Just Call me Betty Crocker

This weekend, I think I'm getting things back in order from the holidays, and it feels really good.  Granted, it's the end of January, but that's ok.

This morning, I made room in our kitchen for this:

I made a chocolate-chocolate-chip cake this morning with my new mixer.  

Let me just tell you it smells divine.  

I have a few "go to" meals that I cook, and I get tired of the same old stuff.  But desserts?  I can do that.  I'm so excited about this mixer!  The book has several recipes in it, and you can make pizza dough with it, which I've made before, but not with a stand-up mixer.  I loved how effortless it was to use.  (I guess that's the point, right?)  So yes, you can just call me Betty.

Now, moving on to another domestic item...

Socks.

Terribly exciting, right?  

Last night, SMoo and I went to dinner at Pei Wei and had every intention of coming back and watching Gilmore Girls.  We got as far as the couches, and proceeded to talk until 1:30 a.m.  Claire came in around 10:30 and joined in the fun.  We covered an incredibly wide-array of topics, per usual.  It was fabulous.

If I invite you over some time, I promise I won't start folding my laundry in front of you.  But I had a basket full of clean clothes and good friends to talk to, so I made a chore into less of one, and started in on the mound of clothes.  {Clearly I'm quite comfortable around this girls.}

As I got to my socks, Claire observed that I "folded" my socks funny.  Now, I've lived with Claire and Smoo at one point or another for two years, and we've never discussed the art of sock folding.  What ensued was a sock-folding demonstration.

In the above photo, the purple socks are mine--I fold them over each other.  I threw SMoo a pair to see what she'd do, and she did this tuck-one-sock-into-another business.  That's her mom does it.  Claire does some sort of roll-then-tuck action, which is...you guessed it...how her mom does the laundry.  Oh, the things you learn! 

Hope your weekend has been one of laughter, fun and friends.  It definitely made mine sweet.

{Nice, France}

Weekends are for... 

rejuvenating

relaxing

reconnecting

reorganizing

reflecting

rejoicing

Happy Weekending!

Happy Birthday, Adam!

Happy 26th Birthday, Adam!!  

You make me laugh every single day.  And I love it.

Perhaps it has something to do with your crazy faces??

I remember laughing through my entire dinner at Pei Wei with you the first time we went out after rock climbing.  Part of it was nerves, but part of it was I just thought you were really funny.  (And cute.)  Well, I was right.  (On both accounts.)

In college, Katie, SMoo and I would mention a guy and then ask our own question:  

"Is he smart?" (SMoo)

"Is he funny?" (Katie)

"Is he cute?" (Shay)

You are all three.  And more.  Most importantly to me, you pursue the Lord wholeheartedly.  You have made my friends your friends, and you know (and ask) all about the important people in my life, including my entire family, closest friends, and people at work.  

You encourage me when I need it most, you are a great listener, and you make me think about more than just myself.  You encourage me to run and workout, but don't demand it.  

You are hardworking and diligent in all that you do.  

You're compassionate, caring, intelligent, a great cook, 

and have I mentioned funny?

I must really like you, because otherwise I wouldn't send you photos like this after you run a half marathon while I was out of town for work & couldn't be there...

And you must really like me, because after I had a really horrible day this week and bawled my eyes out on your shoulder, I looked up and you had my mascara all over your cheek.  But you just sat there with me and talked and listened.  That meant a whole lot.  :-)

I hope today you feel extra special and very celebrated.

Love,

Shay 

ps--a birthday clue:  I hope you know your ABCs by now!

Inspiration Folder

It's no secret I enjoy reading blogs.  I just find so many little bits of inspiration--lots of things I just tuck away mentally, and some stuff I can actually incorporate into everyday life.  I thought I'd share a few snippits from my new folder on my desktop called "Inspiration," because that's just what it is...

First, I just found this from The Pioneer Woman this morning.  At Polyvore, you can make design boards of actual clothes, accessories and even interior decorating.  It's a cool visual tool, and you can actually purchase what you make...although it would definitely be detrimental to your pocket book, PW points out!  {Does anyone else call it that?  My very southern grandmother always called it a pocket book.}

Over at Kelly's Korner, she shared this really cool vinyl monogram that you can put on a mirror.  I thought this was really cool.  Her final product {left} came from inspiration on the right, which my mom and I decided was a really warm, fun, non-baby nursery.  {Take out the baby bed, and I'd totally move in with all those pinks and browns.  Yum.}

Finally, I came across a really cool way to keep stacks of Christmas cards over at The Poe Fam.  I don't have that  many Christmas cards quite yet, but I thought it was a really neat idea to be able to look through them and get them out around Christmas.  

So that's what's in my folder today.  Please share more...I love adding things.  :-)

Anna Banana!

Happy Birthday, sweet Anna!  I love the more-sister-than-cousin friendship we've found ourselves in as we've grown up.  I'm so glad your fam moved back up here to Dallas so that our lunch dates and late night Starbucks runs can happen much more often.

You have such a love for life, a zillion friends who realize just how great you are, you're hard-working, and definitely one of the funniest girls I know.  And although I didn't have the choice to make you my cousin, I am honored to call you a dear friend.

I love seeing you come into your own and figure out what you want to do next in life.  You pursue the Lord on a daily basis, have such a heart for people and helping others.

I love that we're able to share the Baylor and Tri-Delta experiences together, even though you're three years behind me.  It's fun to hear your perspective on things I was involved in not too long ago.  Even though we've chosen some similar routes as our moms, you've made Baylor your own, and I know you'll look back on those four years with lots of happy memories.  Soak it all up, girl.  Soak it up.

You keep me up on all the latest iPhone apps and Google Reader options, show me new blogs and make sure I stay hip enough.  Thank you for that.

You taught me to shop (much to my chagrin, now!).  As a picky fourth grader, I couldn't find a thing I even wanted to try on to wear.  You showed me how to make a "yes," "no," and "maybe" pile that I still use to this day.  Thanks for that, too.  (I think.)

Enjoy your special day.  You are SO LOVED by so many...me included!

77 or 78? That is the question...

A couple of Tuesdays ago, we celebrated Papa's Birthday.  As we circled up to pray before our (yummy) meal Mom made, there was a great debate about which birthday Papa was actually celebrating.  He thought it was 77, but after some mathematics, turns out he was mistaken, and he actually turned 78 on January 9th.  I guess when you have so many birthdays, it's just hard to keep track!  :-)  Too bad he's been competing in the golf games for "Under 78."  Papa told Adam that he was really ticked off, because he could've won a few more golf tournaments in a different age bracket!  Ha.

Peach Cobbler is a family go-to for dessert, because it's so good...any time!  

Papa, you are so loved.  Celebrating you is always a treat.  You are a giver of your time, so helpful with home improvement projects, a great game player, a most helpful airport taker and picker-upper, and so many other things.  Thanks for being you.  WE LOVE YOU!

Leave it to the guys to start playing with the napkin rings.  Adam and my Uncle Mark have this uncanny ability to make me laugh like nobody's business.  And they do it without meaning to, but my laughter just encourages them more, I think.  

And although I don't have a pic of Troy and my Dad from this particular birthday celebration, I didn't want to leave them out of this "guy post."  {Just for the record, Mom, Aunt Laura, Jonita and I were there, too, but I don't have any pics of us.  Go figure.}

It's funny to me how much they look alike.  But the scariest part is when they're side by side and do the exact same mannerism--at the same time.  

Well, I guess I can wrap up this post by saying how grateful I am for all the guys in my life.  :-)  It would definitely be a different story with out them!

Why Girls are Awesome...

I get text messages with photos like this saying, "I wanted to show you my new nail polish--I wish we lived in the same city!"  Yes, I do to, Amanda.  I do too.  But at least we can instant message each other while we're working!  :-)

We can get really excited about dressing up and going out.  {Left and bottom photos from New Year's Eve 2011}.  Claire and I found a top and blazer on sale at Target with some sparkles on it, so we bought it for SMoo to wear on NYE.  Only girls would do that,  right?!

Top photo was from girls' night last week.  We sat around at dinner and talked about 90 miles a minute about all sorts of stuff.  {Lots of which were blogs, since Gentry, Molly and I all blog!} 

Needless to say, I'm blessed with lots of girlfriends around here {and far away}, and I'm so thankful for all of them.

Other highlights lately:

• Running with Lyndsy {I never used to be able to run along this Baylor Track Star!  Not that I'm anywhere near her abilities (ha!) but still fun to be able to do that now.}
• Waking up at 6:15 so I can run in and tell Claire something before she leaves for school. 
• Watching Toy Story 3 with SMoo last night and talking for an hour and a half before we even started the movie.  And we just spent all of last weekend together!

Bottom line...Girls have A LOT of words.  I'm so thankful I can talk it all out with them.  {And I'm sure Adam appreciates this, too, because sometimes I just talk and talk and talk.  Thankfully he's a great listener!}  

Happy Weekending!