a little something festive

Over the last few weeks, everyone at work has been so kind to me...but the other providers and the girls that work with Dr. D and I have been especially sweet. So, I wanted to make a little something to thank them for all of their kindness. I decided that since today was our work Halloween lunch that I would make something fall inspired. I decided to make them each a little loaf of pumpkin bread. I went to Walmart and got little loaf pans and then, once baked, I placed them into their own little bags and closed them with a pretty piece of paper and a ribbon to make them look extra festive! I think that everyone liked them...now lets cross our fingers that the bread turned out tasting good...I have not ever made mini loaves of bread before, and I was worried that they might not have cooked through...even though I checked them with tooth picks repeatedly...

Thursday night dinner

This week has been no different from the last couple as far as me finding it difficult to find the time/energy to make dinner in the evenings. I just get home and feel like sitting down for a little while and relaxing...making dinner just isn't that high on the priority list unfortunately. This past Thursday, I actually got home close to on time. So, I decided to make dinner for Zack and I. I have had this recipe sitting in the wings just dying to be tried...and I just haven't gotten around to it. So, last night it had it's time to shine. I made onion Dijon pork chops, cabbage (which Zack WILL NOT eat, but that I sometimes crave because it reminds me of my childhood), and baked potatoes. The pork was really good. It had a good balance between sweet and savory and both Zack and I enjoyed it...although these days it is hard to know if we "really" like the recipe or if it is just such a welcome change from cereal, sandwiches, or frozen/fast food meals.

Pumpkin Carving Competitions

Tonight was the great pumpkin carving competition in our small group. We started the evening by spreading a tarp out in our living room to serve as a carving area...thanks to the cold and rain, it was not optimal to be outside carving. Then we selected a theme for our pumpkin carving by listing a bunch of different topics like, scary faces and favorite movie, Then we drew a topic out of a box. Our topic ended up being "small group". I was amazed at the creativity that our small group members have. I thought that everyone did a good job. There were a couple of couples that were at a little bit of a disadvantage because they haven't been coming to our small group for very long, but their pumpkins were really neat too.

coming up with themes

the drawing.

Let the carving begin!

Christy and Hector carved out designs that represented all of the couple in our group...it was SO creative, I loved it!


Cliff and Pam's pumpkin was a perfect representation of how our small group usually goes. We end up getting WAY off topic and then Zack will say, "so...question # 4" in an attempt to draw us back to what we are trying to discuss.


Kevin and Jaclyn did a pumpkin inspired by Jaclyn's most terrifying experience in small group...the high ropes course.


Brandon and Gina have not been going to our small group very long, but they did such a good job carving their pumpkin!


Zack and Gretchen had a HUGE pumpkin to carve...Zack of course found someway to tie it all in with our small group...I just cannot remember exactly what he said...something about Hector I think.


Scott and Breanna were really at a loss, because they just started coming to our small group 2 weeks ago, but I thought that their pumpkin turned out really cute...and Scott made some joke about it being Hector when his guitar has not been tuned! :)


Zack and I carved a cabin into our pumpkin in honor of our small group fall retreat last year....it was such a great time of bonding and fun memories for our group. We are hoping to repeat it again this fall.


I think that everyone involved had a really good time and I think that it was a good time of fellowship for our small group. Zack and I haven't carved a pumpkin in several years. So, it was fun to get the chance to do it...and especially with friends!

Sunday dinner

Poor Zack got a little spoiled with me being home all of the time. I have been WOEFULLY failing at my duties as a wife over the last few weeks. I have not really "felt" like cooking. I get home and I am just...well, tired! So, I was feeling bad about neglecting my husband and making him eat leftovers or fast food for all of his meals. So, I MADE myself make dinner Sunday night. I made Lemony spinach chicken, chipolte sweet potatoes, and corn. The sweet potatoes were spicy, but I kinda liked them. The chicken was a little blander than I had anticipated, but I think that Zack liked them both....probably because it was his first home cooked meal in a while! :) I am hoping that as time goes on that I will find a good routine for Zack and I and getting household things done...like cooking and cleaning. ...hopefully, for Zack's sake, I will get it figured out sometime soon!!

A fall Festival

There was a fall craft festival this weekend at a park near our house. I got to go to this one other year, and really enjoyed it. So, when it rolled around this year and I was going to be stuck home because Zack was working in ATL all day, I decided that I would go to it. My friend Christy wanted to go and she called and asked if I wanted to go with her. So, we headed out to the craft fair at about 1:00 on Saturday. It was a little colder than I had anticipated, or I would have worn a coat...but the cooler weather gave me an excuse to get to hold little C! We ended up meeting Pam and little Tappen while we were there and we had a great time strolling through the booths and seeing all of the neat things that people were selling....maybe one day I will be brave enough to set up a booth...maybe...

Go Dawgs!

Our SIL Rachel's brother is getting married, and Rachel was throwing a Georgia Bull Dogs themed bridal shower for them. Zack ended up working all day and so we were not able to make the trip down to the shower, which was about 3 hours from where we live. We were not sure until late that we wouldn't be able to go, so I made them a gift, but hadn't mailed it because I thought that we might be able to give it to them at the shower...and, to be honest, I was still putting the finishing touches on it on Thursday. I don't have as much time to craft/sew since starting back to work...which kinda makes me sad, but I know that there is always a trade off...and so far I am enjoying my job...although, I do at times wish that the hours were not quite so long...but I guess that things will start slowing down in a few months when the sick season is over. Anyway, I made a Bull Dog themed apron for Jennifer. I hope that she likes it. I thought that it turned out pretty cute!

Now I just need to get it in the mail!

The Great Date Experiment: Date 1

Our small group has started doing The Great Date Experiment. This is a series of 6 dates based on what the authors believe are the 6 essential qualities of a marriage. The date series was done by a church in Atlanta and I stumbled across it while reading a friend of a friend's blog.

We are always looking for fun ways to incorporate marriage enrichment into our small group time. We really feel that part of the purpose of our small group is to grow our marriage and support those with in the group in growing their marriages as well! So, Zack and I thought that it would be fun for our small group to periodically do one of these dates.

We were supposed to go on our first date sometime over the last two weeks, and of course in natural puddle style, Zack and I waited until the last minute to go on our date. We went on our date Thursday after I got home from work.

this is a horrible picture, but I had to at least get one of the two of us during our date!!

The date itself was centered around the idea of enhancing romance with in your marriage. You were supposed to follow a series of steps, making sure to do the steps in order and not look ahead. It was a fun date and it allowed Zack and I to have some quality time together.

The date was a progressive dinner of sorts. You have an entire meal, but all at different restaurants, and you would ask/answer a series of questions along the way.

Zack and I headed to one of our favorite local restaurants for an appetizer. This little restaurant has THE BEST potato skins that I have ever found!

For our entree, we headed to little Mexican restaurant down town and we shared an order of fajitas.


...and for dessert we headed to a little bakery down town and Zack had a key lime tart while I ate a Halloween cupcake.

headed to the bakery and asking each other questions along the way.

Yes, my teeth are black...thank you black icing.
Zack thought that it was funny so he took a picture...thanks Babe!

yes, that is a picture of a CVS...and this part of the date was a lot harder than we had anticipated. If we had it to do over, we probably would have gone to a different store, but when you start your date later in the evening you cannot be too picky! (you'll have to go on the date to figure out what that was all about!)

Zack and I really enjoyed ourselves and I would definitely recommend it as a fun date to anyone that's married. It is a fun date that basically tells you what to do and gives you questions to think about...but it allows you to take time to invest in your marriage.

We should be doing date number 2 in a month or so...so, we will see how that goes.