Bubba's Bulldog Christmas Tree

Every Christmas for the past several years I have given Bubba a Georgia Bulldog ornament as one of his early Christmas presents. His little collection quickly grew and last year I deemed there to be enough ornaments to fully decorate Bubba's very own Georgia Bulldog themed tree. Of course, I still get to have my big, fancy "girly" tree in the living room, but Bubba is so proud of his little collegiate tree. We keep the Bulldog tree up until the last bowl game is played. This year we will be adding a "Baby Bulldog's 1st Christmas" ornament for Britton. We had to hurry up and get the Bulldog tree decorated before the SEC Championship game (UGA vs. LSU) this Saturday. GO DAWGS!!!!

  

Uh-Oh Spaghetti O

For dinner last night we let Britton feed himself pasta and tomato sauce for the first time, and boy was it MESSY!!! Britton's verdict on his dinner was a big thumbs down. Really?!? What kid does not like pasta? I definitely have a picky eater on my hands which is an anomaly for this family because Bubba and I are the most adventurous eaters you will ever meet. I won't gross you out with details of all the peculiar dishes we have tried over the years, but there have been quite a few. I have a basic rule that I will taste a bite of at least anything once...of course barring dogs, cats, ponies, etc. Britton would be happy if he could live on a diet consisting exclusively of fruits and cereals. He hates vegetables except for sweet potatoes and has scoffed at all attempts at meats, thus far. I guess I have a little vegetarian on my hands for now. Hopefully, his tastes will expand in time because I have dreams of us sitting down as a family and enjoying Ethiopian dishes that we scoop up with our hands using injera bread instead of utensils or Britton asking me for a second helping of my chicken tikka masala or all of us slurping up our own warm bowls of Vietnamese Pho when the weather gets cool. For now I guess I'll let my boy nibble at his "crunchies" (Gerber Graduate's Sweet Potato Puffs) and pray that he will someday develop a taste for the exotic spicy flavors that his Daddy and I enjoy so much.

Disclaimer: Please do NOT let the happy look on his little face fool you. There was alot of tears and food throwing accompanying this meal. He just knows how to ham it up for the camera;)

A Day of Thanksgiving

We celebrated Thanksgiving for the first time in over a decade at my parent's house. It was so nice to be home for the holidays. We started the day early watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade while we waited for my sister, niece and brother-in-law to arrive for lunch. The meal was so yummy, and I ate until I was beyond STUFFED. We spent the rest of the day relaxing (ummm....napping) and enjoying each others company. We had big plans to head out at midnight to hit the first of the Black Friday sales, but once we entered the parking lot our hopes were quickly dashed. I have never seen such long lines in my entire life!!! After standing a few minutes in line, we quickly decided that no "doorbuster sales" were worth standing out in the cold weather waiting with that huge mass of people. It was fun running into some of my old friends during my brief time I was there. We decided to head back home to cuddle up under our big comforter and watch a movie instead....with a big plate of left-overs and a piece of pecan pie to keep us company:)





Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving:)

Disclaimer: Although my brother-in-law is not pictured in any of the above photos (he arrived a few minutes after the "shoot"), he does exist and was in attendance at our family Thanksgiving. I promised my sister I would photoshop him into a few of the photos, but my skills were not up to par on that one;)

Wonderful Wednesday...What I'm Loving Right Now

1.) My new Coach Graphic Op Art purse: I didn't want to, I knew I shouldn't, but I just couldn't help myself. "Hello, my name is Virginia, and I have a purse addiction."  Nevertheless, it is one beautiful handbag. Let's just call it an early Christmas present to me from me.

2.) Ben & Jerry's Cinnamon Buns Ice Cream: Not on my diet and I don't care!!!

3.) Sephora by OPI 15-piece Holiday nail polish collection: I NEVER buy anything from QVC, but for this fabulous collection of mini nail polishes I made an exception. I love all the colors. I'm all about metallic nails this season, and the set includes several of these shades.

4.) The Help by Kathryn Stockett: I'm way behind the masses on this one, but I wanted to read it before the movie hits DVD in a few weeks.

5.) Airborne: With all the sneezing and hacking going around me, I've been gulping down this immune boosting supplement at  least twice a day, and I have yet to get sick. I am so not one of those earthy, hippy dippy alternative medicine sort of chicks, but I will swear by this stuff. I've already been through two boxes this past week....the Pink Grapefruit flavor tastes pretty good for a chalky, bubbly brew of Zinc, Echinacea, and Vitamin C (read: it won't make you gag or anything).

6.) Homeland on Showtime: I'm really getting into this new televison series. It stars Claire Danes as a CIA agent tackling terrorist threats. I've liked her as an actress since her early days starring in My So Called Life back in the 90's. Remember that show??? It did not air very long, but I sure do recall a young and very attractive Jared Leto playing the whole "bad boy" thing to perfection...made my little teenage heart go pitter-patter.

7.) Pampers Gifts to Grow Rewards program: After 11 months of pulling stickers off every bag of diapers and spending countless hours scouring the Internet for free codes, I finally amassed enough points to cash in for several cute presents for Britton. Sure I could have just paid the $20 dollars for the little plastic piano at Toys R' Us, but I would not have had the sheer satisfaction of getting something for FREE!!!! Now if  "time is money" then I was definitely on the losing end of this deal;)

8.) Extra Dessert Chewing Gums: Well, I obviously can't walk around town carrying a pie or a pint of ice cream (see # 2) to satisfy my sweet tooth, so I have found the second best thing. Okay, who am I kidding?!? Sugar-free chewing gum is FAR from the second best thing to pie, but nevertheless it's pretty tasty and has way less calories than the real thing:)

9.) The Georgia Bulldogs winning the SEC East and now heading to the SEC Championship in Atlanta on December 4th. GO DAWGS!!!

Over the River and Through the Woods...

We're back!!! My apologies for being MIA since last week, but we were out of town visiting my hubby's family for an early Thanksgiving weekend. As blogger's rules dictate, I did not want to annouce our vacation plans to all the blog reading want-to-be cat burglars out there;) Seriously, talk about an invitation to come on by the crib because we obviously won't be home for days. This was Britton's first visit to his Papa John and Nana's house, and it was a wonderful weekend full of great food, family, and of course, football. The trip to  their home in the north Georgia mountains is always a beautiful, scenic drive on the rolling back roads of Georgia. I always love leaving the interstate and driving down the two-lane road enjoying all the sights that we so often miss these days when we are speeding down the interstate in a hurry to get to our destination. The fall colors were AMAZING!!!

My sweet mother-in-law had a wonderful lunch waiting for us when we arrived. My MIL is a fabulous southern cook and made my very favorite dish that I request every time we visit...her famous chicken and dumplings. My in-laws pamper us from the minute we walk in the door, and it is always a treat to visit. They always insist that we stay in the master suite when we come. I love their plush king-size bed that is so ultra comfortable that I just want to curl up and snooze for hours. I always get to sleep in extra late on our visits. Bubba gets up early and joins his parents for a big breakfast. My hubby is one breakfast loving fella and since my idea of fixing Bubba breakfast is tossing him a box of Special K, he especially savors these meals of mama's french toast and all the fried bacon he can consume. I think this is a special time that he gets to spend one on one with his mommy and daddy, and I get to sleep in late. It's a win-win situation for everybody:)
On Friday evening, we headed to Bubba's favorite pizza parlor to have dinner with the entire family. It's a haunt that he and his brothers have visited for years, and Schroeder's makes the yummiest pizza and fried mushrooms. We were joined by Bubba's two older brothers, sister-in-law, and our two teenage nephews.

Saturday was another day full of family time and football. Baby Britton enjoyed being the center of attention and all that extra loving relished on him all day long. He's the newest grandbaby after 15 years, and the first nephew for his Uncle "Ja" and Aunt Sheila. He is definitely the little prince of this family.


Daddy, Britton and Uncle Johnny...notice the brotherly resemblance?!?


My mother-in-law made a huge Thanksgiving meal complete with all our family favorites. Unfortunately, the Georgia game was on during lunch, so the boys hurried through the meal and headed back to the den to watch television leaving us girls and my nephew to savor the rest of our meal alone. This is one testosterone filled football loving family with three sons and three grandsons, so us lady folks have learned to just go with the flow during football season;) The Bulldogs played Kentucky and pulled out a tough victory. Georgia was thus crowned champions of the SEC East. We are now headed to the SEC Championship in Atlanta on December the 4th:)

Luckily, Bubba and I made a midnight snack of all the leftovers and enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner twice. Everybody knows that Thanksgiving dinner is even better the second time around...especially when enjoyed curled up in bed and watching a funny Adam Sandler flick with our sweet boy slumbering between us. 

Britton is so lucky to have two sets of wonderful grandparents that love him to pieces. I know Britton will not remember his first Thanksgiving visit to see his grandparents, but this will be just the beginning of many special trips to Papa John and Nana's house for many years to come.


Britton and his Papa John



Cuddly Cousins

"Cousins are friends that will love you forever."

                                                                                          -Constance Richards

Ten on Tuesday (Our Thanksgiving Traditions)

1.) Macy's Thanksgiving Parade: For as long as I can remember I have enjoyed watching this annual parade in my pjs on Thanksgiving morning. It's a perfect start to a day of non-stop activities. I hope that we have a little time to cuddle in bed and watch at least the first half of the parade before I have to jump up and get a move on. Nowadays, I usually catch glimpses of the parade between shuffling dishes in and out of the oven and trips to the bathroom to put the finishing touches on my makeup and hair.

Source: google.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

2.) My Squash Casserole: This has been a family favorite for years and is always one of the first dishes to disappear. I've tried many incarnations of this recipe over the years, but have finally decided that Paula Deen's version is my favorite and has been my go to recipe for the past few years with a few of my own tweaks here and there.

Source: pauladeen.com via Virginia on Pinterest

3.) My Sister's Deviled Eggs and "Green Stuff": The deviled eggs need no explanation, but the "Green Stuff" (aka Watergate Salad) probably has left you a bit perplexed and probably does not sound all that appetizing. Nevertheless, it is pretty tasty and simple to whip up: Jello Pistachio pudding, Cool Whip, mini marshmallows, pecans and pineapple. It's considered a salad but sweet enough to be a dessert.

Source: kraftrecipes.com via Michelle on Pinterest

4.) Naps: The tryptophan of the turkey combined with several glasses of wine and we are all ready retreat into the den for a post-meal cat nap.

5.) Board Games: We are a competitive, game loving family and always crack out a few board games later in the day after everyone has recovered from our food induced coma. Family favorites include: Scattergories, Monopoly and Trivial Pursuit. I hold the title of undefeated champion all ALL board games for the past decade and don't expect to lose my title anytime soon:)

6.) Left-overs: This is my favorite part of the whole day. Everybody knows casseroles taste better the second time around, and I've worked up quite an appetite after winning all those games.

7.) Movie night: After everything has quieted down, it's now time to pop in a flick, and everybody cuddles up in their favorite chair. We always pick kid-friendly movies that even the adults can enjoy. It's also the perfect time to dig into dessert and coffee.

8.) Black Friday: Waking up way before the crack of dawn, not showering, and heading out to face the masses in attire that is only a slight step up from my pajamas...FUN TIMES!!! Capping off our shopping adventure with an early breakfast and then heading home to nap away the rest of the afternoon.

9.) The Christmas decorations come out, and we decorate the main tree together. I also have Bubba's "Georgia Tree" to decorate, but I save that for the following week.

10.) The Christmas season has officially begun:)

One Wise Bear

Yesterday, on my weekly trip to the Target, I could not help myself and picked up Britton a Blu-Ray/DVD combo of the new Winnie the Pooh movie for his little collection of Disney films. I know Britton is too young to enjoy these movies now, but I only hope he grows to appreciate these childhood favorites as much as I did.  I was raised on Disney flicks and loved everything from the classics such as Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Mary Poppins, and Snow White to more contemporary films like The Lion King, The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast (my very favorite). I can't wait till Britton gets to the age where we can sit down as a family and have Disney movie nights. I haven't seen the new Pooh film yet, but who doesn't love Winnie the Pooh?!? I'm going to save the movie for his birthday which is 2 days after Christmas...poor kid with the birthday so close to Christmas;) I just hope I can wait that long before I rip into that cellophane wrap and pop that baby into the Blu-ray.

Some of my all time favorite quotes can be attributed to Winnie the Pooh and friends (aka A.A. Milne). There are few that are so sweet they bring tears to my eyes everytime I read them.

“If you live to be 100, I hope I live to be 100 minus 1 day, so I never have to live without you.”

“If ever there is tomorrow when we're not together.. there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think but the most important thing is, even if we're apart.. i'll always be with you.”

“Promise me you'll never forget me because if I thought you would I'd never leave.”

For a bear who proclaims he's of  "very little brain", I  think Pooh is one smart cookie:) We could all learn a thing or two from Pooh.

"If the person you are talking to doesn't appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear."

 "You can't stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. you have to go to them sometimes."

"It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like "What about lunch?"
                                                                        -Winnie the Pooh

Dig In, Football Fans

Although the end of football season will be here quicker than I'd like, this is actually my favorite time of the entire season. All the best games have yet to be played: Georgia vs. Auburn, Alabama vs. Auburn, Georgia vs. Georgia Tech, the SEC Championship, all the bowl games, the National Championship and then the Super Bowl. Putting on a great spread for each game is of the upmost importance at my house, so I've taken to the web to discover some great new recipes to serve on Saturdays. Bubba must have the remote in one hand and something good to eat in the other at all times and only leaves the couch for bathroom breaks on football Saturdays;) Luckily, Britton seems to enjoy football as much as his Daddy does and will lounge in his lap for hours. Bubba has all the intentions of cultivating Britton into a future quarterback or kicker. Bubba was a place kicker in college and definitely has the skills to teach our little boy to be one heck of a kicker someday. Mommy thinks she prefers a kicker to a quarterback anyway. I sure don't want any of those big, tough linebackers sacking my sweet boy. On second thought, maybe Britton would rather play a non-contact sport. Perhaps golf or swimming...you never hear of serious injuries occuring in either of those sports:)

I found some delicious dishes on my recipe search and here are a few of the yummy snacks I want to try over the next couple of weeks:

Buffalo Chicken Wing Dip

Source: letsdishrecipes.blogspot.com via Virginia on Pinterest

Greek Salad Pinwheels

Source: tablespoon.com via Virginia on Pinterest

Swiss Bacon Dip

Source: letsdishrecipes.blogspot.com via Virginia on Pinterest

The Pioneer Woman's Mini Meatball Sliders

Source: thepioneerwoman.com via Virginia on Pinterest

Pizza Dip

Source: closetcooking.com via Virginia on Pinterest

Happy eating, y'all:)

Just Because...

Sometimes you don't need a special occasion like a birthday to celebrate with cake. Sometimes it's just nice to celebrate the everyday little things. Yesterday, I bought a cake to celebrate just because...

• My little boy decided to giggle uncontrollably for 10 minutes straight at the grocery store, and if that kind of unabashed happiness doesn't deserve a celebration I don't know what does.
• I received a sweet message from a girl I had gone to high school with that I have not seen in 13+ years who told me how much she enjoyed reading my blog. That totally made my day:)
• I won a $35 gift certificate to the Etsy shop Baby Wild[e] thanks to a drawing at one of my favorite blogs, Chapters of Our Life. 
• I finally found the tax bill that I had turned the house upside down looking for that was due in 2 days!!!
• The Georgia Bulldogs are going into the Auburn game this weekend with a SEVEN game winning streak. I think we might just have the edge on this one.
• This November marks 12 years that Bubba and I have been a couple:)
• Britton's hair is getting curly. I love little boys with curls.
• The Muppet Movie is releasing on November 23rd. Miss Piggy is the "original" Diva!!!
• Our "Toys for Tots" fund is all the way to $22, and we still have 2 more weeks left before my self-imposed deadline. My Bubba's pockets are the "motherload" of loose change and dollar bills.
• I have finally figured out what I'm giving my parents for Christmas...they are so hard to shop for every year because my Dad doesn't want anything, and my mom buys what she wants for herself;)
• The new season of The Real Housewives of Atlanta started this past Sunday. I must have my trashy television fix now that the Jersey Shore season has ended;)
• My sister rediscovered a high school sweetheart after 14 years (Thanks to Facebook and me) and is now blissfully married to the man of her dreams. Second times a charm:)

The happy couple..."Roger and Jessica Rabbit"

So next time you're walking past the bakery and that delicious chocolate cake catches your eye, go ahead and throw calories to the wind and buy it because I'm sure you can think of  your own little something to celebrate "Just Because...".

The Diva's Wish List

Is it too early to start working on my Christmas wish list? I think not!!! Of course, now that I am a mother I suppose I have finally hit the year where Santa (aka my mother dearest) no longer visits me with a sack full of presents:( I guess I have been riding on the "this is my last Christmas as a child" excuse for far too long considering I am in my thirties. Last year, since I was already receiving the best Christmas present a girl could ever ask for...the birth of BRITTON, I did not ask for one single thing for myself. I did, however, ask for several presents for my unborn child...he would arrive 2 days after Christmas. This year I do not expect to get more than a few gifts. Besides Christmas is all about the kids now. I have completely finished Christmas shopping for Britton and my niece, Emily, (except for a few impulse purchases I will surely make between now and then) and it is not even Thanksgiving yet. This is a huge accomplishment for me considering I am usually running around like a mad woman on Christmas Eve to finish my Christmas shopping!!!

Christmas 2011 Wish List:

• Anthropologie's Laramie Boots : I LOVE these boots!!! They would look so great over a pair of jeans or with a casual "prairie style" dress and tights. I like the cute tie detail in front and shearling insole.

• Sephora's Makeup Studio Blockbuster: I have been gifted one of these incredible all-in-one makeup kits for years (last year I even bought mine before Christmas for fear that my local Sephora would run out). The huge collection of eyeshadows is worth the price alone. I literally don't have to buy a single eyeshadow all year long. I also love the large array of lip glosses that I layer for a customized look. This would make a fabulous present for your best friend or sister.

• Pandora's Bead Birthday Blooms December Charm: I'd love to add this charm to my Pandora bracelet to commemorate Britton's birthday, and the turquoise birthstone is so pretty.

•  Le Creuset Heritage Stonewear Rectangular Covered Casserole: I have been collecting pieces of Le Creuset cookware for over a decade. I only have 4 pieces because they are so darn expensive, but nevertheless, I love the uncomparable quality and cheery red color.

Ten on Tuesday (Just a Little Random Thinking)

1.) We had a trial-run "Thanksgiving Dinner" last night: turkey, dressing, giblet gravy, macaroni n' cheese, and green beans. Britton sat in his highchair beside me and ate a little bit of everything off my plate. He especially enjoyed the dressing. He already loves sweet potatoes, so he'll be able to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner with the entire family this year.

2.) Britton has a milk protein allergy, so I probably should not have given him the mac n' cheese. My niece, Emily, had the same allergy, but outgrew it by the time she was a year old. Let's hope Britton does, too, because we are one dairy loving family!!!

3.) Britton still only has two teeth: front and center on the bottom. They are so cute!!!

4.) Setting our clocks back an hour has proven a bit problematic in the sleep department around here. Britton is still going to bed around his usual time but wakes up TWO hours earlier. What?!? One hour earlier would make sense, but two hours is madness for this sleep lovin' mama.          

5.)  I just started reading the Steve Jobs biography by Walter Isaacson last night. I was already hooked after the first few pages.

6.) My favorite football game of the whole year is this weekend: Georgia vs. Auburn. We have a seven game winning streak, so I think we might just whoop some Tiger tail this weekend:)

7.) As I mentioned in my last post...I have finished my Christmas shopping for Britton, and it's not even Thanksgiving. I think that accomplishment deserves to be restated again!!!

8.) It's never too early to start thinking about Christmas cards especially since I plan to use a personalized photo card this year... still can't decide whether to go with a professional photographer or go the do-it-yourself route.

9.) The new season of The Real Housewives of Atlanta started Sunday night. Does it make me a horrible person that I was really excited?!? I'm still waiting to run into one of the cast members out and about in Atlanta.

10.) We were without a dryer for an entire week. Do you have any idea how horrible this situation was and the massive piles of laundry that accumulated?!? Especially, since I am accustomed to using three towels per shower....one for my hair, one to dry the rest of me, and the other to sit on while I do my makeup. By the end of the week I was down to a single wash cloth to do it all;)

* Disclaimer: The Diva did NOT cook "Thanksgiving dinner" last night. It was all take-out. Why in the world would I spend all day slaving over the stove roasting a turkey and making dressing?!? Doing this once a year for the actual Thanksgiving dinner is enough for me.

Weekend Wrap-up

Friday was a go-go-go kind of day. We had not one, but two doctors' appointments. My check-up was first and then Britton's appointment was across town...actually, it was not a "real" pediatrician's appointment but just a visit to the nurse for the second round of the flu vaccine. Luckily, Daddy was able to come with us and comfort our boy. I cannot stand watching Britton get shots (I have to look away and stick my fingers in my ears). Thinking of him being in pain for one moment probably hurts me far worse than it hurts my baby. Britton is always such a brave little boy when he gets his shots, but they also totally wipe him out. After just a tiny wail at the initial prick and then a few snifffles our boy is out like a light. Although, it was super early for dinner when we got out of the appointment, we decided to take full advantage of Britton's nap and go ahead and head out for supper. Knowing that nap time could end as quickly as it began, we decided to go with a super casual restaurant with a lively atmosphere just in case our boy decided to wake-up screaming and demanding to be let out of his carrier. We headed to the Poncey-Highland neighborhood to try out HD1 (aka Haute Doggery) . This is a fairly new restaurant opened by Richard Blais (the spiky haired chef that gained noteriety on two seasons of Bravo's Top Chef). Chef Blais has helmed numerous restaurants for quite a number of years, and Bubba and I have had the pleasure at dining at all of them . While he was chef at the now defunct Home Restaurant and Bar we were personally invited back to the kitchen for a tour and to meet Chef Blais. This was right in the middle of his first stint on Top Chef, and he was so friendly and down to earth. HD1 is by far the most casual concept of all of Blais' restaurants...basically it's a "bumped up" hotdog stand. It takes the hotdog and turns it on its "tail" with some of the funkiest combinations you could ever imagine.

For example, take the Chicken Apple sausage dog with herbed creme fraiche, walnuts and sour grape relish or the Kenturkey dog with bacon, mornay, tomato-pimento marmelade and parmegiano. My personal favorite was the Merquez dog with lamb sausage, currants, minted cucumber relish and Labne yougurt. After stuffing ourselves with these strange but delicious hotdog concoctions, waffle fries, and African spiced boiled peanuts, we were beyond stuffed. It was just a fun, casual dining experience, and Britton slept through the entire meal...propped up on top of the long picnic table, nonetheless.

 After dinner, we decided to take our chances and headed to one of our favorite after dinner spots, The Chocolate Bar, in downtown Decatur, Ga. Britton was wide awake by now, but we figured that it was still so early that there would only be a few other patrons. Bubba and I have probably been to The Chocolate Bar a dozen times, but this was Britton's first visit. (Um, I stand corrected. Bubba just informed me that this was Britton's 2nd visit to The Chocolate Bar. The first time he came was when he was just a few weeks old, but I still can't remember that visit for the life of me...let's chalk it up to "New Mommy Brain").

 It is such a fun place to grab an after-dinner cocktail and dessert. It has a warm, romantic atmosphere and a scrumptious menu of unusual and decadent martinis. Not to mention one of best spots to grab a box of delicious handcrafted chocolates...to take home for a snack if they can last the car ride home;)

We were so full from our hot dog extravaganaza that we opted for a couple of "dessert" cocktails instead of one of their over-the-top delicious chocolate desserts. The Red Velvet Cake Martini for me, and a Pecan Pie Martini for Bubba. So yummy!!!

After a quick trip to RedBox to pick up the movie, Water for Elephants, we headed home and settled in for a cozy night on the couch.

Saturday brought football, football and more football. Unfortunately, the Georgia game was not on the TV so Bubba listened to the game on the radio. I prefer to watch my games so I took a long nap:) We won big, but we also had an easy opponent. The real heart-stopping game of the day was the Alabama/LSU game that evening. Now, it's obvious that Alabama is my home state and a huge majority of my family and friends attended Alabama. I, however, am neither an Alabama nor Auburn fan...if I had to chose I probably lean more towards Auburn, but only slightly. Nah...I really don't care for either one. I'm a Georgia Bulldog through and through. Nevertheless, this was a game not to be missed. We also had a "Dawg" in the fight for the South Carolina/Arkansas game and pulled hard for the Razorbacks...anticpating that this might set up Georgia as champions in the Eastern Division of the SEC. Well, Arkansas pulled it out and Bama didn't. There were some SAD folks in Alabama that night!!

* A big thanks to Chapters of our Life and Baby Wild[e] Etsy boutique  for the $35 gift certificate I won yesterday. WOW...I never win anything!!! I can't wait to buy Britton a few adorable gifts:)

No Bows About It...Dressing My Little Boy

Obviously having a little boy has robbed me of the joy of buying frilly dresses and big hair bows, but here in the South it is acceptable to dress our little boys for a short time in cute smocked bubble suits and longalls as a consolation prize before they rebel against us and demand jeans and t-shirts like all the other boys. Of course, for his everyday "hang around the house" wear I'm not going to spend a fortune when he's just going to stain his outfit with carrots or outgrown them faster than a weed. Britton is a messy little fella, and changes outfits atleast 3 times a day. (Ummm, I blame this more on the fact that his Daddy NEVER remembers to put on a bib when he feeds him). For these clothes I prefer affordable brands like Carter's, Baby Gap or Old Navy. I often wait till Carters.com is having a sell and stock up on all the basics: onesies, pants, jammies, rompers, etc. Now for going out, my boy must be dressed to the nines and that means smocked bubble suits and shortalls in the warmer months and longalls in the fall and winter. Now all these adorable smocked and appliqued "fancy" outfits are EXPENSIVE, but I have found a few great places to buy his precious outfits at incredibly affordable prices, and you just so happen to be lucky enough that I'm going share my secrets with you.

1.) The Divine Consign Children's Show: This is the Mecca of all things frilly, smocked, and appliqued. They host these shows twice a year in 4 locations around the South (two in the Atlanta area, one in Montgomery, AL and one in Raleigh, NC). You must sign up online for an invitation to the event and will receive an email shortly before the show containing the details of the upcoming event: dates, times, location. There are several ways to be invited to the preview event before the general public: 1.) volunteer for a shift 2.) be pregnant or a first-time mom of a baby under 12 months 3.) Bring a grandparent. Now it is imperative that you qualify for these preview shows because the best stuff goes fast. Luckily, I have attended 3 shows and was able to qualify under the # 2 provision for all of the shows. Next time around I'm either going have to get myself pregnant again or just get Grandma to make the trip to Atlanta;) I have literally bought dozens of adorable outfits with the tags still on for a fraction of the price. Some of the high quality brands featured are Castles and Crowns, Petit Ami and Secret Wishes.

Some of the adorable outfits I bought at the recent Fall show

2.) SweetBabyTutu: This is a fabulous online children's boutique on Facebook. Simply "like" the page and start shopping away. It is the easiest and most convenient shopping ever!!! Basically,  a photo of  a new outfit will be featured on the wall with the sizes, price, and number of each item available. In order to purchase an outfit you leave a comment on that photo stating "SOLD, the size you want and your PayPal email address". You will receive an invoice through PayPal and once paid your item will arrive shortly through the US mail. I have purchased so many precious outfits on Sweet Baby TuTu, and they are always as cute as they appear in the picture and of the highest quality. Did I forget to mention how affordable they are!!! I have had nothing but the best success with this company and highly recommend them.

A few of my latest purchases from SweetBabyTutu

* I must give credit where credit is due and divulge that I did not discover The Divine Consign Kid's Show on my own but instead learned about it on a college friend's blog, Masters on Jefferson. Thanks so much, Nicole:)

Reading Rainbow

I have always been an avid reader since I was a little girl, but once I became pregnant I stopped reading for entertainment and instead focused on every book on pregnancy I could get my hands on. I must have read my copy of  What to Expect When You are Expecting from cover to cover a thousand times, and then I delved deeper into even more pregnancy related reads: breastfeeding guides, nursery decor books and parenting advice guides. I was basically a walking encyclopedia of all things pregnancy related. Not to mention some of those books I read scared the "maternity pants off me" with all their information on diseases, warnings, and conditions. My Ob-Gyn begged me to put down the pregnancy books and stop searching the internet because I was driving myself nuts with the oveload of information and was self-diagnosing a new "phantom" condition every week. Luckily, I was very close to my doctor or she would have surely deemed me too difficult a patient and sent me on my merry " high anxiety" (I'm using her words here) way. Thankfully, my pregnancy was complication free, and my child was completely healthy at birth regardless of all the nights I had stayed up worrying myself to death. So of course, I could now get back to reading all those best sellers I had missed out on during those 9 months of pregnancy....WRONG!!! I had a newborn baby, and reading was the last thing on my mind after 3 hour feedings and endless nights with little to no sleep. It has only been in the last couple of months that I have fallen back in love with reading. My new best friend, Mr. Nook Color, really helped encourage this renewed passion. I can now easily finish 3 books a week (plus my weekly subscriptions to People, US Weekly, and OK...I obviously love me some celebrity gossip).
Here is what I've been reading on my Nook in the past week:

2.) The Happiness Project  by Gretchen Rubin

"Gretchen Rubin had an epiphany one rainy afternoon in the unlikeliest of places: a city bus. "The days are long, but the years are short," she realized. "Time is passing, and I'm not focusing enough on the things that really matter." In that moment, she decided to dedicate a year to her happiness project.
In this lively and compelling account of that year, Rubin carves out her place alongside the authors of bestselling memoirs such as Julie and Julia, The Year of Living Biblically, and Eat, Pray, Love. With humor and insight, she chronicles her adventures during the twelve months she spent test-driving the wisdom of the ages, current scientific research, and lessons from popular culture about how to be happier.
Rubin didn't have the option to uproot herself, nor did she really want to; instead she focused on improving her life as it was. Each month she tackled a new set of resolutions: give proofs of love, ask for help, find more fun, keep a gratitude notebook, forget about results. She immersed herself in principles set forth by all manner of experts, from Epicurus to Thoreau to Oprah to Martin Seligman to the Dalai Lama to see what worked for her—and what didn't."

2.) Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom

"What if our beliefs were not what divided us, but what pulled us together? In Have a Little Faith, Mitch Albom offers a beautifully written story of a remarkable eight-year journey between two worlds--two men, two faiths, two communities--that will inspire readers everywhere. Albom's first nonfiction book since Tuesdays with Morrie, Have a Little Faith begins with an unusual request: an eighty-two-year-old rabbi from Albom's old hometown asks him to deliver his eulogy. Feeling unworthy, Albom insists on understanding the man better, which throws him back into a world of faith he'd left years ago. Meanwhile, closer to his current home, Albom becomes involved with a Detroit pastor--a reformed drug dealer and convict--who preaches to the poor and homeless in a decaying church with a hole in its roof..."

3.) The Night Strangers by Chris Bohjalian

"In a dusty corner of a basement in a rambling Victorian house in northern New Hampshire, a door has long been sealed shut with 39 six-inch-long carriage bolts. The home's new owners are Chip and Emily Linton and their twin ten-year-old daughters. Together they hope to rebuild their lives there after Chip, an airline pilot, has to ditch his 70-seat regional jet in Lake Champlain after double engine failure. Unlike the Miracle on the Hudson, however, most of the passengers aboard Flight 1611 die on impact or drown. The body count? Thirty-nine – a coincidence not lost on Chip when he discovers the number of bolts in that basement door. Meanwhile, Emily finds herself wondering about the women in this sparsely populated White Mountain village – self-proclaimed herbalists – and their interest in her fifth-grade daughters. Are the women mad? Or is it her husband, in the wake of the tragedy, whose grip on sanity has become desperately tenuous?"