a few things

1. Bob and I had to cancel a planned vacation to Savannah this weekend, because, unfortunately, my grandmother passed away and we had to travel to New York instead. I will miss Grandma Tess so, so much, but are so thankful that I had her for 28 years and that she is no longer in pain.

I could do a whole post on her life with my Grandpa. What an amazing life they led. It's such a testament to her character the people that showed up for her funeral...her hairdresser, their real estate agent, Grandpa's flying buddies, my dad's childhood friends, etc.

Isn't she beautiful? She met my Grandpa when she was 14 and they had been married for 69 years. 69! I can't even imagine knowing someone for 69 years, let alone be married that long.

2. As a result, we are exhausted and emotional. Dreaming of a vacation to someone warm and relaxing. Like maybe...

Cabo San Lucas? Courtesy

or...

Saint Lucia? Courtesy

3. On the flights, I finished this book on my Nook - "Too Good to be True" by Kristan Higgins. It was surprisingly cute for a random book I picked from the library and I'll probably read more by the same author. Next up..."Saving Gracie," on recommendation from my friend Leigh, who has similar reading tastes as I. By the cover, I'm already hooked. :)

4. Did you see the new Bachelorette? Or maybe I'm the only one who still watches that show. Love. It. Wow, drunk guy. Glad she sent him packing. Not seeing the attraction to Bentley but, hey, whatever floats your boat. Glad she kept him around for the drama factor. I'm sorry if she gets hurt, but, hey, she was warned!

I'm liking JP so far. He was so cute when he got out of the limo - so nervous! I love when attractive, seemingly confident guys get nervous.

book mark: black heels to tractor wheels

Simple: I loved it. What an easy, entertaining read. And even better that Black Heels to Tractor Wheels is based on one woman's (and man's) real-life Cinderella story. And one who is arguably the most talked about blogger out there. Seriously, almost everyone I know reads Pioneer Woman's blog. And if they don't read it regularly, they've read it on occasion. Or cooked one of her recipes. Or have at least heard of her.

But back to the book. It's a riveting account of Ree's journey to marriage and beyond with Marlboro Man. It's refreshingly honest and surprising, filled with the ups and downs that accompany falling in love.

Borrowed

I'd love to hear Marlboro Man's side of the story - as always, he seems so perfect, so charming, while Ree is portrayed as a fool in love...I wonder what he remembers. Her account of the disastrous dates that led up to him falling madly in love with her are hilarious and endearing.

The critics say you could read much of the story on PW's blog - but if you're like me and haven't, it's all fresh material. Buy it, download it, borrow it, whatever. It's a quick read that you won't want to put down.

SewingSunny

I've been feeling a bit uninspired lately, hence the lack of blog posts, but I promise I'm trying to remedy that.

Courtesy

I am feeling inspired, however, about my sewing. I've really enjoyed learning how to sew over the past year and especially enjoy making things for other people. It's not very rewarding to sew with no one in mind to give it to, and since my friends don't seem to want to have anymore babies right now (come on, guys, I need a busier hobby!), I've decided to start a little Etsy store.

One of my first and favorite projects was a baby blanket I made for our sweet friends little boy. They're so sweet to always tell me how much they love it and how it's Jack's favorite blanket. I've continued to make blankets for friends and family as they've had babies and have received positive feedback on them, and other things I've made, so I'm excited about this opportunity.

Bare with me as I get going, but here I give you...SewingSunny on Etsy. Please feel free to pass this along to anyone you know that might be interested. I am really interested in developing custom orders as well. If you're interested in something in particular, please let me know and I will see what I can do.

Also, I'm new to the whole Etsy thing so any thoughts or suggestions on improving my "shop" or getting the word out would be greatly appreciated! :)

cinco de val-o

Ok, ok, ok, I know it's not really Cinco De Val-o. But since Leigh dubbed it that and it just kind of stuck, I'm rolling with it... :P

I had a GREAT day yesterday. 

It started with a little decoration of my cubicle from Shannon and Nicole...

Cards from the work crew and our sweet friend who makes us cookies...

And followed up by some homemade deliciousness at the hands of the best-looking cook I've had in my kitchen, well, ever.

And a yummy, strawberry cake with cream-cheese icing. Sigh. Mmmm.

Patiently waiting for cake.

The dinner? Homemade Creamy Chicken Taquitos courtesy of Annie's Eats. Oh. My. Deliciousness. These are not your frozen taquitos from a box.

Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Yield: about 12 taquitos

Ingredients:

3 oz. cream cheese, softened

¼ cup salsa

1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice

1 tsp. chili powder

½ tsp. cumin

½ tsp. onion powder

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp. chopped cilantro

1-2 green onions, chopped

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 cup shredded Mexican cheese (cheddar, pepper jack, etc. would also be good)

10-12 6-inch flour tortillas

Cooking spray

Kosher salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425˚ F.  Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, salsa, lime juice, spices, cilantro, green onions, chicken and shredded cheese.  Mix thoroughly until well combined.  

Briefly heat the tortillas in the microwave to make them soft enough to roll easily, about 20-3o seconds.  Place a tortilla on a work surface.  Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the filling mixture down the middle of the tortilla.  Roll the tortilla up tightly around the filling.  Place seam-side down on a baking sheet.  Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling, spacing the assembled taquitos evenly on the baking sheet.  Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt.  (You may be tempted to skip the sprinkle of salt, but it really adds a nice touch.)  

(To freeze before baking, transfer the baking sheet to the freezer and chill the assembled taquitos 30-60 minutes.  Transfer to a freezer-safe container or plastic bag.  To bake from the freezer, simply add a few additional minutes to the original baking time, until the filling is warmed through.)

Bake 15-20 minutes, until crisp and golden brown.   Serve with sour cream and salsa, if desired.

tide together

Bob and I have been feeling really down about not being able to physically help the victims of the regions tornadoes - especially our friends and family in Alabama. So when we heard some Bama alumnae in Nashville were organizing an event to benefit Ttown, we planned to attend.

TIDE Together for Tuscaloosa Twister Relief was held at the Red Rooster in Nashville last night and it was packed! Hundreds of fellow Bama graduates gathered for drink specials, raffles and foods - all to benefit our the hometown of our alma mater. 

All in all, almost $20,000 was raised at this three-hour event. Amazing! I would love, love, love to be there to help rebuild, but I know this money will go a long way to helping those injured or displaced due to the storms. It makes me proud to be a part of such a caring group of individuals. Roll Tide!

Picture from The Tennessean

elvis is in the building

franklin main street festival

On Saturday, Bob and I took advantage of a beautiful, sunny day and ventured out to the Franklin Main Street Festival. 

The streets were packed with people and vendors selling everything from birdhouses to children's toys to artwork. 

We indulged in a tasty lunch...

Polish Sausage for Bob

A corn dog and nachos for me - hey, what can I say? I can't choose just one! In my defense, I didn't eat the fries...

Drank some freshly squeezed lemondae...

and enjoyed the beautiful sights of downtown Franklin.

a heavy heart

I know you all are aware of the massive storms that passed through the South last week, leaving behind a path of destruction, particularly in Alabama. My sweet, beloved Tuscaloosa - home away from home - the place where I "grew up" - where I met, fell in love with and got engaged to the love of my life - is just devastated...along with town after town in the rest of the state and in Tennessee, Georgia and other states.

We are so very thankful that all of our friends and family scattered across the state are safe and accounted for - although many have suffered severe property damage and are horribly shaken. Bob and I are shocked each time we see a photo of our town, only to find it is a photo of our old homes...now gone.

I'll spare you the rundown of the events b/c I know we've all heard them over and over again, and they just continue to be surreal to me, but I do want to let you know that as of last night, 39 people were confirmed dead, more than 1,000 were injured, and 455 were still missing in Tuscaloosa alone. Many, many more people were killed, injured or have not been found across the South.

Please, please pray for these communities. They desperately need your prayers. If you'd like to donate to benefit the victims of the tornadoes, please visit the Red Cross' site.