What a day...

Well, it's just us girls here this weekend. Garet is at a camp for work, so Suzi and I have had fun outside doing yardwork.

I woke up early (as usual!) and after breakfast - and my smoothie!- I went outside to mow the grass. Not too long after I started, I noticed something come out from the side of the lawnmower... it was a snake! A little one, but still, it was a snake! I stopped the mower because I didn't want snake guts all over the place - but I used the mower as my barrier and tried to scare him away from our yard! I probably looked like the biggest goober!

So after I finished all the grass, I went to work on my flowers. I bought a lot to go down beside our mailbox, and I also bought some herbs and a couple vegetables - we'll see if I get to those tomorrow though! I was digging around on one side of the mailbox, and hit an ant hill! They swarmed! They were the black ones - so I got Garet's spray stuff and got 'em! Then I got to digging the other side of the mailbox and felt two bites, one on my leg and one on my hand. Red ants!! Oh man I was mad! I cannot believe how many of them there were! Don't worry I got them with the spray too! Wish I knew how to keep them from getting into my flowers!

All of that took most of the afternoon. Actually when I came in to eat some lunch I noticed that I hadn't even made up the bed this morning! If you know me, you know that I am obsessed when it comes to making the bed! Last one out makes it. I couldn't believe I didn't make it until after noon! Man I am really living on the edge!!

I did get the inside of the house all clean and then went over to Target for some errands. Now I am tired, and curled up on the couch about to watch a girlie movie :) Hopefully I'll have energy tomorrow to get my little garden started!

Flowers and Rainbows...

This past weekend flew by! On Saturday, Garet and I went on the hunt for some flowers and herbs. We went to Lowes and just got some simple flowers to go beside our mailbox. I still don't know what I am going to put in the backyard under our windows. Since that area doesn't get too much sun, I am still trying to figure out what to put there. Garet bumped into a woman that he knew from work who just happens to own a small place down the street and she sells herbs and vegetables. So we went there and got some fun stuff. We didn't get a chance to plant them (it rained on Sunday). I'll have to do that this coming weekend. Saturday night Garet and I had a lovely dinner at a little Italian place.

On Sunday, after church, Garet had to go work for a little bit. I decided to make some cookies - on a gross rainy day, that is the best! I have to say, these were the BEST chocolate chip cookies I have ever made! I used a recipe that I have used before - but for some reason this time they stayed all fluffy and yummy. I think it was due to my new mixer :)

Sunday night we took dinner to a friend that just had a baby. On the way, it stopped raining. Then I looked over to my right and saw the biggest, most beautiful rainbow!
Can you see it? I couldn't get the whole thing but we could see the complete arch! It was so pretty!

Yesterday I was walking around our backyard with Suzi and I went to check on my Hydrangea - I saw a little bloom!! I was so excited! (I know I'm easy!) Both of my plants have many small little buds on them, so I have just been waiting for them to pop! Finally a little one did!
You can't tell from the picture, but it is a very light pink. I know that a Hydrangea color depends on how much acid is in your soil. It will either be blue or pink. Well I it looks like ours will be pink. Yay! I can't wait for the whole thing to be in bloom!

Playing outside...

It was so pretty outside earlier this week - we had to take advantage of it! We gave Suzi her beloved ball and played in the backyard.

Here is Suzi trying to pop her ball:
It is so funny watching her run around! You can tell she is at full speed right now!

I even managed to get burned! I can't wait until the weather is this nice all the time!!

Garet and I went to a Stars baseball game. The Stars is the minor league baseball team here. We had a really good time! The weather was great! I think when I go to games I people watch more that I actually watch the game. It was fun, but we lost - it was only by 1 point though. I played with my camera to get a panoramic shot.

I am hoping that the weather cooperates this weekend so I can get some flowers planted. I would also like to start growing my own spices/herbs, so hopefully I can do that on Saturday.

Making bread...

I was soooo super excited to use my mixer!! I decided to make some bread... here I am preparing to cut on my mixer for the first time...
Here I am realizing that the mixer actually needs to be plugged in before it will start...

Finally - I'm mixin'!!-

I love my mixer!!! I can't wait to make something else :)

Of course, the bread had to rise and sit and rise and sit and then bake - so eventually this is what I got...

It didn't rise as much as I thought it would - but it was my first one, and it tasted great! Next time I will have to mix in some cinnamon!

Happy Easter...

Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter!!

The parents visit...

Finally, I found time to write about my parents visit! We had such a great time having them here! They got here Friday night and we enjoyed my cake :)

On Saturday we took them out to Bridgestreet to hang out. It was a beautiful day! Here we are on the bridge:Here is just the two of us

Then we went out to Athens - part of Garet's district for work. They were having some kind of festival and were giving out free hotdogs, drinks, and ice cream! There was also music and singing and they had all these old fancy cars out for everyone to see. It was really cute - and the boys enjoyed looking at the cars.

We didn't really have plans while they were here - we were able to just hang out and catch up. It was so nice having my parents here!!! I am excited that it will only be a month until I see them again! Here we all are in our backyard (of course Garet had to do his famous shot!)

I got to use my mixer today - so now I am just relaxing waiting for my bread to rise :)

Early birthday...

Let me start with this - my birthday isn't until August 17.

Last night my parents, Garet and I were just hanging out before dinner. My dad said, "let's have a party!" I was like, okay... They said it would be an early birthday party! Then my dad went and got a gift for me from their car!!

I was surprised, I mean I have NEVER gotten a gift this early before :) Imagine my surprise when I opened this!!!

I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am sooooo super excited about it!!!

We will be going to Charlotte next month and staying with my parents but after that we don't have plans to see them until Thanksgiving. My mom knew how much I wanted one of these, and she was scared I would go out and buy one for myself before our trip to Charlotte next month. (Which I would have!) So they figured they'd just give me an early gift!

I can't wait to make something!!!!!! We still have some of my cake left, so I might try to make some bread! Oh the possibilities!

12 layers...

My parents are still here - they are leaving in the morning, right now we are watching the Final Four basketball game! I just had to show the cake I made:Here it is after we cut it!

Yep, 12 layers! I got the recipe here and it is SO yummy!!!

Back to cheering on Carolina!!

The weekend's here...

I took this picture a few days ago on my way home - I know there has got to be something fun in Photoshop I can do to it! I just love how the sun is coming through the clouds!

So, yay it's the weekend! My parents are on their way here! Yay! They will probably get here soon after I get off work, so that's perfect timing! I made a fun cake last night, I'll have to share some pictures later. And I have a crockpot meal going - I just LOVE meals in the crockpot! Actually Garet turned it to "low" before he left the house, so according to him, he made dinner for tonight. :)

Last night we were in a tornado warning - some places near here got hit pretty hard. Garet, Suzi, and I got in our closet for about 15 minutes until our area was all clear. I hope the bad weather is past us! Looks like tomorrow is supposed to be nice! It'll be a great weekend, AND I have Monday off!

The diagnosis...

Finally (after like 2 months!) the vet gave us a diagnosis for Suzi from when she was so sick. Asthma. Yep my dog has asthma, and no that does not mean she has to have an inhaler. Basically she just has to be on a pill the rest of her life. At least it's a small pill :) And she is back to normal now, so yay!

Suzi enjoying a nice nap - doesn't she look comfortable?