married and we are having one last hurrah! A honeymoon shower complete with sexy beach attire, margaritas and mexican food. I can't wait to see everyone!

This is their daughter, Ava June, is she not the cutest thing? She is not quite two and a half, doesn't she look so much older?

Word To Your Mother

2010-05-10T10:51:00.000-05:00

Happy Mother's Day to all of my readers who are moms.

Mother's Day was a success across the board in our family. My mom and grandmother came over first thing Sunday morning for Mothers Day Breakfast and a sweet time of fellowship (don't worry, my grandmother brought her bible since we were "playing hookie" from church).
I served breakfast on the back porch for these lovely ladies:

Grandmother, Mom

After breakfast I was itching for my mom to open her gift. I found this little guy at Talbots:

Jeweled Striped Split-Neck Tee $59.50

The green is a little brighter in person and it will be perfect for golf. I was a little nervous when I sashayed into Talbots because my mom doesn't shop there. But, after hearing all the fuss about the RE- Vamp I decided I should give it a go. Mom LOVED it!

My grandmother got one of these: http://www.verabradley.com/product/Collection/Meet-Me-in-Paris/Mon-Chri-Handbag/1001027/defaultColor/Turquoise/pc/640/p/1001027/sc/763/c/0.uts

Apparently you can't get pictures off of the Vera Bradley website so you may visit the link if you choose. She loved the turquoise and we all said, "Cheers" with a round of mimosas!

What's on the Mother's Day Menu:

For Breakfast: I absolutely do NOT eat eggs, in any form. So we had what I call "Feta Wraps".

I made just enough for three but it is easy to alter the portions of this recipe.

Feta Wraps

3/4 Large bag of fresh spinach, chopped

1 medium white onion cut into slices

1 Tablespoon of Splenda Brown Sugar (use more or less if desired)

2 Teaspoon Light Olive Oil

4 small red tomatos, seeded and diced

Crumbled Basil and Tomato Feta Cheese (You may use plain Feta if you can't find flavored)

Crumbled Goat Cheese

3 Spinach Wraps

In a large pan, sautee the onion in 1 tsp olive oil for 1 minute before adding the brown sugar. Once the brown sugar has been added move the onions around until they begin to soften and are fully coated. Add the chopped spinach and sautee until cooked down (About 3 minutes). Remove the spinach and onions, clean the pan, and get your wraps ready!

Place one third of the spinach and onion mixture on one end of the wrap, top with tomato and your desired amount of feta and goat cheese. I use 1 heaping teaspoon of both. Wrap it up leaving one side open and put in your pan coated with 1 tsp olive oil. Cook until brown on all sides, you will have to carefully flip the wrap in order to do all four sides. After the wrap is cooked put it on a plate and drizzle with this:

(Rachel Ray- Balsamic Drizzle)

This is the best ingredient known to man and can be found at any specialty food store. Top with a few tomato's and your finished product should look like this:

(Garnished with fruit and yogurt and a side of bacon)

For Dinner: I was in charge of making an appetizer. I made my own version of bruschetta. Once again, the portion size may be easily altered. I was making this recipe for twelve but I am going to give you the portions for four to six people.

"Bruschetta"

1 package Campari tomato's diced and seeded (any tomato will work, 8 small tomato's)

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning

1 teaspoon sugar

3/4 jar Classico- sundried tomato pesto sauce and spread

1 1/2 teaspoon Walnut or Olive oil

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

Fresh Cilantro- Garnish

Rachel Ray Balsamic Drizzle

Shredded Parmesan Cheese- Garnish

1/2 loaf of freshly baked italian bread ( I use "everything italian bread" from the grocery bakery)

Dash of : crushed red pepper

garlic powder

onion powder

dry cilantro

salt

black pepper

Instructions:

Dice and seed your tomato's, put in a bowl and set aside. Combine sundried tomato pesto, oil, vinegar, sugar, basil, italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, dry cilantro, crushed red pepper, salt, and black pepper in a bowl and mix well.

Take your half loaf of bread, half down the middle and cut into small slices. Put in the oven on 350 degrees for 3 minutes. Place a small spoonful of the pesto mixture on each piece of bread and top with diced tomato's, parmesan, and fresh cilantro. Bake on 350 degrees for 5 minutes remove and drizzle with balsamic drizzle. Your finished product should look like this:

After slaving all afternoon on my appetizer we headed to the in-laws:

We celebrated Mother's Day here with our family and the Carter's. There were thirteen of us, four mothers, two grandmothers, 3 kids, 2 college students, one young married couple and two papas! We played cornhole, basketball, ate lots of food, and drank lots of wine.

Left: Our grandmother "Ceil" Right: Pat Carter

Mother-in-law Jill, Russell Carter

Left: lexi Carter, SIL:Rachel, Sidney Carter

Caron Carter, Sidney Carter

And we had a surprise visit from this guy:

BIL: Ross and SIL: Rachel

All in all it was a successful Mother's Day with fun had by all...

Boyfriends...

2010-05-07T08:42:00.000-05:00

I thought that for every post, even if it is not specifically about me, I would tell you something about my life.

Every Friday I work at a specialty gift shop, "Choate's Gifts". We carry high end home furnishings, dishware, and of course, gifts! I am the youngest person working there, but I love it. I love to change things in my house constantly and seasonally (Don't misunderstand this statement, I am not a cheesy/crazy holiday decorator) and I LOVE LOVE LOVE dishes!

This Friday I will be donning this:

(Gap $49.50)

I will not be wearing this specific color, but it is the only picture I could find on the website where the model wasn't standing like a man. I love the Gap for basics and occasionally I find a steal like this.

I just love the BF craze, but know it won't last long, so I opted for a few cheaper pieces that I can pair with skinny's or shorts.

(Anthro BF Jacket, Gap BF Sweater, J Brand 926 Seven Eighths)

(Without Jacket)

Don't judge my full length mirror, we DESPERATELY need a new one!

Happy Friday!

Just the Beginning

2010-05-04T11:06:00.000-05:00

Hello blog world... Before I get into anything else, let me say a big thank you to http://pennylanedesigns.net/ She did a beautiful job on my blog design, it is exactly what I was hoping for.

I thought it best to properly introduce myself, which is probably a pretty popular first post for most people.
I am a twenty something, in my first year of marriage. Until June 13, that is. I married the most amazing man and knew from our first date that he would be the man I spent my life with. We got engaged (on Halloween 09 with hundreds of people at the venue. Needless to say there was a roar from the crowd) here :

(Rockefeller Center, NYC)

Then we went up here for a toast, and to look at the view...

(Top of the Rock, NYC)

Before going here for a celebration: http://www.themodernnyc.com/

After 7 months of planning we ended up here:

With these people:

(Left to right: Jayme, Erica, Caroline, Kara, Rachel, Melissa)

Special shout out to these two:

(Left to right: Melissa, Me, Caroline)

And we went here for our honeymoon:

( French side of St. Maarten, West Indies)

Now that you all know the history behind how I ended up in this place in my life I will end this "get to know me" post with a picture of the beginning... "Our Nest"