"I Got New Boots Boots"

I got home from the gym this afternoon and was greeted by these glorious, all too familiar red circles. My day instantly went from good to AMAZING! Oh the money and time I have spent cruising through the Dollar Spot and after holiday sales at Target. If only I had stock in this place.

Oh yeah baby... it was like Christmas had come again.

Like a glove. Personally I think the knee high (or thigh high for shorties like me) sweater socks make the outfit. Only if you could see the neon stripped boxer shorts I was sporting. You don't know what you're missing. You do what you gotta do when living in an ice box.

Now my tan boots have a sister in the black boots arrived today! I took full advantage of the fact that my "athletic" calves have finally found a home in these boots and bought the black ones too! It made it even better that they were onsale. Now Mr. H won't give me a hard time for wearing tan with black, because he thinks the boots are brown and knows that black and brown are a no no! Too bad tan is a completely different color. Silly Mr. H!

Silly... yes. But I do love this handsome face!

She's okay too. Laila has been a great snuggle bug lately.

I was excited about the boots so I wanted to share. Sorry for the other randomness. I figure I will be taking a lot of pictures of randomness and our pets since we have no squishy babies to take pictures of... sorry! :)

I also wanted to share this amazing PALEO recipe we tried last night. Paleo Chicken Nuggets from www.Health-Bent.com. I know those flecks look a little bit like grass but let me assure you it is infact coconut. They were delicious! ''

Here's the recipe: www.health-bent.com/proteins/coconut-chicken -nuggets

This was the first week back at school after a relaxing Christmas break. The alarm clock rang way too early at 5:20 each morning. Along with cooking some new Paleo recipes I started drinking my coffee black to prepare for the 60 day challenge. And black coffee was just that... a challenge. Luckily my sweet friend and Crossfit coach informed me of coconut milk creamer which sounds like the best thing yet! :) You know 5:30 is too early when the puppy stays in bed while you get up to shower and is still in bed when you get out. The early mornings have made sweet Kali a bit delirious.

Check out this video of her chasing Mr. H's laser light before heading to his midnight shift... we may be easily entertained in this house.

This Monday starts our 60 Day Challenge. Our gym, Grapevine Crossfit, is hosting the challenge to eat Paleo for 60 days. I have written about Paleo a bit in the past but along with Crossfit it has been wonderful and me and Mr. H have seen a lot of changes. So we are both anxious and excited for the challenge to begin. If it was up to the man of the house we would be eating chicken and broccoli everynight, maybe through in cucumbers one night to change it up. But to keep this lady interested that is not going to fly. I have been scanning Paleo blogs for new recipes and we have been trying some new ones this week. Here is one of them... Paleo Orange Chicken! Nothing like Pioneer Woman's goodies but so much better.

Get in my belly!

I am thinking about documenting our 60 days in a new tab on the blog but so far I haven't been able to figure out how to create the tabs. I am turning to my blog expert, my southern belle: Mrs. Sprinkles and Wrinkles. So stay tuned.

One of my resolutions for the New Year and goals for the Paleo Challenge are to spend Sunday afternoons meal planning for the week and heading to the grocery store to get ready for the week. I just finished repainting an old Goodwill frame with blue acrylic paint and chalkboard paint to use for a meal planner for the week. I love late night craft projects while the husband is working.

Let me warn you my Saturday nights have gotten wild as I've grown older... tonight my night was spent crafting, doing laundry, and finally putting away Christmas decorations. That's right folks... Christmas lasted two weeks longer in this house on the account that this lady loves the holidays and the truth: I have been dreading it. It has been the last thing I want to do after coming home from playing with 17 Kinder babies and working out. But I finally did it. The kitties had to find a new spot on the chair when I took down the Christmas tree. For the past month they have been keeping warm under the Christmas tree lights.

I didn't start undecorating until 10 o'clock and again Kali was ready for bed.

I would like to take this time to introduce you to our family Christmas tree. We call her Tripod because as you can see she only has 3 legs. Let me explain how Tripod found her way into our lives. Last year while scanning the after Christmas sales I went to Goodwill searching for some killer deals and there she was. A 6 1/2 foot PRELIT beauty. What?!? That meant no more stringing on lights, lights and more lights for hours. I was in... I plugged her in to make sure she was working. We were in business. Even better she was only $20! Music to my ears. Some may call me cheap, I call it frugal.

This is what I discovered when I got her home. I felt a little silly, no wonder she was only $20. I felt cheated but I was determined to make this work. Here she is in all her tripod glory.

I am happy to say that with the help of a clear tack and some clear fishing line Tripod stood proud and tall for the whole holiday season. And no one noticed, well or no one wanted to point out the fact there was fishing line shooting out from the branches. She was so strong! I am happy to report that Tripod will make another appearance next year for Christmas. The best $20 I have ever spent.

Well it's way past my bedtime and Kali has been keeping the bed warm for me so I am headed to bed. Goodnight blog world!

Ramblings of 2011

Can you believe it is really 2011? A mere twenty years ago I moved to the Lonestar State and started Kindergarten. It was the year of my little boy haircut, that my still swears I begged for. Sure mom! It baffles me that in 1991 I was as old as my Kinder babies. That was 20 years ago. Now I just feel old!

Christmas break went way too fast. I was on a mission to be productive here at the Love Nest. A garage sale was in the plans after going through every closet and box of clutter. Underestimating the amount of work I had to do the 2 weeks off went by fast. And after the hard work all I wanted to do was to get the stuff out of the house. So on New Years Eve Goodwill got a mighty donation from the family. I am happy to say that everything finally has a place in our little home.

I attacked my craft room/scrapbooking room/white room/pet room with a vengence. After sanding and repainting our old kitchen table with 5 coats of paint the white room is complete. Now that every room in the house is finally done (only 4 months later) I just may finally share some pictures of the Love Nest.

Speaking of pictures... Mama got a new camera for Christmas :) After a tragic accident in the Starbucks drive thru my point and shoot camera was submerged in a cup of water. Needless to say the camera was not waterproof and I thought my life was over. My husband generously agreed to spend our Christmas money on the gift that will keep on giving. I am praying that all of my knowledge of aperature and shutter speed from high school freshman year photo journalism will seep back into my brain while I'm sleeping. So far no good.

Hello little blackberry...

One of my unofficial New Year's resolutions is to blog more. Trying to get in the swing of things hence the randomness of this post With a fancy camera to share all of our happenings there are no more excuses. I didn't want to share this resolution due to my lack of postings and follow through... oh well :)

I forsee big things for our family in 2011! It's all about 2011... BIG BIG plans and many goals.

Our gym is hosting a 60 paleo challenge starting next Monday. We started this Monday for a fresh start for our work weeks. Tonight a late night trip to the grocery store for cat food and Drano tested my Day 2 of the challenge. I don't crave sweets, I am more of a salty, chips and salsa kinda girl. But my body must be detoxing from the holiday goodies because every drive thru serving ice cream was chanting my name. And at the store all holiday candy was 50% off. Luckilly Extra's Dessert gum was buy one get one free at the register so we got a little treat after our turkey taco wraps. Thanks Biggest Loser for the tip.

I'm off to shoo Mr. H to the man room so I can watch the new season of Biggest Loser while chomping on my Mint Chocolate Chip gum NOT icecream! Happy 2011!

Last Day of Winter Break

Twas the night before the first day of the "new" school year.
A husband and wife woke up to a power outage, definitely a worst fear.

To make the best of the situtation, "Let's get some Starbucks!" she said.
Still tucked in bed nice and cozy visions of coffee and pastries danced in Mr. H's head.


Coffee cake, blueberry scone & 2 coffees to go= The Best Breakfast in bed.
With a caffeine jump start we were ready for the day ahead.

The power came back on just in time.
We went to cash in our winning lotto ticket, bought a few more but didn't win a dime.


We didn't let the news get us down to low.
We were off to the Movie Tavern for lunch and a show.

A mid day matinee of The Fighter with Marky Mark as the star.
I'm glad we got a close seat so I didn't have to admire those mighty muscles from afar.

Off to Home Depot we went to top off our date.
Quality time with my husband, the grocery shopping and laundry could wait.



Pleading to the husband on this cold winter night.
Reluctantly he built us a fire, it wasn't worth the fight.


Searching to make sure no critters crawled down from inside,
We are now snuggled so warm sitting next to the fireside.



I can think of no better place I would rather be,
Than spending my last night of Christmas Break with my tiny family of 3.




Happy 2011 Y'all!

Get your own tots...

Six years ago this sweet man
(look how young he was... little bug)

told me that he loved me for the very first time!

And after watching this "classic" movie. Very storybook romance, I know.

And the past six years have been the best of my life.
And my man has skills. Eat your heart out Napoleon! :)

I know, I know... I say it every time. I am going to be better about updating the blog. And time and time again I fail. This holiday season has been kicking my tail. Our week of Kindergarten has been so exciting but also quite exhausting. Between Polar Express PJ Day on Wednesday, a full day of training and preparing for a class Holiday Party tomorrow I am just pooped!

But I am back from the trenches folks and I have some VERY EXCITING NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
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Did you think we were pregnant?!? Haha. Sorry it's past my bedtime, lame joke.

But this news is just as exciting for me. If our December wasn't so warm, hell might have frozen over tonight. I have been sorting through my clothes lately and purging, we may be planning a winter garage sale at Club Asbury. Let me preface this story by telling you how attached my sweet husband is to every piece of clothing he owns. Each time I think, "Hmmm... he has not worn this in a while, maybe he wouldn't even miss it" he changes my mind by looking for that specific item. He may just be the clothes rain man. He could probably tell you every item in the closet, and let me tell you, that's alot!

So I have been strategically planning when I was going to talk to him about getting rid of some of his clothes. It has to be the perfect, exactly right moment for these kinds of talks. I am telling you he is attached. Well tonight while putting away some laundry preparing for tomorrow's girls night I decided to ignore my previous plans to slide it in and call an intervention.

Our first round of purging was a success in my book. I felt like I was on a episode of Hoarders discussing each item. I kid, I kid. There was actually very little resistance on his part, although he did say it took a lot out of him. A little dramatic if you ask me.
It made a bit more room in our closet and the closet is patiently awaiting the cleanse of Christmas Break 2010! That's right folks, I've got big plans for the break. Productive plans... the only thing that stands between me and those 15days of freedom is one morning of cleaning our classroom and our class' Holiday Party. I think I can, I think I can.

Camp Mineola

Hallelujah........... insert the singing chorus here. Me and my mister finally went camping. This December will mark our 6th year anniversary- well dating that is. And I believe of those six years one year may have been spent begging the hubs to take me camping. After 5 days of relaxing during my Thanksgiving break and working on my holiday decor me, the boy, four friends and two bigger than life Texas trucks took off for Mineola, Texas. Don't ask me where it is or how we get there. All that I know is I saw the signs for Canton, my mecca, and pleaded for a detour.

My sweet officer didn't make much of a copilot running on a mere 4 hours of sleep after the midnight shift so I belted out some Christmas carols to make the drive go by faster. We made a pit stop at Mr. B's BBQ pit and this place had some chow which was "slap your mother-in-law good." Mr H's words. Then we pulled into Mineola. Our friend's family owns 70 acres so we had the place to ourselves; just the coyotes and creepy crawlies to keep us company.

We finally got to set up our tent which was a wedding present. Circa March 2009

Coordinating Camo

The men on their way to spotlight. What you ask? Let's just say that one's husband, maybe the one in the camo jacket decided to shoot a skunk which aimed it's delightful stench at just the right angle to keep us company all night. Make me proud...

The ladies holding it down at the fire pit.

It was a beautiful day spent with great friends. As soon as that sun went down, the temperatures dropped just a quick. The mummy bags were a great success, I was actually hot. There wasn't anything I would rather be doing then spending time with my man, our friends and the great outdoors. I am so excited to plan our next camping trip. Hopefully it won't take another 6 years to convince this silly boy to go again.

Great day when you can drop in a line while brushing the pearlies...

Love Mr. H